Overcoat.

[Granddad Stinky]

If I were to re-paint a lexan body on the outside with PS paint, how tough is the clear coat? How many coats would you recommend?

[Backlash]

I would imaging that painting a Lexan shell on the outside would be no less durable than the paint on an ABS shell..

Are you going to do a base coat with PS paint, and then top coats of TS paint?

[Granddad Stinky]

1 hour ago, Backlash said:

I would imaging that painting a Lexan shell on the outside would be no less durable than the paint on an ABS shell..

Are you going to do a base coat with PS paint, and then top coats of TS paint?

No, I'm going to do all my future cars in the same livery, so I already have the PS colours. I don't mind putting quite a few coats of clear coat, it's still cheaper than a new shell. 

That's my mistake really,  I should have asked how durable is the clear coat. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[Pumesta]

I will let you know once my Mondeo is finished

Although I used normal plastic primer and paint from Halfords.  I couldn't find any clear coat for lexan that wasn't matt and was worried any other type would react The shell was pretty beat up with cracked front and rear bumpers and wheel arch.  So decided it was worth a shot.

[Granddad Stinky]

41 minutes ago, Pumesta said:

I will let you know once my Mondeo is finished

Although I used normal plastic primer and paint from Halfords.  I couldn't find any clear coat for lexan that wasn't matt and was worried any other type would react The shell was pretty beat up with cracked front and rear bumpers and wheel arch.  So decided it was worth a shot.

Great, I'll be watching with interest. 👍

[Backlash]

What clear are you planning to use?

 

[Granddad Stinky]

1 hour ago, Backlash said:

What clear are you planning to use?

 

Local shop (for local people) suggested TS13.

[Backlash]

7 hours ago, Granddad Stinky said:

No, I'm going to do all my future cars in the same livery, so I already have the PS colours. I don't mind putting quite a few coats of clear coat, it's still cheaper than a new shell. 

That's my mistake really,  I should have asked how durable is the clear coat. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

1 hour ago, Granddad Stinky said:

Local shop (for local people) suggested TS13.

OK, now I'm confused..

When I first asked you if you were going to spray your top coats with TS Paint you said No you already has PS paint..

Now your going to use a top coat of TS13????

As for your question about the durability of the clear, I'm not really sure what you are expecting... The TS clear should be as durable as any of the TS paint colours.. You should be able to wet sand it with ultra fine wet and dry paper (if needed) and polish it to get a nice shine (again if needed).. Being paint, you will be able to scratch and mark it, just like the paint on your full size car, but polish may remove any minor blemishes... But if you roll the car over at speed on asphalt or gravel, then I'd imagine that you will scratch through both the clear and the paint back to the bare lexan body...

OR more simply put, I don't think that painting and clear coating the outside of the shell will be anywhere near as durable as painting the Lexan shell on the inside.. IMHO, painting the outside of a Lexan shell may be OK for a shelf queen, but not that good for a runner..

As for how many coats of clear.. I would only do as many as you need to do to get a nice shine.. If you do too many then the clear TS paint may crack when the Lexan body flexes..

[Granddad Stinky]

2 hours ago, Backlash said:

OK, now I'm confused..

When I first asked you if you were going to spray your top coats with TS Paint you said No you already has PS paint..

Now your going to use a top coat of TS13????

As for your question about the durability of the clear, I'm not really sure what you are expecting... The TS clear should be as durable as any of the TS paint colours.. You should be able to wet sand it with ultra fine wet and dry paper (if needed) and polish it to get a nice shine (again if needed).. Being paint, you will be able to scratch and mark it, just like the paint on your full size car, but polish may remove any minor blemishes... But if you roll the car over at speed on asphalt or gravel, then I'd imagine that you will scratch through both the clear and the paint back to the bare lexan body...

OR more simply put, I don't think that painting and clear coating the outside of the shell will be anywhere near as durable as painting the Lexan shell on the inside.. IMHO, painting the outside of a Lexan shell may be OK for a shelf queen, but not that good for a runner..

As for how many coats of clear.. I would only do as many as you need to do to get a nice shine.. If you do too many then the clear TS paint may crack when the Lexan body flexes..

This is rescuing my Optima body. It's all white and the rest is all stickers that you have to be a genius to apply. Only red and yellow are on the outside. PS colours, TS clear coat.

Sometime I'll do another body as box art but I'll spray it.

 This is the white inside, and the start of masking.

[TheMidnight Pumpkin]

In my experience, the thicker the clear coat the stronger. Except when its on a thin flexible lexan body. The usage environment determines how strong, and how long the clear will last. I've always seen it weaker on lexan than the hard poly bodies. But I build my cars to drive. So crashes and one handed driving while shooting video with the other, put a beating on my toys. Plus I've been known to launch them at speed from time to time just for kicks. (makes for good video! -lol)

[Granddad Stinky]

I think I'm going to play save and buy a proper acrylic clear coat. At least if if it's water based it wont eat the rest of the paint. I'll put some more pics in the Kyosho section.

[Pumesta]

My Mondeo came out ok painting it on the outside

WP_20170824_22_11_02_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

A bit of orange peel, but considering what it was like it's 100 times better

WP_20170819_18_22_50_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_02_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_18_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_44_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_24_22_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

 

 

[Granddad Stinky]

33 minutes ago, Pumesta said:

My Mondeo came out ok painting it on the outside

WP_20170824_22_11_02_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

A bit of orange peel, but considering what it was like it's 100 times better

WP_20170819_18_22_50_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_02_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_18_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_23_44_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

WP_20170819_18_24_22_Pro (Medium) by Stephen Graham, on Flickr

 

 

That's a great resurrection job. 👍 I like the understated colour, just like the 1960's Ford blue. Is it a sleeper?

[Pumesta]

20 minutes ago, Granddad Stinky said:

That's a great resurrection job. 👍 I like the understated colour, just like the 1960's Ford blue. Is it a sleeper?

It Ford Monza blue which I think was a popular colour on the mk1 Escort.  I have ordered a set of decals for it, but not decided if I will go the whole BTCC look or only apply the like of the lights etc.  It came with no motor, it currently has a silver can with no pinion installed just so I do loose the motor locating plate.  It almost got painted bright green just because a mate has a 1:1 mk1 Mondeo painted green with 500 BHP Cosworth running gear