Model Makers, I need your help!

Victor Frost

Hey guys, I'm going to be cosplaying as Takumi Fujiwara (Initial D) at this years Anime Expo. The plan was to dress up like him and bring my RC AE86 with me as part of my costume. The problem was that my car was red, not white.

I read on the DRCCentral board that DOT 3 brake fluid works really well for removing paint from lexan shells but it didn't work AT ALL. I ended up sanding off as much red as I could from the inside and spraying the outside of the shell white with krylon. Overall it came out well but there are still some bits of red around the windows where I masked them. I'm probably going to get a white sharpie paint pen and touch it up that way.

As for the black trims around the car, I'm thinking of using a black sharpie paint pen. It's oil-based and completely opaque on the first go. I'll probably use them to black up the tires (I've already sanded most of the chrome off so it shouldn't be a problem). A couple of the front grille stickers got messed up while I was peeling them off, so I've emailed HPI asking them nicely if they could send me a replacement sticker sheet. Hopefully they will be nice and help me. ^_^

Do any of you model makers have any tips? Would the black oil paint sharpie be a good choice for doing the trims?

Picture of current status. Those lines are black wet erase marker lines. They are to mark where I have to black up to make it match Takumi's 86.

MrRoboto

Sand it again with a low grit sand paper, get some blue low tack painters tape, mask the windows, give it a light coat of white plastic primer, sand again, again give it another coat of white , remove tape, sand the edges on the windows to get it smooth as the tape might lift some of the paint, spraypaint on the cap of the can until you get enough paint puddled up and with a brush, do the detail work, wait 1 day, lightly sand with really fine grit sand paper (apply another coat if you feel like you can take your time), mask the black lines, go over them with some black spray paint the lines, go over it with some light grit sand paper, add lettering or whatever with a fine brush apply about 2 coats of finish enamel on it.

TIPS
-Let the paint cure at least 24 hours before applying another color or finish enamel
-Easy does it, the more coats and sanding, the more reflective the paint
-Try not to mix brands of paint as they can sometimes react with the others and crumple
-WEAR A RESPIRATOR, EYE PROTECTION AND GLOVES
-If you have access to an airbrush and air compressor, its even better
-Don't be lazy

Victor Frost

I've already done about 13 coats of white on the body and I'm going to hit it with a few layers of clear coat spray after I'm done with the black, do I really need more coats? The lettering is going to be a sticker I'm going to print.

I do like that idea about spraying the spray paint into the cap and touching it up that way. That's a really good idea.

MrRoboto

If there is 13 coats of white, i guess you don't really need more.