AMT 1970 Chevy Corvette LT-1 in Dark Plum.

[Dragonhawk1066]

Up next will be the AMT 1970 Chevy Corvette LT-1. I had already done the prep work and washed the parts back in August. Then in September I primed everything using Rustoleum Camouflage Flat Tan. After about 2 weeks, I pulled out the body and gave it a wet-sand to smooth it out for paint, then put it back in the box until it's number was called. Today I put the engine halves together and added the water pump, heads, and oil pan to be painted together. I also put the rear end together as well as the seats. I then squeezed some Vallejo Putty on to fill the seams. The plan is to airbrush the Tamiya TS-34 Metallic Brown on, but I need to to a color comparison first because the more I look at the brown and the XF-28 Dark Copper, the more I wonder if they got mis-labeled. So I'm going to spray a silver and a gunmetal-ish basecoat on a couple of spare hoods, then spray the Brown and Copper on each one to see which is closest to what I'm looking for.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Dragonhawk1066
color change.

[slusher]

Sounds like a really nice color.

[khier]

I have never been happy with Tamiya acrylics for exterior. To me, the clear never get hard enough for proper polishing. They wouldn't accept solvent based clear on top either. Perhaps if it it is done very, very carefully.

[Dragonhawk1066]

11 hours ago, khier said:

I have never been happy with Tamiya acrylics for exterior. To me, the clear never get hard enough for proper polishing. They wouldn't accept solvent based clear on top either. Perhaps if it it is done very, very carefully.

This will be my first experience using them as an exterior color, I've only ever paint brushed them on smaller parts before. I plan on using Createx UVLS 4050 Gloss Clear, so hopefully I get the same results I have been getting with that clear.

[Dragonhawk1066]

I did the paint comparison today. I started by spraying two hoods 1/2 and 1/2 with a silver and a charcoal gray. I then mixed each color 50/50 with Tamiya X-20A acrylic thinner. I sprayed the XF-28 Dark Copper first using 4 light-medium coats. It could've used a couple more coats, but I didn't mix enough. I was surprised to see no difference between the lighter and darker basecoats, as Tamiya metallics in the spray cans really changed with basecoat color. On to the X-34 Metallic Brown, which I did mix a little more of. I started the same, 4 light-medium coats, then sprayed on 2 more medium-heavy coats to add more depth. This color showed a very small difference in depth from light to dark basecoat, but not enough to really make a difference. This is pretty much the color I'm after, although I may add a drop or two of black to darken it just a tad. The last pic is the actual car I'm trying to replicate.

[mustang1989]

Oh yeah.....I'll be watching this one. Can't wait to see what you're going to do with it. 

I've got this kit in line to be built soon as well. If you don't already know, make sure you do a LOT of test fitting ahead of time. This kit has known wheel/ tire location issues with the tires being too far outside of the fender line as well as stance issues. Will be watching your progress bud. 

Edited October 28, 2022 by mustang1989

[Can-Con]

I built this one strait from the box when it was first released about 30 years ago..[time does fly, doesn't it ?].

I remember ZERO issues with the kit, in fact, I remember how impressed I was that I didn't have to do anything to get a good stance with the wheels sitting exactly where they should.

[Raoul Ross]

2 hours ago, Dragonhawk1066 said:

I did the paint comparison today. I started by spraying two hoods 1/2 and 1/2 with a silver and a charcoal gray. I then mixed each color 50/50 with Tamiya X-20A acrylic thinner. I sprayed the XF-28 Dark Copper first using 4 light-medium coats. It could've used a couple more coats, but I didn't mix enough. I was surprised to see no difference between the lighter and darker basecoats, as Tamiya metallics in the spray cans really changed with basecoat color. On to the X-34 Metallic Brown, which I did mix a little more of. I started the same, 4 light-medium coats, then sprayed on 2 more medium-heavy coats to add more depth. This color showed a very small difference in depth from light to dark basecoat, but not enough to really make a difference. This is pretty much the color I'm after, although I may add a drop or two of black to darken it just a tad. The last pic is the actual car I'm trying to replicate.

There's some orange in there, I just know it!

[slusher]

4 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I built this one strait from the box when it was first released about 30 years ago..[time does fly, doesn't it ?].

I remember ZERO issues with the kit, in fact, I remember how impressed I was that I didn't have to do anything to get a good stance with the wheels sitting exactly where they should.

Are you going to rebuild it or keep it as is?

[ea0863]

Looking forward to seeing your build!

[Kit Karson]

Excellent choice for the CIII! Both kit & kolor!! -KK

[TransAmMike]

Well Craig, sure hope you can get the exact color. I would think you could only tell how close it is to that real C3 with clearing.  That is one beautiful example of the '71 you are replicating,

Good luck!!

[Can-Con]

12 hours ago, slusher said:

Are you going to rebuild it or keep it as is?

As is for now. I don't want to hijack Craig's thread, just wanted to show how mine went together strait from the box.

It's the exact same kit, same issue he's building.

[Dragonhawk1066]

22 hours ago, mustang1989 said:

Oh yeah.....I'll be watching this one. Can't wait to see what you're going to do with it. 

I've got this kit in line to be built soon as well. If you don't already know, make sure you do a LOT of test fitting ahead of time. This kit has known wheel/ tire location issues with the tires being too far outside of the fender line as well as stance issues. Will be watching your progress bud. 

Thanks for the warning, I'll keep my eye on those areas.

[Dragonhawk1066]

22 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I built this one strait from the box when it was first released about 30 years ago..[time does fly, doesn't it ?].

I remember ZERO issues with the kit, in fact, I remember how impressed I was that I didn't have to do anything to get a good stance with the wheels sitting exactly where they should.

Thanks for the info, it seems like this kit can either give one fits or go together as smooth as silk. Yours looks spot on for stance and wheel centering.

[Dragonhawk1066]

16 hours ago, ea0863 said:

Looking forward to seeing your build!

 

6 hours ago, Kit Karson said:

Excellent choice for the CIII! Both kit & kolor!! -KK

 

5 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Well Craig, sure hope you can get the exact color. I would think you could only tell how close it is to that real C3 with clearing.  That is one beautiful example of the '71 you are replicating,

Good luck!!

Thanks guys.

[Dragonhawk1066]

While I really wanted to replicate the brown Vette, I realize that it will just look too similar to the '68 I built in November of 2019 (first pic), even though I will be re-doing that one in a different color due to the clear cracking. That's why my plan was to go ahead and paint this one Brown, but after seeing the paint comparison results I decided that I needed to come up with a different color. My first instinct was the Silver that I planned to use as a basecoat. Red and Maroon were serious color possibilities as well with a Dark Plum color as a dark horse candidate. My wife was really drawn to the Dark Plum, so I sprayed a spare hood to see how it would look, and really liked the result. I ended up spraying a couple of light coats of Stynylrez white primer over the previous tan primer on the body to stay consistent with my test spray. I'm glad I hadn't sprayed the interior in the Khaki and brown yet, so the flat black and semi-gloss black were sprayed over the tan primer. Body color pics tomorrow, hopefully.

Edited October 28, 2022 by Dragonhawk1066

[Dragonhawk1066]

I got the paint sprayed on this morning. I used Anita's Dark Plum, thinned and sprayed through my airbrush. It took a total of 2 light, 4 medium, and 2 heavy coats to get even coverage and the tone I wanted. It surprised me how tricky it was to get the even coverage with how dark the color is. First pic is after 2 light coats, second after 2 light and 2 medium, and then the final color. It'll sit the rest of today and tomorrow before I get the Createx UVLS 4050 Gloss Clear sprayed on hopefully Monday. I'm kind of excited to see the kind of depth the clear will give it.

[kelson]

After your final color coat, it looks alot like Marlboro Maroon.?

[Dragonhawk1066]

23 hours ago, kelson said:

After your final color coat, it looks alot like Marlboro Maroon.?

Yeah, I was hoping for that deep burgundy/purplish look.

[LL3 Model Worx]

On 10/27/2022 at 7:39 PM, Dragonhawk1066 said:

 

Is that picture from Smoky mountain traders?

If so that's right down the road from my house ?

[Dragonhawk1066]

23 hours ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

Is that picture from Smoky mountain traders?

If so that's right down the road from my house ?

Yes it is. I'd probably drive by that place every day if I lived that close, LOL

[Dragonhawk1066]

I sprayed the Createx UVLS 4050 Gloss Clear on this morning. Although Createx recommends a 10% Reducer ratio, I found about 25% for the clear is the sweet spot for my Paasche H airbrush at around 22 psi. I sprayed 3 medium coats followed by 2 medium-heavy coats with about 10-15 minutes in-between the coats. Createx also recommends a minimum 48 hours before wet-sanding, so I usually give about 72 hours which puts me hopefully wet-sanding on Thursday.

[LL3 Model Worx]

5 minutes ago, Dragonhawk1066 said:

Yes it is. I'd probably drive by that place every day if I lived that close, LOL

I know the owner.

[Dragonhawk1066]

1 minute ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

I know the owner.

In that case, I'd probably hang out there every day, LOL.