There are four ways to put a car on your keys: drill a hole through it, glue a loop to it, bolt it to an adapter, or put it in a case. They run from free-but-permanent to costs-money-but-the-car-survives. On a keyring a car gets knocked, dropped and scraped every day, so the real question is how much of the car you are willing to lose.
The four methods
| Method | What it does to the car | Protection once on your keys | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Drill and fit a screw eye | A permanent hole | None | Almost nothing | Duplicates and cars you do not mind wearing out |
| 2. Glue a loop to the chassis | A glue mark; the joint can fail | None | Almost nothing | Cheap, light cars |
| 3. Bolt it to a keychain adapter | Reversible, if the car has a base screw | None - the car is exposed | Low | Premium cars with a screw in the base |
| 4. Put it in a sealed keychain case | Nothing, if fixed with its own screw or an adhesive pad | The car is enclosed | The price of the case | A car you actually care about |
1. Drill and fit a screw eye
The most common DIY method: drill a small pilot hole into the base or roof and twist in a screw eye. It is cheap and strong, and it is permanent. Drill the base rather than the painted body, and be aware that most mainline cars are held together by peened rivets rather than screws, so a hole in the wrong place can split the car apart - how to get a diecast car off its base explains what holds a car together.
2. Glue a loop to the chassis
A ribbon, chain or ring glued under the car avoids drilling, but a keyring is a harsh place for a glue joint - it is pulled, twisted and knocked constantly. Two-part epoxy on bare metal holds far better than superglue. Glue choice by material is in how to fix a broken diecast car.
3. Bolt it to an adapter
If the car has its own screw in the base - common on premium 1:64 cars - that screw can hold it to a small plate or adapter with a ring attached. Nothing is drilled and it comes back off. The downside is that the car is still fully exposed: paint chips against keys, and mirrors, wings and aerials are the first things to snap.
4. Put it in a sealed case
A case is the only method that protects the car rather than just attaching it. That is what our Pit Pass is. Stated exactly as we publish it:
| Pit Pass | |
|---|---|
| Price | $44.90 (car not included) |
| Construction | Acrylic shell sealed on every face, between two real carbon-fibre plates |
| Loading | You fit your own 1:64 car - its own screw through the base slot, or one of the included 3M pads if it has no hole. Both drivers are in the box. |
| Clearance | 22 mm inside. Measure the car's body height with its base removed - wings count |
| Carrying | Braided wrist strap with carabiner, plus a split keyring |
Will your car fit?
- Supercars and coupes, about 18-21 mm tall: fit easily.
- Saloons and hatches, about 22-23 mm: measure first.
- SUVs, trucks and lifted cars, about 30 mm and up: will not fit.
One honest limitation: it is built to hold a car, not to swap cars often. The two cover screws thread into the acrylic, so undoing them repeatedly can strip them. Hand-tighten only, never a power tool, and twist a pad-mounted car off slowly rather than pulling it straight up.
Choosing the car
- Low and smooth beats tall and winged. A tall wing is both the part that snaps on an exposed car and the part that stops a car fitting a case.
- Not your only copy for methods 1 and 2.
- If it is carded, opening it is a decision in itself - value usually drops once a car leaves its blister. How to open one cleanly is in how to free a diecast from its blister, and what to do with the card afterwards in what to do with Hot Wheels packaging after opening.
FAQ
How do you turn a Hot Wheels into a keychain?
Four ways: drill a small hole in the base and fit a screw eye, glue a loop to the chassis, bolt the car to a keychain adapter using its own base screw, or fit it inside a sealed keychain case. The first two are permanent; the last two can be reversed.
Can you make a Hot Wheels keychain without drilling?
Yes. Glue a loop to the chassis with two-part epoxy, bolt the car to an adapter if it has a base screw, or use a keychain case that holds the car with its own screw or an adhesive pad.
Will a Hot Wheels get damaged on a keychain?
An exposed car will. Keys chip paint, and mirrors, wings and aerials snap off. Enclosing the car in a case is the only method that protects it rather than just attaching it.
What size car fits a Pit Pass?
It has 22 mm of internal clearance, measured as the car's body height with its base removed, wings included. Supercars and coupes around 18-21 mm fit easily; saloons and hatches around 22-23 mm need measuring; SUVs, trucks and lifted cars do not fit.
Can I swap the car in a keychain case?
In the Pit Pass, occasionally. Its two cover screws thread into the acrylic, so undoing them repeatedly can strip them - hand-tighten only and avoid frequent swaps.