Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

AMT promos - best way to redo the metallic finish?


Recommended Posts

I recently got an aqua '65 Continental promo that had been repainted orange. Several days in the purple pond took care of that, but it also removed the metallic finish the car originally had. What's a good way to bring it back? I was thinking of giving it a coat of Tamiya clear pearl; any other ideas? Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it can be restored, as I think it was a thin coat of colored metallic lacquer. I have a '65 Pontiac promo that had a light scuff on the roof. I tried to polish it out and was surprised when the metallic color (turquoise) polished off almost immediately and with little effort. Underneath the plastic was the same color but of course not metallic. Not sure how I'm going to proceed with it. I might give it a vinyl top, or maybe just give up and repaint it completely. Got plenty of other things to work on till a solution presents itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Snake, that's what I was wondering about - how the finish was done by AMT and if a clear pearl over the aqua plastic would duplicate the original look. I've got '64 Cadillac and '65 Chevy promos in metallic brown, and their finishes have a gold tint to the 'flake, but the aqua promos look more like silver tint.

Guess my point is, would the clear pearl give it a metallic aqua look or is there a better way? I've never used it before.

Mark, no worries about collector value - this is a keeper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd test the clear pearl over a similar solid color, to see if it gives the desired effect.  The "gold tint" on the original promos might just be yellowing of the original clearcoat. 

If you have absolutely all of the orange off, maybe just polish the solid color plastic and leave it at that?  I did just that with a '62 Tempest convertible friction that was discolored, probably from being in a "smoking area" for a long time.  Looks decent, probably not worth much but then again I've got a negative investment in it after selling the other three cars I got along with it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Pontiac wasn't a clearcoat with flakes in it, it was definitely metallic turquoise paint of some kind because it came off on the polishing rag. Which surprised me because other than the scuffs, it was so smooth I'd assumed it was molded in metallic turquoise plastic. Only then did I notice that the chassis/interior were molded in the same color, but solid, not metallic.

Will be interesting to see if a "clear pearl" will give a metallic effect to solid color. I'm skeptical but am willing to be convinced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I chickened out - after the purple pond got the orange paint and primer off, there was residue of the AMT finish left that I ended up scrubbing off with 91% iso alcohol. Once I did that, the plastic was so clean and shiny that I decided to quit while I was ahead! :rolleyes:  If nothing more, at least now we know AMT must have used some kind of tinted clear metallic lacquer on their promos.

Once I get the missing hood ornament and taillight replaced I'll post a photo. In the meantime I'll try the pearl on something else... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...