# This week's custom from VJ



## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

DASH CHEETAH, CANDY GREEN with GOLD FOIL STRIPE ona AFX GPLUS chassis with Vincent rims

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m157/videojimmy/cheetbox1a.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m157/videojimmy/cheet5.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m157/videojimmy/cheet1.jpg


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## coach61 (Sep 6, 2004)

Not a big Fan of cheetahs but thats one nice looking car.. Like that colour...


Dave


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## clausheupel (Jan 27, 2005)

*That´s the way...*

... those Dash Cheetahs should look!

You did a great job, Jim!!!

I myself have a couple of those bodies on my workbench - one already spraypainted metal flake blue and with the screwposts removed. I hope to come up with a comparably cool Cheetah roadster, too!  

The only thing I consider to additionally change is the rollbar - in stock form it´s much too high for my taste...

Keep up the good work!

Best regards and greetings from Germany,

Claus


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Dang it Jimmy*

I put one on an AFX standard chassis with good results but never finished the detalis. After seeing your cheetah I probably never will. If I do, I'm goin' after that "monkey bar" ape hanger contraption . Your fit and finish is second to none! :thumbsup: That is just one badass car. Please repost some play by play if you find the time. I for one would like to learn some of your secrets or at least where you bought your magic wand. BTW You suck! :jest: I like green, now I am green....with envy. Bill


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

Hey Bill... First off you have to cut off the melted plastic dimples that hold the driver, roll bar and glass onto the body. I used a heated screw driver and just scraped them off, this will also remelt the parts back to the body without leaving a dimple.

Add a screw post for the gplus chassis, you may need to dremel out the inner side walls of the body a little bit too. The chassis fits nice and snug

The paint: I gave it two coats of testors gold followed by two coats of testors candy green. Add decals, custom rims and you're there. I have a few more of these converstions posted on this forum from a while back, Check them out. You can see how the chassis fits from the underside

on the chassis you have to replace the g plus pick up shoes with magna traction shoes.. you just have to trim them down a little bit first. 

I've made 5 or 6 of these things now and they all run great. 
I may sell a few on ebay in the up coming weeks


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## martybauer31 (Jan 27, 2004)

Ummm, wow.... sweet car! I would definitely pick one of those up.


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

How cool is this car!!! Dang, buddy! Looks like a "factory" finish! I don't supose I could send you mine for some sweet paint too, eh? I LOVE the color! (green is my favorite) like Bill, I am seeNgreen! :thumbsup:


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## iNdAgRoOvE (Mar 15, 2005)

That is a very cool car now. The paint scheme really works good. You must have taken some tips from some of those early Tyco paint jobs. I stripped a few (Not good bodies) and they always started with gold as the basecoat for some very cool colors.


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## scratch (May 16, 2005)

VJ,

Great looking little Cheetahs, _very _ nicely done . . .

Cheers,
Jas


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

Indagrove... Yeah, Tyco had some great bodies back in the day. Aurora cars were molded in color for the most part, nice and all... doesn't chip like paint.. but the paint jobs on some of the tyco pros are matched by none. Candy coats ontop sivler or gold bases, fades everywhere. It Really made for awesome looking cars with surprising tough paint jobs. I have 35 yr old tyco pros that still shine like new.


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## T-jetjim (Sep 12, 2005)

Wow VJ- Another great job. That thing looks factory fresh. Great color scheme. I noticed most of the decals are 3R's but where did you get the roundels?
Jim


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

I don't remember where I got them. I wish I did, I need more of them. I think they might be old AW decals. The numbers and the meatballs are two seperate decals. They;r really nice, they dry super flat.. almost look they were painted on


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Another great custom from VJ. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: rr


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Ah Ha!*

Yeah no kiddin', Jimmy that's the secrets I was askin' about! Those decals are flatter than a pond. Now you dont remember where they're from.  Are you holdin' out on us? I'll send ya some ginko baloba. It's supposed to be good for the "duhs". Although truthfully, it hasnt helped me that much. Doh!


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

Bill... When I apply decals I have a Q-tip and a toothpick... those are my tools. Other than RRR decals, most of my decals are either customs I buy off of eBay or some I've made myself. In either case, they are not outlined, so they need to be cut out. I like to cut as close to the art as possible, this way you don't have all that extra "clear" decal around the edges. 

I put the decal in the water and start cutting out the next one. I lightly wet down the area I'm about to apply the decal to with a Q-tip, slide the decal off the paper, use the toothpick to slide it into position. After that I take my index finger and hold down one endeof decal while I use the Q-tip like a squeegee to get all the excessive water out and to lay the decal perfectly flat. 

It takes some practice, but that's how I do it.


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## Tycoarm (Jan 7, 2006)

Where do find the time? They simply just keep getting better. :thumbsup:


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Thanks VJ, I've always avoided decals because of the weird edges. Just never was satisfied with the results. I'm waaaaaay to picky for ruffled edges. I've got index fingers, q-tips and toothpicks in my slot room but what do you use for a blade when you trim up to the art on the decal? Bill


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

Bill.. I use scissors. On stripes is easy. just use a long bladed scissors, line it up and snip, slow but sure from one end to the other. On smaller decals with round edges, I use a small scissor and I just try to get as close to the art as I can. It's important the scissors are sharp, Dull scissors still cut, but you get sloppy edges... ya know? 

After you lay the decal on, side it into place, let it sit for 20-30 seconds, hold down one end with your finger and slide a damp Q-tip over the decal. It flattens it right out and the Q-tip soaks up the excess water. If the decal dries in the wrong place, throw a big drop water on it, stir it around the edges of the decal. It will usually be movable again in a minute or two. In some instances you may need to help it out by using a toothpick to CAREFULLY lift the edge of the decal... to help get the water underneath it.

As for the paint.. I like to do one "more than a mist but not quite wet" coat, wait an hour, then do a wet coat. Some cars I'll even put a third coat on. The Cheetah car had four coats, two gold, two candy. I waited two days between the gold and the candy coats and two days between each of the candy coats. I wanted to make sure the paint dried up nice and tight before adding another coat. 

I also like to let my cars dry in the sun. I put the bodies on a white paper plate or foil for good reflection and sit them by a window where the sun shines bright and warm. I think this makes a big difference in the way the paint dries. 

I can't think of anythng else, I hope this helps


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Many thanks Jimmy, I'm not allowed to play with scissors, especially sharp ones! I'll give it a try anyway. Sorry to be such a pest on this topic, but inquiring minds needed to know the whys and hows. Regards BH


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