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.The MAJORITY of you already know how to do this..This is for people that have no experience with mounting a body...These are some of the ways I do it. Not saying it's right or wrong, but its worked for me. ..I'm self taught (and still have a lot to learn).
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Awhile ago I converted a number of die casts, mostly for my drag strip. Most of them were on an AW 4 gear chassis (with mounting handles cut off). I needed a number of equal cars, for people to race, and they were inexpensive to make, usually under $15 complete. There are numerous ways to convert die casts, each body and chassis can be different, depending on the wheelbase length, width of body, and choice of chassis... NYMODIFIEDS.COM sells a nice kit for converting a 4 gear, but they didn't come out with it until after I had already done mine....Anyway this is how I've done mine...If you've done any, or have a different method, feel free to post, with pics. There is no wrong way and any info would be appreciated.
. ....About 90% of my cars use an Auto World 4 gear chassis. They have three wheelbase settings, larger rear wheels and tires and they're inexpensive... The rear wheels have a lot of extra "meat" on them, and to get the wheels INSIDE most die cast, it has to be removed to narrow the rear track. Often the front has to be narrowed also. This can be done a number of ways. You can remove the wheels and mount them on a spare axle, then put the axle in a dremel or drill, turn on and use a razor saw to remove the extra meat from the wheel. Or you can remove the wheel (from chassis) and sand with 80 grit sandpaper on a flat surface, until you get the desired amount removed.
NOTE: My cars with "narrowed" rear wheels were made for drag racing..They will run on a road course or oval, but because of the narrowed width won't be the best handling cars you own..But if you just like to cruise around the track with a very realistic looking car, they're fine.
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I'll start with a Hot Wheels 64 Ford..After the rivets have been drilled on the die cast, and body removed, the first thing I check is to see if the ORIGINAL die cast body posts line up with the FRONT mounting holes on the 4 gear chassis, if not, remove the metal post....Try not to mangle the rear metal die cast post (in case you could use them) , but if you do, no big deal...Many times I'll use the rear metal post on the die cast, they're easy to tap for a mounting screw...If you destroy the posts when removing the body, there's always resin posts, or you can make them out of styrene rod (tapped for a mounting screw)...The length of the front post determines how high or low the front is (I like mine low)..The rear mount is a piece of sheet styrene glued to the chassis, and the rear post screws to that.. The front post is cut to your desired length, then JUST the post is screwed to the chassis (NOT very tight)..A drop of super glue is placed on the top of the post and body is lowered in place (post must touch inside of hood). When dry carefully remove screw post, and reinforce the post with more super glue or epoxy..same for the rear, if using a resin post..Pics below will show cars with REAR resin post (Plymouth Cuda) or original Hot wheels post (64 Ford)..If I used the rear HW post, notice how the die cast chassis is cut (64 Ford).....Sorry for all the rambling on, here's some pics.
64 Ford..Wheels have already been narrowed..Resin post is getting set and measured for cutting..NOTE: Front tires were replaced with O-ring style (not shown).
This is using the rear die cast post (tapped for screw)..notice how the die cast chassis is cut. A styrene piece is glued to chassis and used as a mount for screw.
Mounted
Plymouth Cuda used TWO resin posts.
EDIT: Found a pic to show what has to be removed from rear wheel..can also see how the rear mount is done..This pic is from a Tjet Super Modified I mounted to an AW 4 gear.
Remove what is between the red lines, to tuck the wheels in...Yellow circle shows where styrene tab was added to chassis, for rear post.
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Awhile ago I converted a number of die casts, mostly for my drag strip. Most of them were on an AW 4 gear chassis (with mounting handles cut off). I needed a number of equal cars, for people to race, and they were inexpensive to make, usually under $15 complete. There are numerous ways to convert die casts, each body and chassis can be different, depending on the wheelbase length, width of body, and choice of chassis... NYMODIFIEDS.COM sells a nice kit for converting a 4 gear, but they didn't come out with it until after I had already done mine....Anyway this is how I've done mine...If you've done any, or have a different method, feel free to post, with pics. There is no wrong way and any info would be appreciated.
. ....About 90% of my cars use an Auto World 4 gear chassis. They have three wheelbase settings, larger rear wheels and tires and they're inexpensive... The rear wheels have a lot of extra "meat" on them, and to get the wheels INSIDE most die cast, it has to be removed to narrow the rear track. Often the front has to be narrowed also. This can be done a number of ways. You can remove the wheels and mount them on a spare axle, then put the axle in a dremel or drill, turn on and use a razor saw to remove the extra meat from the wheel. Or you can remove the wheel (from chassis) and sand with 80 grit sandpaper on a flat surface, until you get the desired amount removed.
NOTE: My cars with "narrowed" rear wheels were made for drag racing..They will run on a road course or oval, but because of the narrowed width won't be the best handling cars you own..But if you just like to cruise around the track with a very realistic looking car, they're fine.
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I'll start with a Hot Wheels 64 Ford..After the rivets have been drilled on the die cast, and body removed, the first thing I check is to see if the ORIGINAL die cast body posts line up with the FRONT mounting holes on the 4 gear chassis, if not, remove the metal post....Try not to mangle the rear metal die cast post (in case you could use them) , but if you do, no big deal...Many times I'll use the rear metal post on the die cast, they're easy to tap for a mounting screw...If you destroy the posts when removing the body, there's always resin posts, or you can make them out of styrene rod (tapped for a mounting screw)...The length of the front post determines how high or low the front is (I like mine low)..The rear mount is a piece of sheet styrene glued to the chassis, and the rear post screws to that.. The front post is cut to your desired length, then JUST the post is screwed to the chassis (NOT very tight)..A drop of super glue is placed on the top of the post and body is lowered in place (post must touch inside of hood). When dry carefully remove screw post, and reinforce the post with more super glue or epoxy..same for the rear, if using a resin post..Pics below will show cars with REAR resin post (Plymouth Cuda) or original Hot wheels post (64 Ford)..If I used the rear HW post, notice how the die cast chassis is cut (64 Ford).....Sorry for all the rambling on, here's some pics.
64 Ford..Wheels have already been narrowed..Resin post is getting set and measured for cutting..NOTE: Front tires were replaced with O-ring style (not shown).
This is using the rear die cast post (tapped for screw)..notice how the die cast chassis is cut. A styrene piece is glued to chassis and used as a mount for screw.
Mounted
Plymouth Cuda used TWO resin posts.
EDIT: Found a pic to show what has to be removed from rear wheel..can also see how the rear mount is done..This pic is from a Tjet Super Modified I mounted to an AW 4 gear.
Remove what is between the red lines, to tuck the wheels in...Yellow circle shows where styrene tab was added to chassis, for rear post.
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