Painting Chasis parts

[Hws5283]

Many of the parts for the chassis say to be painted "steel" and I wanted to know what others are using for this "steel" color (paint color/company). Also any techniques used to weather these parts and make them look more used would also be appreciated.

Thanks ?

[Tom Geiger]

I take the kit instructions with a grain of salt. For instance they are making the leaf springs and exhaust system all “steel”, no doubt for the economy of not asking a casual modeler to buy more paint colors, but also the limitations of hobby paint lines.

I would start with photos of an actual underside. You can look on the Internet for photos. I like eBay Motors, as classic car companies will put 40 or more photos of a vehicle in their ads. And you can find examples of freshly restored.. factory fresh all the way to weathered and trashed! 

When picking metallic tones, I’d vary between different depths of color. It’s good to have many paints in your arsenal. Testors discontinued their Metalizers line, but I used them constantly, ignoring the paint color names and just concentrating on the tones I needed to make the chassis look real. For instance, if you were going to use steel for exhaust pipes, you’d want another tone a degree darker for the mufflers and again darker for the leaf springs.

Weathering takes on a whole new dimension. And it depends on whether you want to model a year old car, a used ten year old car or a trashed junker. Even cars that leave the dealers lot new have some dirt and start of rust on bolt heads etc.

 

[TransAmMike]

This should be a good "refresher" thread (tho this topic I'm sure has been covered a lot). I really don't feel like I have nailed the perfect colors on these parts as many have. To me, it's just hard to exactly replicate how the real parts look but you can get pretty close. Theres a lot metal paint color choices, but I think the weathering is key and again, I have yet to get that part very well.   

My reply doesn't answer your question but hopefully a lot of good responses will come from this.

[Hws5283]

Thanks for the reply mike and yes thats very true about getting the exact colors right, I have some tamiya paints such as flat aluminum, chrome silver, and one other I forget the name of which i just bought out of pure looks to use for some of these parts. They look good enouph but I could most likely do better. And also most of the parts on the underside of the car in real life are most of the time painted a flat black or gloss black or like a dark grey after I looked at some reference photos. There are so many companies that make metal paint for models and so many different variants of metal color that someone like me who just started it gets a bit confusing as to which ones to use but in all honesty its seems like the best bet is to just pick whatever looks closest and just go with it.

[TransAmMike]

And then the question is, what type of finish do you want?  Factory fresh, fresh restored (useally I find in real cars over done as compared to how the real car came out the factory), or used (dirty and or rusty to varying degrees).).

[StevenGuthmiller]

Alclad is your best bet for metal paints in my opinion.

They have a full line of different paints that are very realistic and quite easy to work with if you have an airbrush.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[John Pol]

I don`t care for alclad at all not durable not like AK extreme Metal are real durable and don`t need black under it

[High octane]

Model Master Enamel Steel is my go to paint for steel color and I also use silver,aluminum, and gunmetal as well for chassis parts.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Just now, John Pol said:

I don`t care for alclad at all not durable not like AK extreme Metal are real durable and don`t need black under it

You don't necessarily need a gloss black base under Alclad.

Only on the chrome or maybe polished aluminum.

 

You're correct about durability to a certain extent, but a shot of clear will make all but the chrome paint as tough as nails.

 

Every metal part that you see here is Alcad of various colors.

All shot over primer, (except the chrome air cleaners, exhaust tips and radiator cap), shot with Testors clear lacquer, and slightly weathered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

[bisc63]

I agree with not getting too hung up on paint names, but trust your eyes to get the tone you want/need for your specific project. Steel looks many ways;  is it new or old, pressed, cast, extruded, sanded, brushed, or otherwise treated? A "steel" paint could be a starting point, but might seldom be the finishing point. I like to use good ol' Testors in the little square bottles, and mix as needed. I like to start with Flat Aluminum, Flat Steel, and Flat Gunmetal, and mix as needed. Don't be afraid to mix in some Brown,Gray, Black, or White in flat or gloss to achieve a warm or cool tone to mimic the appearance of just about any metal you need. Don't be afraid to use non-metallic paint to get the look of metal, either. Sometimes steel just looks dull gray, and metallic sparkle is not more accurate, just different. Trust your eyes and remember; you are not making metal, but just the appearance of metal. If it looks dark gray, paint it dark gray.

[Paul Payne]

I find Testors rubber good for simulating old grease and oil leaks- also good for mixing with steel and other metallics to alter the tone. I agree with Rusty- go with your eyes, and don't be afraid to experiment. Thinned down, the rubber also makes a good wash, and can also look like old rust. Military colors can be useful in untypical applications.

[935k3]

Lclad is nice and realistic. AK extreme is enamel and will not take allot handling. If we ever get  Tamiya's Lacquers(in bottle) allot will be using them.

Edited March 8, 2021 by 935k3

[bisc63]

4 hours ago, Paul Payne said:

I find Testors rubber good for simulating old grease and oil leaks- also good for mixing with steel and other metallics to alter the tone.

Yep, that's a good one I keep also, but forgot to list.

[Classicgas]

The starting point is researching photos of what you are trying to replicate then find paints that match or mix to match. 

[TransAmMike]

Thats a great post Steve

21 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Alclad is your best bet for metal paints in my opinion.

They have a full line of different paints that are very realistic and quite easy to work with if you have an airbrush.

This is a great post Steve, the engine is just spot on!!

[youpey]

I try to mix up the colors as well. For example i used testors metalizer burnt metal for the exhaust pipe. I brush it on and depending on if i pause will give it a different tone of color. Or if you let it dry and the just put a brush worth on the bends, it will give it a different tone. The muffler itself gets a different color vs the pipe and the transmission is typically sprayed with tamiya aluminium or mica silver, which ever i find first. They are very close. I will use tamiya black wash sparingly on most aluminium colored pieces because it really makes a big difference. not on the exhaust though. 

For the chassis and other chassis pieces, i typically do it as matte black. I find flat black yo be too flat and gloss black to be too shiny. 

Unfortunately after so many years im running low on the testors metalizers and might need to try different brands. I like to brush paint them, even though they are made for air brush. They just go on so nice, as long as you yse it carefully 

Edited March 8, 2021 by youpey

[Brutalform]

I usually find out what the correct, (or closest to correct) the colors were on the real car. I seem to use a lot of semi gloss black on many of my builds. After the semi gloss has dried, I usually “dry brush” Testors Silver Chrome enamel, or similar over the details casted into the parts. It seems to give me the slightly used look I’m looking for. You can see the effect on the bolts, and springs, on these suspensions. 

[TransAmMike]

Great looking undercarriages Tom........you might wanna get a front end alignment on the blue on tho. ?  Just razzing you buddy!!

[bisc63]

2 hours ago, Brutalform said:

You can see the effect on the bolts, and springs, on these suspensions. 

Very nice applications here; especially love that stock Ford Chassis, got a 59 wagon that would look nice under!

[Brutalform]

49 minutes ago, TransAmMike said:

Great looking undercarriages Tom........you might wanna get a front end alignment on the blue on tho. ?  Just razzing you buddy!!

Thanks... every pic I take of an undercarriage makes those front wheels look way way off... gonna have to fire the alignment man...

[Deathgoblin]

For leaf springs, I typically paint them with a mix of medium grey and steel.  Enough to make them metallic looking, but not straight steel like the exhaust.  The chassis plate I'll usually do primer edged with with the body color.  On 50's cars, that's usually a red oxide primer, newer cars are usually grey primer, then mist the edges with the body color.  Once it's all dry I'll do a wash of black to make the details stand out and make it look a little dingy.  Exhaust usually gets a wash of rust and then pick out the clamps in bright silver.