Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Slop Car



In August I picked up a bag of Scalextric in a junk shop. This old white Mercedes lurked inside.

I've since parted with it but I'm still wondering about the brownish gloop slopped all over it. I assume it's some old slot car kid's attempt at protection?

Is it varnish? Does varnish go brown like this over time? Is it lacquer?

6 comments:

  1. It looks like Shellac, but why anyone would do that is a mystery.
    Maybe they thought a layer of varnish would look good.
    Ooops!

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  2. Paul Adams from New Zealand9/24/2025 6:39 am

    Perhaps weathering ? Attempting to make a racing car look used and battered by applying a suitable paint finish, such as dust or mud, using paint ? We tank modellers do it all the time.

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  3. I think it's old-style varnish. Possibly pre-1968. From the time I was a kid, I experimented with this stuff, and on some of my earliest 'works' [to loosely coin the term] the varnish has gone brown.

    Recalling the History of Art lessons in school, the artwork of Masters like Da-Vinci, Michelangelo and others, needed the varnish removed during conservation as it too had gone brown and reduced the vibrancy of the colours.

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    Replies
    1. Great info that Bill, I think you've nailed the issue, old varnish. Thanks.

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