Chrome Part Touchups

[Stang88]

Please be patient, I am new to car modelling and I really love 60/70s muscle cars but find myself building the modern Mustangs, etc as the whole manufacturing of the chrome parts really rubs me in a bad way and I don't want to use a swear word. I notice Revell kits when they mold the chrome plated parts the attachment points on the top or bottom of the chrome plated bumpers I can live with touch these sections up with chrome silver paint when removing them from the sprues by why do they attach them to the side of the bumpers, that is brutal, you have to clip them off, trim the nubs and sand it smooth, now you try to touch up this area and it sticks out like a sore thumb.

I can handle this a bit if it is a shelf model but for show contests there is no way that is going to cut it. How did I get into car modelling, ha! I have modelled aircraft for 25 years and wow, I thought that was the hardest and cars would be a breeze once you nail down a flawless paint job, boy was I wrong.

Looking for options or tips/tricks that others use.

[Rob McKee]

Yes, you are so right this is just a real pain.

Often what I will do is strip the chrome off the bumper and re-chrome it using alclad paint.

[SuperStockAndy]

I put Bare Metal Foil over the nubs. Or better yet, if you have an airbrush, you can strip the chrome and spray Alclad instead.

Edited February 22, 2012 by SuperStockAndy

[Stang88]

Well that is another question I have on scale affect. Is the chrome plating in kits 1/24 and 1/25 scale to bright and toyish? In scale affect maybe chrome parts would look more realistic being not so bright. I have seen the Alclad chrome done well over gloss black enamel paint and does it maybe look more realistic for the scale? This is probably a debatable subject.

[Rob McKee]

Well that is another question I have on scale affect. Is the chrome plating in kits 1/24 and 1/25 scale to bright and toyish? In scale affect maybe chrome parts would look more realistic being not so bright. I have seen the Alclad chrome done well over gloss black enamel paint and does it maybe look more realistic for the scale? This is probably a debatable subject.

In my opinion it does look more realistic compared to the chrome in the kit. Some of the re-issue kits that are out these days are great subject but they have to much chrome. Chrome engines etc. don't work for me. On a funny car I recently build I stripped the entire chrome part tree and painted with the correct metal effect.

You are right, spraying the alclead over gloss black gives the chrome a real metal look. The only thing I would add to this is to ensure you apply very light coats of the alclad to get the best finish.

[espo]

In addition to the Bare Metal Foil you could use a Prisomecolor Mt. Silver pin. Got mine at Office Depot. Works great, has a roller type head. As always try it on some scrap first as it is hard to control on bumpers and such.