Ideas needed for building a life size Hot Wheels box.

[Klayfish]

One of the pieces I plan to add to my display this year is a life sized Hot Wheels car in it's original box. I'll wrap a bow around it and have a big blow up Santa standing next to it. I've already got the car and the blow up Santa. Now I need to figure out how to make a life size package. Since you guys are really good at building things, I'm hoping you may have some ideas. The backing will be fairly easy...I think. I'm planning on using a 4'x8' sheet of chloroplast and painting it. But the plastic wrapper around the car is stumping me. I can't use plexiglass as it would be prohibitively expensive. It's got to be something clear so you can see through it, but needs to be able to withstand the elements.

Here's the car I'm going to use...I still have to prep/paint it, and a picture of a Hot Wheels package for reference.

Edited May 16, 2013 by Klayfish

[Jack Stevens]

Some people just have too much money to spend on this hobby.

 

The rest of us wish we did.

 

I don't have any suggestions, but I sure like the idea!

[Klayfish]

You'd think so, but the reality is quite different. Just a matter of what I chose to spend the budget I have for Christmas stuff on. I'm only buying one controller this year (for a grand total of two), bought all my lights at 75-90% off during the clearance sales at Wal-Mart, etc... I forget exactly what I paid for the car, but it was either $160 or $200. The car has no engine and no title, so it was super cheap. A sheet of chloroplast will run me $15. Hoping to find the material to make the plastic box around it for dirt cheap....I had even considered using several layers of Saran Wrap, but know it won't work properly.

[thevikester]

Just buy some low mil drop cloth from HD or Lowes...cost just a few bucks for what you need, it would probably work

[TGabriel]

What about the clear protection tape you use on carpet or window.

 

The same stuff you use to wrap multiple package when on a pallet for shipping.

[75redman]

Home Depot has plastic shrink wrap for insulating the inside/outside of windows.  Strech it across a built frame and use a blow dryer and it will shrink the plastic and will be clear like a sheet of glass.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-62-in-x-210-in-Outdoor-Shrink-Window-Insulation-Kit-V95H/202262329?keyword=window+insulating+wrap

[Klayfish]

Shrink wrap is a good idea, but I wonder if it'll hold up to rain/snow. We typically don't get blizzards in December, but I'd want to make sure a few inches of snow on it won't cause it to rip. Guess I could always test it by covering an open box and dumping some water on it.

[WilliamS]

make the roof out of wood and inside use foil to make it reflective

[scottam67]

You could go more vintage with your box. You'd only need clear material in the front, and it wouldn't be as tall.  I tried to post an image, but forum won't allow.  Below is link to image.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ferrari-Italia-Spider-Hotwheels-X5527/dp/B00AW1VCKE/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1368725986&sr=1-7&keywords=hot+wheels+red+ferrari

[77doran]

Shrink wrap is a good idea, but I wonder if it'll hold up to rain/snow. We typically don't get blizzards in December, but I'd want to make sure a few inches of snow on it won't cause it to rip. Guess I could always test it by covering an open box and dumping some water on it.

I don't think shrink wrap would work. When I shrink wrap a skid of stuff at work, and it sits for awhile. Dust and dirt tend to creep into the seems making it hazy looking.

[Jack Stevens]

It might be opening a can o'worms, but have you considered contacting Mattel and ask them to be a sponsor of this?  They may even do the package for you.

 

then again, they might hit you with a "cease and desist" because of trademark infringements.  But I think the idea is original and unique enough they may kick something your way for the advertising value.

 

Who knows?  You may even get up there with the "Wizards In Winter" display that Anheuser Busch used a few years ago.

[caniac]

It might be opening a can o'worms, but have you considered contacting Mattel and ask them to be a sponsor of this?  They may even do the package for you.

 

then again, they might hit you with a "cease and desist" because of trademark infringements.  But I think the idea is original and unique enough they may kick something your way for the advertising value.

 

Who knows?  You may even get up there with the "Wizards In Winter" display that Anheuser Busch used a few years ago.

+1

[rainyoregonchristmas]

I know it's not completely clear, but yes drop cloth will work.  Here's a pic of a 4 ft high present I made a few years ago. (To the tip of the bow was about 6 ft)  It uses the $2.00 drop cloth from HD.  We get tons of rain here and water did want to pond on top, but I supported the top with a mesh of aluminum electric fence wire I wove into roughly 6 " squares and never had it break through.   What you will struggle with more than water from above, is condensation inside, which will obscure the view of the car.  You might need to put a fan to the outside, or some chemical air dryers.

 

http://sdrv.ms/11IdbKd

[kiplorenzo]

For grins and giggles, I would check with a glass company... Large sheets of thin glass can be relatively inexpensive. They also might have an option for clear plastic sheets instead of Plexiglass.

 

Kip

[Klayfish]

 

It might be opening a can o'worms, but have you considered contacting Mattel and ask them to be a sponsor of this?  They may even do the package for you.

 

then again, they might hit you with a "cease and desist" because of trademark infringements.  But I think the idea is original and unique enough they may kick something your way for the advertising value.

 

Who knows?  You may even get up there with the "Wizards In Winter" display that Anheuser Busch used a few years ago.

 

I've wrestled with this idea since I first decided to do a life size Hot Wheels car. My big concern is the potential for the cease and desist order. Though I suppose if I get one from them, I can always do Matchbox cars instead (and don't write the company). Though before I reach out to Mattel, I want to get the car painted and looking nice. That'll certainly make it more attractive to them than in its' current state.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Klayfish

[Dad02]

The hardware stores used to sell 10mil clear plastic for constructing your own winter window coverings. you would need to make a frame but it would withstand the elements.

One a side note, are you going to backlight the coraplast Hotwheels logo, would look cool.

 

 

-btw ....the llife size hot wheel thing is a great idea

Edited May 17, 2013 by BrianC

[Klayfish]

I know it's not completely clear, but yes drop cloth will work.  Here's a pic of a 4 ft high present I made a few years ago. (To the tip of the bow was about 6 ft)  It uses the $2.00 drop cloth from HD.  We get tons of rain here and water did want to pond on top, but I supported the top with a mesh of aluminum electric fence wire I wove into roughly 6 " squares and never had it break through.   What you will struggle with more than water from above, is condensation inside, which will obscure the view of the car.  You might need to put a fan to the outside, or some chemical air dryers.

 

http://sdrv.ms/11IdbKd

 

I don't think the drop cloth would work, because it would make the car blurry, and we (myself and my 3 little kids) are going to try to really paint the car nice...at least as nice as $4 cans of Krylon can look.    But I love the gift box.  Tell me more about it.  What did you make the frame out of?  How about the ribbon?  I've got tons of extra C9 LEDs that I need to find a use for, and that would be super cool. 

 

Brian,

Yes, I'm planning to put a soft backlight on the chloroplast, with a brighter spotlight on the front.  Plus I like the idea in this thread of having a foil reflective surface on the top of the inside.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Klayfish

[rainyoregonchristmas]

The frame is 5 giant squares of 3/8" mild steel round bar they were about 4x4' square.  I zip tied them together to form a cube.  The top support for the drop cloth was aluminum wire for an electric fence.  I  weaved it back and forth into about 6" squares however you could just as well use a 4x4 section of hog wire.  The bow is a section of 2X4 for the base, then 1x2 pine firrings for the bow.  Then I wrapped the firrings with white M5's.  The lights inside were multi M5's.  I strung them up and down throughout the inside of the box, which gave the inside a great visual depth.  With the drop cloth being translucent instead of clear, it also made the whole package glow.  As far as the edges I used mylar ducting tape.  It held up better than clear packing tape.  I made sure the seams were in the back or inside, but you can see a few patches of tape on the corners where I reenforced them with tape to keep it from breaking through.

 

People loved it, and it filled a blank spot along the side of my display.  That spot this year will have my nativity so I don't know where the package will go or if I will use it this year.

[Klayfish]

So the zip ties actually held the metal tubing together? Did you drill holes in the tubing to put the zip ties through? Also, what do you mean you wove the aluminum wire back and forth?

[shfr26]

Don't know how big you need or what your budget is but look here.    usplastic.com