Mercedes 300 SL (Italeri)

[PerfAdv]

My first Italeri kit. The detail in the parts is beautiful, as I hope the fit will be. Anyone here built this kit yet?

The body needed to be pieced together. So far its been puttied, primer-ed, and sanded. This pic is after its first mist-coats of paint. The color will be Tamiya's Dark Yellow (TS-3).

[Dino Scuderia]

I have the kit, seems very nice in the box but haven't built one yet. I have seen many built and they all looked good.

Your color choice seems very odd, any particular reason for the color?

[henk4]

I built it probably over 15 years ago. (Handpainted in Testors Ferrari Red). Having just grabbed the kit from the shelf the follwoing comments come up:
It is nice kit with a good level of detail
The tyres are in traditional Italeri style far to wide. The wheelhubs are a bit of a challenge if want to paint the surroundings of the star in the body colour.
The "opening" hood is now impossible to open and the fit is lousy (could have been my mistake though) I just forced it open, permanently destroying the opening mechanism. Problem is that the fit is OK, but when the chassis is fitted the radiator will push up the front part of the hood.

Better don't fit the door windows, as they don't align very well with the windshield frame.

I have the same kit also in 1/16 scale, with exactly the same sprues, just bigger. Not built so far.

[henk4]

here are some pics, I polished the hood for the occasion (for the first time)

[PerfAdv]

Originally Posted by Dino Scuderia

I have the kit, seems very nice in the box but haven't built one yet. I have seen many built and they all looked good.

Your color choice seems very odd, any particular reason for the color?

I wanted to come close to matching a Yellow that Mercedes had in the 60s-70s. It wasn't the most beautiful color but I thought that the TS-3 was close and it would hopefully give the kit an antique/classic look.

Yellow:----- DB 630 (lower right side)
Color chart from: http://www.mbzponton.org/ponton3/colorcht/colorcht.htm

[PerfAdv]

Originally Posted by henk4

I built it probably over 15 years ago. (Handpainted in Testors Ferrari Red). Having just grabbed the kit from the shelf the follwoing comments come up:
It is nice kit with a good level of detail
The tyres are in traditional Italeri style far to wide. The wheelhubs are a bit of a challenge if want to paint the surroundings of the star in the body colour.
The "opening" hood is now impossible to open and the fit is lousy (could have been my mistake though) I just forced it open, permanently destroying the opening mechanism. Problem is that the fit is OK, but when the chassis is fitted the radiator will push up the front part of the hood.

Better don't fit the door windows, as they don't align very well with the windshield frame.

I have the same kit also in 1/16 scale, with exactly the same sprues, just bigger. Not built so far.

I thought the same when I saw the hubcaps. It's going to be tough to manage that cleanly. I'm thinking very carefully dry brushing several coats.

Thanks for the tip about the radiator. Maybe sanding off a couple of millimeters from the radiator base will solve the fitting problem.

Probably will leave the side windows off as well.

[henk4]

I actually think TS3 is a matt paint, used for armoured vehicles.....

[PerfAdv]

I only noticed that after.

I've never tried finishing with Clear. Will putting a final coat of clear create a glossy finish?

[henk4]

Originally Posted by PerfAdv

I only noticed that after.

I've never tried finishing with Clear. Will putting a final coat of clear create a glossy finish?

I would not take that risk, but you can try it on a non-descript piece of plastic....

[Dino Scuderia]

Originally Posted by henk4

I actually think TS3 is a matt paint, used for armoured vehicles.....

That is definitely a matt color...but they are the same formula as the gloss so you do need clear coat with TS13 Clear.

[carsnut]

Originally Posted by henk4

I built it probably over 15 years ago. (Handpainted in Testors Ferrari Red). Having just grabbed the kit from the shelf the follwoing comments come up:
It is nice kit with a good level of detail
The tyres are in traditional Italeri style far to wide. The wheelhubs are a bit of a challenge if want to paint the surroundings of the star in the body colour.
The "opening" hood is now impossible to open and the fit is lousy (could have been my mistake though) I just forced it open, permanently destroying the opening mechanism. Problem is that the fit is OK, but when the chassis is fitted the radiator will push up the front part of the hood.

Better don't fit the door windows, as they don't align very well with the windshield frame.

I have the same kit also in 1/16 scale, with exactly the same sprues, just bigger. Not built so far.

tips on handpainting model cars?

[PerfAdv]

Originally Posted by carsnut

tips on handpainting model cars?

I'm pretty much a beginner as well but here's what I've picked up...

I tried the cheaper Testors' brushes but wasn't very impressed with them. The bristles are synthetic and easy to clean but they are also very thick and it's difficult to put a clean finish with these brushes. I've found painting with the flat brushes produces a better finish. You don't have to buy the $25 brushes but get at least some inexpensive natural fiber brushes, the difference is huge. Also with the flat brush, paint can be spread more evenly and the brush doesn't carry too much paint. Thinning the paint ever so slightly helps if the particular color tends to go on clumpy. Too thin and bubbles may form, which you have to pop or remove by repeated brushing over them. Oh, careful with Blue and to a lesser extent Red, these pigments really stick to brushes so keep dedicated brushes for them.

I haven't painted the body/shell using a brush yet but I think the same would apply as painting smaller pieces.

Basically, practice and trial-n-error are worth more than a ton of instruction and advice...Just start practicing on some cheaper kits.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by carsnut

tips on handpainting model cars?

yes, try to avoid it
but seriously, it takes good running paint, lots of sanding and polishing and a number of thin layers, and as PA says, use a flat brush for the larger surface. My job shown here is not a good one, although the pics seem to be flattering

[carsnut]

Originally Posted by henk4

yes, try to avoid it
but seriously, it takes good running paint, lots of sanding and polishing and a number of thin layers, and as PA says, use a flat brush for the larger surface. My job shown here is not a good one, although the pics seem to be flattering

going to the hobby shop to pick up some carpeting material. pics of flatbrush.

PerfAdv - Red and Blue pigments are hard to clean, but can easily be cleaned with about 10 or so drops of Testors or KK thinner(availble a Wal-Mart)(not that KK thinner does not thin enamels, but it seems to work stronger than Testors thinner when cleaning). Since you said the testors brushes aren't that great(thats what i use), but is their widebrush good enough?


Henk4 - tips on how to get enamel paints better flowing?(the heating method will not work this time, for enamels are flammable)

[PerfAdv]

Originally Posted by carsnut

PerfAdv - Red and Blue pigments are hard to clean, but can easily be cleaned with about 10 or so drops of Testors or KK thinner(availble a Wal-Mart)(not that KK thinner does not thin enamels, but it seems to work stronger than Testors thinner when cleaning). Since you said the testors brushes aren't that great(thats what i use), but is their widebrush good enough?

Cool, I'll pick up some KK thinner.

The Testers' brushes I got had what looks like a flat-brush but because the brush is all plastic, its ferrule doesn't pinch the bristles together like a brush with a metal ferrule. A flat-brush would just be a brush with the hair held in a flattened position.