How long does it take to make a custom diecast model?

Seven to ten business days from the moment production starts. That covers reference drawings, the composite body over the alloy chassis, painting to your factory colour and final assembly.

How many photos do I need to send?

Four to six clear photographs are enough. Ideally one from each front corner, one from the rear, one of the interior and one close-up of any detail you want captured.

What scales are available and how much do they cost?

Three scales: 1:24 from £69, 1:18 from £129 and 1:12 from £199. Larger scales allow more sculpted detail, especially inside the cabin and engine bay.

Can you match the exact paint colour of my car?

Yes. We match to the factory colour code on your door plate, or to a close-up daylight photograph if your car has been resprayed in a custom shade.

What features open on the finished model?

The bonnet opens to reveal a detailed engine bay, the boot opens, the wheels rotate and the interior is fully modelled down to the gear knob.

What is the model actually made of?

A composite body bonded to a machined metal alloy chassis. The alloy gives the model its weight in the hand; the composite allows panels to be shaped to your specific car.

Can I order a replica of a modified or non-standard car?

Yes. Because each model is built from your own photographs, aftermarket wheels, trim, badges and paint work are captured in the build rather than replaced with a stock version.

How a Custom Handmade Diecast Model of Your Car Is Made

Name: ROYS DIECAST
Price range: ££
Rating: 4.9

If you have ever wondered how custom diecast models are made, the short answer is this: at Roys Diecast, a small team of model-makers builds each replica by hand from four to six photographs of your actual car, layering a composite body over a metal alloy chassis, then painting it in the exact factory colour of your vehicle. The process takes seven to ten business days from the moment production starts, and every model is built one at a time rather than pulled from a shelf.

This guide walks you through the full handmade diecast process, from the photographs you upload to the finished model that arrives at your door. If you already know you want one built for your own car, you can start your order here; otherwise, read on for the detail.

Why a 1:1 Custom Build Differs From a Shop-Bought Model

Most diecast models on the market are mass-produced from a shared mould. A single die is cut for, say, a 1970 Mustang, and thousands of identical castings are pressed from it. That is efficient, but it also means the wheels, the paint code, the trim level and the wear on your own car are nowhere to be seen.

A 1:1 custom replica works the opposite way. The reference material is your car specifically, and every panel, badge and colour choice traces back to what you sent us. Understanding how custom diecast models are made in this bespoke way helps explain why the timescales, the price and the finish are quite different from anything you would find on a hobby-shop shelf.

Step 1: The Photographs You Upload

Everything starts with four to six photographs of your car. We ask for one from each front corner at roughly a 45-degree angle, one straight-on from the rear, one of the interior taken through the driver's door, and one of any detail you particularly want captured — a private plate, a bonnet scoop, a wheel design or a paint imperfection you have grown fond of.

Good natural light, a clean car and a plain background make the model-maker's job considerably easier. You do not need studio-grade photography; a modern phone camera on a bright, overcast day is ideal.

What we look for in your photos

Wheel design and brake caliper colour
Badges, trim lines and any aftermarket additions
Interior colour, stitching and steering-wheel style
The exact shade of the paint under daylight

Step 2: Reference Drawings and Scale Selection

Once your photographs are approved, a model-maker produces internal reference drawings that translate your car into the chosen scale. We offer three:

1:24 — roughly the length of a hardback book, from £69
1:18 — display-cabinet scale with room for finer detail, from £129
1:12 — a substantial showpiece with the most opening features, from £199

Scale is not simply a matter of size. It also dictates how many of the smaller features can realistically be reproduced. A gear knob and a printed dial face are straightforward at 1:12, whereas at 1:24 the same details need to be suggested with paint and etching rather than sculpted components.

Step 3: The Chassis and Composite Body

The structural heart of every model is a metal alloy chassis. It is machined to the correct wheelbase and track for your vehicle, then drilled to accept the suspension pins and the mounting points for the interior tub. Alloy is used because it gives the finished model a reassuring weight in the hand — a shop-bought plastic shell never feels quite right on the shelf.

The outer body is built up in composite. This is one of the important diecast manufacturing steps that separates a bespoke replica from a mass-produced casting: rather than pressing a body from a single die, our model-makers form panels that can be shaped to your car's specific curves, bumpers and trim. The composite is then bonded to the chassis and cured before any paint touches it.

Step 4: Opening Features and Interior Detail

Custom scale model production is as much about what happens inside the shell as outside it. Every Roys Diecast replica is built with:

An opening bonnet with an engine bay detailed down to the oil filter and coolant lines
An opening boot with a lined floor
Rotating wheels on a working axle
A full interior with dashboard, seats and gear knob

The engine bay is where a lot of the workshop time is spent. Because we work from your actual car, the layout under the bonnet matches your engine variant rather than a generic version of the model. If your car has an aftermarket intake, a strut brace or a specific coolant reservoir, that is what appears in the bay.

Step 5: Colour Matching and Paintwork

Paint is the stage where a good replica becomes an unmistakable one. We match to the exact factory colour code of your car, which is usually found on a plate inside the driver's door or under the bonnet. If you have had a respray in a non-factory shade, send us a close-up photograph in daylight and we will mix to that instead.

How the paint is applied

The composite body is primed, wet-sanded, base-coated and finished with a clear lacquer. Between coats the panels are inspected under strong light for dust or orange peel. It is a slow stage — one of the reasons a handmade diecast process cannot be rushed into a shorter turnaround.

Step 6: Assembly, Quality Check and Packing

With paint cured, the interior tub, glazing, wheels, badges and opening panels are all fitted. A final quality check verifies that every door, bonnet and boot opens cleanly, that the wheels rotate true and that the paint matches the reference photographs under both daylight and warm indoor lighting.

The finished model is packed in a foam-lined presentation box and dispatched. Total production time is seven to ten business days from the day we start building, and we ship across the UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland. You can read what previous customers have said in our verified reviews section, where fifty owners across ten European countries have rated the workshop 4.9 out of 5.

What This Means for Your Order

Now that you know how custom diecast models are made at our workshop, the ordering side is straightforward. You choose a scale, upload your photographs, and confirm the paint reference. From there the workshop takes over: reference drawings, chassis, body, opening features, paint, assembly, quality check, dispatch.

If you would like one built for your own car, place your order here and a model-maker will be in touch to confirm your photographs before production begins.