Interior Tips

Flocking

I'm sure half the world hasn't heard of this term, but flocking is basically coloured powder that is placed on seats and door panels, floors etc. Spread glue over the parts you want covered and sieve flocking over them, remove excess and bingo you have material covers. Add a few colours to increase effects, some people get really carried away and do the roof lining, never thought of that I bet. It's up to you how much you do but generally the dash, floor and seats and door panels, boot floor is all that's done, even half of these don't need it. You can buy flocking at model railroad shops.

Making dash gauge lenses

Making lenses is easy, so easy all it is, is dropping a drop or two of (PVA) builders glue into the dash board, the ring of the gauge will hold the glue and when it dries will appear as a doomed lens.

Painting dash gauges

These are very small and often over looked but if you just paint then silver and add a very small red line it can do wonders, the red line would appear as the gauges needle.

Adding accessories

Adding accessories to your interior can tell a story, enhance a theme or make your friends go wow. Things like little scaled model box, pizza box, CD's, mud on the carpet, worn seats ... (see the other tips page for details on making some of these)

Gluing in windscreens

I bet everyone at some time has put his or her finger on the windscreen while it had glue on it, or smudged the glue. A little secret is to use PVA (what builders use), it dries clear and wont craze, smudge or frost your windscreen, the down side is it isn't the strongest of glues for plastic so wont with stand being poked. Place a dab of glue on all four corners. If you do get other glues on the clear plastic use fine sandpaper working up to polishing clothes to sand the mess out (glue must be hard).

Making steering columns

These can be made from aluminium tubing and then polished for the hot rod effect. Indicator and wiper arms can be made from wire or thick solder and steering wheel from the kit or from another kit, or even make a custom disc type steering wheel.

Making roll cages

These can be made from the spree tree (the things that holds all your model parts), sand to desired width and with very slight heat bend to desired shape. Drilling the ends and fitting a smaller rod is better to join all the parts together. Remember to add mounting sections for greater detailing.

Seats

Most models come with seats that suit or are used in that model, there are no rules saying you have to stick with these. But some seats are reclined too much so just cut then at the join at the base and back and sand until the desired recessed is found. You can also make a seat look as if it was leant forward as to let someone out of the back of the car, or reclined back as if someone had been sleeping there.

Seat belts

These can be created using thin plastic or even crepe paper (painted), just have them as if they are sitting across the seat, don't forget to make the buckles (usually painted silver). Some countries like NZ require cars to have seatbelts front and rear if the car is a certain age, most people just add front ones so its up to you.

Sun visors

These can be over looked, having then down or even one down with something under the other one can give a great effect, but 9 out of 10 people probably wouldn't see it anyway.

Handbrake

Most models (street cars) come with handbrakes in the model, but some are set as down, as if the park brake (handbrake) was off. Since your car is parked, the handbrake needs to be on, in the up position.

Speakers

What do most cars have in the rear parcel tray? Speakers, these can be made with the use of fine mesh cut in either a circle or oval with a ring around them, they don't need bases as they aren't seen but make the mesh slightly raised.