Automotive Paint On Fujimi 1/24 Scale

I was wondering if I can recieve good results using automotive paint on my Integra Type R Fujimi 1/24 scale model? I have never used it before and dont want to waste my time and money if it doesnt come out good.

The reason for the automotive paint is because its the exact color I am painting my Type R and really want it to replicate that perfectly in every way.

The color I am going with is Long Beach Blue Pearl (B-510P) from the Acura NSX.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d152/SOLOTR95/P1060744.jpg

Just make sure it´s water based and you will be fine. But I think you will have to put clercoat over it since the new automotive paints usualy become matt after they dry.

Just make sure it´s water based and you will be fine. But I think you will have to put clercoat over it since the new automotive paints usualy become matt after they dry.

not quite.

Automotive paints comes in a couple of forms, one of which is indeed matt base over which you have to apply a clear coat but this is far from the standard as your post seems to suggest.

Most of the time, the paint is what they call an acrylic lacquer which is pretty much what is sold to us model makers in spray cans with differences in formula between different companies.

In other words, it is perfectly safe to use on a model kit and indeed, many of us do use auto supply store paints on model kits.

There are a couple of points to note though.

i) the metallic flake used in paint intended for use on a 1:1 car may be too big for use in 1:24. If the paint is a mica paint, this is less noticeable.

ii) the formula of paint for 1:1 may be a bit hot for use on a plastic kit so test to make sure it doesn't melt/warp/otherwise damage the kit plastic.
There are special plastic sealing primers available in auto supplies stores for use over plastic parts on 1:1 cars like bumpers that can be safely used as a base coat primer on a model kit.

iii) like all metallic paints that have a suspended particle in a translucent paint carrier, it will need to be clear-coated before finishing/polishing but that's not different to "proper" modelling metallics whether it is a matt finish paint base or not.


That is a gorgeous blue by the way.

Thats what I figured with having to clear it. Now do I use automotive clear or will any clear do? What if the paint is not water base?

Just get some of the paint from Hiroboy's Zero Colors in the UK or scalefinishes.com in the US. You can use either Zero's or Tamiya clear on the Zeros, but must use scalefinishes clear on the scalefinishes paint.

is the paint you're intending to use from an aerosol or is it in a jar/can intended for spraying through a gun (if on a 1:1) or airbrush?

Now the paint I am getting is not a metallic its a pearl.Does that make a difference? And that does make sense on the flakes being to big for such a small car.

That was going to be my next question. I can get it either way. I kinda wanted to airbrush but can aerosol. What do you suggest?

Pearl paints are fine to use as it is, like Mica paint slightly different to regular metallic paints. Even then, not all metallic paints used on a model car don't always look out of scale either as it is alas, down to the paint.

As for airbrush vs can, that depends on what you have to use and what your preference is.
The paint type doesn't change things too much.
What you choose would depend on your experience with an airbrush (and paint thinning/control etc) and of course, if you have an airbrush at all.
I don't so my use of automotive paints is all from the can.


This

http://x2e.xanga.com/cabf32fac9631252029464/w200155051.jpg

is automotive lacquer from the can (Hycote Double for those that care) Ford Graphite Grey.
You can kinda see what I mean by out of scale metallic particles but in reality, it isn't that noticeable.

Now the paint I am getting is not a metallic its a pearl.Does that make a difference? And that does make sense on the flakes being to big for such a small car.

That was going to be my next question. I can get it either way. I kinda wanted to airbrush but can aerosol. What do you suggest?

the color you are getting is actually a tri coat, it has a pearl base, followed by a blue candy mid coat, and then clear.

there is a company that makes the color in an aerosol, I have used them before, the quality is good, but no where near as good as just buying a dedicated automotive paint. here is a link to the color you want, expect to pay around 30 bucks or more for the kit since its a tri coat, plus clear

http://www.expresspaint.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idProduct=2923&idCategory=19

I have the color that you want in PPG DBC base coat, and the mid coat, and could mix some up for you prereduced for an airbrush for a small fee. I can do 2 oz bottles which would paint several models, but I would have to check to see if I have enough clear and hardner to give you, or you could get your own.

the real automotive paint is expensive I think I paid about 140 dollars for the two pints of base and mid coat, one of each, plus reducer and clear so you probably won't want to buy that much since you would barley use any of it.

Pm me if your interested.

sorry I posted the wrong link originally. here is the actual company that I have used in the past.

Steve

the color you are getting is actually a tri coat...

just to make things easier, eh?

Are all automotive pearl paints tri-coat or is it paint/maunfacturer specific?
I've seen a lot of touch up aerosol pearl colours in regular rattle cans as a base coat but of course, these aren't neccessarily original manufactuer specification paint.

just to make things easier, eh?

Are all automotive pearl paints tri-coat or is it paint/maunfacturer specific?
I've seen a lot of touch up aerosol pearl colours in regular rattle cans as a base coat but of course, these aren't neccessarily original manufactuer specification paint.

not all automotive pearl paints are a tri-coat, most are not infact. the tri-coat seems to apear more on higher end cars, they carry a better depth, and shift color a bit better than a standard pearl. I have alot of lamborghini paints that are tri-coats, and the NSX is the flagship of honda so that would explain why the long beach blue color is a tri-coat.

Steve

I work at a custom paint and body shop and access to clear is easy to get. I do have a airbrush handy. Is touch up paint from the dealership the same exact thing? Cause I called Acura today for Long Beach Blue Pearl touch up paint and it was $13.00. So I figured if its the same thing than grab 2 of those and use them in my airbrush.

And that link you sent me, I checked it out and thats exactly where I found the aerosol cans of it before. Are those exact OEM colors in just a can?

I work at a custom paint and body shop and access to clear is easy to get. I do have a airbrush handy. Is touch up paint from the dealership the same exact thing? Cause I called Acura today for Long Beach Blue Pearl touch up paint and it was $13.00. So I figured if its the same thing than grab 2 of those and use them in my airbrush.

And that link you sent me, I checked it out and thats exactly where I found the aerosol cans of it before. Are those exact OEM colors in just a can?

I don't believe the touch up paint is the same thing, I used a tricoat touch up on a lexus and the color was way off, even though it had the base and mid coat. I could be wrong though

I changed the link so if you went to the fist one I have never used their product, I have used the products from expresspaint, and their colors are pretty much exact though I have only used their toyota and nissan colors, and never one of their tricoat paints. like I said I have PPG base and mid coat in LBP blue, and can mix it up ready to spray out of an airbrush if you can get clear.

Steve

Yeah express paint is where I looked. It says it comes with the top and base but not clear

I have used touch-ups from dealers before, almost entirely from Honda, and I've had no problems.

I prime the model with LIGHT COATS of Duplicolor primer from the spray can before I use the touch-up paint. I say light coats because the paint can be a little hot - it's right on the edge and from one can to another on one kit to another (even a kit of the same car by the same company) and from one good application to a bad one by me, I can get it on perfectly or get some razing. The next step is to wait a while, a couple days or more, for the primer to get nice and hard. I don't know if it really makes a difference, but if I try to paint the same day, I don't get the best results. Then I thin the touch-up with automotive paint reducer, and airbrush it on with LIGHT COATS. Light coats again for the same reason as above.

Touch up paint probably won't be a tri-coat or anything fancy like that, but like was said before, tri-coat paints are done for better depth and better flip. I personally wouldn't put such a paint on my models. Why? For the same reason I only put 2-3 coats of clear instead of 10. I really feel like overly deep paint and clear looks really weird on a tiny car. To me, it makes the paint look inches deep in scale, and looks weird. So it's personal preference, but whatever single-stage pearl Honda puts in the touch up would be perfect for me.

I use either the Duplicor clear, the Tamiya clear, or recently the Testors Lacquer system clear (which I love!!) over it, no problem.

The other, and better, option I think would be to get the paint mixed by Zero paints. His paints are painless to put on and seem less hot than using touch-up and reducer. It'll probably be mixed as a single color coat but like I said before, it would be just fine if not better in scale. I use the Tamiya or Testors paint over it, and it works great. Not to gush, but not enough nice things can be said about the Zero paints. The best model paint (in my limited opinion) since Cobra Colors folded.