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Making tires look aged.


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I'm working on an old IH 4070 and I'm trying to make it look old and forgotten. I've got the frame and tanks rusted up but it has tires on it that are shiny and new looking. I want to make them look like the truck in the picture. This is the truck I'm trying to replicate.

INTERNATIONAL TRANSTAR 4070 CABOVER Sleeper Tractor Truck, WOOTEN TRANSPORT Hazelhurst Georgia International Transtar Tractor Trailer Truck GA.       .JPG

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Old tires aren't actually black, but more a charcoal and dark brown with grey inside the treads and never shiny. I'm a proponent for plastic tires. They can be painted in any colors with no downside of coming off or stickiness. 

Look carefully at how the light shows the shades and textures. 

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old-tire-pond-01-10312016.jpg.06c147914dd4be1d5f095b0e67a00674.jpg

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8 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Old tires aren't actually black, but more a charcoal and dark brown with grey inside the treads and never shiny. I'm a proponent for plastic tires. They can be painted in any colors with no downside of coming off or stickiness. 

Look carefully at how the light shows the shades and textures. 

old_tire_dump_fea-770x429.jpg.7c053fb790443bae9b11d16d5daa3918.jpg

DB_pics_012.jpg.f3d61dfa9c94d4f0d9139b2c7bb4f6a9.jpg

old-tire-pond-01-10312016.jpg.06c147914dd4be1d5f095b0e67a00674.jpg

20200823_173214.jpg.6116e2217ec2b8dd049659430b84b106.jpg

Yes this is the look I need. I've considered using real mud. This is the truck I'm working I'm not putting it in the WIP because I have about 3 projects in there already. But you see the shiny tires just do not fit the look I'm going for.

IMG_20220615_075629.jpg

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10 hours ago, peteski said:

Please let us know how well the paint sticks to the soft vinyl tires.  Many military models (to which this set is likely geared to) have tires made of hard resin (same resin used for other parts of the kit).

Will do!

1 hour ago, James Maynard said:

Where did you get this kit from?

https://www.amazon.com/Model-Air-Color-Wheels-Tracks/dp/B00XVX5NVE/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3P0Z2JBR0GX9L&keywords=vallejo+rubber&qid=1655388829&sprefix=vallejo+rubbe%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-6

Less than $20, delivered...admittedly, the gunmetal and rust colors they include aren't needed for what you're doing, but they're useful for a bunch of other stuff...

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Just an idea that I have not tried but Hob Lob sells a rock tumbler for about $25. My daughter had one when she was little but I don't think it's still around for me to try. Anyway, it seems that you could tumble some tires for a short time with an appropriate grit and get all the shine off of them. Cheaper than a sandblasting rig.

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FWIW:  I wouldn't use real mud to get tires to look used or worn.  It will look too heavy or out of scale.   There are plenty of new paints that can be used to great effect especially if used to delineate the sidewalls and inside the tread.  The tread surface is always darker than the surrounding surface that is deeper since it is readily worn away.  To simulate the sand or fines that can accumulate within the tread area, try a wash of light tan and drip it into the tread pattern and let it dry.  

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I considered purchasing one of these a few months ago (thanks, mr. Muse).  There is a generic and Paasche brand available.  These would have to be used outside or in the garage and definitely respirator use.  Different types of media are available for different surface requirements.   I don’t know for sure about compressor requirements, but doubt a large compressor is required.

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