So all this talk of customs and the amazing(!) work you've been showing off got me thinking. I've got way too many cars, many of them duplicates....why not me too? After all, you guys really make it look so easy.
I started with this Mini for one single reason alone, I can't drill a rivet out without making a mess and permanently scarring the cast (much less get it back together). Luckily:
Pop-top Mini. No removal of rivets required! I've been able to remove paint before using Philip's patented magic soak overnight in pine sol method and then take a stainless steel brush to it (I believe Philip uses a Nylon brush, but I'm kind of hardcore). I've removed paint before on a die-cast, once removing the unfortunate tampos from the ZAMAC Scion (a crowning achievement), and an old Ford Sierra from my youth. Unfortunately I misplaced a few pieces on that last project and it never got finished.
This one I am determined to get completed, and I think the lack of rivet removal and more than a couple parts are promising.
Anyway, one thing I had not encountered before was paint this ridiculously stubborn. The Mini I am working on is a "First Edition" from 2000. I know Hot Wheels must've moved to a thinner paint lately, because it has been excruciating getting all that yellow off. The checkerboard tampo came off quickly, lulling me into the false sense that this was going to be quick and easy.
That was three weeks ago.
By this weekend I'd gotten it down to this:
It had required some ridiculous levels of elbow grease and acetone (pine sol alone just didn't cut it). Also it had managed to pretty much destroy my stainless steel and brass brushes. The end was in sight though (of the first step, at least), so I kept at it. Tonight it looks like this:
Still a couple flecks of yellow in tough places, but I've been advised to take an X-ACTO knife to them. Next up apparently comes primer. Hopefully that won't take quite as long.
