AMT '68 Shelby GT-500

[Mike Dean]

Things aren't going well. I spent hours days rubbing down the mould lines, repriming, sanding, repriming.......until I has happy with the finish, and then shot some gloss white over the hood, roof and trunk, which have been drying for about 7 days. Yesterday I started masking over the white prior to painting the gold (mask the white paint, spray the gold, pull the masking tape off. Voila! White stripes, and then finish with a clear lacquer.

 

However, using the S H E L B Y lettering on the front as a reference, I masked up two parallel lines, 7.5mm wide down the centre of the body with a 1mm gap in-between, only to discover that when you get to the back, and use the S H E L B Y lettering on the trunk as a reference, the lines are too narrow. Plus visually it looked too thin compared to the 1:1 version. So I decided I'd start again with a 9mm stripe, and peeled off the original masking tape, only to have glue residue left behind. I then tried wiping off the glue with a cloth with white spirit, which left a speckely effect on the roof and clear lines where the old tape came off. Back to rubbing down and priming AGAIN.

 

NOT HAPPY. At least it's good to find out now, rather than after the gold goes on.

 

The upshot is, the S H E L B Y letters on the bonnet are too close together. Good luck to anyone who wants to rectify THAT problem. Plus mask from the back, working forward.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Mike Dean
typo

[Six97s]

I feel your pain. Masking, decals, anything that can unravel hours of work in an instant - these are my least favourite aspect of the hobby.  Fun fact:  the stripes weren't the same width from front to back and '68s didn't usually have them, so how accurate do you want it to be?  Thanks for the heads up about the lettering.  I hadn't even got that far, but I have no intention of attempting to correct it...  I'm having enough aggro with the bodywork.

 

Reference for stripes:

https://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-13525187779972/lemans.pdf

[Mike Dean]

Thanks for the links to the stripes. I now have an excuse for when (if?) they don't turn out right.

 

Having just picked up the body shell from where it landed in the deep recesses of my study, and given it a quick once over with some wet and dry, and it doesn't look too bad. Another mist over with white, and we should back on track. Except now it's raining.

 

******* Sigh ***********

Edited August 5, 2021 by Mike Dean
another bloody typo. I'm going deslyxic.....

[TonyW]

Two steps forward, one step back. You will beat it in the end.

 

What sort of masking tape are you using? I switched to Tamiya stuff after being let down by cheaper brands in the past. I've not had glue residue but the dreaded bleed has caught me out a few times. So far, the Tamiya tape does what it is designed for. 

[Mike Dean]

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

What sort of masking tape are you using?

I bought it from the local Hobbycraft store. A cheap brand: you get what you pay for, and then you pay for what you get.

 

I've got a bit of Tamiya tape left, might just be enough.🤞

 

Mike

 

[mustang1989]

Awww man. The paint / masking blues. I've got complete confidence that you'll make 'er through this one fine Mike. It IS a bit frustrating at the time though.

[Mike Dean]

Sorry to say that this one is a dead duck. It has been put on the self of shame and will probably remain there for some time.

 

Well done to all the other who have finished theirs.

[TonyW]

I think the Round 2 box promises a bit more than the kit itself can deliver, I've taken a look at mine and put it all back in the box for when I'm feeling adventurous.

 

The attempt was made Mike, kudos for that at least.