New to Car modeling have just a general question.

Jon

After a long break I have just come back to modelling so cannot help much with your questions as I have not tended to prime or clear gloss overcoat. The Mad Max Interceptor link in the above does not work but I was able to access the photos via your flickr link (direct to M_M_I https://www.flickr.com/photos/121261425@N05/sets/72157644067506904/)

I must say that I love the weathering on the car and ask how you did it ie spray, brush, etc. I can see the issue with the windscreen. Option I have seen is to cut masking tape to the pattern that the windscreen wipers make and stick this on but only lightly. By doing it lightly it is easier to remove and also a small amount of the spray paint will seep in the edges and hopefully look like the lines that always end up at the end of the windscreen wipe pattern. My personal thoughts are that a weathered car should not be coated in clear gloss as it will make all the weathering look "wet" and glossy and in reality it is mostly not wet and glossy especially if it is weathered as sand or dust.

Like most of us modellers to start with a new genre buy some cheap ones and have a practice and try a few things. I recently brought a kit with 2 rally cars from Airfix

http://www.airfix.com/shop/starter-sets-and-gift-sets/ford-fiesta-wrc-mini-countryman-wrc-gift-set-1-32.html

and plan to make and weather these purely as practice, and as they say practice makes perfect. Then I will build my Mad Max Inetceptor.

Good luck

From my experience, you have four major subassemblies on a car:

1. Body

2. Engine

3. Interior

4. Chassis

I usually clean up the body shell, sanding out the mold parting lines, and fixing any imperfections like sink marks and such. Most folks prime the body before painting, then paint the gloss color. This is the most difficult part, getting a good shine. You may want to test out some techniques before painting your project.

The chassis, interior, and engine build up separately, and isn't much different from what you're doing now.

Once all the subassemblies are complete, the final step is putting them all together, and putting the final details on the body, like mirrors, chrome trim, windows and such.

As for your questions; I've never tinted windows, but you might can use Tamiya Smoke paint if you build it up in light coats (I'm sure some folks here have a better idea). It is not necessary to clearcoat chrome, it won't hurt it, but it doesn't improve it either. I do apply the chrome and windows last; I use a waterbase glue like Aleene's Crafty glue so if I make a mistake, I don't ruin the paint or fog the windows or chrome. I don't think you'll have any newbie problems, the only issue that you'll run into will be getting a good, smooth paint job.

Good luck and I hope you'll post them up as you build!

Glenn

This is what I do with a normal passenger car:

As Mississippi said removing flaws are the first real step then I......

1.  Paint the body ( so it has time to dry and then I go back lay the decals on.  Wait a few days and clear coat it) 

2. Build the engine

3. Chassis

4. Interior

5. Polish Body & paint or foil the trim

6 Insert the windows (after all painting and trim is finished)

7. Put the Body on the chassis with the interior inside

8. Put Bumper (sometimes Grill) on.

9.  Last Antennas and mirrors.  

Something like that.  Most instructions follow a similar routine.  However I strongly suggest painting the body early on and letting it sit while you build other parts.  That will give you enough time to let it dry enough to be polished.  I have worked at a local hobby store here and there. There was a guy who always brought his stuff in to show us.  He obviously waited to paint the body near the end as there were always fingerprints in the paint.  

For me on stock cars- racing cars may be different if they are full monocoque- I put the body on as almost the last step. In fact, on many kits I do not even glue body down- they will fit and stay in place. Only very occasionally do I need to glue them.  And windows go in as almost last step.  To me, the body is one major assembly, the chassis another. I am meaning chassis here as frame, engine, running gear, and maybe even some of the interior.  But which section much of the interior goes with depends on the kit.

Come on over here, lots of good folks to help.

www.modelcarsmag.com/.../index.php

If Jon is anything like me he probably wants Finescale because he does Sci-Fi and other subjects.  There are plenty of good Auto builders here to ask questions to.  If you like you can join or view the Automotive Groub Build.  You can earn a Badge and see others project while working on your own stuff too.  I find that if I have a question I can post the pic and ask the question and others will help get you back on track w/ some good advice.  

Thanks for the suggestions and sorry about the long wait between replies life got in the way.

First I know some people will have a problem with my website.  I get free hosting from a friend so I get what I pay for.  That’s why I have the Flickr page.  I will switch to a new host soon.

Thanks for the step ideas.  They were about what I thought I needed to do.  I just wanted confirmation. Basically do all the body work then attach it and finished “insides” and stick the accessories on it.  Maybe stuffy my instructions a little more so make sure I don’t screw up.  I will do some googling on the tinted windows, I still have time I am finishing up my Destroid Spartan so I have some time to research how to do it.

@Les.61 on my Mad Max Interceptor, I primed the model black and it was done.  To do the weathering I used artist pastel chalks and ground them in to a dust and brushed them on.  Very easy to do and to fix mistakes just wipe off with water.  But when you are done you have to seal it to keep the chalk from rubbing off.  That’s when I found a clear coat will mess up a wind shield.  So then I added chalk dust where to wipers would not go to make it looked dirty and streaked.  Basically I just hid my mistake. With pastel chalks you have to be careful as they “fade” when you clear coat them so you have to do it very lightly and let dry and repeat.  It could take 4-5 sealing. But I look the looks better than airbrushing.

Excuse me for making a friendly suggestion. One thing you won't get there is that stuffy attitude.

With years building car models, I don't need no stinkin' instruction guide. ROFL!!!

Car kits are super easy to do. Nothing complicated in building one.

I disagree.

I tend to disagree too.  It depends what kind of kit it is.  A old AMT you can build pretty much without looking at a instruction booklet.  A Tamiya or any type of race cars.....  a must unless you want to leave off little parts or get orientation wrong.  I always look at it regardless though.  Just to keep me on track.  

I come from the world of Mechs and Starships, you kind of get used studying the instructions.