Scale-Master

But did you complain that it was ugly and how you'd never buy one because of that when it first came out? The top red one has some lines that remind me of the Nissan Skyline and Lexus SC400.

I'll reserve making a descision about the styling (from just one or even a few photos) until I see them in person. I find it interesting the negative reception new designs often get (often from people who are not the manufacturers target audience), yet a couple/few years down the road, many of the detractors absolutely rave about the same car when they buy a used one. Just an observation...

This one is a Starter brand kit. Produced sometime in the early 90's.

As long as you keep applying the paint and it does not fully dry, you can go from color coats to clear coats. It can be dust safe and dry enough to carefully handle lightly, but since the solvents are still active, they will receive fresh paint and meld the coats together and outgas together. The time varies upon heat, thickness of application and other variables. I usually wait about 15 minutes and as much as 30 minutes between coats. But I have spaced it out to a full hour with no problems. I have shot the all the color and all the clear throughout one day, and then let it sit for a week or two. Or you can get the color done and wait a few days, )maybe a week or longer depending...), then go at it with the clear. The clear has always taken longer to fully cure than the colors in my experience. Problems can arise if the base coat is partially cured when you apply the clear. The fresh solvents can attack the earlier paint. If it had cured fully, it can handle the fresh application of clear, if the older paint is still new or relatively fresh, it accepts the clear as just more paint. If you want to clear over the decals, I'd suggest waiting at least a week for the color to dry, then decal. And wait at least 24 hours for the decals to dry before clearing. But be aware TS-13 clear is very hot when it comes to decals.

I don't even have a kit of a Mk IV! Sure wish I did though...

Older 1/43rd scale resin kit, built out of the box except for the addition of the NZ and fern leaf decal I made.

Best option is to decant it and airbrush it.

It sounds you are taking the proper precautions, but it is part of the nature of urethane hardeners, I often have to toss the last little bit of hardener when I'm just doing models, never have the problem with full size cars... The Matrix hardener, I have to admit, seems to last longer than all of the other materials I have worked with including acrylic enamels. I have been able to extend the shelf life by sealing the can and sealing that in a Zip-Lock freezer bag with as little air as possible, and storing it in the refrigerator. The key is to wait for it to come to room temperature BEFORE cracking the zip-lock seal. Otherwise you will add that detrimental moisture and do more harm than good.

Great time to decide to start, seeing as it is becoming more and more difficult to find some colors. If you do go for it, be sure to get two cans the same color for most 1/24th scale car subjects. You may not need the second, but it is nice to have handy when you do...

Well, after building box art models, (often from test shots) for well over 30 years, I have several boxes of test shot parts stored away. Some are nearly the same as the production runs, but in unusual colors, others are clearly test runs that are significantly different from the production parts. Everything from engraving details to re-engineered parts.

I still have some of the late test shots from the 1/16 Fords too, from when I built the box art models... Not enough to make a kit, and not that I'd want to use them since I have the production kits too.

Yes, it is an acrylic lacquer.

Is the problem simply that the muffler is installed incorrectly on the model by say 90 degrees? Maybe not too tough of a fix? Not sure, but it clearly doesn't match the reference or photos of the real car...

I decant some to airbrush the A-Pillars, fender lips and other small areas that I don't want to get too heavy of a blast on, but I also shoot it straight from the can for the main coverage. It can be airbrushed without additional thinning, but you may want to add some lacquer thinner to fine tune the ratio as it does evapoarate in the open cup.

Nice work, but don't you think that muffler is way too low? It really detracts from the overall look. I guess as long as you're happy...

Don't let my comments dissuade you from using those colors. They do work great, but they just require a little more patience and to be built up in several thin light coats. They do cover fully when applied in light coats, but if you are not expecting the way they go on, you might be inclined to put too much on during the early coats. The Maroon is a great color too and can be slightly tinted by the base undercoat color. Both brown and red will work as undercoats depending on the desired tone.

I think you might have meant ZO6 since it is a C5. Looks sharp nonetheless...

Monty, It also shares a similar property as the TS-11 Maroon if you are familiar with that color. It does not cover as well as you might expect for being such a dark color. I shot the Porsche with a base coat of Tamiya AS-8 Navy Blue (which is far lighter than the TS-55). It made it easier to get the paint even with less being applied.

For those in the U.S., be aware the chemicals are not the same here as in the U.K. Heck, from California to the rest of the U.S. chemicals are different. What may work with chemicals deemed to be the same or be referred to by the same terms doesn't mean they will work the same with comparable but actually different chemicals. Some people have had acceptable results, fine, as I said , if it works for you... But I have experience to the contray of this being such a wonderful technique. Use it if you want, it won't affect my models... I just thought it should be made clear it can create major problems and as a prolific long term builder, I have seen it happen many times and to many builders. You can make up your own mind. Maybe it just boils down to what one builder compared to another is willing to accept as satifactory results?

If you are happy with the results you are getting, great, by all means continue. But from my experience, the solvents can bleed through from the inside to the outside and do all sorts of things, like ghost in emblems or trim that has been sanded off the outside, make the areas where styrene meets fillers swell and/or shrink and create other damage that in many cases is near impossible to fix. It may take a few years for the damage to become visible, it may happen the week you finish the model. And it may never manifest itself. But with all the superior, easier and more economical to use products/materials that are exceedingly more stable, I have to wonder why this technique is still being promoted? It is at best a wild card, at worse a death knell to an otherwise fine model down the road. I know I am repeating myself, but I do not think this technique is good advice to be dispensing despite the intent. My suggestion is if you have not used this technique, don’t start now. Just toss the sprues and save the solvent for better uses. As far as using it for general bonding of parts, why dilute the strength of the solvent/adhesive strength of the chemical with another plastic? Better to use the liquid cement as it is for maximum bonding strength.

Interesting horizon angle. Wonder how the water doesn't rush out...?

Don't be too surprised when your finished or long since painted project acquires some ghosting where the "sprue glue" was applied. Old old old modelers trick that as far as I am concerned is best left in the history books and replaced with more modern and stable techniques and materials. The evaporation of the solvent takes months (or longer) to fully cure out. As far as the sprues, I toss 'em after every build unless there is some possibly recyclable item in them, (there is a 60% chance I'll lose or toss later too...).

Looking for only an hour and you give up Joe? I usually don't give up until I find what I need, and I tend to do so before building, but that is just me I guess... As a wise man once said "looking is not the same as seeing..." Look through Moroso's or Jeg's site for schematics. They used to host some great info. Summit might have something too...

The magneto creates the spark. I don't mean to sound rude, but maybe a little research would benefit you before starting to try to detail a model. I asked about the starter since you added the battery and wondered where you where going with your plan.

You asked about correct wiring... I have never heard of or seen a funny car with a battery... Did you put a starter on the engine?