Painting the body

OK, I know I should have made this my first step, but I put it off and now the entire car is finished except for painting the body and putting it on the car. Now, I just need the low-down on how I should undertake this.

I know to sand first. Got it. Gotta either get a spray can or an air gun tomorrow. Gotta mask off the taillight recesses, headlight recesses, air intakes, bumpers (different color than body), etc. Any tape recomendations? How do I actually paint it? How long to dry? Priming? After painting? Sorry :D:D:D

1. Remove Seam lines
2. Sand whole body with 800 grade
3. Wash and Primer
4. Leave for 24 hours then sand lightly with 1200 grade
5. Spray colour.
6. leave for minimum of 3 days then polish

All details can be added after that, paint in the recesses with silver and the grilles with semi gloss black.
Window rubbers are the hardest to get neat! Best to use a paint pen.

I use much higher numbers for the sanding grits... I use 1800 on the bare plastic and 2400 between the primer and base coat. And I still always take more paint off than I mean to! :confused:

Don't push so hard :D:D

Thanks for the info guys...

When doing a kit i always do the painting of the body first before the rest of the kit. This way the body has a while to "harden" the paint up.

I planned on doing that too, but I had a whole weekend to work until the hobby shops open again, so I couldn't get anything to spray the body with, that's why I hopped right into the rest of the car...

Thanks for some of the tips.
Do you find it better to paint the car before or after you are done assembling?? What type of tape do you use?? If you paint the body by itself, do you put it together, or spray the parts separetly?? Sorry, but I want to be perfect:licker:

Tamiya masking tape, if you can get it.

I do it in parts, but I do them together all at once so they'll all get the same number of coats and end up the same shade. But then you have to deal with gluing the other parts on over the paint job. :(

Would using normal masking tape, put on your clothes first to make it less sticky, work almost as well. Where can I order this Tamiya stuff from??

If your hobby shop doesn't stock it, it's probably too much trouble to order it. Regular masking tape will work. Don't un-sticky it, it should be fine. Just make sure the paint under the tape is completely dry. Like a few days dry. Also, run something flat along the edge to sort of seal it down. Use a pen, a screwdriver, your fingernail, etc...

Remove the tape as soon as the paint is tacky, but before it's all the way dry.

Thanks.And I dont have a hobby shop, for that I need to go to Toronto, and I dont know any places there. If someone could help on that, I would be thankful.

So where do you get your kits? :confused:

Which is closer to you? Toronto or Barrie? There's a few here in Barrie...

Originally posted by Chris
Would using normal masking tape, put on your clothes first to make it less sticky, work almost as well. Where can I order this Tamiya stuff from??

DONT USE NORMAL MASKING TAPE PLEASE !!!!!

If you are masking any part on the model that needs a nice fine line,(around windows for the rubbers) only use the Tamiya Tape.
Normal tape can bleed the paint though the edge giving a rough jaggered look to the line.

Originally posted by primera man


DONT USE NORMAL MASKING TAPE PLEASE !!!!!



YEP! I second that!

I get my models from Zellers, and there used to be a store here that hade models, but they dont anymore. I could go to Barrie. Can you tell me some stores and where they are, I would appreciate it:)

And I wont use masking tape:cool:

Ok, when you paint the body black where the window is going to glue, how do you do that without the black running and looking crappy after. Or would better Tamiya glue do the trick?

Originally posted by Chris
Ok, when you paint the body black where the window is going to glue, how do you do that without the black running and looking crappy after. Or would better Tamiya glue do the trick?

Sorry! Don't know what you mean!

Are you referring to painting the window rubbers?:confused:

In the Kozlov Centre on Bayfield Street there is a place called "Race Buffs" where I go for most of my modelling stuff. It's a car only store, but they also have posters and 1:18 cars and stuff too.

BTW, shouldn't you be in school right now?? :D

Originally posted by Chris


Ok, when you paint the body black where the window is going to glue, how do you do that without the black running and looking crappy after. Or would better Tamiya glue do the trick?

Any glueing you want to do where you dont want paint to run or get messed up...i always use Micro Kristal Clear.
It well dry clear and is good for windows/headlights.

I am in school right now. I'm in a computer class, and I'm done the assignment, so I do this. My teacher is standing behind teh guy who sits next to me right now (12:08)

I did mean the window rubbers, the paint would 'melt' and the colour below would come out. I will use that Micro Kristal Clear.

Thanks for the shop, i will go there asap.

Thanks for the help, all:)

Dang i got alot to learn, I don't sand the body...I guess i will on my next kit, too lazy to do it now.. haa:D

Originally posted by jose@di
Dang i got alot to learn...

Don't worry, all us newbies do :D