The Mother of Invention

[okloneranger]

I picked up a few AutoArt Vipers on Ebay over the last several months. Two were MIB and i'm sure I paid too much for each of them, but I like haveing them around. I picked up a third with no box to have out for display. The guy who sent it, i'm sure did everything he could to protect it (antenna still atached and in good shape) but it still arrived damaged. (rear wing and right rearview mirror off the body) That in itself would have been no problem except the wing scratched the paint in a couple of places on the body. (#51 R/W/B - Archer/Lamy/Beretta) The blue paint was what was scratched. It was insured (postal) but i'd heard it's like pulling teeth to collect. Before going to that extreme I thought i'd try a "car trick". I pulled out my Meguires Tech Wax paste and two microfibre cloths. I worked on the scratches to a point that I feel I can live with them (90% hidden). I then proceeded to wax the car. Gently. I waxed over stripes, graphics, even windshields, (the whole 9 yards). Nothing came off, nothing faded, and she shines like a diamond in a goats backside. I then glued back the wing and mirror using Locktite Stick'n Seal, which will just about glue anything to anything else. Anyone else ever try anything like this?

[goldcup]

Unfortunatley yes.Its amazing the difference it can make!!!

[ViperArry]

I ruined a Bburago model with Meguiars once....
Modelcar paint is not the same as carpaint.... so be gentle!

Anyone intrested in the perfect way of sending an AutoArt... here it is.

Fold some kitchen-paper or toiletpaper in a inch wide and 7 inch long (or so). Put it between the front wheel well and the windshield. Fold the edges of the paper underneath the car.
Take 1 large or 2 smaller Tie-Raps. Bind them together over the paper (the paper protects the paint from scratches) and adjust the tie-rap so it's not moving anymore but not that hard it folds the side splitters underneath. Just to keep the hood from getting loose and destroying the complete model when sent.

The small antenna's are removable (please be careful, they are very very fragile too!). Just try with a pincet (the thing you pull a splinter out of your skin). Then take a small strip of tape and attach it to the bottom of the model.

Screw the model back onto the base-plate and you are ready to box it in.....
Then all you need to do is pack it like any other modelcar, in bubble plastic/foam chips etc etc into a larger box.

Last time I sent a GTS/R I also inserted foam-chips around the model in the AutoArt Box. This gives the box more strenght and it's more likely it stays in the same shape on it's way to the next owner.

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Had a few models now from ViperArry and every one has arrived perfect

[ViperArry]

Thought you never got them with the tie-raps, this tie-rap thing I found out the last month.
Also (Sealed models) don't need Tie-raps

But.....
Good packaging is everything in modelcar sending.
I got some damaged models and read about a lot more....... so when I send models myself I try to send them with perfect packaging.

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Not with the tie raps but all good......