# AFX wheels..from blobs to detail



## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

Last night, I finally removed my new AFX SRT cars from the blister packs.

As I held and studied the cars, Racemaster's effort in offering a highly detailed car was very apparent. I was very impressed with the Daytona Coupe, the GT40 and the Chaparral.

But then, I started looking at the black wheels with the silver axle ends and it quickly became apparent how "toylike" these looked.

So, just for the heck of it I took one of the cars and gave each wheel a spray of silver paint. The transformation was amazing! Gone were the black blobs of wheel and tire! What I had now were wheels actually looking very realistic with actual detail (hidden by the black color). 

I quickly ran 6 cars through the process and was very pleased. Especially with the Chaparrals as they looked like minature 1/32 scale cars. Just by painting the wheels silver the realism of the car increased dramatically!

I do not know why black wheels are the standard. They truly detract from realism and give the cars a toy look to them. 

Give it a whirl. I think you will be very impressed.

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

I'm not big into black hubs either. I usually swap them out with Vincent rims


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Jim Norton said:


> . . . So, just for the heck of it I took one of the cars and gave each wheel a spray of silver paint. The transformation was amazing! Gone were the black blobs of wheel and tire! What I had now were wheels actually looking very realistic with actual detail (hidden by the black color) . . .
> 
> Jim Norton
> Huntsville, Alabama












Sorry Jim -- We're a visual bunch here and this is how we roll. :lol:


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

Yeah, where are the pictures?


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

1976Cordoba said:


> Sorry Jim -- We're a visual bunch here and this is how we roll. :lol:


 
This is a fact. We need pix! :freak: rr


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

*Can't*

Took a nice photo last night. Tried to post it and was informed it was "too big."

I don't know how to fix this. Any advice?

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I used an older camera thats only 2mg. It let me upload now,and attach a file, but I still don't know how to pull a pic into a thread. Doba's the resident expert on that.

Rich

www.myspace.com/northtexasslotcars


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Email it to me, I will put it on my photobucket account and then load it here.

I notice the new champcar that Wahoo posted on SCI in some pictures of the real car it has black wheels, so the teams themselves sometimes let the side down. Don't even get me started on current F1 wheels!

The 2008 version of Power's Champcar, with less black on the body, different sponsors and more to the point chrome wheels, makes the 2007 one look dull by comparison.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

What about current F1 wheels?


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Well.










Those are frisbees with BBS wheels drawn on. They look worse in the flesh than in pictures, it that is possible


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Here is Power's 2008 car:










Most other pictures I have seen of the Aussie Vineyards car has black wheels, so we can't blame AFX if the cars don't look as good as they could...


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

*Getting there*

Montoya1:

Thanks for the help.

I tried to attach the image with the private message to you with no luck.

Can you send me an e-mail address and I will send it that way.

Thanks.

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## Montoya1 (May 14, 2004)

Done, and here is the picture:


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

*Thanks for helping me show*

Montoya1:

Thanks so much for posting the photo.

I have sprayed all the Daytona Coupes wheels silver and both Chaparrals as the photo shows.

The GT40s are another opportunity but I am not sure which is the prototypical color for the 4 that have currently been released. I will have to do a little research there.

My red AFX #3 (?) GT40 came with gray wheels. The other three with gold. Scalextric's red #3 (?) comes with gold wheels. Nonetheless, the molded colors of the GT40 wheels are begging for paint!

Jim Norton
Huntsville, Alabama


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Detailing any wheel brings out the best. Always like to do a silver/aluminum wheel and a little black wash to highlight the depth and details. Sure will give a different look. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Waaay better looking Jim.... I agree!*

When/if that new Tomy 3 way power pack comes out.... I just may have to get a couple of these cars. Until the power can be dialed down though?... I'm gonna be kind to my sheetrock and steer clear. nd


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

They look nice. On a few of mine, I also swapped out the lack rims with white rms from turbos


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## aelancaster (Apr 8, 2006)

How do you black wash the wheels?
Andy


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

> How do you black wash the wheels?


Paint the chrome wheels with a flat black paint and while it is still wet wipe the black paint off the chrome with a clean cloth, leaving the black in the recesses, nooks, and crannies. It really picks up the detail especially on mag wheels and grills.


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## aelancaster (Apr 8, 2006)

Thanks, I have some older AFX wheels from back in the day I am going to try this with. I also really like the idea of painting the SRT wheels silver on the new GT.
Andy


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Piling on Too...about washes*



AfxToo said:


> Paint the chrome wheels with a flat black paint and while it is still wet wipe the black paint off the chrome with a clean cloth, leaving the black in the recesses, nooks, and crannies. It really picks up the detail especially on mag wheels and grills.


I find that it helps to thin washes for free flow. This also ensures that there is less to wipe/buff away from the proud surfaces. Properly thinned the pigment (not just flat black!) will settle naturally into the shadows. Works especially well on chrome rads or grill shells, header pipes, and bumpers that look like they just dropped out of a gumball machine.

Seen below is a flat black wash over the garishly chromed HW motor/rad/grill assem...pipes are dash. This reflects two passes with a thin flat black wash...when almost dry it recieves a rub across my favorite slotcar building t-shirt. 

Pic 3 shows a brick wash made from thinned white latex on a salvaged building from an old train layout. Barely visible is a rusty wash on the green warehouse doors. It is ordinary oil base house stain from a garage sale that was thinned down for proper "flowage".

Bottled flat colors settle out fast when stored so I generally just give the jug a few good shakes to pull some solids back into the seperated thinner rather than stirring to much "sticky" pigment back into the mix.

Hijack Complete...LOL....:wave:


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Yeah, in my haste I forgot to mention the thinning part. Incidentally, I've used this same blackwash technique a lot, with much more thinning, on scenery. This is especially nice if you use real rocks, gravel, or sand on your layout. It adds a lot of depth. Alcohol works well as a thinning agent for India ink. Tiny bit of ink to a good amount of alcohol. This is how I did the shadow lines on my backdrop.

Don't worry about over thinning, you can always add more coats. 

I've done this with colors other than black on wheels. But then it's not blackwashing ...


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Just shake real well....Phsssssssssssssssssssh*

Tab....Shake can ALOT.....aim.................fire! 

NO, NO, NO...Bill this is a Hijacking...lol :lol:

Bob...will post pics of the Washes I use soon...zilla


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

You inspired me. I have the silver Porsche SRT with black wheels. I removed the tires and took a silver sharpie marker to highlight only the rim of the wheel leaving the rest of the center black. Huge difference. Again, no pics, you will just have to take my word or try it yourself.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I've been doing the silver ring trick for years and it makes a big difference. If the wheel has a center point do that too. I use a silver paint pen that I found at a craft store. Try it on the Life-Like cars too, it makes the otherwise bland stock wheels look much better.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

AfxToo said:


> I've been doing the silver ring trick for years and it makes a big difference. If the wheel has a center point do that too. I use a silver paint pen that I found at a craft store. Try it on the Life-Like cars too, it makes the otherwise bland stock wheels look much better.


Nifty trick "Too". One of these evenings I'm gonna give it a stab on some mags to see if I can duplicate the old school Keystone look...polished rim blasted center with either the open center hole (black) or finished with a chrome cap. 

Always enjoy the rare shots of your layout as well. Nice!


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