Repainting a 1/43 die-cast model

[FujimiLover]

Hello. You know by now, that I have purchased and will be getting soon a die-cast model of my Honda Insight.

I wish to repaint it to match my real car,

When I did my previous die-cast model,

I had used a light gun-metal gray. While this one look's okay, it still does not match my real one.

So, what's the best method to accomplish this finish? Should I strip the stock paint and bring the model back to bare metal?

Can I just simply polish up the bare metal to a nice finish?

What color primer, base-coat, clear coat do you recommend? Somebody on another thread suggested a Tamiya silver.

Should I get the paint code of the car itselfe? I recently had the car fixed and paint touched up by a local buddy of mine and he maybe able to help me with the paint code.

Need advice on this as I want it as 100% close as humanly possible and it should also look right for the small scale model as well.

[dwc43]

I'd just get the paint code of your car and take it to a local paint mixer for car paints and have them mix you up a quart and then spray it. Quart will be wayyy to much, but I don't think my local guys will mix less than a quart. If you do that, it will have to match then.

[B_rad88]

try to go to the local auto parts store like advance autoparts or something like. they have automotive touch up paint. thats what i used to befor and is alright. not the best though. but it should match up!

here is the link for advace autoparts touch up paint! ITS ALREADY IN THE HONDA PAINT COLORS!!!

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wc..._C%7CGRP2050___

Edited March 22, 2009 by KUZTOMMODELS88

[Foxer]

I've created replicas on many of the cars I've owned. I got bottles of touch up paint from the dealer to use. The little ones with the brush. They contain enough paint when thinned for air brush use that I've rarely had to get another one to finish. There's no doubt about color match here. Body prep would be the same as any other for paint.

Um Fuji ... I did just remember you mentioning you haven't got an air brush... maybe this is the time to take the big step and just do it. There are many starter air brushes for very little cash. A can of compressed air and a venture into this can be very reasonable.

[dwc43]

I'd pass on the compressed air cans. You can get a small Campbell Hausefeld air compressor with a 2.5 gallon tank from Lowes for less than $100 and it includes hoses, regs, acc. and a dang nail gun. Then just plug in a cheap water trap by the same brand as the compressor and hook up a cheap air brush. I have a big compressor in my shop, but I am tired of having to climb over stuff to turn the regulator down, so I am going Friday to pick up one of these and I'm going to build me a new paint booth too with a paper and charcoal air filter set up.

[FujimiLover]

Thank's guys. I am pretty much broke after buying the four models, so I won't be getting an airbrush anytime soon. I'm hoping to get one for my birthday this coming May.

I just recently had my real car fixed and paint touched up by a friend of mine who works on real airplane and car bodies. I'll ask if he has any paint left over and/or ask him for the paint code and get the same people who supplied me the Metallic gray to mix up a batch in their handy spray-can. Their paint was very user friendly.

The question is, can I just prime and paint over the stock paint, or is it better to strip to bear metal? Also, what's the best for stripping to bear metal?

The gray Insight model was just simply painted over.

[B_rad88]

i my self strip it. i use paint remover. made for removing thick, caked-on, multi-layers. i forgot the exact name of it but that is the discription of it. the paint remover is like a gel/goop type. just poor it over the car(make sure you strip the car of all wiows,etc.) and let it soak for only a little bit and you should see the paint start to bubble. it works in 5-10 mins or less. i use an old toothbrush and papertowels and brush it off. clean it, let it dry, then i wash and rinse. then let it dry again. if paint doesn't stick to it, then you didn't wash well enough. i hope that will help. thats what i do with all die-cast models 1/64 scale to 1/12 scale an everything between.

[FujimiLover]

Thank you, it would be helpfull to know the name and brand of the paint stripper. Some will harm plastics, but there shouldn't be any plastic left on the model. However, I dont' want something terribly toxic either!

As soon as I receive my model, I will start posting the process here. Thank's!

Oh yea, can I polish up the bare metal to a nice shine? Any idea what it would look like?

Edited March 22, 2009 by FujimiLover

[B_rad88]

its not that toxic. will i go out side and use it. if you are inside you need a well vented area. it does have a smell to it but its not to strong. and yes remove all plastic. only use it on metal, wood, cement, etc. not plastic or glass. i will go to ace tomorrow i need to get some any ways i will take pics and post them. the stuff works great. a little messy though but it works great.

[B_rad88]

and to answer your question about the bare metal! you should chrome it. here are a couple pics of a shelby cobra and a nissan silvia s15 cabrio!

[FujimiLover]

Thank you, that will help alot. I was hoping to convert the dashboard to left hand drive, but unfortunetly, the Insight's dashboard ain't cymetrical enough to do that.

Here are some pictures of my current model. You can see the dashboard, the red interior, and the racing seats.

The inside of the body. It seems pretty thick and not to complex.

My real Insight's interior is a two-tone black and gray. I'll be useing the light gray I used on my RX7.

[B_rad88]

nice. whatcha think of the chrome cobra and s15?

[FujimiLover]

and to answer your question about the bare metal! you should chrome it. here are a couple pics of a shelby cobra and a nissan silvia s15 cabrio!

The fact that my Insight's skin is aluminum, I had often thought about having the paint stripped and just simply polish up the aluminum itselfe. However, I've heard people with Deloreans and it's stainless steal skin that they have to polish it often to keep it from oxidyzing.

I've also found out that chromeing a car would be VERY expensive and probably way beyond my budget will ever allow.

Right now I'd be happy to just have this Ebbro model as close to my real one as possible. I wish the dashboard was more even left/right side so I can just cut and paste, but sadly it's not and I dont' want to damage it trying. So, it'll remain a righty.

The other downside to a fully chromed car, is I wouldn't want to be blinded by one and having an accident!

Edited March 22, 2009 by FujimiLover

[B_rad88]

thats true. what about black "smoked" chrome that will look sweet. but money is an issue. and yes about deloreans, the oxidize and scratch. to bad you couldn't put like 20 coast of clear on it to protect it! lol i have a hot wheels bugatti thats chrome like that. and its really nice. i almost got a die-cast of the chrome cobra, until i saw the price tag and how much it would be to ship it. so i had to put on my wish list.

[FujimiLover]

thats true. what about black "smoked" chrome that will look sweet. but money is an issue. and yes about deloreans, the oxidize and scratch. to bad you couldn't put like 20 coast of clear on it to protect it! lol i have a hot wheels bugatti thats chrome like that. and its really nice. i almost got a die-cast of the chrome cobra, until i saw the price tag and how much it would be to ship it. so i had to put on my wish list.

I have a hard time pictureing black "smoked" chrome. Got any sample pictures? And what happened to the photos of the Nissan and Cobra?

Remember the classic WWI and WWII planes that were all polished aluminum and shining like chrome? Those must be an &itch to polish at museums.

[B_rad88]

sorry, when i added pics to my pb profile, must deleted them, sorry,

here you go for the cbra and silvia s15.

i don't know about smoked chrome, hold on let me do some searching!

[B_rad88]

here is the black "smoked" chrome. the first pic is a rim for the new smart car. the ssecond pic is a 1/18 scale ertl die-casr roadrunner superbird! here is the link for the road runner. http://diecastcar.blogspot.com/2007/11/197...mouth-hemi.html

[FujimiLover]

Not sure I like that black-chrome. I'd like to see pictures of a die-cast model stripped, and polished up.

I'm also considering useing Bare-Metal Foil's aluminum to cover the car with in order to give it a bare aluminum look. As I said, the real car is aluminum, except bumpers of coarse.

[B_rad88]

chrome die-cast looks like the real 1/1 chrome cars as far as color(none), shine, brillant mirror finish, everything. and using bare-metal foil to cover the whole car(1/43 that is) is going to me a pain in the butt. plus time consuming. and yes i know that the insight has aluminum panels. one hit me in my geo about a year ago.

[B_rad88]

and ace was sold out of the paint stripper and should get a truck in tomorrow so i am going then.

[FujimiLover]

chrome die-cast looks like the real 1/1 chrome cars as far as color(none), shine, brillant mirror finish, everything. and using bare-metal foil to cover the whole car(1/43 that is) is going to me a pain in the butt. plus time consuming. and yes i know that the insight has aluminum panels. one hit me in my geo about a year ago.

Yea, I realize it'll be time consuming, but it's just an idea. Sorry to hear about your geo. I'm interested in knowing what stripper it is as I think it's best way to go and I might be tempted to just polish the metal and see how it look's when done. I can alway spaint over the polish!

[Foxer]

With this being diecast you can use about any paint stripper. If you want to be cautious, use the usual plastic methods. Brake fluid, Simple Green or Easy-Off. Lately I'm really liking Simple Green. it strips chrome in about 5 minutes.

That dash doesn't look real easy to switch to left hand drive, thou not impossible. You have to cut out and shift the instrument pod over and putty it all up. Looks like you would have to cut out and switch the panels below the instrument also.

[B_rad88]

i am getting tomorrow whe they get the shipment in. i will give specs and any info on it. also i will post pics. you got a ace hardware close to you? its there name brand! but tomorrow around 1-4pm i should have it to you. do you want me to post here or send it pm?

[FujimiLover]

I'm not going to bother with the dashboard. I have not looked for an Ace hardware but I'm sure we have one somewhere in town. As the model wont' arrive for another two weeks, I'm in no hurry to know what type or anything, just curious. Still think this is best method instead of painting over stock paint?

You can post it here, does not matter.

Edited March 24, 2009 by FujimiLover

[B_rad88]

i have tried painting over the stock paint and the darker color come through brighter colors. and the paint won't stick to the factory glossy paint, it will bubble, wrinkle, or peel. try it you might have different resaults than me. i used dulpi-color primer over stock paint and thats as far as i got.