Looking to add a couple of 1:24 pickups to my layout. I was thinking about using 1:24 die cast vehicles like Motormax. Not too expensive and look pretty good. I'd like your thoughts on what has worked best for you and did you add any additional protection sense it is outside.
I use a lot of the die cast models. I do take them in in the winter. The only weather related issues I've had with them has been the tires - they dry up and fall off. If you come up with a way to preserve them let us know.
Rex
Like Rex, I too had seen the tires waste away after long exposure to the weather. About 10 years ago my wife tried an experiement to preserve the tires. She got four cheaper vehicles that appeard to have the same kind of rubber tires. She tried different oils on the tires, clean motor oil, Wesson cooking oil, singer sewing machine oil, and Wahle hair clipper oil. The Wahle hair clipper oil has preserved the tires from MOST of the deterioration from weather. Two drops of clipper oil per tire spread by q-tip twice a year has extended the life of the rubber tires from ~18 months to well over 10 years. This is NOT a permenate fix, but a life extender. I tried several different paints and most destroyed the rubber tires except rubber battery box paint. That paint seems to last about 3~4 years before repainting. Problem: the resealed can seems to get hard in under two years. I even tried to put the can in food grade vaccum bags and pumping out all the air to no avail.
Tom Trigg
Thanks for the scoop. I will try the oil.
Gardener Looking to add a couple of 1:24 pickups to my layout. I was thinking about using 1:24 die cast vehicles like Motormax. Not too expensive and look pretty good. I'd like your thoughts on what has worked best for you and did you add any additional protection sense it is outside.
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