Dave G.

You mentioned not being ready to tackle black. These are my 1/16 Model A fenders not buffed or clear coated. It's 5 coats of Tamiya X4 black acrylic thinned with denatured alcohol about 50/50, shot with a Paasche H and medium tip. The fenders were dry in that shot and it's just from my camera phone. The running boards aren't a mistake they are to be flat black. By the way I just hand held them over the open trash bag in the kitchen, then popped them into the dehydrator. I don't stress out how I go about this stuff..

The key to craft paint not lifting when you pull the tape lays under the craft paint. It's called primer. Scuff your car body, prime and then scuff your primer. The first color should not peel . If your tape tends to be kind of aggressive then de-tack it . You do that by applying it to the back of your hand first then onto the model. I have another story on shooting the dark color first where it seems to not be avoidable but that's for another thread.

Just for the record, Steve. I think your Merc is considerably nicer looking than "pretty good", it looks awesome !! The paint is beautiful and we know the years of skill and practical experience that has gone into it even before it ever hit your bench. Just sayin.

Awesome fit !

Just suggesting if you want to wax then do it later, not a day after you painted. But you certainly are free to do as you wish. That said, I doubt you painted your 49 this morning and moved on to waxing it this afternoon...... You do keep it immaculate. We have one in town here too. I assume it's a small block but is green ( actually more mid to dark teal). We have a Ford around too but that may be original flathead in that, it's just a nicely done restoration for a business .

You should do as you wish if it's meeting your goal. Nice truck !

But wax doesn't really polish, it seals/protects.. Something like Formula One Scratch out polishes.

Wax is ok after the paint is fully cured/out gassed etc. That doesn't happen over night and wax will seal in that process if done too soon. Polishing ( not with wax) leaves the paint still open to air though. Now I don't know about no wax but that's why I said what I did about waxing later on rather than sooner.

I can't think of any paint ready for wax the same day as it was sprayed. Even if I use a dehydrator and force dry I will wait before polishing at the least till the next day but usually 2-3.. After polishing then Wax comes sometimes weeks later. And if your paint still smells like fresh paint it isn't ready to do anything to. Could be just me ( I do come out of the days of enamel everything lol ). Just sayin.

No I don't think so. Acrylics do have their own ways though, you just have to be committed as to what those ways are and learn them.. Keep practicing.

Don't forget your primer coat too. You want everything smooth from the body shell on up. I just dry scuff acrylics including my Stynylrez primer. But the starting grip or steel wool as the case may be ( I have both the little 2x2 pads and steel wool) depends how rough your surface is. If you start too coarse on the other hand, you will sand through as sure as I'm typing here. Or I will anyway.

That's a nice clean look to that Willys Mike, I like it and well done ! Tasteful.

I can tell you that enamels go down fine to Stynylrez primer, MCW should be no exception. My only thing is that mid blue metallic paint is one color I prefer to shoot over a silver base, not for compatibility but tonal control. But non the less, enamel goes over Stynylrez fine, nothing funny or odd happens. It might come out slightly lighter shot over white than silver. In certain light to me there is an added appeal to metallic blue shot over a silver base. That said, I've shot plenty of enamels in my day, over 60 years modeling and 35 years painting 1/1. I have not shot MCW but their paint is just PPG products range as I recall. It should go as any other enamel paint, PPG is a well recognized auto paint manufacturer.

Just my opinion but that Vette has a lot of decorating involved to be a first build. Just sayin.

Awesome Greg ! I'm pretty sure I stuffed one of these in a full fendered 32 back in the day. Course it could have been the roadster that came with one anyway ( 1961-63 ish is a long time ago so I'm not sure lol). But what you have there came out great.

000 or 0000 steel wool, just rinse it good after so no steel fibers are left on the model.

Oooh, So that's where the Fire Dome came from I stuffed into another model back then ! I might have to acquire one of these trucks myself in due time.

I know I built at least one of those back on the original issue in the 1960's, pretty sure I did two. As far as I can remember back then all went well. Seems to me it had a nice rendition of the flathead engine for the stock truck but I don't recall the second engine off hand.

Well I wondered about black as I saw Willis cars in black. 63 Fords are among my favorites of that year/era, enjoy your build !

If it was white the official Ford white for 63, it was Corinthian White. But Ford had an off white they called something yellow, don't recall the name off hand.

Good job, I like the whole model !

You'll do fine. I do suggest a test shoot on something besides porous materials first though. If that goes fine then go for it. You can only learn by doing !

I'd be willing to bet that second truck has an almost chrome silver base coat with translucent blue over it. Or so called transparent blue. You don't exactly pick easy colors to attain or emulate ( that's fine but just sayin)!

Ah, so that's not midnight blue and has some grey in it and is more purple than blue.. It almost looks like a pearlized clear coat on there. Comparing the truck color to the blue on that floor gives the comparison/difference. I'm glad you posted this.

I don't know if it matters to you but FolkArt has a true midnight blue, very dark. Apple Barrel has a couple of quite dark blues too that usually can be found at Walmart or Micheal's.