# How to "UNYELLOW" T-jet bodies?



## videojimmy

Anyoen know how to do this?

I have a perfect wild ones 'Stang... except it's turning yellow. 
How can I "unyellow" it without hurting the painted stripes?

help!


----------



## pshoe64

*Hope there's a Solution*

When you find this out, post a dozen times! I have several that could benefit from such a technique. I have used soft polishes like Simichrome, but that will take the tampos off too. It works great for solid white cars though.

-Paul


----------



## JordanZ870

I've used Simichrome on the aurora bods at the sugjestion of Bill Hall. I carefully masked any paint I wanted to keep and let the elbow grease fly! :thumbsup: I have not tried it yet on a yellow'd bod yet.


----------



## Dranoel Dragon

Try Windex. I don't have any really white T-jets but on other cars that have yellowed windex and a Q-tip cleaned them up pretty good without damaging the stripes.


----------



## Bill Hall

*Tip toe*

*WHOA!* ! 

Remember that amoniated products will kill chrome on contact.

VJ: I guess the question I always ask myself is whether the yellowing is "schmootz" like nicotine, soot, dust...or is it UV or fumage/chemical damage.

No matter which way you approach it, a careful masking of the decos is almost inescapable. I use something like a pactra fine line tape to quickly zip around the art work and then fill in the middles. 

Regardless of the road chosen; abrasion via a polishing compound or a chemical removal of some type it's often a crap shoot as to whether the art survives. Sometimes the deco will lift off if you pull the tape too aggressively.
Generally I poke around underneath (if it's stained also) or in test areas that are easy to work with. Once I figure out what to use then I figure out how not to screw it up. No matter what I always err to the side of caution and even then you get burnt down....cuz that is the will of the slot gods.

Side note: I have had some success with citrus cleaners. My progression goes something like this...

Dish soap and water
Simple green
Citrus cleaner
Powder cleanser rouge
Pinesol
Super clean
Easy off
Sandpaper/wet and dry, followed by automotive polishing compounds.

Hope this helps Jim!


----------



## videojimmy

thanks guys... I think I'll start with the citrus cleaners first, since they seem the safest.


----------



## roadrner

Bill Hall said:


> *WHOA!* !
> 
> Remember that amoniated products will kill chrome on contact.
> 
> VJ: I guess the question I always ask myself is whether the yellowing is "schmootz" like nicotine, soot, dust...or is it UV or fumage/chemical damage.
> 
> No matter which way you approach it, a careful masking of the decos is almost inescapable. I use something like a pactra fine line tape to quickly zip around the art work and then fill in the middles.
> 
> Regardless of the road chosen; abrasion via a polishing compound or a chemical removal of some type it's often a crap shoot as to whether the art survives. Sometimes the deco will lift off if you pull the tape too aggressively.
> Generally I poke around underneath (if it's stained also) or in test areas that are easy to work with. Once I figure out what to use then I figure out how not to screw it up. No matter what I always err to the side of caution and even then you get burnt down....cuz that is the will of the slot gods.
> 
> Side note: I have had some success with citrus cleaners. My progression goes something like this...
> 
> Dish soap and water
> Simple green
> Citrus cleaner
> Powder cleanser rouge
> Pinesol
> Super clean
> Easy off
> Sandpaper/wet and dry, followed by automotive polishing compounds.
> 
> Hope this helps Jim!


Great list. Was wondering if anyone tried to use some diluted bleach? Not that I have experimented with this. 
 rr


----------



## bobwoodly

*Try this*

I posted a wanted ad to get some additional bodies to test with before proclaiming success, but with the one I did test, it worked perfectly. 

Put your body in Hydrogen Peroxide in a container and put it in a sunny window. In 2-5 days your body will be significantly less yellow (in-fact you will see the Hydrogen Peroxide yellow over time). In my test body the paint was not affected and the body was returned to white (an Aurora AFX Ferrari 512M). I'm testing a tan and blue body now that had sun discoloration and it appears to be working.

Wish I had heard of this earlier!


----------



## Bill Hall

RR, Randy uses bleach as a de-chromer.

Tom, Very cool and innovative ....this could be the tip of the year!!!! Please follow up with your findings.

I'm gonna give "polident" a whirl now and see. Hahahahahahahahahahahah!


----------



## NTxSlotCars

How about Brake Cleaner?


----------



## Bill Hall

Brake cleaner will kill art


----------



## NTxSlotCars




----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Bill Hall said:


> Brake cleaner will kill art


Uh, A Dremel will to Rich!!! RM


----------



## bobwoodly

*Hydrogen peroxide works*

Hydrogen peroxide continues to work on every body I've tried - even a dark blue car and a tan car that had slightly discolored - currently soaking in a plastic tub on my windowsill. It looks to take 3-5 days. I'll try to post some before and after shots this weekend. I don't know if it affects chrome, do I've been taking chrome off just to be sure. This stuff is mild (just don't get it in your eyes!) and requires no special handling and is cheap. It has not affected the paint on AFX of tjets but it does whiten the sun/age yellowed plastic.

Tom


----------



## NTxSlotCars

How about Crest with Whitening?


----------



## JordanZ870

NTxSlotCars said:


> How about Crest with Whitening?


I hope you are joking. Toothpaste has abrasives. I have polished up 1:1 clear dashboard lenses with toothpaste (with great results) and have used it to lap brass gears with, but would never put it anywhere near the paint-work on a slot car. It is NOT a good way to make your slot car "minty".


----------



## T-Jet Racer

I Use A Hammer, It Releases The Minty White From The Inside!!! 

Don't Try This At Home Kids, Adult Supervision And Safety Goggles Required.


----------



## bobwoodly

*Results*

Here are a few of the cars before and after the Hydrogen Peroxide treatment. I'm sure the brightness in the pictures may be different but I took the pics with the same camera in the same location. You will see results. I used a clear plastic container, hydrogen peroxide and put them in a south facing window but they got little direct sunlight - I just think they need the UV.


----------



## pickeringtondad

*nice*

Nice, I'm gonna try it on a few bodies I have.


Pickeringtondad


----------



## slotcarman12078

Great!!! Now we'll never be able to tell the white ones from the tan ones!!!! LOL :lol: Did Aurora really make a tan car??? :freak: Looking at the difference has me wonder if Aurora really made olive cars.... Maybe they were green to start???? :jest: Nice job finding the magical whitening solution!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## SplitPoster

Bob, thanks for posting the pics! The before/after pics are pretty startling! Did the camera exaggerate the brightness of the white or make the '"before" cars look more tan? Were the "before" cars brighter on the underside? I have a few cars with one dingy side, I presume due to sun/UV. Nothing to lose with those I guess, so I'll give it a try!


----------



## Bill Hall

THE trick of the year....maybe the decade Tom. 

Thank you for sharing!!!!

AWESOME


----------



## AfxToo

Very cool. Many teeth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide in the solution as a bleaching agent, so this advice seems to have some sound scientific evidence to back your empirical evidence. I will definitely give this one a try. Goodbye Old Yeller.


----------



## roadrner

AfxToo said:


> Very cool. Many teeth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide in the solution as a bleaching agent, so this advice seems to have some sound scientific evidence to back your empirical evidence. I will definitely give this one a try. Goodbye Old Yeller.


If you can, do the before and after shot so we can get a peek. Thanks, rr:thumbsup::thumbsup:


----------



## RacerDave

Great idea. Thanks for posting the pix to show us how well it worked. I will give it a try. Dave.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

bobwoodly said:


> Here are a few of the cars before and after the Hydrogen Peroxide treatment.


 Wow! That is impressive.

Have you tried bodies other than Aurora?

Joe


----------



## T-Jet Racer

bobwoodly said:


> Here are a few of the cars before and after the Hydrogen Peroxide treatment. I'm sure the brightness in the pictures may be different but I took the pics with the same camera in the same location. You will see results. I used a clear plastic container, hydrogen peroxide and put them in a south facing window but they got little direct sunlight - I just think they need the UV.


EXCELLENT!


----------



## JordanZ870

Boy, you should have seen the TM get steamed when I told her why I was taking her bottle of peroxide out of the cabinet! hehehehehehe! 

I will have before and after pics too, hey! :thumbsup:


----------



## NTxSlotCars

So, toothpaste with Hydrogen Peroxide whitening wasn't so far fetched? 

Arm&Hammer is the best.

Rich


----------



## 1976Cordoba

There's a peroxide blonde joke in here somewhere but I can't seem to suss it out. :freak:


----------



## bobwoodly

*Tried Aurora only so far*

I've only tried Aurora but found the details on how to do it on the web from a toy collector - I think he collected transformers - and he had before and after pics that were amazing as well. I don't have any non Aurora yellowed bodies to try.


----------



## tjd241

Hey Bob... Leave the glass in or take it out?? nd


----------



## videojimmy

Well, the peroxide seems to be working... 2 days in and I see a BIG difference. 
I left the glass in, but took the chrome off.


----------



## bobwoodly

*Glass in Chrome out*

I've always left the glass in, last time I left the chrome in (without looking at is closely) - I think it may have affected the chrome negatively but since I really did not check first I'm not sure.

Tom


----------



## videojimmy

Of all the tips I ever gotten here, this was the best one.

thanks!


----------



## T-jetjim

Wow those before and after pics are amaizing. Must try this! I have some cars in great shape, just yellowed. I just accepted them as is. Now I can give them a new like!
Thanks.
Jim


----------



## afxcrazy

If you have tried this please post a picture of the results.


----------



## Bill Hall

The AMAZING results are on page 2!


----------



## bobhch

Glad I saw this thread! The AFX White Police cars always seem to be yellowed and now I can try this out on one. Also have a fadded blue VW Thing body and will try to revive that one also.

Will post pics of before and after as soon as I get around to doing this.

Bob...great info...zilla


----------



## old blue

This also works on the white back tires.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

Does this treatment "bleach out" any of the other colors on the car? I want to try this with a white Tyco Corvette with a red stripe and number. I'm worried as to whether this will not only un-yellow the white parts of the body, but may fade the red stripe.

So I guess the question is whether this treatment causes a bleaching effect (which would whiten whites and fade other colors) or whether it actually releases whatever agent got absorbed from UV rays.

Thanks...Joe


----------



## bobwoodly

*Did not affect Aurora tJet/AFX paint*

Joe,

I've used it on colored and painted Aurora cars (tjet and AFX) and it did not affect the paint after several days in the solution. Have not tried Tyco but in general Tyco paint seems more fragile so you might want to try a Tyco junk body (of any color) to see what effect it has. It only seems to affect the plastic itself, had not changed glass - I'd remove chrome just to be safe.

Tom


----------



## Ligier Runner

Impressed is an understatement. I've got an AFX Mercury stock car that is in need of this trick. Woo Hoo!


----------



## grungerockjeepe

Whoa. I have a Tomy A/P corvette in white/yellow/black that is badly yellowed. Im definitely gonna give this a try.


----------



## roadrner

Just remember to post berfore and after pix of your candidiates for cleaning. I still can't believe the difference in Tom's pic.  

Thanks all! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


----------



## grungerockjeepe

My vette has been soaking for 2 days in a small Gladware tub, and I havent noticed any HUGE difference. 

I have it sealed with the lid on, which is blue. Wonder if I should leave it open? I also noticed that it keeps getting covered in bubbles, causing it to float, so Im using poster putty to weight it down.


----------



## slotcarman12078

I believe the UV light is needed Grunge.. This is similar to the method some dentists use to whiten teeth.


----------



## Ligier Runner

I goofed. I forgot to take a "before" pic. Regardless, it did work! I'm so impressed by this cheap and super easy fix. It made a very noticeable difference after just 3 days. I did notice during days when it was sunny it would start to bubble. I too had to weigh down the body or it would float. Wow. SO cool! I'm almost sad I don't have any other bodies in need of this treatment.


----------



## bobwoodly

*Does need UV*

I tried it for a short time in the dark before getting the heads-up that you need sunlight (nothing happened in the dark). You may want to use a clear container. All I can say is it's worked so far for me but as I think Bill said you have to know the source of the "yellow", maybe it is something other than sun damage.

Sometimes it can take up to 5+ days and it may not be noticeable right away.

Tom


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

I noticed a BIG difference in a DAY on a tyco(sorry no b4 pics) but you do need to leave it in the sun


----------



## videojimmy

I wonder if this will ork on RRR bodies too, they yellow up fairly quick


----------



## wheelszk

4 pages and only 1 picture, interesting.


----------



## videojimmy

I forgot to take the "before" pic.... so posting the "after" pic didn't seem to make much sense


----------



## bobwoodly

*Once it started working..*

Once it worked I stopped taking the before pictures because it was a waste of my time. I've got a AFX Production A Corvette getting whitened as we speak.

If you google the topic you should come across a post from a guy with transformers who has a bunch of amazing before and after pics.


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

here is a before pic, its been soaking 2 days an will post a pic of it later


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

after 2 days


----------



## resinmonger

OOOHHHH! Was all yeller but now it's all sparkly! The stuff works.


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

resinmonger said:


> OOOHHHH! Was all yeller but now it's all sparkly! The stuff works.


Yes it does, It still has a slight yellow tint to it but its whiter than it was an the decals on the side started to lift so I removed it an can deal with the definite whiter body now. I have a Nissan Z (#75) in now that I have b4 pics an will post both b4 an after when done


----------



## hefer

Let me get this straight. You put it in a clear plastic container with no lid. Do you then have to sit it in direct sunlight or just daylight?


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

sunlight works best, even cloudy days will work cause you still get the UV rays through the clouds but will take longer


----------



## Grandcheapskate

That Tyco Valvoline body is notorious for getting yellow. Every one I have is yellow to some degree. That is a dramatic improvement.

I'm actually waiting for us to empty some kind of small, clear glass jar so I'll be able to start soaking my Tyco Corvette. For now, I may try a clear plastic container. Hopefully, clear plastic works as well as glass and doesn't filter out the UV rays.

Joe


----------



## resinmonger

In the 1:43 model world, some companies used decals that would yellow badly. Setting them in sunlight for a day or two would usually bring the white back to being white. Note that this was just using sunlight - no other chemicals. Of course, that applied to water slide decals. Just a memory triggered by this thread...


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

Grandcheapskate said:


> That Tyco Valvoline body is notorious for getting yellow. Every one I have is yellow to some degree. That is a dramatic improvement.
> 
> I'm actually waiting for us to empty some kind of small, clear glass jar so I'll be able to start soaking my Tyco Corvette. For now, I may try a clear plastic container. Hopefully, clear plastic works as well as glass and doesn't filter out the UV rays.
> 
> Joe


yeah I have one NIP that is yellowing, but Im not gonna open the package to unyellow it


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

Interesting info on why plastic yellows

There are two or three causes. Firstly, UV light can
cause 'color centers' to form, kind of like the purple tint
that develops in desert glass. Secondly, polymers
are developed from unstable (monomer) ingredients,
and there are complex aging characteristics, which
cause the plastics to shrink, embrittle, or change color.

Dirt, also, may bond to the surface; if normal household
cleaners (soap, Windex, Formula 409 etc.) don't work,
it might be useful to apply a mild abrasive (toothpaste
or metal polish).

Unusual cleaners including waterless hand cleaner,
denatured alcohol (for fingerprints on keyboards), dilute
lye (for smokestains), vinegar (for some mineral dusts)
have proven effective. Isopropyl alcohol is NOT
recommended for translucent or transparent plastics.


----------



## bobwoodly

*Container*

I use clear tupperware container with the top on. The container is not perfectly clear (kind of cloudy) but is not colored either. I think the bubbling is good - I also notice fresh Hydrogen Peroxide seems to do better than expired Hydrogen Peroxide


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

Another just out of the h2o2 after 1 day in the sun, first set of pics are with flash, second set no flash



















NO FLASH


----------



## resinmonger

GoodwrenchIntim said:


> Another just out of the h2o2 after 1 day in the sun, first set of pics are with flash, second set no flash
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NO FLASH


Did the treatment also made the red deeper and less like orange? I think the car actually looks better'n fresh production let alone Minty NOS. I'm jus' sayin'

Hutt :drunk::hat:


----------



## 1976Cordoba

I also have one of those Tyco Nissans that looks like crap. Nice to see it works with Tyco plastic. :thumbsup:


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

resinmonger said:


> Did the treatment also made the red deeper and less like orange? I think the car actually looks better'n fresh production let alone Minty NOS. I'm jus' sayin'
> 
> Hutt :drunk::hat:


no its the lighting, Its still as red as it was


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

1976Cordoba said:


> I also have one of those Tyco Nissans that looks like crap. Nice to see it works with Tyco plastic. :thumbsup:


It seems only the #75 yellows(Ive did 2 already), I have a #76 an its still white :freak: go figure


----------



## grungerockjeepe

Yeah, go the no-lid route for sure. My vette has been sitting on my window sill lidless since thursday and now I can see a BIG difference. Im gonna let it sit the weekend tho, just to see how far it'll whiten. As it is now, it looks great but it cant hurt to let it soak tomorrow while Im at work.


----------



## fastbackron

The Hydrogen Peroxide works great!!! Tried this on a white Aurora split window Corvette that had yellowed and it was very obvious because there had been decals on the roof and hood and under them the body was like new white and not yellowed like the rest of the top areas of the car. Used an open clear glass container in daylight or sunlight. Removed the bumpers and used a model car white parts tree to hold the car down. If you don't when the body gets bubbles on it from the hydrogen peroxide working the body will float and turn over. Took 5+ days but now the body looks factory fresh aurora off-white and you can not tell where the decals were. Also it does not affect the factory paint on the bodies or the clear plastic glass. Sorry no pictures. This is a great discovery to un-yellow Aurora bodies. Will try this next on a yellowed turquoise Mustang hardtop after I remove the bumpers. Going to see also how it affects some scrap plastic chrome. Thanks for the read.
Ron


----------



## grungerockjeepe

My Tomy 'vette is MUCH better now. Its kind of a slightly creamy white where the yellow was, as opposed to the frosty white on the rear of the car. But its a huge improvement, not dissapointed at all. Id post pics, but I didnt get a before shot, and my camera sucks anyway...


----------



## Grandcheapskate

I've done four Tyco bodies so far and the results have been impressive. Of course, it would help if the sun came out more than 1 out of 3 days. I've been using a plastic container with the lid on. Lots of bubbles, but only when the sun is shining. Been using the same peroxide, but I may change it out after this latest soaking. 

Right now I'm soaking two Tyco #27 Valvolines which yellowed on the top, but not on the sides. After one day, it's almost hard to tell where it was yellow. Of course, I'll have to wait another day or two to see the sun again.

How many times do you use the same peroxide before changing it? Or does it matter?

Now I keep searching around for other bodies that have yellowed a little.

Thanks...Joe


----------



## slotcarman12078

*Don't give up hope Joe!!!*







:tongue: :lol:


----------



## videojimmy

how do you post youtube clips?


----------



## slotcarman12078

Find the clip, copy the http stuff up top, and paste in on the post. easy peasy!!


----------



## IndyRC_Racer

This has been an interesting thread. I might share this with a Transformers collector that I know.

I do have a few questions about this process.

- Is the whitening affect observed due to heat generated from sunlight?
- Is the whitening affect observed due to a reaction with UV from sunlight?
- Is the whitening affect observed due to heat & UV from sunlight?
- Is there some other component of sunlight that is causing the whitening affect?

Obviously this process has a dramatic affect. However, we all know that some parts of sunlight can be damaging. I'm wondering if someone who has access to a UV lamp/lightbulb can test this process. I also wonder if lamps used to grown plants indoors may also produce the same affect. Lastly I wonder if the temperature of the solution has any affect on this process.

If this is truly a whitening affect being caused by the reaction of Hydrogen Peroxide and UV, then the same results should be able to be produced without the presence of sunlight. Regardless, the recent before/after photos are amazing.


----------



## resinmonger

1) Decals will whiten by sunlight alone. 

2) SCMan has found a new WMD (Weapon of Musical Destruction). I thought I was being cruel to use Elton John singing _Can You Feel the Love Tonight_. But NutherJoe has escallated with _Tomorrow_ from _Annie_! The horror! Will this arms race ever end? :freak::tongue:


----------



## Grandcheapskate

resinmonger said:


> 1) Decals will whiten by sunlight alone.


 But plastic may yellow under sunlight. I have a PC which is situated near a window. One white plastic cased speaker is on the window side, the other speaker is on the opposite side of the monitor and away from the window. After a couple years, the speakers are two different colors. The speaker more exposed to the sunlight is a much duller white (yellowed?) than the other.

While decals may turn white in the sunlight, it looks like plastic will only turn white if soaking in peroxide.

Joe


----------



## bobwoodly

*Lamps used to grown plants indoors?*

To the question do "lamps used to grown plants indoors may also produce the same affect?" - the post I found on this technique originally - they used a grow lamp instead of sunlight and it worked for them (sunlight was the cheaper method for me). I do not think heat plays a role in whitening.

I do change the hydrogen peroxide because it tends to get yellow after working it's magic for awhile.

Tom


----------



## GoodwrenchIntim

bobwoodly said:


> To the question do "lamps used to grown plants indoors may also produce the same affect?" - the post I found on this technique originally - they used a grow lamp instead of sunlight and it worked for them (sunlight was the cheaper method for me). I do not think heat plays a role in whitening.
> 
> I do change the hydrogen peroxide because it tends to get yellow after working it's magic for awhile.
> 
> Tom


Yes they will, They put off some UV as well. I think a MH(metal halide) will work better then a HPS(high pressure sodium). You get more "blue" light from a MH compaired to more "red" from a HPS, an dont ask how I know about grow lights :tongue:


----------



## SplitPoster

I would be curious to know how much UV actually penetrates hydrogen peroxide. UVA penetrates window glass fairly well, UVB does not. Different lights put out different spectrums - do certain lightwaves cause some sort of ioniazation/activation of hydrogen peroxide? I know light degrades it - renders it inactive, that's why the bottles are solid plastic and not clear plastic like rubbing alcohol (we got any chemists out there? I wish I paid more attention in chem 101 now LOL) Is it in more effective while being degraded - ie. does the free oxygen make a difference? At stated, H2O2 is used to whiten teeth, and you don't need to smile at a window to make it work.


----------



## slotcarman12078

I never took chemistry so I'm certainly no expert in that regard.. The H2O2 used to whiten teeth home version is a rather lengthy process. I'm not very friendly with dentists so I'm going by pictures in ads I recall.. Do they not use a UV light for the express whitening process?? I also recall reading somewhere that even an ordinary household light bulb puts out a certain amount of IR and UV light.. Not a staggering amount, but enough to be detected. This would explain the label on the peroxide bottle suggesting storing in a cool dark place. Most bathrooms have the smallest window in the house.. and the least amount of light usage. Evidently, even with the dark plastic bottle it's still susceptible..


----------



## SplitPoster

I think you are right about adding UV Uther Joe, but I don't know the process either. The stuff sold by dentists has a higher concentration than OTC - at least that's what they told me when they tried to sell it to me. As for OTC liquid for topical use - the bottle I bought is 3%. I'm sure it can be purchased in a much more concentrated form. As far as storing H2O2, it can sit for a while, time being the other factor involved in a chemical reaction, so the solid bottle/light thing helps keep it active until it's expiration date - the bottle I have is supposed to be good until January of 2 -nought -12.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

Interesting tidbit I saw the other day.

I've done a few Tyco bodies so far and each one has whitened considerably. I've done a couple of the white Ford Havoline #28 bodies and while they haven't turned as bright white as they could (based on others I have), the difference is still striking. I may try to soak them again in clean peroxide.

I actually put mine outside during the day in a sealed plastic container. The peroxide can get pretty warm in direct sunlight, but the car whitens very quickly. It seems to whiten a lot the first day and then not much, if any, after that.

While soaking one of the Havoline bodies, I noticed that the "Havoline" over the rear wheels (both sides) was nearly gone. I figured it was because it had worn off (I did not notice the condition before soaking). However, once the body was removed from the peroxide, the "Havoline" reappeared after some time. It was pretty amazing - it really looked like it was gone for good. Apparently the peroxide faded the lettering almost completely during soaking.

Joe


----------



## Illinislotfan

I am a chemist, but have spent most of my career working with coatings that go on the inside of beer cans. I have been working for the last 6 years for a company that puts UV cure coatings on plastics. UV light does degrade the hydrogen peroxide. The degradation product, hydroxide radical, is very reactive with a wide degree of organics(including plastics). It seems to work particularly good with halogenated chemicals. Other websites have speculated that the yellowness is caused by halogenated flame retardant additives in the plastic, and that the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with these is responsible for the whitening. I don't know that Aurora had any of these in their plastic, so it's hard for me to say. It could very well be the catalyst used to make the plastic, or some other additive, or plasticizer. As to the UV light, fluorescent light is the closest to sunlight. Flourescent light emits UV-A. No indoor lighting emits UV-B. I was on a website last week where they had made a mixture that reduced the whitening time to a couple of hours. See website attached. I'm not sure if the oxy laundry booster will affect the plastic, or details, I would test on a junk body. Hope this helps.

http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/


----------



## SplitPoster

Thanks Illini guy! You have something in common with a lot of posters here - we have been really close to interior coatings of beer cans as well.

We have had various reptiles over the years, and some (many lizards, turtles and tortoises) require UVB to metabolize calcium and grow, so flourescent "full spectrum" reptile light includes UVB. Would be interesting to know what component of light is most damaging to what compound/paint, and which helps lightening the most - one could speed up the process.

Interesting comment on leaving the immersed body in the sun - heat speeds up reactions too. Wonder if that is as important as light?


----------



## Illinislotfan

I've been known to empty a can every now and then also. When I said interior lighting didn't contain UV-B, I meant standard incandescent, fluorescent, halogen etc. The reptile lights are specially made to be full spectrum. I'm not sure what wavelength is most beneficial to the whitening process, as I'm not sure exactly what is occurring. Generally, the shorter wavelengths are higher energy, and cause more damage. Or, help with whitening more? That would indicate UV-B being more effective than UV-A. But, I wouldn't bet the store on it. I would agree that heat should speed the reaction. A general rule of thumb is that the reaction rate doubles with every 10C(~20F) increase in temperature.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

My understanding is that unshielded fluorescent lights are very bad for the bodies and will fade them considerably, including turning white to yellow. Is this not true? I make sure that all fluorescent lights that will shine on my slot cars are covered with some type of frosted plastic shield.

Thanks...Joe


----------



## Illinislotfan

I'm starting to feel like Bill Nye, the Science guy. Seeing the questions here arouses my curiousity, and I go surfing for the answers. Fluorescent light will definitely cause plastic to yellow, or colored plastic to fade. Due to the chemical natures of the different plastics, atoms, bonds, bond energies etc., they are sensitive to different UV wavelengths. For example, polystyrene appears to be most sensitive to yellowing at wavelengths of 310-350nm, or UV-A light. PVC is most sensitive in the 295-320 wavelength range, UV-B light. Fading colors are entirely different, and would depend on what was used to give the coloring. Can't comment on that, as I don't know what Aurora used. As long as the plastic shields you are using are designed to block UV light, I would think you should be okay. I can't see how it would hurt.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

Illinislotfan said:


> As long as the plastic shields you are using are designed to block UV light, I would think you should be okay. I can't see how it would hurt.


 My question wasn't about whether the protection I have over the lights is sufficient to block UV rays; hopefully, they do serve that purpose. I was wondering about the earlier comments which suggest using unshielded fluorescent lights to achieve the same goals with the peroxide as direct sunlight. If the lights will yellow a car under normal circumstances, seems you wouldn't want the car under those unshielded lights under any circumstances.

Thanks...Joe


----------



## Illinislotfan

Joe,
I guess I would have to say that UV light is not always bad. It all depends on the reaction it is influencing, or causing to occur. If I can use the reptile light from an earlier post in this thread as an analogy, many reptiles need UV-B light for healthy bones, but in humans, UV-B light is the component of sunlight that causes sunburn, and acute overexposure can damage the eyes. In one species it is necessary, in another, to be avoided. While long term exposure to UV light over months or years can cause fading or yellowing, short term exposure in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, is apparently necessary to reverse the process. A cautionary note to anyone using this procedure. The discovery date I found for this process was March, 2008, and I could find no information, good or bad, on any longer term effects.


----------



## Grandcheapskate

Well, I ruined my frst body today using the peroxide.

I had a Tyco Canon #5 Indy body soaking. When I removed the body after a couple days, all the colors had faded and some of the deco was gone. It also looks like my Ford Havoline #28 may have finally lost the Havoline deco over the rear wheel wells.

So, there is some danger in using the peroxide. I would suggest no more than a day of soaking.

Joe


----------



## hojohn

*im going to give it a try*


----------



## hojohn

*more pics*


----------



## hojohn

*1 more pic*








i will post pics after its done but its going to be cloudy for the next 3 days lol


----------



## Hilltop Raceway

Pictures are looking great HoJo!!! I guess you found the instructional manual,lol!!! Did you see Mr.Bill's stress mark removal video??? Keep us posted...RM


----------



## hojohn

*here is after 1 week in peroxide*


----------



## hojohn

*another shot*








looks alot better


----------



## resinmonger

Wow! Seeing is believing! They both look much better but the change in the T-jet body is really amazing. THis would make a great Billy Mays commercial!

Hutt :drunk::hat::freak::dude::tongue:


----------



## hojohn

hey res its the tjet body i soaked the other was for color reference:wave:


----------



## hojohn

*dont be ascared*

here is a hot rod i tried this on sorry no before pics but it didnt harm any of the other paint


----------



## hojohn

another shot


----------



## slotcarman12078

Pretty amazing!!! And the silver paint is intact!!! Awesome!!


----------



## Goat Herder

I have a dark blue camaro t-jet with some sun fade on one side. I want to try this peroxide trick, but I want to make sure I do it right. Is the body fully submerged in peroxide? Is it Ok to leave the bumpers and glass on? (I'd hate to remove them if possible, they're all in great original shape). Thanks!


----------



## desototjets

I have only done white cars and it works great but I would remove the bumpers just in case. I also fully submerged the body in the peroxide and placed it in a window sill on a fairly sunny day.


----------



## LeeRoy98

Goat Herder said:


> I have a dark blue camaro t-jet with some sun fade on one side. I want to try this peroxide trick, but I want to make sure I do it right. Is the body fully submerged in peroxide? Is it Ok to leave the bumpers and glass on? (I'd hate to remove them if possible, they're all in great original shape). Thanks!


The peroxide bath can strip the chrome from bumpers... I would remove them.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## stooped monkey

You may try lemon juice, it is acidity but not harsh.that it would strip. we use it on the lexon car windows.and to clear away paint overspray.


----------



## bobwoodly

I've used it on every color without an issue. I have left on AFX chrome and it does seem slightly affected. The problem for me is trying to get a sunny day during the winter. The car should be fully submerged and it will "de-yellow" the body.


----------



## Bill Hall

Same as Tom above. Results here show that incandescent light works fine. Ambient light seems to work fine too. The process is just slower.


----------



## NTxSlotCars

Yeah, but you gotta be careful...


----------

