New Project - Chrysler Imperial

[Donny]

I spent most of the morning prepping the body, then after lunch I primed and then hit it with two light coats and one medium heavy coat. Tamiya TS42 light gunmetal, the red in the middle is what I propose to paint the trim, but I found TS thirty three which is a fair bit darker and I like that better, and I'll hit it with flat or semi gloss clear to kill the shine. I have a couple of questions - what do you guys think of the color, and do I need to give it a wet coat to get a good shine/gloss, I'm always scared of runs - I'm learning, but not there yet.

Your comments and advice would be appreciated. Thanks Don

[NOBLNG]

4 hours ago, Donny said:

I spent most of the morning prepping the body, then after lunch I primed and then hit it with two light coats and one medium heavy coat. Tamiya TS42 light gunmetal, the red in the middle is what I propose to paint the trim, but I found TS thirty three which is a fair bit darker and I like that better, and I'll hit it with flat or semi gloss clear to kill the shine. I have a couple of questions - what do you guys think of the color, and do I need to give it a wet coat to get a good shine/gloss, I'm always scared of runs - I'm learning, but not there yet.

Your comments and advice would be appreciated. Thanks Don

I don’t see any picture so I can’t really say…🤔

[Donny]

8 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I don’t see any picture so I can’t really say…🤔

 

8 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I don’t see any picture so I can’t really say…🤔

Not sure what happened there, I'll repost and see if it comes up

[Donny]

I posted the three pics, different lighting angles

 

[bill-e-boy]

The Tamiya gun metal is a nice colour. It is metallic so you can't colour sand/polish as it will come out patchy where you cut into the metal particles. Get some clear gloss on it - TS is good. Let it sit for at least a week preferably in a warm place - or use a food dehydrator if you have one - see posts in the tips section. When the clear has cured start with the polishing routine. If you have a polishing kit go through the grit grades up to the finest. Take care around sharp edges to prevent burn through. Then polish it - I use Megiurs Brazillian Carnuba wax then do the foil - whew  

The thing with Tamiya paints - they take time to harden and wont polish nicely until they are hard. A trick is to polish with the coarsest grade then let it cure at least overnight before using the next grit up

If you do not have a polishing kit - mine is 2400-12000 grit - use some 2000g wet and dry sand paper cut into smal  squares. Use it wet. To get a finer grit rub two pieces of 2000g together to dull it down some for the second cut. Then use some polish with some cut in it and finish off with the Carnuba. It is what we did before the advent of polishing kits

Good luck

[STU111]

G’day Don. The post by bill-e-boy pretty much covers it, very similar to what I do. TS-13 is a nice gloss clear but care should be taken if spraying over decals. Probably 3 light coats should do it, and have the can warm before you shake it, goes on smoother in nice mild ambient temperatures.My 71 Oldsmobile here was done with the same sort of polishing process described by bill-e-boy and it’s probably my best paint job ever. It takes time, but the end result is worth it. You got this Don. Your Chrysler should look sweet gun metal with red interior.👍🏻

[Donny]

49 minutes ago, bill-e-boy said:

The Tamiya gun metal is a nice colour. It is metallic so you can't colour sand/polish as it will come out patchy where you cut into the metal particles. Get some clear gloss on it - TS is good. Let it sit for at least a week preferably in a warm place - or use a food dehydrator if you have one - see posts in the tips section. When the clear has cured start with the polishing routine. If you have a polishing kit go through the grit grades up to the finest. Take care around sharp edges to prevent burn through. Then polish it - I use Megiurs Brazillian Carnuba wax then do the foil - whew  

The thing with Tamiya paints - they take time to harden and wont polish nicely until they are hard. A trick is to polish with the coarsest grade then let it cure at least overnight before using the next grit up

If you do not have a polishing kit - mine is 2400-12000 grit - use some 2000g wet and dry sand paper cut into smal  squares. Use it wet. To get a finer grit rub two pieces of 2000g together to dull it down some for the second cut. Then use some polish with some cut in it and finish off with the Carnuba. It is what we did before the advent of polishing kits

Good luck

Thanks Bill, might have bitten off more than I can chew, as they say. Yes I have a dehydrator, so I guess it's 8/10 hours in that to start. Sorry have to show my inexperience here - what is in a polishing kit? I have a mix of wet & dry up to 10,000 grit and some Mothers polish to finish. Think I should have started off with a solid color, too late now, guess I had better get sanding. Thanks for your help and advice.

Don

[Donny]

34 minutes ago, STU111 said:

G’day Don. The post by bill-e-boy pretty much covers it, very similar to what I do. TS-13 is a nice gloss clear but care should be taken if spraying over decals. Probably 3 light coats should do it, and have the can warm before you shake it, goes on smoother in nice mild ambient temperatures.My 71 Oldsmobile here was done with the same sort of polishing process described by bill-e-boy and it’s probably my best paint job ever. It takes time, but the end result is worth it. You got this Don. Your Chrysler should look sweet gun metal with red interior.👍🏻

Thanks Stu, thats a nice-looking finish on your Olds, beautiful. I live in Brisbane Oz and we have just hit spring, nice days in the mid twenties now, good spraying weather. 

[STU111]

36 minutes ago, Donny said:

Thanks Stu, thats a nice-looking finish on your Olds, beautiful. I live in Brisbane Oz and we have just hit spring, nice days in the mid twenties now, good spraying weather. 

That’s right, I remember you saying on the forum that you’re up in Brissie, certainly would be perfect for spray painting, still in the mid teens here in Hobart, still have to drop the spray can into a cup of hot water before painting! The TS-13 clear should go on nice and smooth in Queensland weather, just start off with a light coat and build up to a wetter final layer. Then put it aside to cure, then polish out as Bill describes. 😊👍🏻

[Donny]

5 hours ago, STU111 said:

That’s right, I remember you saying on the forum that you’re up in Brissie, certainly would be perfect for spray painting, still in the mid teens here in Hobart, still have to drop the spray can into a cup of hot water before painting! The TS-13 clear should go on nice and smooth in Queensland weather, just start off with a light coat and build up to a wetter final layer. Then put it aside to cure, then polish out as Bill describes. 😊👍🏻

How long in the "oven" mate. Is eight to ten hours 30deg C too long?

[STU111]

4 hours ago, Donny said:

How long in the "oven" mate. Is eight to ten hours 30deg C too long?

G’day Don, I usually bring the car body inside after the final clear coat, where it’s warm and leave it for a week to cure. Some guys use ovens or dehydrators to accelerate the process, but l let mine dry the old fashioned way. 👍🏻

[Donny]

10 hours ago, STU111 said:

G’day Don, I usually bring the car body inside after the final clear coat, where it’s warm and leave it for a week to cure. Some guys use ovens or dehydrators to accelerate the process, but l let mine dry the old fashioned way. 👍🏻

Morning Stu, I have to put the clear on outside, all paint actually, the fumes are too strong for in the house even with the paint booth, (also I have bad lungs so fumes are a BIG no no, even painting outside I wear my mask. I only got my dehydrator last week, so still working that out, but reading the advice here and on the 'net, I've started running it at about 30 C, which I think calculates to about 95F, which I think is pretty safe, the guys in the US I think run there's at over 100F I think. Last thing I want is warping. I not sure at what temp to run it to get reasonable curing times. What I read it seems to vary, I'll have to do some research, no point running it for ten hours if I can get away with two or five. I think I read somewhere that acrylics cure in two to three hours, lacquers take about ten. Guess I'll do so reading. 

Don

[STU111]

2 hours ago, Donny said:

Morning Stu, I have to put the clear on outside, all paint actually, the fumes are too strong for in the house even with the paint booth, (also I have bad lungs so fumes are a BIG no no, even painting outside I wear my mask. I only got my dehydrator last week, so still working that out, but reading the advice here and on the 'net, I've started running it at about 30 C, which I think calculates to about 95F, which I think is pretty safe, the guys in the US I think run there's at over 100F I think. Last thing I want is warping. I not sure at what temp to run it to get reasonable curing times. What I read it seems to vary, I'll have to do some research, no point running it for ten hours if I can get away with two or five. I think I read somewhere that acrylics cure in two to three hours, lacquers take about ten. Guess I'll do so reading. 

Don

G’day Don. Yes mate, the Tamiya sprays are good but pretty funky regarding their fumes, I mask up and spray outside on a still day. I’m not much help with the dehydrator I’m afraid, but at 30 degrees, it shouldn’t warp the body. Should be something around dehydrator use in the tips and tutorials section. Stu. 👍🏻

[bill-e-boy]

On 9/9/2025 at 12:03 PM, Donny said:

Sorry have to show my inexperience here - what is in a polishing kit?

Hi Don, Me - I am a Kiwi - and although spring has arrived the temps are still a bit wintery a bit like Tassie. Oh, for some nice weather like you have this time of year

A polishing kit has either sanding cloths or sponges with grit grades from 2000 to 12000g. Or there abouts anyway - mine is 2400 to 1200g. The kit usually will also have some polishing compound and a polishing rag to finish with. Mine is from Micro-Mark and is called "Micro-mesh Polishing Kit". I think Temu may have something similar.

And like I said earlier leave Tamiya for at least a week before touching it - even after a spell in the dehydrator. And leave at least an overnight spell between sanding and polish. Tamiya paints take an age to harden but when they finally do you can get a jolly good shine with them

And Stu, that 442 is stunning

[Donny]

Thanks Bill, I really appreciate your help. I'm finding the paint side of modelling a super challenge, so your advice is really helpful. I've got about fifteen kits to go on with, so...............might be time to decide what's next, whilst the Imperial "cooks". I got an email from Tamiya this morning, Tamiya just released their Toyota GR Supra Custom 24371, think I might have to add that to my collection for a later build, but before the Porsche Carrera GT and the NSX. I need more experience before I get into those two. I watched one of the guys building the NSX, beautiful job - think it's in the WIP forum. Question, is there a way to make the seats look a bit more sort of vinyl or velour, than just painterly?

So, you, Stu and me, are all camped around the same pond. 😀Maybe we could get a couple of boats and meet up in the Pacific. 🙄😂. God I say some dumbass things. 

I'm waiting on the darker colour for the seats, should be here late today. If you can give me a couple of suggestions about the seats, I might do that whilst waiting for the body to cure and decide on my next build.    

Thanks guys, nice chatting with you

Don

 

[Donny]

19 hours ago, bill-e-boy said:

Hi Don, Me - I am a Kiwi - and although spring has arrived the temps are still a bit wintery a bit like Tassie. Oh, for some nice weather like you have this time of year

A polishing kit has either sanding cloths or sponges with grit grades from 2000 to 12000g. Or there abouts anyway - mine is 2400 to 1200g. The kit usually will also have some polishing compound and a polishing rag to finish with. Mine is from Micro-Mark and is called "Micro-mesh Polishing Kit". I think Temu may have something similar.

And like I said earlier leave Tamiya for at least a week before touching it - even after a spell in the dehydrator. And leave at least an overnight spell between sanding and polish. Tamiya paints take an age to harden but when they finally do you can get a jolly good shine with them

And Stu, that 442 is stunning

And Stu, that 442 is stunning

Agree, looks magic, I have to try to reach that level.