Vinyl Top -- how to create?

[gjorenby]

Anyone have good process for replicating a vinyl top when the kit is not molded with that detail?

Doing Revel's '66 GTO and need a vinyl top, but kit is totally smooth....

Thanks,

[El Roberto]

30 minutes ago, gjorenby said:

Anyone have good process for replicating a vinyl top when the kit is not molded with that detail?

Doing Revel's '66 GTO and need a vinyl top, but kit is totally smooth....

Thanks,

Couple of ways to try making a vinyl top.  Some people use masking tape.  Put tape on the top and trim to size, then paint.  I have no idea how long this would last.

Another is using a paint called Faux Fabric. Google it and find where to buy and watch videos of people using it.  I built a 1/12 scale Camaro with a vinyl top and used Evergreen strips for the seams and textured with Rustoleum textured paint.  I think it was supposed to simulate stone but it worked pretty well on the Camero.  

[TransAmMike]

I am surprised there isn't a dedicated tutorial on vinyl tops on this forum. If there is I haven't seen one.  Do google search; there is info online about this elsewhere.

Coinccidently, I actually did a 66  GTO adding vinyl top. I used masking tape and made a thin strip of styrene for the chrome trim at the bottom of the sail panel seperating it from painted body.

I'll try to get a picture on here.

[Mike 1017]

You Tube has some good stuff

[Plowboy]

I make my "laps" with strips of .005 styrene. Chrome trim with .020 styrene rod. Then I mask off as much of the trim as possible. When I paint, I hold the spray can a good distance (around 18-20") away and mist the paint on. This will give the roof a little texture.

[Rodent]

Agree with everything said here. Look at the 1:1 moldings and choose your styrene as close to the 1:1 shape and width as you can find. Testors used to make a two part vinyl top paint, but it hasn't been available for quite a while.

[jamesG]

Here's a pic of a 68 charger I did several years ago using the spray technique described above by plowboy.

[Plowboy]

10 minutes ago, jamesG said:

Here's a pic of a 68 charger I did several years ago using the spray technique described above by plowboy.

That's how a vinyl top should look! Notice that the lap is barely visible. 

Another method that works well is to lap the paint the desired amount. It doesn't work well with white as the lap comes out a different shade. I learned that lesson on a build. It should work fine on darker colors.

[NOBLNG]

Here is one I did a while back. The top seams are 0.10” x0.30” strip if I recall and the chrome dividing trim is 0.030 half round that I sanded to a half-oval shape. I sprayed a gloss black lacquer on first so the foil would stick to it, then cleared the entire car. Finally I put a coat of Tamiya XF-86 flat clear on the roof, spayed from a distance to get the texture.

[crazyjim]

I've used spray adhesive in the past.

[NOBLNG]

This is how I get the seams straight, parallel, and centered. Decide on the spacing between the seams and cut a strip of masking tape to suit.  Once you get the tape centered, you can use it as a guide for gluing the seam strips on. I use Tamiya extra thin quick set cement in VERY tiny amounts and remove the tape asap. I then apply more cement If needed.

Edit: That green painters tape left some residue that wasn’t the easiest to remove, so some better quality tape would be advisable.

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by NOBLNG

[StevenGuthmiller]

I do them as Roger and others have described.

I started experimenting with the painted tape technique once some time ago, but abandoned it.

I wasn't convinced that it would hold up indefinitely, and at least to my eye, the texture looked too heavy.

 

The paint technique is relatively easy, gives a nice scale finish, and should last the life of the model without any worries of it peeling.

 

Just a few that I've done recently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited September 13, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[Bucky]

There are some vinyl top kits available, but I can't remember who makes them. I think they come in black or white. I've used the masking tape method before. So far, it's still holding up. One problem that could pop up is sticking to the contours of the roof. Next time I try a vinyl top, I'll be using the spray paint method.

[TransAmMike]

Here's my '66 GTO vinyl top.  Masking tape, painted with craft acrylic.  The seams are just an overlap of the tape and the chrome trim around the bottom of the sail panel is styrene strip.

[Bugatti Fan]

There have been some innovative ideas about vinyl roofs in this thread, all of which appear to work ok.

Mike Saucier's method in his post I think copies full size practice of overlapping. But as long as any method looks OK on a model when finished and best suits the modeller that is just fine.

[Ironman63]

On 9/13/2020 at 5:49 PM, Bucky said:

There are some vinyl top kits available, but I can't remember who makes them. I think they come in black or white. I've used the masking tape method before. So far, it's still holding up. One problem that could pop up is sticking to the contours of the roof. Next time I try a vinyl top, I'll be using the spray paint method.

Model Car Garage makes a vinyl top kit.  I have one but I haven't used it yet.

https://www.modelcargarage.com/eshop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=63

[Tommy124]

On 9/13/2020 at 5:19 PM, crazyjim said:

I've used spray adhesive in the past.

I am using it aswell and just have on the '66 Chevelle I have finished recently. Pretty satisfied with this method but I will try the flat clear paint method soon, as I believe it's easier and the results shown here look convincing.

 

Anyway, this is the Chevelle:

 

[NOBLNG]

Here is another with just Tamiya XF-86 flat clear over gloss black.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by NOBLNG