Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

vinyl tops


caseya

Recommended Posts

No need to bother with masking tape. Doing it your way is way too much work. First you have to apply the tape, then you have to trim it, then you have to mask off the rest of the body and then you have to paint the top! And besides, the texture of masking tape doesn't even look like the texture of a vinyl top.

My way is much easier: mask off the body and spray the top from a distance, so that you create "orange peel"... the texture will look like a scale vinyl top. You can spray the "vinyl" any color you like, even if all you have is gloss, because you can shoot a coat of semi-gloss clear over the top to simulate the "vinyl" sheen. If you want even more realisn you can create the "seams" with thin strips of tape or styrene first, then paint your top. You could also try "faux fabric" texturized paint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's how I do it too, Harry

016_16-1.jpg

69nova491.jpg

jav312.jpg

jav241.jpg

Next on my agenda is a 69 Camaro Halo vinyl top.

I was always planning to try to do one with masking tape, but was afraid the tape would let go after a few years on the model. I tried the paint and styrene method once and haven't considered the other way since. I have seen some convincing tape tops and have a friend that did one ten or so years ago and it is still holding up..........to each his own.

Edited by novadose71
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
That's how I do it too, Harry

016_16-1.jpg

69nova491.jpg

jav312.jpg

jav241.jpg

Next on my agenda is a 69 Camaro Halo vinyl top.

I was always planning to try to do one with masking tape, but was afraid the tape would let go after a few years on the model. I tried the paint and styrene method once and haven't considered the other way since. I have seen some convincing tape tops and have a friend that did one ten or so years ago and it is still holding up..........to each his own.

I tried the masking tape route and it really didn't work out. I did a rear half vinyl top with a chrome (like the 56 Crown Victoria) bar across the door. After just a week or so the masking tape lifted in various spots and looked like there were bubbles underneath. So today I tried the paint but with a variation. I primed it from a distance, used the faux fabrix carpet spray from Scale Motorsport from a distance for texture. I then primed in white from a distance and airbrushed the final color over all the coats. To me, it looks great.

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...