How to make die-cast cars look more realistic

[glencairn]

Make little scenes involving vehicles. --

Giving directions.




In the timber yard.




Add a load or empty pallets and tarpaulin.




Glencairn

[glencairn]

Making little scenes.

Changing the wheel





(An old scene since changed) Dust the vehicle with old make-up powders (from Wife).



Glencairn

[DickBrowne]

Thank you everyone - some great ideas, and I have Matt varnish in the garage. Taking the car apart to spray it won’t be a problem and is a good idea too. I’m wondering if I can mask off windscreen wiper sweeps on a windscreen and use the varnish to make the rest of the windscreen look like it’s speckled with road grime.

I also like the idea of the wheels being tuned at an angle - is that just a case of bending the axle at the appropriate places?

[Steve M]

Yes you can simulate wiper marks by masking and spraying, but it needs the lightest of coats. Here are a couple of Western screens I did for a friend.

20220103_123855 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

[Bandit Mick]

If you can get away with bending the axle then yes. I had to cut my wheels off and reset them. Dirt around the chassis and wheel arches also looks good. A tarpaulin load in the back of a flat-bed also adds interest.