Does Anyone Make Replacement Decals for 1/18 Die Cast Cars?

[impcon]

I have a 1/18 die cast '59 Impala that I started getting ready to repaint a stock colour a few years ago and then it occurred to me that the hoof V and crossed flags were a decal and once removed, the hood would be devoid of any emblems. There are other die casts as well that could benefit from some body work and a repaint but the scripts and emblems are usually decals. Is there anyone who makes photo etch parts or decals for these larger scale cars? Or do I have to try and find someone who can duplicate them in decal form for me?

[SCI-FI]

No personal experience, but folks have suggested Firebird to me for my decal projects.

http://firebird-designs.ecrater.com

He may have stuff in stock that you can use, or may be able to scale something up for 1/18th scale.

[swede70]

Greetings,

In the larger scales one obviously must be creative. Here I'll try to articulate how I do it, whereas in practice it just becomes an outlook when viewing materials online and at shows. I mostly work on 1:18th period road racing conversions, hence maybe I can lend value to the board for so replying. Mostly I'm forced to do my own graphics or rely on a firm known as Patto's Place situated in Australia. Slixx has some 1:18th sheets in a drag racing vein, whereas I like their 1:25th vintage drag racing tire sheet given that some of the larger slicks have lettering that can work on 1:18th topics if cut up and spaced appropriately. The R/C hobby affords some things, but given my vintage focus their isn't that much overlap. I shop avidly for items registered too large on the usual 1:25th waterslide sheets (usually in person at regional scale hobby shows), while I also collect 1:1 period vinyl decals in the hope that I might scan and reproduce what I require either for sharing data with someone more technically capable. Sometimes I'll go 'low tech' and simply printing such on the highest quality paper I can find. Rough prototypes of this and that factory-produced diecast model seen online are often decorated such, hence 'no shame in my game' so to speak.

Exterior make and model identification is typically hard. Some Fred Cady 1:25th silk screened waterslide sheets bear such markings and are available for little even given the fact that he is now retired, whereas for artful reemployment of where this or that marking is placed and how large such has been rendered, some modest hope exists. If your budget will stretch, consider ordering all relevant 1:25th (presuming such is all that can be found) plastic kit photoetch kits to determine what might be recycled and added to your project. As an example, the interior door panel identification on their 1:18th 1970-71 Hwy. 61 'Cuda range is abysmal, being halfheartedly reproduced with a decal displaying prominent carrier film. For analysis of a 1:25th photo etch kit of the same topic, it was noticed that the Shaker scoop identification (provided multiple times in the form of 'Hemicuda', ' 'Cuda 340', 'Cuda 440+6, etc.) provided on the product was correct for scale on the door panels in 1:18th and cost effective too. Prior to examining the photo etch sheet in question, I thought only the single tail panel identification would work, and yet maybe four pairs of markings could be had from each sheet. In short, without application and examination of the goods, it's impossible to strictly tell what's on offer.

More on the conservation front, there are times too that I'll do almost anything to mask a tampo print to do paintwork given how tough it is to find replacement stuff. I recently picked up some odd semi-gloss metallic oyster/pearl spray paint to refinish a Hemi 'Cuda Shaker hood scoop, and discretely taping out the 'Hemicuda' i.d. seemed the only way to go. Further, some time ago I did my best to respray the top surfaces of a Yat Ming/Road Legends 1970 Rebel Machine in some color-matched blue, while taping out the 'REBEL' identification done as a tampo print was my only hope.

Moving on, it's proven good practice to visit multiple boards in search of build threads consistent with your interests. Some builders and modifiers have deep pockets and are incredibly capable in terms of what they not only can do on a skills basis, but what hardware backs their efforts. Some have very large script and font libraries as well as ALPS printers and the like to supply what they require, whereas duplicates can sometimes be had when a build thread is being actively elaborated upon and the bloke is smiling his broadest if the reader understands my meaning. Most serious builders and modifiers won't prioritize something they have little direct interest in, hence sending a flattering note with a discrete inquiry as to whether duplicates of this or that can be had (presumably for a fee) when a project is 'hot' can yield nice results and be the stuff of friendship formation too! Keep careful notes on all that you see, for in the end it may be you who learns the technique, invests in the hardware, and eventually produces the goods. As older builders and suppliers retire or withdraw from the hobby, some of us must step up to provide what many might treasure. Best of luck and be adaptable as you dare. I hope this reply helps someone!

Mike K.

Edited June 17, 2015 by swede70

[Junkman]

I often wonder why the aftermarket industry ignores 1/18 completely.

The Yatming '59 Chevy is a good example, so are many other offerings from this and many other manufacturers.

They are basically sound, but would benefit immensely from a little help in form of a PE kit.

A bit off post is another blatantly obvious shortfall in 1/18 scale - the non-availability of aftermarket wheelsets.

If you want to change the wheels of a diecast, you often end up having to buy an entire donor model.

When I decided to mildly customize my Yatming '57 Olds, I was looking for a set of Cragar SSes.

I only found them in from of a complete Ertl Red Alert Chevelle, but in the end I didn't have the heart to mess with it.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Junkman

[Yenkocamaro]

Christian, there actually is a fair amount of 1/18 wheel/tire sets made by GMP over the years, and now Acme is making some as well, although the majority of sets from Acme are Drag racing related. GMP and Acme also sold engines as well, although, again racing related. The problem now is, prices have soared over the years, and GMP Engines, and wheel/tire sets are very pricey. You should be able to check ebay, to see some of these. Also, there are a few sellers that take cars apart and sell the parts, which include the wheels and tires. There are some decals to be found for 1/18, although they are becoming harder and harder to find, again, check ebay . The market for 1/18 has been rapidly changing, and we modders will see less and less attention to the release of extra parts for us to change the look of our cars.

Cheers,

Lance

[Junkman]

I'm not sure whether this handful of overpriced drag racing related wheelsets from GMP/ACME constitutes an aftermarket industry, but tend to think not.

Seeing how popular collecting and modifying 1/18 scale became, I'm puzzled as to why there isn't an ambundance of cottage industry products.

Compare it with what is on offer for the meanwhile much less popular 1/24-5 scale.

For example, how difficult can it be for the likes of MCG to "blow up" their existing PE sets to 1/18 scale for those where a corresponding diecast exists?

[Junkman]

I just wrote to MCG and asked whether they would consider doing at least some PE emblems and script plates for 1/18s.

[AzTom]

Fred Cady did make several sets of 1/18 decals, although the 69 Camaro set had some incorrect emblems. I have also seen some other 1/18 decals on ebay but have never used any of them.

I know a few people worked on decal sheets of emblems but I don't think they were ever done. I would buy some for sure.

Find someone with an Alps printer and see if they will make you some. There is a Yahoo Group on Alps printers that may be a good place to start .. or I can fix you up with your own Alps printer

As for parts there are some out there but probably will never be what you see in 1/25. Even as big as 1/18 is you only have a small percentage customizing them and most of those and made into race cars.

Scale Motorsport ??? (I think that was the name) made some PE sets for the 69 and 70-71 Camaro's but they never sold well at all.

[swede70]

Greetings again,

Though slated to vanish from the Internet come August 2015, something called the Diecast Pub maintains (for the moment!) a list of 1:18th parts sources that may be of interest.

http://diecast-pub.com/community/index.php?/topic/794-list-of-websites-to-get-118-parts-for-modding/

I do some parts myself in 1:18th in terms of parts, although (and very predictably) the slate 'o stuff I do closely reflects my own interests. I'm somewhat reluctant to sell to people who collect $150 pre-assembled and pre-finished models matched to an underdeveloped plastic kit skill set (sales to such people equal trouble I fear), but otherwise I can be persuaded to do copies of that which I do. A great many diecast collectors are reluctant to modify their models convinced that they'll surely depreciate! So few do (as a percentage of all produced) that oftentimes I think the topic is moot, whereas I just want to create what I want for whatever tool I embrace.

...anyways - a samping then. Just scroll down to read what I've written below each photo image to understand what is explained in brief:

...this would be a '70 model Chrysler Rallye wheel. Hwy. 61 didn't really excel in terms of what they fitted to their many E-Body releases in this regard, hence I tried to do better for combining parts across diecast releases.

...what is seen is a Hwy. 61 wheel center stamping combined to wheel center/lug trim surround that was cut out of a separate wheel to ensure the perimeter edge would be visible after painting it. I thought the Hwy. 61 center tip too shallow, so this was built up and further, I added the tip contour sourced from an ancient and awful ERTL Challenger T/A release in 1:18th. All the associated other stuff in the photo constitutes my paint mask, whereas I used dealership-sourced Chrysler muscle car argent cap paint. Some wet urethane was used for the brass rod lug masks.

...post-paint, post-masking. Again, dealership-sourced Chrysler musclecar argent wheel paint was employed, this time for the center stampings. All seen is made using hand poured two-part resin into urethane molds. I further have a plastic vacuum plater nearby, hence the center bits received the treatment before being painted.

...backside slots opened up to disguise the thickness of what I use.

...Hwy. 61 mounts reused to render reassembly brainless.

...GMP '70 Roadrunner trim rings cast in resin and then chromed. GMP never chromed them, hence I felt the need to do so.

...ready to go. The trim rings are a bit narrow of diameter to use with the Hwy. 61 tires, although masking the same to paint the outside edge blending into each respective tire black helps matters immensely.

...installed then on a B5 Blue 'Cuda with a blue interior that was swapped in from another model. The track is increased a bit (desired this), whereas the model looks far better I do think. One of my molds has a tip that is too long - see the left rear in particular. Seems I'll have to fix that! Chrysler Corp. Shaker scoop silver (a flat pearlescent shade from what I can make out) was further employed here. Fishing line hood pin lanyards are to come. Thanks...

Mike K.

Edited June 20, 2015 by swede70

[swede70]

Fred Cady did make several sets of 1/18 decals, although the 69 Camaro set had some incorrect emblems. I have also seen some other 1/18 decals on ebay but have never used any of them.

I know a few people worked on decal sheets of emblems but I don't think they were ever done. I would buy some for sure.

Find someone with an Alps printer and see if they will make you some. There is a Yahoo Group on Alps printers that may be a good place to start .. or I can fix you up with your own Alps printer

As for parts there are some out there but probably will never be what you see in 1/25. Even as big as 1/18 is you only have a small percentage customizing them and most of those and made into race cars.

Scale Motorsport ??? (I think that was the name) made some PE sets for the 69 and 70-71 Camaro's but they never sold well at all.

...indeed, Fred Cady did a few all but ignored 1:18th sheets. I modified a Welly/GMP '71-season Geo. Follmer BOSS 302 Trans Am Mustang into a '70 Parnelli Jones Mid-Ohio winner employing the best bits of Cady's '70 BOSS 302 race sheet in 1:18th. Fred has formally retired, although Model Empire as well as the usual eBay suspects still stock his silk-screened sheets in quantity.

...the wheels are resin Minilites based on a modified GMP pattern done by me. Thanks...

Mike K.

Edited June 20, 2015 by swede70

[Brett Barrow]

Scale Motorsports made a couple 69 Camaro decal sheets and a photoetch set in 1/18 scale. They did not sell well and were soon discontinued and they gave up on 1/18 (cause if you can't sell 69 Camaro stuff, what can you sell?).

[AzTom]

Scale Motorsports made a couple 69 Camaro decal sheets and a photoetch set in 1/18 scale. They did not sell well and were soon discontinued and they gave up on 1/18 (cause if you can't sell 69 Camaro stuff, what can you sell?).

So it was Scale Motorsport, as mentioned above. One problem with their sets was, although they were labeled 1969, some were 1970. I don't remember the details but I do remember talking to them and they didn't seem to care. I still have few set here someplace.

[AzTom]

Mike, those wheels look great. The cars also look great.