Making a mini me for my 210 (Stanley)

[Cleopatra Jones]

I’ve got my order in for decals so it’ll probably be a couple of weeks before they show up. Meanwhile I need to glue on wiper blades and make the license plate lights.

[Cleopatra Jones]

Teeny tiny decals showed up today. They look pretty good. So small you need a magnifying glass to see it but they do read except for the 'BY NISSAN' under 'DATSUN 210' that goes on the trunk lid. It was just too small to hold. I'll start prepping those tomorrow. The backing paper comes off so the decals are on transparent film.

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by colourbox

[Cleopatra Jones]

Side markers and windshield wipers on. I used the original taillights from the model car and cut one in half for make the side markers. I also used the original wipers. Even though they're backwards I think I got them laid in such a way it's not too obvious. I had to glue them to the car though so they would stay. I can't get them to lay like normal partially on the windshield. I also put on the license plate lights. That was a pain. Then the stupid front bumper came off while I was doing that so I had to glue that back on. Gotta let all that set. I'll probably put the decals on tomorrow. Already have them sprayed and ready to go. Still cleaning up my paint job on the front grille and bumper and back bumper.

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by colourbox

[Cleopatra Jones]

Got the decals on. They look pretty good. I had ordered some transparent waterslide decal paper a while ago as I had planned on printing the emblems myself but when I had one done it didn't look as good as I'd hoped which is why I went with Bedlam Creations to print my decals. I just decided I was going to do the side trim as a decal so I made up the file and had it printed only to find out the paper I ordered is not transparent. It is white paper backed. The nuggetheads I ordered the paper from sent me the wrong stuff. I'm beyond annoyed. So now I have to fix that but as soon as I get transparent paper I can finish the car. I used an acrylic laquer to spray the decals to seal them and keep the ink from running.

 

 

This is actually a really useful video on how to apply decals. I also have Illustrator like the author of the video which I used to make all the emblems. It was very informative on what materials you need, what program you could use to make your emblems/decals and what to do after you have your decals printed.

 

Here's some closeups with the emblems on. I also had tiny 'D's made to resemble the D on Stanley's wheel caps. I wanted to do a wheel swap with another car that had wheel caps but the wheels are set in the plastic and taking apart a wheel to pull the axle out was impossible without destroying the wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as I get some transparent decal paper I will return with the side trim. I also wanted to do a type of outline to resemble the gas door. Hopefully what I envision works. Since the original model was a right hand drive car everything is on the wrong side.

Edited December 11, 2020 by colourbox

[Cleopatra Jones]

For anyone wondering exactly how small 1:43 scale is here's the car next to an xacto knife.

 

[MikeRL411]

Model railroad fans/builders used to use a liquid [don't remember the name] that dissolved the decal backing when applied and left only the printed part of the decal.  Very impressive on small scale models, no decal surround bump.  Made the result more realistic when viewed from several angles.

[Cleopatra Jones]

I picked up this waterslide decal paper from Michael's. The reviews were mixed on how good it was and I have to say it takes technique. The best way to do it is print out your decal and let it set a day. Then spray it with the clear lacquer. I hit it about 6-8 times, let it dry for 20 minutes and then hit it again another 3 or 4 times and let that set a day. When you soak it in the water to promote pulling apart do not pull on the transparent part. Use your thumb to slide it off a little then sit it on the area where you want the decal to be. Hold the tiny piece you slid off with your thumb to hold in place and then slide the paper from underneath very slowly so it lands in the area you want it to be. You don't want to be too far off on placement because if you try moving it around this decal paper will disintegrate on you. It's very delicate. I messed up a couple of them before I figured out the right method to apply. I also made a little outline to simulate the gas door. I'll paint a tiny "handle" with my silver leafing pen after it dries. It's pretty much done now. I just need to hit the whole car with the clear lacquer and put the glass in. I'm still trying to figure out what to do about the side mirror. I may just leave it off because it's so tiny and the original was a fender mirror so I'd have to make a base out of something to push the arm of the mirror into so I can glue to the  car. I may just forego the mirror until if and when I decide to make it happen somehow.

 

Here's the decal paper

 

 

Here's pics with the side trim. Still need to clean up that paint on the front side lights.

 

 

 

All in all it didn't turn out too bad. I may try it with all decals instead of making taillights, sidemarkers, etc. I got a spare car in case I messed up with this one to work with. Right now I'm kinda done with this but I may do all decals cause I know it will look really clean. Wish I had thought of that first. But for my first attempt at modifying a car it didn't turn out so bad. I'll post pics once it's all together.

Edited December 11, 2020 by colourbox

[Cleopatra Jones]

Almost forgot, I used Microset like the guy in the above posted video to get the decals to set better.

 

[iceman510]

On 12/5/2020 at 6:28 PM, MikeRL411 said:

Model railroad fans/builders used to use a liquid [don't remember the name] that dissolved the decal backing when applied and left only the printed part of the decal.  Very impressive on small scale models, no decal surround bump.  Made the result more realistic when viewed from several angles.

 

Floquil?  I vaguely remember my brother using  that.

[Cleopatra Jones]

On 12/5/2020 at 3:28 PM, MikeRL411 said:

Model railroad fans/builders used to use a liquid [don't remember the name] that dissolved the decal backing when applied and left only the printed part of the decal.  Very impressive on small scale models, no decal surround bump.  Made the result more realistic when viewed from several angles.

 

I don't know of this but the stuff the guy uses in the video (Microset) is pretty good. If helps the decal to form to the car. The decals I got from Bedlam Creations was really easy to work with. I took the transparent film off the backing and applied to the car and was able to maneuver in place. That other decal paper I bought is super delicate. I mangled it a couple of times before I figured out a technique. You really can't touch it or move it in place. you pretty much need to be spot on with your application. I'm cleaning up the paint job I did on the front right now.

[MikeRL411]

20 hours ago, iceman510 said:

 

Floquil?  I vaguely remember my brother using  that.

 

Probably.

[Cleopatra Jones]

Set the glass in so I could see what it looked like. The farking wipers popped off when I did so I had to glue those back on. Some of the glass came from the donor car I purchased just in case I messed up so some of them snapped in but others not so much. I may have to glue to reinforce its placement. It's looking good. Now I need to paint over the case base and put 1981 Datsun 210 on it.

 

 

 

 

 

Case bottom

 

[Cleopatra Jones]

Got the base painted and it's in the case. I'm calling it done.....for now.

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Stanley...

 

 

Yo mamma sho does care about yo.

[Cleopatra Jones]

I'm going to start back on this. I had to revisit my how to cause I forgot some of what I did. I'm taking the spare car I bought and I'm going to use decals this time around for the grille, front side lights and taillights. I'm going to take pics of Stanley's grille and lights and scale it down. Hopefully it doesn't look like ass when printed on the decal paper. I'm getting the other car started now. Removing all the pieces so I can strip the paint off of it. That's today. Tomorrow I'll take pics of Stanley and then get the file set up for printing all the decals.

 

Mini Stanley 2.0 ...... it begins

[Cleopatra Jones]

Took photos of Stanley's grille and lights. I'm also redrawing them in Illustrator in case the photos when printed 1:43 scale look like caca dookie. I know the vector art will look good. I'm hoping the photos will hold up though. That would be amazing for more realistic details. I need to brighten up the color on the photos and add a little more detail to the vector but here's the beginning.

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Cleopatra Jones

[Cleopatra Jones]

It took me 5 tries but I finally got two good bumpers made up. Also fashioned a flat piece to fit in the grille area. Need to sand everything down. Then I'll start making sure the decals I'm creating will fit properly.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Cleopatra Jones

[Cleopatra Jones]

Still working on getting the decals the proper size. Think I just about got it. How cool would that look if the print came out really nice on the decal paper? That's printed on my shitty ink jet but it'd be amazing if the photo version of my grille worked.

 

 

[datzenmike]

Obsessive Datsun owner.. no doubt.

[Cleopatra Jones]

3 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Obsessive Datsun owner.. no doubt.

Maybe just a little but mostly obsessive about my art being right 🙂

[]2eDeYe]

That grille looks really good on there. 

[Cleopatra Jones]

I just shut off my computer for the night a bit ago but I had been wanting to post the last vector art I created of the grille and lights in case the photo doesn’t turn out. But ratsun site was not cooperating. I’ll do that tomorrow.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Cleopatra Jones

[datzenmike]

I had to talk to my wife!!!

[Cleopatra Jones]

12 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

I had to talk to my wife!!!

Oh you poor dear 🤣

[Cleopatra Jones]

Got the car painted. Waiting on the decals I sent to Bedlam Creations yesterday to come. Probably in a week. You can sorta see some 210 emblems I was making in the ground. People have been asking for emblems so I made those too.

 

 

Here's the art I sent for decals. One is a photo version and the other is a redrawn version in Illustrator. Not too bad if I say so myself 🙂

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by Cleopatra Jones