In Progress - Ferrari F355 (again)

Some of you may remember this car I completed about a year ago.

About 5 or 6 months ago I went to a model show, and noticed that the clear on this car had cracks all through it.
I thought it was that I sprayed Tamiya clear on too late. But after looking at my progress thread I realized that I used Cobra Colors clear on this car, so that couldn't be the case.
While stripping it I discovered that the cracking was not in the clear, but all the way below the paint in the primer.
I primed this with VX primer by Cobra Colors, then Duplicolor white primer, paint, then clear.
The Duplicolor was where the cracks originated from.
I know some Cobra Colors customers use Duplicolor primer with success, so it must be a problem with my process.
My guess is that I did not allow the Duplicolor primer enough time to gas out enough before applying color and clear.

I could not get a good pic of the cracks before I stripped it in 91% alcohol. But during stripping, they were quite visible.

Some filler, I knocked out while stripping, has been replaced with superglue. She's now ready for a new coat of primer.

I never really was crazy about the Verde Zeltweg Metallic paint I used originally, and wanted a lighter green.
The color I wanted is now available from Cobra Colors, so i will use it. It's Verde Mugello, a slightly lighter green.

My order of Cobra Colors primer should be here today. I'm anxious to respray this car.

Good luck w/the respray! The model will look great in that lighter shade. That's the color I thought it was going to be in the first place.

How long did it take the 91% to strip the paint? I'm still seriously thinking about the 612 hood redo; Polly S Easy Lift Off did the job in about an hour or so before w/many layers of different paint including Acryl clear.

Good luck w/the respray! The model will look great in that lighter shade. That's the color I thought it was going to be in the first place.

How long did it take the 91% to strip the paint? I'm still seriously thinking about the 612 hood redo; Polly S Easy Lift Off did the job in about an hour or so before w/many layers of different paint including Acryl clear.

Thanks, I need this repaint to go well, to get me motivated to work on those Dinos.

I let it sit for about 2 hours in alcohol, and it came of with ease.

I remember this model! Beautiful work, as I recall. Strange thing, those cracks appearing so long after it was finished. However, the new color is going to be beautiful, so I look forward to the finished pics!

I love 355's. Looking forward to more updates from you.

I love 355's. Looking forward to more updates from you.

:iagree:

Nice car.. what's the retail on one of those?

More than you can afford pal, FERRARI

its nice to see a ferrari in somethin other than red, a lotta not-red ferrari's have been poppin up recently on this forum. we know you'll do a great job though CADguy

Great recovery!

I've got the same problem with my Tamiya's Evo VI, Fujimi's Dino and Revell's BMW. At first I taught it was just the clear cracking but when inspected the crack starts from the primer. This is all caused by trying to finish building a model in 5 days :banghead: Now I let the model for a week before another coat.

This is going to be yet again a great build from you... :smile:

Always frustrating to have to strip- especially on a long finished model. :banghead:

You had me worried for a minute there- I hadn't heard of CobraColors clear or primer cracking. Using CC's new primer, or the old VX again? I'm curious to know how the new stuff works, and what color it is!

Do you have any pics of the Verde Zeltweg in a bit more light? I'm considering it for a 360 (it looks great on the CC site), but I'm suddenly worried it might come out darker than I want.

Good luck with it- looking forward to seeing the new color.

Nice car.. what's the retail on one of those?

About 80,000 to 120,000 USD, depending on model, year, condition and milage.

MPWR-the new primer is called Moon Mud and it's a typical light gray. It covers a lot faster than the VX, it's pigment is much more dense. VX is a good primer and does help seal the plastic, but not against heavy duty applications of clear lacquer as I'm prone to doing :uhoh:

I concur that the biggest paint problems like this are from impatience and not letting underlying paint coats dry long enough, I know because I'm still dealing w/it on one of my cars :banghead:

That green looks verry nice!!

Good luck! That color looks excellent on that car and cobra colors look wonderful so that model should look stunning (Especially because it's an F355 :tongue: )

More than you can afford pal, FERRARI

:lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: ...Smoke'em!! :lol: :rofl: Great job so far on the comeback, Matt!!

About 80,000 to 120,000 USD, depending on model, year, condition and milage.

Somebody didnt get the joke..

Thanks for the comments guys.
I got the joke. :)

I received my package of Cobra Colors primer yesterday. The Moon Mud grey primer is a very light grey, and I will probably try it out tonight.

MPWR - Verde Zeltweg almost looks metallic black indoors. It is very dark. It's hard to tell it's green unless you are in good light. Some people here had seen the car in person, and can verify it's a very dark green. I'd describe it as a 'forest' green, as Verde Mugello is an 'emerald' green.

Man that primer looks good. I guess I made my order from CC a little early. If only i would've known i was going to get a free primer. :crying: I will now go and beg my parents to let me order from CC so i can take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity:lol: Looking great CADguy. Good luck on everything. Is the interior already painted? Atleast it was only the exterior that got ruined, what am i talking about. The Exterior is the most important part on these curbside kits?

I'm happy to report that the new Moon Mud grey primer from Cobra Colors is awesome stuff..
Sprays great, fills minor imperfections well, drys fast, sands well..
I'm very happy with it.

http://images12.fotki.com/v215/photos/4/431166/2642991/F355_04-vi.jpg

http://images12.fotki.com/v214/photos/4/431166/2642991/F355_05-vi.jpg

Looks great, I hope you get past the paint demons. My paint demons are about to result in one less Scaglietti model :disappoin

That Moon Mud looks great. I got a jar in the mail today, and I am deciding whether I should use it now or save it for a more putty-rific model. Hrm....

Oh, and I'd say "great work" and such, but we all know that it is. I can save the bandwidth.

Yikes. Those cracks in the white primer layer look freakish. I don't know what the make-up is of that stuff but the compatibility problem is evident.

Glad you're liking the Moon Mud. I sprayed a new Viper body with it the other day and I'm getting ready to paint. One thing I've discovered is that it's important to clean the lip of the primer jar before putting the cap back on, otherwise unscrewing the cap after the primer dries requires the jaws of life. The resin in the primer has some real stick to it.

Looking forward to seeing the Verde Mugello in action.

i really like that color!!

thats looks really nice! but what are you going to do with the decals that were on the car originally? and how did u pop off the tail lights?

Wow! Lovin' the new color, Matt! It looks like it was meant to be that color from the beginning (oh wait, it was...). :biggrin:

Nice job!

beatiful color Matt! Leg 2 looks awesome ;)
such a shame Cobra Colors can't be shipped out of US.

thats looks really nice! but what are you going to do with the decals that were on the car originally? and how did u pop off the tail lights?

I've got lots of Revell Ferrari kits that I can borrow the decals from.

I used Kristal Kleer white glue to attach all the glass and exterior parts to this car when I built it originally. I soaked it in water before stripping the paint, and all the parts and glass came off with ease.

Bob,

Have you sprayed Cobra Colors over Tamiya Primer? Or do you just use Leon's primer or Duplicolor?

Thanks,

Gerry

Bob,

Have you sprayed Cobra Colors over Tamiya Primer? Or do you just use Leon's primer or Duplicolor?

Thanks,

Gerry

Hi Gerry. I've been told by several people that the paint is suitable over Tamiya Fine Surface primer as well as Gunze-Sangyo Mr. Surfacer.

Bob,

Have you sprayed Cobra Colors over Tamiya Primer? Or do you just use Leon's primer or Duplicolor?

Thanks,

Gerry

Hey Gerry, Welcome to A/F! I've had no problems at all w/Cobra Colors over Tamiya primer nor Gunze Mr. Surfacer. However I've started using CC primers and they're great too, VX is a bit like Variprime (and like Variprime doesn't fully block ghosting w/my style of painting).

If you have a model with any bodywork that will result in noticeable ghosting aka swelling of the plastic around the filler, try using Zinsser's B-I-N primer/sealer sandwiched between coats of lacquer primer. It really does work, and it's considerably cheaper and less toxic than Variprime. Home Depot/Lowe's have it in the paint dept. in spray cans, quarts and gallons.

Looks even better than before! Yummy!

holy sh*t!

Damn Matt, that looks awesome!!!!

looks great!

i like it!

Wow, that's a huge difference, and an improvement in my opinion. I really didn't realize there was that significant of a difference between that and Verde Zeltweg. Great job, Matt!

Stunning paintwork, very impressive.
Mike :sunglasse

Finnaly something different than all those red or black Italian horses! Awesome!!

Finnaly something different than all those red or black Italian horses! Awesome!!
:nono: :nono: :nono:

Hehe, great model, superb recycling of a broken paintjob, sir!

I like the general look of it, but a green ferrari is like a black and white zebra instead of a white and black one, it's just...

SCHWEEET !

Oli

Dig that! That's very hot. A much better color than before, I must agree. Your paint work is so... c... cl... (you know what's coming)... clean!

This color suits the style of the car so much better.

You guys think it looks good in pics, you ought to see it in person :smokin: .

mmm thats a beauty

Wooow stunning results!!!!

I love the color!

Now, could you share a little on the technic to achieve such a beautiful paintjob?
I mean, which clear paint brand (C.C.?)? how long did you allow to gas out?, which grit did you use to sand (when done so)? which polishing products/process was used?, etc.

Thanks for sharing
Always a delightful to see your work.

Thanks for all of the comments guys. I'm ultra happy with this car, and plan on adding the mirrors tonight, and calling it done.

Agamo-

I painted this with Cobra Colors Moon Mudd primer, and let it sit for a day.
I then sprayed the color, and let it sit for a day.
Finally, I sprayed Cobra Colors clear, and let it sit for 3 days before attempting to polish it starting with a 3200 micromesh cloth. The clearcoat was very orange peely, and I rubbed through the clear and paint while polishing with 3200 cloth in a couple highly visible areas.

I finished sanding the entire car with the 3200 cloth, then I touched up the spots I had rubbed through while polishing by lightly misting paint, where I had rubbed through, with the airbrush until the color was uniform, and then sprayed one even coat of paint lightly over the entire car.

20 minutes after fixing the paint where I had rubbed through, I sprayed 3 coats of Tamiya clear on this car, and it was ultra-glossy.

I let that sit for 5 or 6 days. I began polishing starting with the 4000 cloth, then graduating to the 6000, 8000, and 12,000 cloths. I did not use any liquid polish, Scratch X, or wax on this car.

I definately will sand the color coat, and spray a light color coat over that to smooth out the finish before adding clear in the future. It makes polishing so much quicker.

Hope this helps.

That is gorgeous!!!:sunglasse

Great looking car, this color looks beautiful (I wanted to buy this one from Cobra colors, but thought it would be too dark...).

However I am a bit suspicious about your clearing procedure: The Tamiya clear is VERY susceptible to cracking if it is not applied either immeditely or after the base coat is fully cured. And here, you applied a color coat then 20 minutes later added the Tamiya clear coats... hmmm, time will tell ! (I sincerely hope disaster won't strike this beautiful paint job!!)

I have noticed that Cobra Colors clear is very thin, I rubbed through easily on a test piece shot with "only" 3 coats. The recommendation is to apply 3 times two medium coats, which is 6 coats total (wow! I never apply more than 3 coats of clear usually!). This concurs with my (and your!) results.

Fantastic Paint job. Very shiny! Congratulations on that repair!