To chequer or not to chequer (this mutha)

[Kol__ 3967]

Hi guys,

I need some help deciding what to do with the design on my Monster Beetle/Blitzer Beetle body shell.

I need to do some detailed updates to the build thread, but in summary I originally went with a Blitzer Beetle shell to use both on the Blitzer chassis (when I build it) and my current Monster Beetle build and have gone with a dark grey and the standard BB stickers.

Upon adding some finishing touches to the nose cone, to be detailed in build thread, I finally got around to coating the shell and nose cone in Matt lacquer the other day, which has really helped with the previously very obvious difference between the satin of the grey paint and the shiny stickers (mainly the text ones). However I was left with this gap between shell and nose which really 'bugs' me...

I had some spare stickers...

...and so covered it with this...

Now it's not exactly in keeping with the rest of the colours pallette is it, so I added these to the rear arches...

Now then, the question is this, have I gone way off track with this now and there are too many things going on with the body shell? I suspect this is the case, otherwise I wouldn't be feeling a little uneasy about this latest design choice. Maybe it makes it looks more nuts though, which I kind of like.

So I need your help, do I continue and add more matt lacquer to seal this design, perhaps adding a touch more chequer - to the rear bumper for example to tie it in better, or do I backtrack, remove the chequers and go back to the simpler, more standard design? Assuming removing the chequer stickers won't damage the paint finish.

Yes, I can make this decision myself and ultimately it's mine to make, but I bring this to you like minded fellows for your opinions, discussion and unadulterated critique. Let's not hold back here lads, give it to me straight my friends! Yey or Ney to this mutha!?

[GermanTA03Guy 1374]

Ney, too much going on. At least leave the stripe in Front away Cos that one looks like it came in tape Form at the Hardware Store....

[Nikko85 4451]

As the horse said, Ney. I much preferred it before. 

It looks like someone wearing a Hawaiian shirt and chequered Vans.  Probably great 20 years ago at a Less than Jake concert, but not someone any girl wants to take home to meet their parents in 2022.

Personally I think that little stripe looks cool. If you really didn't like it, cover with a sponsor sticker perhaps, or perhaps a bit of yellow pinstripe to make a feature of it.

[moffman 6101]

I think it looks superb without any chequer flags maybe hybrid decals with monster blitzer? But very cool beetle

[Finnsllc 917]

Stop where u are. Stand back. Look. Wait. 

[JennyMo 3642]

Personally I like it on the rear wings... maybe just remove the stripe across the bonnet, as that does look a bit fussy/busy perhaps?

Jx

[No Slack 622]

I like it without the chequer flags. The line looks good in the second picture. The matt finish is pefect.

[Superluminal 4210]

2 hours ago, Nikko85 said:

It looks like someone wearing a Hawaiian shirt and chequered Vans.  Probably great 20 years ago at a Less than Jake concert, but not someone any girl wants to take home to meet their parents in 2022.

[Kol__ 3967]

2 hours ago, Finnsllc said:

Stop where u are. Stand back. Look. Wait. 

Yep, been doing that for about 2 days now

Thanks all. I think the problem with it for me is that I like the chequers and there was work that went into cutting and shaping the decals to a custom fit, BUT I've ended up mixing two different designs and colour palettes, which I sort of know don't really work together! If the chequers were on say a black bodied Blitzer Beetle, with other black and white graphics or would probably look pretty cool and work well. However, with the psychedelic, contagious, neon splashes its maybe just too distant to be able to bring it all together somehow.

[toyolien 6707]

3 hours ago, JennyMo said:

Personally I like it on the rear wings... maybe just remove the stripe across the bonnet, as that does look a bit fussy/busy perhaps?

Jx

^^ THIS ^^

[Finnsllc 917]

the checker across the nose is a no for me but on the rear fenders could work. minimal less is more

[Willy iine 18843]

@Kol__  This. is completely up to you, but I would try a few splash shaped checkers towards the rear of the car.   I think there is a lot going on with the round splash colors and the square black/white checks.  I would be cool if your car starts out colorful on the front and towards the rear the splashes turn into black/white checkers for some level of consistency in either color or shapes.

Again, entirely up to you.   

[TurnipJF 11003]

8 hours ago, Kol__ said:

However I was left with this gap between shell and nose which really 'bugs' me...

Personally I like the gap, as it is accurate for a full-size Baja bug. This is where the boot opens on the majority of 4-piece narrow-eye Baja kits, and even those with a one-piece front end sometimes have a line moulded in at this location. That is why I kept the joint visible on my Monster Beetle shell. 

[Willy iine 18843]

The real Beetle has a very pronounced gap.. therefore on my Scorcher body, I sanded the hood and nose until the parting line was straight.  

[Badcrumble 4432]

Could you replace the chequer on the nose with lining tape to emphasise it is a panel gap (rather than just a gap, if you catch my drift. It is meant to be there)?

Or would that mean you'd have to line the rest of the panels too? 

[OoALEJOoO 3663]

Fantastic work @Kol__! Looks great either way but my vote would be to remove all checkered stickers. The main effect of the splatter livery is that there is red continuity in the nose, save for the gap which is ok. The rear checkered pattern is a bit too busy imho.

Question, did you spray the satin finish over the stickers? I've been thinking about this on my current Blitzer build but am hesitant the spray will dissolve the sticker's paint. I'll do a test. Thinking about using Tamiya TS-79 semi-gloss clear.

[GermanTA03Guy 1374]

The chequered Fenders are not bad, Just remove the Front stripe, i hope the paint is ok with that... then voila

[GeeWings 2861]

I like the chequered fenders but reckon the nose stripe feels fussy. It’s a bit too thin and clashes with the base graphic. Personally I would not try and hide the gap. Embrace it  

[Kol__ 3967]

Thanks all! Very good point about the gap being meant to be there due to boot access @TurnipJF. This whole additional design element came from the want to hide that line and as I had recently acquired the chequers sticker set (some sort of weird Lunch Box football set) they sprang to mind as a option to cut a slim strip to cover the line, then the fenders followed.

I'm still not comfortable with the look, so I'm going to remove all signs of the checkers and go back to what it was and embrace the line/gap! Let's hope the fender ones peel off ok, I'll heat them gently with a hair dryer first! Any other suggestions? The clear coat had probably dried for about 10days before the fender stickers went on.

@OoALEJOoO, I've used the Tamiya TS gloss clear coat on two bodies now and it doesnt seem very durable to me. So this time I went with an automotive matt clear lacquer (Halfords own brand, if you're in the UK?) And it is much better. I applied 3 coats, each slightly thicker than the previous one and it's sealed it all in nicely mate. No reaction to the Tamiya spray paint or brushed acrylic paint. However the grey spray coat had dried for weeks before I got around to applying the clear coat.

Also, this is going to be a basher shell, so I don't know why I care so much! Guess it's about putting the effort in and caring about the design you create, even if it's only slightly off box art, as is the case here, regardless of whether it will be used for running - although with this particular shell and design I think a few battle scars might actually enhance the look

[TurnipJF 11003]

How did the sticker removal go?

[Tamiyastef 3086]

I have a very hard time embracing the gap. I like the chequered fenders and was thinking it would look better (to me, and probably only to me ) with a fully chequered front covering the "gap" and not in a straight line past the "gap" but somewhat following the flowing lines of the cantagious blob . If that makes any sense to someone other than me