1940 Ford Coupe

[KurseD]

So this is my first model in a really long time. Trying to get back into the swing of things after a REALLY long break is a little tough, but just as fun as ever.

Wife started this kit around 2003 I think? Anyway she got as far as the motor painted and chassis painted. Installed the motor in the chassis, and that was all. Three kids and a few years later, I decided to try my hand at finishing this one up for her and figured it would be good experience anyway.

Where I'm at so far. I primed with testors primer, then sprayed the body with some valspar indoor/outdoor satin purple. After about 6 hours dry time on the satin, I taped off the roof pannel for a flake/candy panel job. I sprayed testors silver base, then some pactra RC silver flake, then a super light coat of testors gloss clear coat to act as an intercoat clear. I let that dry for a couple hours.

Here's where it all went horribly wrong. So I start taping off my design on the roof and go to reposition the tape. BANG! The whole roof pannel peels right off with the tape. The purple Valspar on the roof now looks super wet like I just sprayed it. I'm guessing the testors enamels reacted with the Valspar whatever, and actually melted the Valspar? Anyway. I've given it three thourough soaks in Easy Off and still haven't gotten all the Valspar off. Needless to say, I don't believe I will be using any more Valspar products for a good long while.

It's now soaking in a Purple Power cleaner bath. I'll update as the build moves along.

Feel free to comment away guys. Positive or Negative, I'm pretty thick skinned.

This is the Valspar I used. Website says "Premium Enamel" I beg to differ. More like silly putty to me.

Mockup

Disaster

Rest of it so far

[Wonderbread Kustomz]

Everything looks good , I would suggest some Castrol Super Clean or Purple power to strip the paint...

I've never used the Valspar paints just because I'm afraid of screwing up a body, but recently rediscovered Krylon and let me tell you that stuff lays out so nice and at Wal Mart comes in a variety of colors...

[Custom Mike]

Landon, first, welcome back to the hobby. The wide whites look great, and so does the engine, but the interior needs a second color to really bring it out, either detail painting of the door panels and dash, a different color carpet, just something to break up all the gold.

Second, you say you let the Valspar dry for 6 hours, which is probably where you went wrong. Enamels take much longer to fully dry (Cure) than Acrylics, Lacquers or 2-Part Urethanes. So if you're spraying an Enamel, wait at least a week before you attempt any masking and spraying with a second color. A quick and easy way to tell if a paint job is fully cured is the sniff test. Sniff the paint, if you can still smell paint (Solvents), then it's not fully cured, give it another day or two. Or, you could buy a cheap dehydrator from somewhere like Harbor Freight, with a dehydrator, you can force a paint job to cure in a day or so depending on what type of paint you used.

Third, what really did you in was the Pactra RC paint over Enamels. Pactra RC Paints are some of the "hottest" lacquer paints available, since they're designed for Lexan bodies, not polystyrene. If you're gonna attempt to use the Pactra paints, you need to do two things. First, use a good Primer/Sealer, or a base coat of Future to protect the body from getting burnt by the paint. Second, a Lacquer paint must go on FIRST, Enamels can go over Lacquers, but not the other way around!

[Jantrix]

Lots of great advice there from Mike. x2 on everything he said.

[KurseD]

Landon, first, welcome back to the hobby. The wide whites look great, and so does the engine, but the interior needs a second color to really bring it out, either detail painting of the door panels and dash, a different color carpet, just something to break up all the gold.

Second, you say you let the Valspar dry for 6 hours, which is probably where you went wrong. Enamels take much longer to fully dry (Cure) than Acrylics, Lacquers or 2-Part Urethanes. So if you're spraying an Enamel, wait at least a week before you attempt any masking and spraying with a second color. A quick and easy way to tell if a paint job is fully cured is the sniff test. Sniff the paint, if you can still smell paint (Solvents), then it's not fully cured, give it another day or two. Or, you could buy a cheap dehydrator from somewhere like Harbor Freight, with a dehydrator, you can force a paint job to cure in a day or so depending on what type of paint you used.

Third, what really did you in was the Pactra RC paint over Enamels. Pactra RC Paints are some of the "hottest" lacquer paints available, since they're designed for Lexan bodies, not polystyrene. If you're gonna attempt to use the Pactra paints, you need to do two things. First, use a good Primer/Sealer, or a base coat of Future to protect the body from getting burnt by the paint. Second, a Lacquer paint must go on FIRST, Enamels can go over Lacquers, but not the other way around!

Thanks for the great tips and advice. I totally agree on the interior being overly simple, but that was actually what I wanted to achieve on this one. Trying to keep it simple for my first model trying to get back in the swing of using my tools and such.

On that note, that's probably how I shot myself in the foot. I've only used auto paints on 1:1 projects for a long time now, and am used to being able to let those acrylic auto paints tack up then on to the next coat. I haven't used the model paints in so long, I've forgotten everthing I once knew about them. I probably should have read a painting tips article or two first, and also shouldn't have tried the flake panel on my first trip back down the rabbit hole.

I found this paint at the craft store today and love the color so much, I think I'll give it a go and just leave it a simple satin paint job with no graphics this go around. Anyone had any experience with this paint?

Liquitex Professional Spray Paint

http://www.liquitex.com/spraypaint/

It's the can on the far left of this picture.

[Custom Mike]

I've never used 'em myself, but I'm sure someone has and they'll chime in sooner or later. And as far as the interior goes, I get it now, knock one out quick to get back on the horse, makes sense to me! And if you want to use Automotive paints, you can, I do it all the time. Get some Dupli-Color Primer/Sealer and get spraying! As long as you lay down a Primer/Sealer to act as a barrier against the hotter Automotive paints, you'll be fine!

[KurseD]

I've never used 'em myself, but I'm sure someone has and they'll chime in sooner or later. And as far as the interior goes, I get it now, knock one out quick to get back on the horse, makes sense to me! And if you want to use Automotive paints, you can, I do it all the time. Get some Dupli-Color Primer/Sealer and get spraying! As long as you lay down a Primer/Sealer to act as a barrier against the hotter Automotive paints, you'll be fine!

Yep, that's actually how I did the last couple I built years ago. I sprayed them with leftover Dupont Chromabase (over a Nason sealer) then Dupont Chroma Clear over that. I'll post up a build on my Nova using that technique soon. I'm still trying to figure out the rear tires and it's making me angy, so I put it in the penalty box for a few days.

[FIREMODELMAN]

KUDO'S TO YOU KurseD. For sticking with this project. A lot of guy's would have tosses it in the junk pile, and started something else. All GREAT advice on the paint. I'm partial to Dupli-color Acrylic Enamel. I get fast dry times and lots of good results. Keep up the good work, and welcome back into the hobby.

[KurseD]

Finished it up. Not super detailed, but that was what I was going for. I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I know I could have done better, but it's simple and pleasing to the eye. Well my one good eye anyway. LOL!

[Jim Whalen]

Hi,

A good outcome after your paint struggles - well done! I'm sure you'll find a good way to get paint down onto model cars.

[KurseD]

Thanks.

I will probably stick with 1:1 auto paints from here forward as that's the system I feel most comfortable with.

[Custom Mike]

Looks good for a quicky landon, now what' the next kit you've got your eye on?

[KurseD]

Building a 70s Street Van (started a build thread in the trucks and vans section below). Check it out.