First Time Making a Model Car

[RaisingArizona]

I have nearly finished this build.  The VW Beetle was my first car.  I got this car when I was in the USAF in the UK.  This model is a '66 Beetle, my car was a '64.  The '66 is close enough.  

 

I built this car to gain some experience and there are many aspects that I am not very satisfied with.  Paint did not come out as glossy and free of defects as I would like.  I messed up the clear plastic windows.  I did make up a small license plate with the UK registration number.  Perhaps some of you UK lads can lookup the number and see if the car still exists.  I am thinking of getting another VW Beetle kit and doing it up a bit better before I try to tackle a couple of models in my stash ... 

 

I did not put the running boards on as I had removed them from my original car for some forgotten reason.

 

 

 

 

[Spottedlaurel]

It looks a fine thing to me, nicely done.

 

Sadly no trace of NPU 462C on the DVLA system.

 

Edited February 16 by Spottedlaurel

[SnøMotion]

This looks great!  I love the interior/exterior colour combination 👌

 

Martin

[Pete in Lincs]

Very nice. A great paint job. Bring on the next one. 

[RaisingArizona]

I appreciate the nice comments, however I am terribly disappointed with the results.  Maybe because as the creator, notice more of the defects.  But that not withstanding, I am going to get another kit and do a better job the next time around.

 

I was looking at various paints and there is a company in the EU called Gravity Colors.  They seem to specialize in model car paints and they have a color that is Sea Blue for the VW ... 

 

Looking over their website, they also recommend using their own proprietary clear gloss coats and primer coats.

 

My question for you all ... have any of you guys used Gravity Colors? 

 

Regards,

 

Steve 

[Toe]

I really like that, no-one is as critical as the creator could be a saying but your pictures are clear and the "look" of the model is in my opinion very good. Which kit is? Also where were you based in the UK?

As for the paint, tbh I've never heard of them!!

[SnøMotion]

I haven't used Gravity myself, Steve, but I believe quite a few people on here do. You'd need an airbrush, and maybe you already have one, but you'd definitely have more control over the paint with that option 

 

Martin

[Jochen Barett]

17 hours ago, RaisingArizona said:

I have nearly finished this build.  The VW Beetle was my first car.  I got this car when I was in the USAF in the UK.  This model is a '66 Beetle, my car was a '64.  The '66 is close enough.  

 

I built this car to gain some experience and there are many aspects that I am not very satisfied with.  Paint did not come out as glossy and free of defects as I would like.  I messed up the clear plastic windows. ###

 

I think the '64 had a narrower light for the rear licence plate and more round hubcaps 😉

 

Criticism here is (usually) "polite" and encouraging, so under normal conditions nobody will point out any modelling goofs (esp. when claiming "First Time Making a Model Car").

 

Sooo? Keep goin'!

[Pete in Lincs]

33 minutes ago, Jochen Barett said:

think the '64 had a narrower light for the rear licence plate 😉

From what I've seen on a certain car restoration programme, known as a Popes' nose! And very rare nowadays. 

[Toftdale]

I wish my first one was a good as that, looking forward to your next build - Andy 

[Davi]

Good first results indeed, nice choice of color and overall build quality seems good to me! 

 

Getting the paint right on a car can be difficult and really needs a bit of practice, so please just keep going! You will figure out how to ideally prepare the body, how to get the right amount of paint evenly on the car and how many layers you need, either with a spray can or airbrush. Some wet sanding and polishing does miracles. And the most important is always not to rush. Some youtube videos can also provide good inspiration how to approach a car body. In my view it determines for a large part the overall look of the car, so I spend by far most time on the body for each car. It is always time will spend I would say.

 

Enjoy the process and your next build!

 

And to your question, no haven't used that, I only worked so far with Tamiya TS rattle cans. Happy to answer any questions about that.

Edited February 16 by Davi

[Spiny]

I don't think that's anywhere near as bad as you seem to think. Yes, it would be possible to get the paint a bit smoother but that's often done by polishing rather than at the paint stage (except for some who are just very good at painting!). But the paint has a nice shine to it and at least in the photos looks like it would pass all but the closest inspection. Importantly, the rest of the car looks well put together, so you are well on the way to getting a good build next time around. It's probably also worth remembering that probably every build on here is likely in the top 1% qualitywise out of all kits sold and I would definitely include this build in that 1%.

[JeroenS]

Very nice little Beetle! From what I've seen from others on here, the Gravity paints perform very well. 

[CrazyCrank]

Very nice first one 👍

[keefr22]

That's a great result for your first car model, I really like the colour! If you wanted you can work on the paint to improve the shine and remove a lot of defects such as dust. I gently wet sand with a 3000 grit sanding pad to flat the paint back, and then polish it up with either all three Tamiya compounds or full size car stuff like meguiars compound and scratch-X. There are many videos on Youtube where modellers will show the process better than I can explain  If you do try it beware of sanding/polishing too much near edges of panels etc as it can be easy to burn through the paint to the kit plastic!

 

I've used Gravity Colours paints a few times - they spray very nicely, but beware they are a 'hot' paint and need to go over a suitable primer and be applied in light coats or they will damage the plastic. They are a base coat/clear coat paint so dry matt and thus have to have a clear coat applied. I seem to recall they also used to have their own polishing compounds.

 

There is (maybe was?) also a Gravity Colors US - there was some acrimony between the two companies and there was some bad press about the US company having bad customer service - this is all heresay on my part as I never used them, but just a heads up. If you google them you can see some of the problems.

 

HTH

 

Keith

[ElectricLightAndy]

Looks great to me too, is this the Tamiya kit? I often opt for car aerosol colours when I do 1/24 or larger cars, you get a lot of product to recoat if you are not happy with the finish, I quite often have to sand down many imperfections before I'm happy... then a fly usually lands on the wet paint 🤣 what part of the transparency is messed up? I can't notice it? Be aware, regular model cement and superglue can fog up the clear parts, so I tend to use PVA.

 

Andy.

 

Here's the finish from a Halfords aerosol, some ford colour I think.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18 by ElectricLightAndy

[RaisingArizona]

On 2/16/2025 at 8:20 AM, Toe said:

I really like that, no-one is as critical as the creator could be a saying but your pictures are clear and the "look" of the model is in my opinion very good. Which kit is? Also where were you based in the UK?

As for the paint, tbh I've never heard of them!!

 

I'm in Arizona, USA.  I used to live in the UK when I was in the USAF defending the USA from the Redcoats.  

 

The kit is Tamiya.  Very pleased with Tamiya and was fun build.  I have ordered another Tamiya kit and expect it in the next couple of days.  I used PVA glue with the clear plastic and applied floor polish when completed.  But the floor polish pooled up and looks dreadful.  I don't use super glue with clear parts but found that a very little bit of Tamiya liquid cement applied just along the edge evaporates so quickly that it does not fog up the clear plastic.  I have been using it successfully with airplane canopies.  But with this kit, I used PVA glue for the clear glass and it worked fine.  

 

Steve

2 hours ago, ElectricLightAndy said:

Looks great to me too, is this the Tamiya kit? I often opt for car aerosol colours when I do 1/24 or larger cars, you get a lot of product to recoat if you are not happy with the finish, I quite often have to sand down many imperfections before I'm happy... then a fly usually lands on the wet paint 🤣 what part of the transparency is messed up? I can't notice it? Be aware, regular model cement and superglue can fog up the clear parts, so I tend to use PVA.

 

Andy.

 

Here's the finish from a Halfords aerosol, some ford colour I think.

 

 

 

 

 

The steering wheel is on the wrong side. 

[RaisingArizona]

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

That's a great result for your first car model, I really like the colour! If you wanted you can work on the paint to improve the shine and remove a lot of defects such as dust. I gently wet sand with a 3000 grit sanding pad to flat the paint back, and then polish it up with either all three Tamiya compounds or full size car stuff like meguiars compound and scratch-X. There are many videos on Youtube where modellers will show the process better than I can explain  If you do try it beware of sanding/polishing too much near edges of panels etc as it can be easy to burn through the paint to the kit plastic!

 

I've used Gravity Colours paints a few times - they spray very nicely, but beware they are a 'hot' paint and need to go over a suitable primer and be applied in light coats or they will damage the plastic. They are a base coat/clear coat paint so dry matt and thus have to have a clear coat applied. I seem to recall they also used to have their own polishing compounds.

 

There is (maybe was?) also a Gravity Colors US - there was some acrimony between the two companies and there was some bad press about the US company having bad customer service - this is all heresay on my part as I never used them, but just a heads up. If you google them you can see some of the problems.

 

HTH

 

Keith

I am in the USA and ordered the Gravity Colors from the company in Spain.  I ordered the primer, base coat color in Sea Blue and the clear coat.  Cost me a total of € 50 including shipping.  Damned stuff is pricey.

 

Steve  

[s.e.charles]

building models is a journey. try not to include everything in the first ones. why set yourself up for disappointment.

 

if you focus on the basics, they will carry you through.

 

 

[ElectricLightAndy]

4 hours ago, RaisingArizona said:

The steering wheel is on the wrong side. 

It's RHD... correct for a UK car 😄

Edited February 19 by ElectricLightAndy

[PatW]

t looks very good! What are you trying next?