Anybody else like to rework Hot Wheels?

Sometimes I will rework the body and add wiring to the engine. 

Or make new wheels instead of just swapping them.

This one has a stock body but features a scratch-built engine, detailed interior and wire wheels.

But usually I just repaint and add painted detailing of the molded in details.

Nearly all of my HW customs feature custom designed decals.

They are also used to test new paints, like the pearl white and pure blue Tamiya LP lacquers this one sports.

I completely dissemble them,  strip the paint and reassemble. 

midnightprowler

I do them occasionaly... 

Nice work, Lee!

Do you also disassemble them to paint the bodies, then reassemble them? Or do you work with the assembled cars?

I do them occasionaly.

A Hot Wheels 69 Charger I turned into a General Lee

a Ford Maverick I redid.

Thanks!  Yes, I disassamble them and strip the paint off, essentially turning them into simple little kits.

I did an article for Scale Auto a couple years ago and another, probably a dozen years ago for Model Cars, detailing how to do it.

Very cool, Scale Modeler!  Do you disassemble the cars to repaint them, eg, drill out the rivets, pop any tabs, etc?

I have not done such restorations or upgrades myself, but I follow a YouTube channel from a fella in Australia who restores Matchbox cars.  It's a lot of fun to follow his builds, though he's on hiatus, having moved to a new town.

His channel is Marty's Matchbox Makeovers:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLM7pRUW6CmqqoAic24wbpQ

Thanks guys!

I took the standard dark blue MB and gave it a faded light blue paint job and weathered it with some dust effects. done with my iwata airbrush and tamiya paints.

DSCF8541 by aus_mus, on Flickr

DSCF8543 by aus_mus, on Flickr

DSCF8544 by aus_mus, on Flickr

DSCF8546 by aus_mus, on Flickr

DSCF8548 by aus_mus, on Flickr

Really nice results. Great paint jobs. I don't think that I could work on something that small.

This always looked like fun, but I'm afraid it's just another rabbit hole I find myself going down. It's best I stay away, too temping.

BK

I see a lot of these from time to time and spares that can be available to customise these small vehicles. I'm very impressed with the conversions I've seen and want to try some. Unfortunately none of these spares are available in the UK.

I do sometimes;

     I did some a while ago.The ones from MC-Donalds, Especially the 55 Chevy.Turned it into a regular Chevy instead the gasser it was! Sorry no Pics!