An open question to the custom builders

[Mayberryman]

I was at an IPMS show yesterday in Richmond Va. and found several car vendors at the show and I had a conversation with one of them, his company name is "Lone Wolf Custom Painting" and I bought his DVD on how to do air brushing. To get back to the body of the conversation, he stated that he no longer did custom NASCAR cars as the new regulations by NASCAR that forced the model companies to cancel plans for doing a COT was a signal of the end for NASCAR decals and, in fact, Slix (Spelling ?) would no longer be doing the NASCAR decals and that almost put them out of business.

My question to any and all of the custom builders on this fourm is, do you think that the custom diecast market is or will be large enough that decals will still be avaliable for the COTs, either in 1/24 and hopefully still in 1/64th?

I would also like any infromation anybody might have about programs that one can use for making decals on an inkjet printer (even though I donot have an Alps) My thought is that even for white decals you could print them in a light color and after the application and clear coat they could be painted over in white and recleared. Any and all thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

[FFighter_21]

My opinion on the custom hobby surviving after they quit making decals is this. It seems more and more, that the good custom guys are making their own.

[derekmcc]

I started out using an inkjet printer and had some luck with it only on white and black base coat diecasts.

I use an ALPS printer now and have found nothing better!

[NEW2]

haaa...slixx that's a good one...slixx has been 'gone' from NASCAR decals for a long time. While liscensing issues are the major force, there are a ton of vendors in the underground who produce them. And as just stated, with an ALPS printer anyone can 'do it' just beeing subtle about it is the key. A few companies have shut down out of legal hastle but I haven't seen a major slow down. Seems more like once one shuts down, two more pick it up.

[Billy Kingsley]

NASCAR pulled Slixx's liscence after 2003.

The decal production has dropped significantly in the past two years. Luckily the main decal producer was always a diecast guy to begin with so he is still at it, but it seems more and more he focuses only on the Roush cars-every Jamie McMurray scheme is available, and I think he's done all or most of the Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle scemes too.

It's still going to survive, but for how long? Who knows. I don't think in 10 years it will still be around.

[morphius7777]

I'll bet the custom decal makers will have to stya under the radar otherwise NASCAR will probably come after them too.