# Restoring a 1987 Midnight pumpkin



## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm restoring a Midnight Pumpkin and it needs to be repainted. I know from building car models that you may strip old paint from the plastic using Easy Off oven cleaner or Pine Sol. I'm currently stripping the paint off and the plastic has some "black stain" left behind which is fine. 
What I want to know is should I prime this body first? Or should I just go to color since it is mostly white and I am covering it with a light blue metallic?
Also, Spray paint or air brush? The body is 1/12 scale. I don't have an air brush but know someone who can airbrush it for me
Thank you


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

SCD, thank you for the response. Are all of those restorations? They look FANTASTIC! beautiful work. My pumpkin is complete and original. Even down to the box and directions. I understand what you are saying about the body but I have it mostly stripped now. However if it doesn't come out well I will certainly buy another and start over and keep this one to bash around with. I'm only going to use this one inside though and will mostly be a shelf queen as it was complete and all there and I wanted a nice original one.The body is now smooth, it had no cracks or breaks at all, no road rash either. So it needs a good finish clean up and prime now. Once I get me new camera battery I'll post up some pics of it.
BTW, your Monster beetle is awesome, Is that a restoration ? If so it came out great. Thank you again


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

WOW, those are awesome. Can't wait to post up pics of mine.When I get the body repainted I may just put a body on it to bash around with and keep the nice original one for when it's doing shelf duty. My next project is gonna have to be a Monster beetle, that is just too cool. 
It's true that the MB body is the same as the sand scorcher?


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

Dan, thanks for clearing that up. I had no idea there were all of those variations. That link was very informative too. :thumbsup:


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

Yes I see what you mean. I only paid 100.00 for my pumpkin and it is in nice shape except the paint of course.He even told me you can buy a brand new one for @150.00 but it wouldn't be "vintage". 

Started priming the main body already.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

I will, I need to get a new battery for my digital camera.
I also need to find a good set of Body mounts for this Pumpkin as the originals were broken and screwed together, Badly.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

Yup. I actually have those saved in my ebay right now.Can you believe that one? 59.99 plus 10 for shipping ? My front and rear body parts are fine but looks like I'll have to buy them to get the body mounts.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm going to be painting the body of the truck anyway so no worries. I just thought it was amusing to see someone ask 70 bucks for a couple of tiny pieces. Body mounts are all I need but I may ask the LHS to order that parts tree for me and see if it's any cheaper.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

OH, that black foot body .................!:thumbsup:


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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

I just realized you have a couple of nice Blackfoot bodies in there, as well as some decals too ! I have a Blackfoot here too that I will be doing but I'm not starting it until the Pumpkin is finished. Do you ever sell any of your stuff or are you a collector only? There used to be a guy on here, his handle was Tamiyaking I think, who was very knowledgeable about Tamiya stuff also. I don't know if he is still on here or not though


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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

WOW ! So much I see there that I want ! LOL. I would love a Sand Scorcher, Bruiser, I could go on..................The Pumpkin was a good truck to start with but the pics hide a lot. The stickers are bubbled and chipped, the paint was touched up with a brush , very heavily. The glass was scratched. But it was original and complete. I have the box, the directions and all of the paper work that it originally came with

I completed rebuilding the chassis on my Pumpkin today. Basically went over the electronics and got the shocks off so I can replace them with the Aluminum oil filled ones. The wheels in the pic were originally yellow but were brush painted silver, Badly. I replaced them with a set of similar wheels that were chrome plated in gold. Installed a sway bar on the front and also cleaned up the rats nest that were the wires.


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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

The "Glass" on my Pumpkin was pretty bad. Lots of scratches and someone had liquid cement on one of there fingers and touched the glass as well. I polished the window unit with a headlight restoration kit and it is now once again shiny and clear. I sealed it with wax


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## Tuxedo (Dec 14, 2011)

WIP so far. Just need to finish up some details, then it's going on Craigslist


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## Keifer (Dec 22, 2015)

Great work on Pumpkin. so many vintage models here.


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