Grimmy engines ...
All -
Thought I pass this one along. Most of the time we build model cars that look better than real ones off the show room floors. Real cars get dirty, especially the engines. Here's a trick that, IMHO, gives the right "grimmy" look to muscle car engines and others.
After assembling the block, tranny, heads, intake manifold, and water pump, anything that will be the engine color, paint (air brush, spray or brush) the assembly gloss black. When it's completely dry, brush paint the actual engine color, ie Chevy/Mopar Orange, etc. First coat won't cover completely and may pull away from edges. That's exactly what you want. By painting in the right direction, the "streaks" that are formed look annoyinging like a real engine after it's been "Gunked". Clean, but not completely! You can vary the amount of grim by adding additional color coats. I use MM Acryls, but should work with enamals, but you might have to thin down the color coat abit.
I usually paint the tranny silver, and the black undercoat really seems to act as reverse high-lighting.
Has any one else tried this?
Archer out.