Alpine A110 1600

[Scale-Master]

I started this Tamiya kit about 5 years ago. I'd take it with me on vacations and trips, (it's been to at least two GSL's and one or two IPMS conventions), when I thought I'd have some down time and wanted to do some model work. Figured I could clean it up and ready it for paint. Never worked on it for more than an hour at a time so not much really got done on it, just racked up a ton of miles on it...

Recently we had to have our home fumigated, so I took it with me and worked on it in the old trailer I lived in for a few days. Limited to "clean" work, I prepped every part in the kit. I did bring a can of Tamiya primer and was able to prime the body parts for painting later. The body is visible on the desk lamp base.

Here's almost all the parts removed from the sprue and cleaned up. This kit lends itself to cutting all the parts loose as they are easily identifiable even without the part numbers. The chassis pan, wheels and engine have been painted their base colors here.

Here are body parts painted TS-22 Green. Best rattle can job I've done to date, (I'm more of an airbrusher), even though arguably it is a somewhat homely color....

A couple days later I noticed a little defect in the top of the front fender. It is barely visible in the above pictures (I know where to look...), but stood out to me in person. Just a tiny nit or bubble, not sure exactly, but no worries...

Went after it with polishing cloths and removed it, but it was too deep and affected the color density/uniformity.

Had to paint some touch up. I thought by heating the can (TS-22) in warm water would allow me to lay on a thinner coat of paint. Well... I don't know if it made it any thinner, it may have, but it really made the propellant active, and a bit angry too. Tons of those little pin hole bubbles and a bunch of instant runs, and that particular paint apparently dries very fast, especially in this weather.

I decided to strip it, no other way to salvage it. What a Bummer! But the 100% denatured alcohol only made it worse, just a gooey mess. Normally it works as a great quick and clean stripper for Tamiya lacquers. Even left it to soak for over an hour, way longer than any other stripping exercise I've performed in the past. Had to use another approach...

So I grabbed a box of baking soda, and plugged my little media blaster (looks like a single action airbrush) into the outside compressor and went to town. I spent the same amount of time (or maybe even less) using it as I had spent trying to chemically remove the paint (not counting soaking time) and ended up with a fully stripped yet detail salvaged body.

And my personal ph level had been adjusted too... I did look a bit like Neil Young in a scene from Rust Never Sleeps though...

Ready to prime, again...

Had another good experience shooting from (the room temperature) can, actually second can, of TS-22.

I have been attempting to paint as much as possible before assembling the parts. Again, this approach may not work well for some kits, but this one appears to fit well too... Later...

[Randy Kern]

I'll have to keep an eye on this one Mark, as I just got this kit. I like the shade of blue it's molded in!

Edited August 9, 2007 by randbugeye

[MonoPed]

I thought that kit was a curbside...

[Modelmartin]

I like Tamiya paint but hate their spray cans. Like you said "active and angry". I won't even use a spray can of any brand on the most insignificant part on a quickie build. Uggh!

I like Alpines - I have all of the 1/24th kits but the flare-fendered Heller A110. Abarths too! Must be something about the letter A... Aardvark.....Andy....My wife's name is Ann....Abarths... Alpines. Oh well! Don't know where Bugattis and Porsches fit in there.

Good luck on your second paint job, Mark. What weird color this time?

[Luis Ayala]

Beautifull color choice Mark!!!!!

Your work is really amazing and I am sure this one will be another stunning build. I built the same kit back in 2005 and it was a pretty straight forward build. It is a VERY nice kit an it was a really fun project. I used the decals of the 1971 Monte Carlo winner. The only problem I remember was a small fit issue with the headlight lenses.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Papin67

[Scale-Master]

I would have done it in blue, (hey, most people who know me know how much I like blue), but I already have a blue Alpine in my collection. I wanted something loud and from the 70's looking. White was another color I was toying with, but it was too polite for the look I was going for.

Other than the short learning curve I had to go through to learn how to use the Tamiya TS paints, I've had very good luck with them. And the colors available are great. I've always been an airbrusher, these are the first paints worthy of being used from the can for bodies, but I still rely on my airbrushes for most finishes.

[Scale-Master]

Now I have pretty much everything painted. It should build into the main sub-assemblies pretty quickly...

[simonr]

Hey Mark, what a hard time you had stripping the paint on this one. I think you could speed it up using Ease-off oven cleaner with the model inside a tight sealed plastic container for a couple of hours. About the model, as always from you, what a perfect build!...even doing somethisng box stock, you're awesome man!...I like a lot the color choice, it's real difference and way different front the so current blue Alpines. I will keep me eyes on this one buddy!

Simon Rivera

[Scale-Master]

Hi Simon,

I used to use oven cleaner, (still do for enamels and chrome removal), it worked on everything, and when sealed to keep the fumes in as you mentioned, it works quickly. But the Tamiya lacquers are impervious to it. And thanks!

[Scale-Master]

The engine went together in a matter of minutes, but that was with hours of prep and painting done well in advance...

As for the finish on the header, it's to replicate Aluma-Cote. It was popular before we went to the ceramic Jet-Hot type coatings...

[ismaelg]

Cool project! As usual, the engine looks great!

However, isn't there an international law (part of the Godiva treaty) that specifies all Alpines MUST be blue?

Thanks,

[Scale-Master]

Cool project! As usual, the engine looks great!

However, isn't there an international law (part of the Godiva treaty) that specifies all Alpines MUST be blue?

Thanks,

Guess my rebellious side is coming out... I found red, yellow, silver and white ones, even a few different shades of blue.

[Scale-Master]

The interior and chassis are almost done, wanted to take a few pictures of the bottom before mounting the skid plates that cover up most of the details. Even much of the engine is obscured by the package shelf/engine cover that goes under the rear window.