Need Help with a Big Problem for an Important Project!!

I'm building Revell's 2001 Corvette Z06 as a gift for my sister for Christmas. Since that date is coming up quickly, I need to get this model finished, and now I've run into another block--the fuel rail covers. These are supposed to be red with black "Corvette" lettering.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/472219Corvette_Z06_injection_shields-med.jpg
I tried painting the letters (that didn't work), then tried Bare-Metal black chrome foil, which I painted over. When I tried to remove the paint from over the letters, though, I wore the black off the foil, too. How do you do this?! I've seen a thread a long time ago about using foil for raised details, painting, and then taking the paint off, but how do you get the paint off without damaging the foil or the surrounding paint?? Or is there an even better way to do the letters? I need help fast so that I can get this project on the way to completion!
Thanks.
Alex

if the letters are indented to the cover I'd paint the cover with a gloss laquer red, then use an acrylic black to paint the letters. once the acrylic has dried, come back with some fine grit sanding paper, and CAREFULLY remove any exess paint that has flowed onto the area that you don't wish to be black. then hit it all with a good clear coat


if the letters are raised, I'd paint the cover red, then mask off the area you don't want to get any black paint on, then "drybrush" the black onto the letters. if you are unfamiliar with drybrusing, it's done by getting some paint on a paper towel, or napkin, then rubbing your brush on the towel/napkin to transferr paint to the brush without having it soak into the bristles, then lightly hitting the raised surface of the part you are detailing and transfering the paint from the brush to the part. it's alot more difficult to explain with words, than it is just to show you.

On the letters on the engine covers on F1 cars I paint the foil with Tamiya acrylic paint let it dry for 5 mins then very gently scrape the paint away from the raised ares with a cocktail stick or the edge of a scalpel blade.But you must be gentle and take your time so as not to damage the foil.I sometimes use a cotton bud/Q tip very lightly wetted with thinner in the same way but again be gentle with it.I have also heard of people using a very fine sanding/polishing stick to gently rub off the paint from the letters.Though I have never tried this method myself.I must admit my first few trys with the foil method were pretty poor to say the least,practice has made me better.Another option could be to get some photo etch letters if they are available.

I guess the letters are raised. So you paint the entire peace with a laquer based paint (tamiya spraypaints). Let it dry and then you spray a acrlylic red over it. When the red has dryed, you take a coton stick (don't know the exact name, but it's what you use to clean you're ears), dip the stick in iso-propanol, and VERRY carefully brush over the letters. The red acrylic should disolve and the lacquer should be untouched. Never tryed it myself.. but I would try it this way if I ever needed it.

Tricky part, as the letters are thin and hard to detail w/a brush.

Seems like the above tip might be the best, start with a solid coat of black lacquer and then go over the entire part with red acrylic, polish off the red just enough for the black to show through, and then coat the piece with flat clear to even out the red finish. If you polish through slightly you'll have to touch it up.

The '06 Z06 has the Corvette letters on the decal sheet (IIRC), and also they're embossed, so they're easy to detail w/a black wash or .005 black pen.

OK, thanks guys. Yes, I have the C6 Z06 too, and it is way better than the C5 Z06 model--I was especially glad to see the letter decals. But I am using those for that model, not this one, so I guess I'll try one of the above methods. This brings me to another question--what if I used Bare-Metal black chrome again, then painted with red acrylic and used isopropyl alcohol? Would this damage the black on the foil? I don't know what the black is made of--it resembles video cassete film. I don't have any black lacquer, is why I ask. Would you airbrush the acrylic red? These are really visible parts, so I don't think regular brushing would be a good idea. Thanks for the help, and hope you can answer these new questions.
Alex

Why not test the black foil first (rub a section of the foil w/alcohol, thinner, or Windex) to see if it holds up. I know it polishes off quickly back to chrome.

I did not use the Corvette decals on my '06 Z06, as the embossed engraving allowed me to detail the valve covers w/my black .005 pigment liner pen quite easily. You might consider using the '06 decals on the earlier car, if they're the same size. Detailing the '06 was really easy w/o the decals, so I'd strongly recommend seeing if the '06 decals will work for you on the earlier car.

Another idea if the '06 decals aren't quite the right size would be to sand away the Corvette lettering on the valve covers, paint them red, then apply the decals.