Matchbox Opel Diplomat Restoration+

[@HECTORJABUNDISJR]

Some aftermarket chrome wheels and chrome bumpers would look great to make the black stand out more.

[@cannyuk]

At the time of the Diplomat Opel and Vauxhall produced completely different models so there was no Vauxhall Diplomat and was available in the UK as an Opel. This particular Matchbox model is notorious for losting in bonnet and my own one is no different. Love the car Rob. Kinda looks a 1970's TV villains car. I can image it being chasing by the fuzz in a Ford Cortina.

[@bookdork]

You’re right these old Opels look great

[@UncleWillie]

Worked all day, drove 300 miles on top of that, came home and found a new Matchbox Garage. Time to unwind and relax.

[@MatchboxGarage]

😎

[@shanetalbot7684]

This has to be one of my favourites, such nice and clean details

[@michaelpeel9347]

That cleaned up right nice,that Opel turned out to be a gem in the rough.

[@wadehendryx7378]

That turned out really nice. Yeah I like the white with the black also. Nice detailing. Love it love it!

[@mr.sideburns2031]

It looks pretty bad ass in that tuxedo style, black with white interior, nice job as always.

[@bunkerairsoft8721]

It's look like a black panther, nicely done!

[@sharkymcgee6892]

That black looked great on that model. We had an old Diplomat that ran around my hometown for YEARS! It was more rust than paint tho. I think your looks way better!! Awesome job!!

[@DrewsCustomDiecastDrewMSmith]

Looks amazing Rob! I've always liked Opel's. I had a 74 wagon that I didn't get to have very long unfortunately due to a friend wiring it wrong and it burned to the ground. I do have a tip that can help preserve the plastics. Hot water, tiny amount of soap and white vinegar. The vinegar conditions and cleans the plastic to a like new condition. I've used it for cleaning my diecasts for close to 20 years. It's never failed me. It won't harm factory decals or paint. It helps take oxidation out of the paint too. I'm thinking about doing a video on that.

[@DavidAndre657]

WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WITH US!

[@hugoferriz8191]

I would say that's a good car for the Men in Black movie. The paint looks nice to me and I also was very surprised with the degradation of plastic interior pieces. Great renovation 👍

[@scottm.franklinnc7942]

Lol..beat me to it..wasvgoing to post MIB car

[@michaelmccue72]

That has to be the most gangster Opel ever. Well done my friend!

[@salvadorcueto8450]

Mr.Rob that car is really sweet I didn’t know that Opel made a car like that I have only seen the small ones which are nice too. The color scheme is bad ass keep up the good work Mr. Rob

[@chillwill8964]

You out done yourself. The details are perfect on this restoration! This is a perfect match to the car in the show "Super Natural." Terrific work.

[@brucek6563]

Rob, you are a master!! That car looks great! Something that the FBI would have liked!! 🤗 Your detailing always adds a lot to your restorations!!! 👍👍

[@joakimhjelm-svennesen8984]

Holy smoke! What a beauty! That is one of the best restomods you done IMO. I REALLY LOVE that black little car you've done. I don't know what it is but I love black cars. I get you with the Americana feel. I always thought that I was the only one that felt that Opel/Vauxhall/Holden had that American styling and design cues, just scaled down to European size. Again absolutely one of the best restomods you've done and I LOVE IT!!!!

[@DavidAndre657]

THANK YOU, MATCHBOX GARAGE!

[@TheSteamLocomotive]

As I was telling Juan from Matchbox Resurrection; It looks very much like a Chevy Chevelle/Malibu from the mid 1960s. That's a lovely black paint job!

[@lloyddaniels5236]

I've bought one & seen many metal bases and bodies of HWs in the late 60s crumble but never seen a plastic interior disintegrate like that before. It must have been subject to many hot & cold cycles during its lifetime. Nice save

[@Tiger351]

Great job on the Opel Rob, black always looks good on luxury cars! Funny you should mention the Americana theme on this one, the real cars were powered by a 327 cubic inch (5.3L) Chevy V8 and to my mind anyway inspired by the early to mid 60's Chevelle. The styling would also go on to inspire the 65-67 Aussie Holdens (HD-HR models).

[@DavidAndre657]

Matchbox Opel Diplomat Restoration+ YOU BETCHA!

[@mask86]

Yep, definitely Men in Black vehicle. Looks awesome!

[@jurgenlauterbach7226]

Love it. It reminded me that I drove one 1974 over the Autobahn and had a lot of fun. You always do a great job. Saludos from Mexico

[@ZGryphon]

Sinister! Yank trivia: the Diplomat name was used by Chrysler in the US, for a mid-size sedan in the Dodge lineup. They were pretty common cop cars back in the '80s.

[@dalerobertson9394]

Perfect color for that car. Awesome.

[@charlessweigert6180]

Excellent job. I also did one of these and went with a silver finish.

[@udorechner6846]

Very nice customizing. the new color looks beautiful. I think those car in the 1960's normaly had chromed bumpers and grills. I think this would looks nice on this model to.

[@johnahola3502]

An awesome cruiser look to it. Another great custom

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

Very nice Rob, looks alot better now.never seen these before, awesome video.

[@gerryhealy1832]

The auld man in pawnstars car that's what it reminds me of fantastic job Rob as usual 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@paulrobinson6168]

Nice job Rob, great Choice of colours.

[@neilcummings9939]

can't go wrong with black looks really cool

[@joeygaming2987]

Awesome job

[@louisvictor3473]

Those little "pins" from the wirewheel are called wires, it is what gives the wheel its name :v That is a nice finish, looks simple in a way, but also classy and tidy.

[@1lowf150xlt]

Looks good! If you are looking into trying a different clear coat, check out a polyurethane clear. The finish is smooth as glass!

[@robby062]

Definitely a “Men in Black” theme going there!

[@davidneilson3508]

Nice transformation 👍👍😊

[@k.n.o.3558]

Love the black and the details!

[@film49uk]

Nice final job and a good choice in color selection

[@matthewblasi4489]

Incredible choice of color I like it...

[@jamieacreman836]

Good Job! Looked great in the end!

[@martindaredare]

Very smart rob looks good .

[@Bulten1973]

The crumbeling to dust part is well known to Opel owners. Beautiful car.

[@2ahdcat]

Looks GREAT in black :)

[@DavidAndre657]

WELCOME ABOARD, MATCHBOX GARAGE!

[@christiankaden2074]

Cool car. The satin finish looked amazing.

[@bigcharliesmodelgarage296]

Great job Rob

[@shaunfelton2046]

That turned out really good!

[@stephanschauer8266]

Looking good rob really a good job

[@andrewprice9953]

Good resto liked it i recently restored an opel diplomat and the interior disintegrated exactly the same as yours

[@cameron353]

Turned out amazing

[@madmax0814]

Nice work Rob 👍

[@shromp_]

That looks lovely!

[@charlesconnell8051]

Favorite color. Looks great

[@MrLebelg]

Never saw that car before. Thanks!

[@carlosdelgado511]

Nicely done my friend

[@tadream4561]

Like # 11..nice car. Seen cars like these in old 60s movies

[@troyhagen4978]

Looks good in black.

[@samuelvasquez8170]

Great restoration

[@Petrolhead350cui]

I did customize one also,and started on the second one. Shame i cant post pictures here instead of Facebook.

[@ILSRWY4]

before the restoration... the back looked like a Dodge Charger... i can see how you would relate to it as Americana... And the finished product looks like something that would be racing through the streets of Chicago with a gangster holding a Tommy gun out the window... LOL .... Very NICE work as usual on the restoration... always enjoy your videos!

[@jtrogue]

Excellent work.

[@tootall5559]

the interior must have seen a lot of sunshine. Sun will make most plastics disintegrate like that.

[@youngtimeroldtimer72]

A very nice car. I love vintage Opel cars. The Kapitän , Admiral and Diplomat design looks like american cars because Opel had belong from 1929 till 2018 to General motors. These cars had in the top version ( Kapitän) V8 engines.

[@RadioMattM]

I always love that real car - I knew someone who had one in Germany in 1966. I also have that Matchbox car, but it is missing the hood.

[@albertpierik2242]

I have never seen this car in real life, but I like it!

[@travelersdiecastcustoms1511]

Like the Blk with Wht interior👍👍👍

[@danrussell3439]

Great work..looks great

[@borusiewicz80]

another beautiful car

[@stevewarrington5515]

Very nice job again rob

[@wp-aiseo]

Beautiful job, I love the paint, the details, and your overall channel. But, I probably would have cut the base to be able to use a wider wheel.

[@fredp8486]

Looks really good

[@damianmcadams4253]

Definitely definitely dig it

[@benday1218]

I'm doing one of these at the mo, I don't know of any other 1-75's that have the interior connected to the base, do you?

[@MatchboxGarage]

I do so many I can't remember 😂

[@markl.miller3149]

Like the black color, would that vehicle have black bumpers

[@MatchboxGarage]

This one would

[@stanojevicnatasa2514]

Here in former Yugoslavia, old Opel cars such as this Diplomat, as well as Rekord, Kapitan and Admiral were known as "apparatchik's Cadillac" - mid-level executives in state owned companies and mid-level government officials used to ride in them (upper then Zastava 1300, below Mercedes or something American). They also have the mentioned American vibe to them. This Opel Diplomat and it's contemporary Rekord look almost the same as 1963 Oldsmobile sedan in which Yugoslav secretary of interior Slobodan Penezic died in crash in '63. His inferiors in rank drove this kind of Opel cars or maybe Ford Taunus cars with red license plates.

[@arturdemin2755]

hi i restore toy cars all so but I use acitune to remove paint it does the work but can you give me some advice for good paint removal PS. love you're work

[@svm111962]

What was the mixture that the car was put in again? Besides boiling water?

[@MatchboxGarage]

Caustic soda

[@mandh14]

Liked before I watched just coz you're that good!

[@erminmustelis8080]

well it would've been much better in the matte black finish, but maybe next time. it came out gorgeous none the less. Great job!

[@paulorth2251]

The paint ended up looking like an orange peel texture. The rest of the model looked good and the detailing added to the positive result.

[@my74alfa]

Looks great

[@kenbaumer2599]

Looks like a spy car Looks great

[@cassax67]

Vauxhall Diplomat? No such beast Rob. Not sure where you got that info from.

[@mitchelldibler6531]

Looking good

[@GrizzieBear]

That is sweet looking. I like that alot

[@tonyvega4755]

I love the men in black vibe

[@DavidAndre657]

YOU'RE WELCOME!

[@JS-1983]

Black is always a good choice for a classy big cars as these Opels, looks great 😎 I also like to have one in real.

[@nathancook1404]

It also reminds me of the Car from Supernatural and I'd got myself a Johnny Lightning 1968 Chevy Impala last weekend which is almost close to the famous Supernatural Car.

[@laurentbelin2194]

Great Job!

[@gravesendaustralia]

Well done like your work

[@bigboy9706]

Nice custom

[@HECTORJABUNDISJR]

I've always liked after market chrome wheels on your cars. Great job though.

[@2H80vids]

That black turned out very nicely, nice before the clear coat too. Would you try it, without clear, on something in the future? It's hard to tell on screen, how would it look on a vinyl roof? Cheers for now, Dougie.

[@MatchboxGarage]

Yeah

[@whoswho119]

Looks nice with a bronze tint on camera. Again tip top.

[@jameshall4385]

it looks very gangster

[@MatchboxResurrection]

I bet the car has been baking in the sun on someones window shelf for years and that's why the plastic has perish . Great job anyway

[@ZGryphon]

Yep, that plastic soaked up a lot of UV in its day.