If you follow this build you may recall my indecision on what body color to go with. Screen captures from both the TV series and 1:1 replica provides an incredible amount of color variation. In many images they look gray, in a very few it looks aluminum. I went with gray. Since that day and with more time to reflect on the issue, I have come to rethink it. Really, at this point, it is neither here nor there.
It boils down to this: I really like aluminum for this build. And that is where we are today. The question then became, can I change it? The answer was yes… but with great risk. If any sort of ugliness arises during the respray, it could tank the project. At this point, stripping paint is not an option. With that said, I jumped in feet first and hoped for the best.
Below: Mask. Mask. Mask. There are portions within the tub that are painted gray and to have a new body color make sense—I’d need to correct that too. Thus—lots of masking.
- Body is painted with Alclad Aluminum.
- I hate applying clears to metal colors, chromes, etc. because of how they alter the effect. But—there is too much handling to come and all likelihood the paint will not survive intact. That would make things worse. I tested three different clears for this. They are Alclad Aqua Gloss, MRP Clear Gloss, and lastly, what was an afterthought, Testors Glosscote. Of the three I was surprised to find Testors won the challenge. It altered the sheen the least while adding a deeper and richer color. Between the other two—MRP was next best and Aqua Gloss last. I find it ironic the brand that is made for their paint came in last. The main issue here is how light refracts through the clear. In the case of the latter two, and mostly at oblique angles, the color looks diminished, milky, and flat. That is a no joy. So—Testors it was, and I used MR Color Leveling Thinner to thin it. The clear sprayed like a dream using that thinner.
Below: Notice the grill. I found some images from the TV series where it appears black. There is another grill sort of thing directly below it and in those same images, they remain orange. I may apply a wash at some point to give it a little more interest. But to the one above—I used Alclad Magnesium. I wanted something a little different than just black. I like how it turned out.
So—no disasters and I got what I wanted.
What is next? It is time to install my homemade decals. Fingers crossed.