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chassis paint detailing


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ok folks, I posted this up on another forum (a mopar forum, see the link at the bottom if anyone is interested) time to teach ol tubbsy a thing or 2...... on your muscle car chassis and engine components, what color do you paint them? such as....

differentials

leaf springs

rear shocks

drive shafts

gas tanks

4 speeds

front shocks

stock Holley carbs

wrinkle valve covers

washer motor

batteries (also cap color, I have seen yellow and red)

this question was directed mainly for mopars, but if you answer, you can state just what brand you are basing your colors off of. I am looking for the modeling colors you use to represent these as if the car rolled off the assembly line. I have plenty of reference stuff and it varies. also, when I jot down on little pieces of paper what color something is when reading about your builds, I loose the paper. maybe you have some tricks you may want to share. you can add to this list and maybe this can start some sort of data base of 1/25 chassis paint codes. I know some of the articles I have read say that some of the suspension has a gold tint to it, has anyone tried to achieve this?

thanks in advance.


Read more: http://moparsinscale.proboards.com/thread/1705/paint-detailing?page=1&scrollTo=12085#ixzz2rKMLdvkF

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Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1) Use Google Images to find as many pictures of the car in question as you can. You'll also need to search for things like Mopar restoration sites where the cars you'll find will usually be in some form of disassembly so you'll be able to see more of the areas you need. Print these pictures out and keep them in the model box with the project car.

2) If you don't already have them, get all of the Model Master metalizers in bottle form. The paint is thin and can be brushed onto bare plastic. Some can be polished out for a brighter shine (polished aluminum) while others are basically flat. You'll find all kinds of uses for them, such as painting molded in brake & fuel return lines, carbs and some suspension components.

3) A good semi-gloss black is virtually indispensable when dealing with frame rails, some suspension components and any number of things in the engine bay.

Basically, it all comes down to using your eyes to translate the colors on the 1:1 car into readily obtainable (or mixable) paints.

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Al, I mainly do what Monty suggested, I use Google first to try and find as many pictures of part or parts in question. I also use all the Model Master metalizer paints and if you use an airbrush Alclad has a wide array of metal colors too. I also use flat, semi gloss and gloss black, and also have a few different colors of silver and aluminum, every manufactuer's colors are different. What I do is take some Plastic spoons and spray them with different silvers or black or whatever color and then take a sharpie and write on the handle what it is then you have a color reference to go by and you can kind of match your color spoons to the picture of the part you want to paint.

I also mix my own custom colors for different things especially older stock carbs, they have that greenish gold color. I usually take some yellow, black, and gold paint and tweak it until I get it to where my eyes say it matches. So yes it all comes down to pretty much what Monty said, mostly an experiment to get as close as you can with what's available. Hope this helps.

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Oh, one other thing I almost forgot I often use different colors of washes to tone colors down a bit to sort of bring them into the spectrum of what your looking for, I like The Detailer washes sold by Detail Master they are pretty inexpensive I think they are $3.50 a bottle and come in several different colors, gives you an added dimension to play with so to speak. :)

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If you are interested in creating factory stock, find reference photos, but If you are creating a vision, custom car, there is nothing stopping you from painting as you want.

IMG_3208_zps7c598e0d.jpg

This car was a good example of painting a custom chassis/body color combination. I wanted the underside to "POP" so I painted the white chassis to stand out, rather to blend into the background.

IMG_3204_zps7e4c6cab.jpg

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If you are interested in creating factory stock, find reference photos, but If you are creating a vision, custom car, there is nothing stopping you from painting as you want.

Agreed, but the OP seemed to be asking for replica stock advice: I am looking for the modeling colors you use to represent these as if the car rolled off the assembly line.

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thanks for all your help fellas. as far as reference stuff goes, i have more magazines than i will ever look thru and parooze the net daily, my problem is that i am 1)partially color blind and cant tell half the colors and 2)looking for any tricks you guys have up your sleeves (simular to the carb painting). i amy mix up a color that i see as perfect, till i get it to a model meeting where they have no problem letting me know it's the wrong color. it can get down right ugly....

thanks again for all your help guys, nice riv you got there Jeff.

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