questions on building big XKE model 1 / 8

[big XKE]

Hi, this Martin in Tustin CA.  I'm building a 1 / 8 scale XKE in red plastic.  Have some questions regarding building this model:

Would like to clear coat the body parts over the red factory color.  Can you recommend a clear coat finish?  How about air brush - is this the way to get the best finish?

Think about the chrome trim and using a chrome pen by Molotov?  Is this a good product and is it the best choice?  Or better to use adhesive chrome foil?

How about timing of clear coat - before or after the chrome trim?

Whitewall tires - would like to convert the black walls in the kit to wide white walls (which would have been provided in 1961)  Do you recommend painting the black walls?  

Should this be acrylic and a good brand to use?

Thanks for all the help.  Want to make this a nice model, that's been waiting in the box for over 30 years.

Regards,

Martin      mjmindlng@gmail.com

[Shark]

A few things for thought:

I know of builders who would polish out colored plastic like you would a paint job. No clear coat.

Molotov pens are great, but not too durable as far as handling. I mostly foil and use the pen on scripts and dash detailing.

For white walls measure what the inside and outside diameters you want and get a sign shop to cut out some rings out of adhesive vinyl. Get a satin finish off-white.

[Dave G.]

As to painting white walls on vinyl tires, not all paints stay stuck to that material. I've been having good luck with Stynylrez primer in white though. The down side is it's made for airbrushing and is thin to brush and if brushing it takes 2-3 coats. This increases the risk of screwing it up 2-3 fold lol.  I like the sticky vinyl idea, if you know someone with a Cricut machine or the likes of it they could easily cut those for you. A Brother Scan N Cut would be easy as well. I do heat pressed T shirts in inkjet heat transfers or airbrush and heat pressed to set it but don't yet have the Cricut or other machine like it for vinyl or I'd cut them for you. That's a really good idea from Todd. Course you could cut by hand, draw them out with a reliable compass then cut with a razor blade or good sharp hobby knife. An old model technique probably never used any more was to cut white walls from a fairly heavy white paper and contact cement, IE, glue them on.

Molotow is great if you keep hands off of it, soon as you touch it that area looks like any silver paint and clear coating it in my experience cuts the chrome look in half. I have a bright craft paint silver that does as good as cleared Molotow and no fuss. But as long as you're careful it looks great. So my answer to clearing Molotow is clear first before the Molotow application. Storing Molotow is another thing all it's own. You have to keep it well sealed up, air free or they dry up or change in appearance, again in my experience..

Many people have polished the plastic to a shiny finish. Personally I'd paint it because then it looks painted as real cars are painted. If to clear I personally would use clear lacquer, others I'm 100% sure would use 2K clear. But you won't find 2K clear existing in my hobby area.