Adding tobacco livery to 1:18 HW Ferraris

Ive done it from decals that Ive purchased off of EBay. They're your typical model decals, soakem in water and put them on.

The Ferrari ones are pretty easy as as far as I remember you dont have to remove anything to put them on. The BAR Honda ones though...harder, because they've got LOOK ALIKE in place of LUCKY STRIKE.

If you have to remove anything, I think I used nail polish remover. You have to be VERY careful because it will also go through the surrounding paint.

The ones that Ive done are far from perfect, but adding the decals does make it look better and cooler, too. Go for it! I think I was paying about US$10 for the set. Be careful which set you get as some go with specific cars (ie some have three sets of decals for the tail fins and some have one or two, depending upon the set up of the car).

Have fun

 

I have done lots of these coversions.

There are two ways to remove unwanted decals on the car.

The preferred one is to simply use "Scotch" tape. Apply it to the unwanted sticker or decal, press hard and yank it off like you would a band-aid. It should come off in bits. Probably take about 10 tape applications to get rid of it.

Alternately use nail polish remover, Be very careful as to which kind..if it is too strong the issue is not so much the paint but destroying any plastic bits that the decals are on...the rear wing for example. I am in Canada and use the Sally Hansen brand. It is the only one I trust You might want to try the non-acetone types also but I have had mixed results. ALWAYS test on something like the baseplate first to make sure it is safe.

The way to use these is to apply them with a tissue or Q-tip. Rub the area a bit and then repeat with clean liquid until all decal is removed. DO NOT LEAVE THE NAIL POLISH REMOVER ON THE CAR for hours or over-night.

Just a heads up on the Hot Wheels Ferrari. When you remove the white on the airbox do not be alarmed when you see silver underneath. It is NOT bare metal. Rather it is a decal that Mattel uses to prevent the red base colour from bleeding through the white. It is actually a very clever idea to use yourself.

You will find replacement decals easily on E-Bay and at many specialty hobby suppliers.

Use lots of solvaset but do not be alarmed when you come back a half hour after you applied it only to find a shrivelled up mess. That means the stuff is working. Do not touch it and give the softener time. 24 hours later the decal will look like it is part of the car.

On the Formula 1 Ferraris you must be careful regarding placing the decals around or over antennas. Remove them then enlarge the holes a bit. Apply the decals, open the holes up and glue the antennas back in. Remember they are not at all in scale to start with anyway!

Now just appply e good wax and it will look great!

Hope this helps.

 

A Japanese online hobby retailer named HobbyLink Japan sells a line of decals called "Museum Collection" that has a number of tobacco sponsor decals, not only for 1/18 Ferraris, but also some 1/12, 1/20, 1/43 and 1/64 scale models, as well as for other F1 cars.

HobbyLink charges reasonable rates, including shipping, and it doesn't take that long for the shipments to come. See the complete decal listing at http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist.cgi?Maker1=MCL&Category=AutAc&Dis=2.

 

Got mine off e-bay, and now found out a store that sells 1:18 models sells them also.
It's pretty easy, I can send or post some pictures of one of the F1 Ferrari cars I did. I does make a world of a difference with the tabacco advertising.

Let me know, I'll snap a shot and post.

 

I'd like some pics if possible. Adding tobacco markings is certainly something I'd like to do but I'm too nervous about screwing it up.

 

I'll post a pic by tomorrow.

 

Yes, removing the airbox decal is probalby the biggest thing to worry about. I've had no problems using none-acetone nail polish remover on the airbox decal. Just be careful (if it's a 2002 and before car with the airbox winglets, you'll strip the paint if you're not careful). 3rd picture is what it should look like as you're rubbing the white decal off the airbox. I recommend dipping a cotton swab (Q-tip) into your bottle of remover and rubbing it in a circular motion on the decal. Change q-tips when the decal material has built up on the q-tip. Be careful around the FIAT decal as well as that can be easily, accidentally rubbed off.
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I'm currently working on just that conversion. Bought some decals off ebay. Including the helmet Marlboro text.

I noticed one odd thing: The Mattel F1 1/18 2004 Ferrari has a square red box on the front nose in between the antennas. I haven't seen that scoop on any pictures and it gets in the way of the white Marlboro lettering. So with some pliers I yanked it off.

Does anybody know whether there are Bridgestone Potenza decals available? I'd love to paint a tire in pink as they had them on special occasions.

 

I was planning to do the same with my HotWheels Schumacher F2003-GA. I bought the decals also on eBay.

One question, though: why is it neccessary to remove the blank white from the airbox before applying the decal? Can't it just as easily be put on over the white?

 

Depends on what decal set you get. I have one with black Marlboro lettering, so I won't have to remove the white airbox cover. Other sets come with a special size white part. It all depends on how big the lettering is to fit or not.

 

The white decal is a different shape than the Marlboro decal. You cannot just "leave it on." If you "leave it on" in most cases, the car will be incorrect. just take a look at a few of the prototype pictures and you notice how the Marlboro branding on the airbox at tobacco races usually has a /\ kind of cutout where you see the red, wheras on non-tobacco, the whole thing is white | |. I dunno, if you think it looks fine without removing it then let it be, but personally, it seems kinda off if you don't remove it, unless of course your decal has red on it, but that will not normally match the paint color. So all is well, best in my opinion to remove it.

 

thanks for the clarification, guys. that makes more sense now.

 

http://www.tomotorsports.com/conversions.html

Cheers ilo

 

You're quite right of course. I forgot that part. Now I have to look at my converted cars again and make sure I did it right. Oh well.