need advice on how to build an engine to look old and greasy.

[x-craft]

I'm currently working on building the revell plow truck model. I have been modeling for many years, mostly primarly aircraft but do work on cars from time to time. I want to take this one in a totally different direction by making it look like an old beat up worn out plow rig. I already have planned out to build a flat bed to match my own plow truck and I plan to make rust holes etc. I've rusted the frame and suspension etc. already but am looking for advice and tips on painting the engine to look old, leaky and oily. realism is the whole goal here, not shiny and new like I see quite frequently. I tried to upload a photo of the frame but upload failed three times even using different browsers. :-(

Edited February 3, 2013 by x-craft

[Alyn]

Here's a link to a Flathead I built a few years ago. It's not greasy, but definitely worn and grungy. Look on page 3 of the WIP:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22135&hl=%2029%20%20ford%20%20roadster

For a more greasy look, a few rounds black wash would be a good starting point. This should be applied over a gloss finish. You can dull it down afterwards if necessary with Testers dull-coat. You could create a mixture of black paint and baking soda to add some heavy, caked on grease. Some guys save the gunk in the bottom of the thinner jar used for cleaning their brushes for use as gunk.

[x-craft]

It's the heavy caked on look is what I'm after, I like the idea with the baking soda mixed with paint. Thanks for the tip.....

Edited February 3, 2013 by x-craft

[LoneWolf15]

Earth toned pastel chalks .

[x-craft]

Lone Wolf, do you have any pics of the end results using the pastel chalks?

[Drake69]

You can use a black wash that is a "watered down" black paint for oily looks. There are other colors as well, so you can thin out brown or red paints to accomplish the same thing. Wash paints can be liberally spread across the engine block to simulate oil blowby on the manifolds, along the transmission piece for a dingy, used look, or use reddish browns for rusty parts areas. Blackwashing chrome parts also make them more realistic looking because they darken up the crevaces and spaces in the parts.

[Kit Basher]

The upper parts of this engine have a black wash (cheap black acrylic paint thinned with water). The oil pan area is gloss black enamel, with some baking soda added in places. Hope you have fun weathering your engine.

[Foxer]

I have an old bottle of Polly S Oily Black I use for oil stains. It has a bit of gloss and really works well. It was aimed at the train modelers and don't think Polly S paints are made any more .. at least under that name. It was Floquil's water based paint which is now owned by Testors.