Can I Save This?

[obs.caleb]

I was looking at old model pictures when I found my charger project. It looked as good as I remembered in the photos but when I got it out I remembered it was in shambles all the paint peeled off or crackled so I repainted it about 13 times. I recently sprayed some primer on and was wondering is this body saveable?

[stitchdup]

I think its savable. You should start by stripping the primer off then rescribe he door and fender edges before priming again. from the pics it looks like the trim is mostly hidden under the primer so stripping it will let you see any hidden damage

[Bainford]

Strip it down to bare plastic and then have a look at it.

Tips on paint stripping here; 

 

[Mike 1017]

I would not attempt to selvage that Charger because I am pretty sure that you get a perfect body in the Wanted Section

[Beans]

You repainted it 13 times?  is that one overt the other?  How many layers of paint are on there?  You definitely need to strip it to even see if there is any plastic left.

[1930fordpickup]

I agree with the others and say strip it. Give it a good wash after that with Dawn and Comet and see what you have. This is a  Commen kit so if it is a little more than you want to fix as also mentioned above you could get another. It would make a good beat up dirt track race car as another option.

[slusher]

I. Come down to how much work you want to put into it"..

[Nosferatu]

You can definitely save this one. As the others stated, strip it and start from there. Gather reference pics and lots of putty. 

Also if you get into a jam there is this forum with many many years of model building experience at your fingertips.

I was able to save this Lincoln. 

From this - 

To this!

[Can-Con]

Probably could save it but do you really want to put that much effort into something as common as dirt? 

I'd just get a fresh kit.

[Fat Brian]

As I've gotten older my time is more valuable to me. If something is easily replaceable it might be a better use of your time to just start over. Especially since that looks like the MPC kit.

[obs.caleb]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I was a young child when I built this so it isn't the best. I am attached to this model as it was one of my first. Yes it is 13 layers of paint they were thick layers at that. There was no primer or clear coat. I will try stripping and scribing it. What do yall think about a rebuild thread? Let me know. 

[oldcarfan]

Strip it down and see. That's my advice. You won't know what's underneath until you strip it off.  Put it in a tub of Purple Cleaner for a week and see what's there. 

[Bill Anderson]

Sorry to say, but my vote is to trash it.  As said, its a common model and your time could be much better spent working on a clean shell.  Have to add, I suspect most long time modelers have at least one or two of those screw ups in our past.

My most memorable one was a grey Canadian National refrigerator railcar (HO scale).  After my multiple weathering attempts went haywire, I put the shell on the floor and stepped on it.  That eliminated any future doubts as to what I should do.

 

[obs.caleb]

  On 5/5/2025 at 7:10 PM, Bill Anderson said:

Sorry to say, but my vote is to trash it.  As said, its a common model and your time could be much better spent working on a clean shell.  Have to add, I suspect most long time modelers have at least one or two of those screw ups in our past.

My most memorable one was a grey Canadian National refrigerator railcar (HO scale).  After my multiple weathering attempts went haywire, I put the shell on the floor and stepped on it.  That eliminated any future doubts as to what I should do.

 

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Woah getting a little destructive there. I’m still figuring out what I’m going to do. I’ve got other projects to think about. I’m probably going to get a new body and start over.

[Muncie]

Save it for the memories and start with something better.  Memories are important - if you fix it, the thing that you remember is gone.

[gtx6970]

Unless its some high end MPC body ( even then Im not sure I would try ) 

 

Or has some sentinemtal attachement then and only then MAYBE

[obs.caleb]

  On 5/7/2025 at 4:19 PM, Muncie said:

Save it for the memories and start with something better.  Memories are important - if you fix it, the thing that you remember is gone.

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That's a reply I like. I'm probably not going to finish it.

[Bill Anderson]

Have to add..... While I "smashed" the model railcar I screwed up, that was something I can't recall ever doing before.   My "logic" at the time was that the messed up shell would be bugging me "forever", and by destroying it I wouldn't have that to worry about any more.   Ok, that may not fly today, but at the time it seemed like the thing to do.

[Beans]

  On 5/8/2025 at 10:08 AM, Bill Anderson said:

Have to add..... While I "smashed" the model railcar I screwed up, that was something I can't recall ever doing before.   My "logic" at the time was that the messed up shell would be bugging me "forever", and by destroying it I wouldn't have that to worry about any more.   Ok, that may not fly today, but at the time it seemed like the thing to do.

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I've been there.  But with models that ended up broken in a move.  There were a couple that there was no way I could piece back together and I would forever be aggravated looking at them in a fixed but still not right way.  I didn't smash them but just pitched them into the trash.  Keeping things for the memories is good but when the memories turn sour its time to pitch it and move on.

and that will fill my philosophical quota for today.  😁

[obs.caleb]

I did a lot of work on it since I made that post it isnt done yet because the cracks need to be filled and the filler needs more sanding but here it is tell me what yall think.

[Belugawrx]

  On 5/9/2025 at 6:06 PM, obs.caleb said:

 tell me what yall think.

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Truth...it looks like a Charger with 13 coats of paint on it...just sayin'

[Beans]

Until it's down to bare plastic I can't even tell how much damage there actually is.  At first I thought it might be just cracks in the thick paint but now I am seeing a lot more body damage.

[obs.caleb]

  On 5/9/2025 at 6:15 PM, Beans said:

Until it's down to bare plastic I can't even tell how much damage there actually is.  At first I thought it might be just cracks in the thick paint but now I am seeing a lot more body damage.

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That Crack on the back is from my knife slipping and going into the body. On the front it's just the paint.

[NOBLNG]

  On 5/9/2025 at 6:06 PM, obs.caleb said:

….tell me what yall think.

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Since you asked….I would not waste time trying to resurrect it. You could build half a dozen new kits in the time it would take to fix it. Throw it in the parts box or make a demolition derby car out of it. JMO.

[Rodent]

Throw it in the purple pond and see what the plastic looks like after 13 coats of paint are gone. Then throw it away.