Polishing a color molded body

[MrBuick]

I've got a few kits laying around that are molded in color. One of them is a '67 'vette roadster, and the body is molded in red. I am going to stick with red for the body color, and I've heard people claim they've been able to just polish the body and get good results without painting. Does anyone have any experience doing so, and if so, how did you accomplish it? Final results pics would be awesome!

[cobraman]

I tried it using the Novus polishing items. Worked ok.

[1972coronet]

"Final Cut #2" Meguire's [sp] works well , too .

[Snake45]

I've polished plastic on several, and do it every time I think I can get away with it.

[Pete J.]

You can do it successfully with the same process that you use of paint, however, you should check the surface for things that may need filler such as sink marks, seams and other issues with the plastic.  If there are defects in the plastic that you would normally fix, then paint is the only way to go.

[MrBuick]

Awesome, thanks guys, I'm gonna give it a try. I guess the worst thing that could happen is it doesn't come out well and I have to paint it.

[espo]

Another Meguiar's product to try is called Plastx  clear plastic cleaner & polish. It is designed for taking scratches out of plastic instrument covers and tail lights. I'm sure it would work on head lights also. I used it on an old Monogram '64 GTO molded in red. I trimmed the mold lines as much as I could with a #11 blade followed by fine sanding sticks and a 3200 sanding pad. This leaves you with just a little polishing and maybe some waxing.  

[peteski]

While I have seen some amazing-looking models with unpainted (polished) bodies, you have to make sure that the plastic is not slightly translucent. If it is, even polished, it will look plasticky. In my experience bright red or yellow plastic is often translucent. Easy test: look at a light source (like a table lamp) through the body. you'll be able to easily see whether the plastic is opaque or translucent.

[StevenGuthmiller]

This '61 Plymouth was done this way.

It was molded in the yellow & then just polished out with a polishing kit.

 

Steve