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Posted

Looking for advise, tips, tricks, etc on re-contouring the deck lid on my '69 H/O convertible build. How malleable is the zinc(?) body? Will it bend a bit before fracturing? I am amazed by the diecast cars you guys build and hope there's someone who knows their way around a diecast body who will share their knowledge and can keep me out of trouble and on point with my project.

My sincere thanks in advance for you assistance!!!

Posted

... How malleable is the zinc(?) body? Will it bend a bit before fracturing?...

From my admittedly limited experience with reworking diecast models, I'd advise extreme caution far as trying to bend the stuff goes.

It's similar to the potmetal a lot of old-car cast chrome trim is made of (with which I have rather a lot of experience) and it doesn't bend very far before snapping...especially if it's already been bent in one direction and you're trying to bend it back.

There's also a significant variation in the composition of the metal from different manufacturers, and even differences from time periods from the same company. Some of it is so brittle it's impossible to bend at all without cracking or shattering.

Posted

I can add to what Bill Engwer said:  The common alloy used in casting diecast model cars is called ZAMAK, which has been around since at least the 1920's. Commonly called "Pot Metal", ZAMAK is an alloy of Zinc,Aluminum and Copper, which if done correctly, with no contaminants, can be quite hard and strong (  (such items as inside and outside door handles and window cranks for cars have been made from it since the 1930's), it really doesn't withstand much in the way of "bending" or re-forming, as it has a rather crystalline texture.

You didn't state what it is you want to achieve, but were I a guessing person, some recontouring or reshaping of a diecast body or panels thereof--in which case the best bet is to use a catalyzed body putty (AKA Bondo) to do this.  Catalyzed polyester body filler will bond very securely to ZAMAC, once you roughen the surface with say, a fairly coarse file, and will file, sand and "feather-edge" quite well.  Once primed and painted  you should not be able to tell where the raw ZAMAK ends and the body filler begins.

ARt

Posted

You didn't state what it is you want to achieve, but were I a guessing person, some recontouring or reshaping of a diecast body or panels thereof--in which case the best bet is to use a catalyzed body putty (AKA Bondo) to do this.  Catalyzed polyester body filler will bond very securely to ZAMAC, once you roughen the surface with say, a fairly coarse file, and will file, sand and "feather-edge" quite well.  Once primed and painted  you should not be able to tell where the raw ZAMAK ends and the body filler begins.

Art,

Not doing anything TOO drastic, just need to lower the leading edge of the decklid about 1/16"-3/32" on the 1/18 '69 H/O I'm converting into a convertible to better follow the new quarter panel profile. Here's the link to my build...

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/110996-118-scale-69-hurstolds-convertible-build/

Thanks everyone for your input!

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