TVR T400R LeMans -04

Thanks for all the advice! The thing is, to get this candy effect I think I need to use special paints, so I think the Halfords are out anyway . I've now sanded and applied more coats of the Metalcoat and it's possible to get it really smooth. And finally when it's all smooth and even, I brush the surface up using an old toothbrush, to give it an even texture. I must say it's looking pretty nice at the moment. The hard thing with trying to sand the metalcoat paint is that you can't use too fine sandpaper or you'll loose the matt surface texture (I'm using the 27001 matt here to get a good base for the candy), so no finer than 1200 grit or you cant buff it up again. Anyway, I might add the first layer of the special mix of the paints from Acrylicos Vallejos to it today. I think I'll try using brushes for now, but I'd better get myself an airbrush later on... I've heard that you can use an old car tyre for the air pressure, and fill it up time end time again at your local petrol station. Anyone tried this? Then you'd just have to invest in the airbrush itself, no need for tanks or compressors . Sounds too good to be true

Hehe, that sounds a little easier I just read somewhere that the small propellant bottles, because of their small size and high pressure loose their temperature very quickly and thereby forcing you to have an unwanted break in the painting process. (I read it over here by the way if anyone's interested. It's a very extensive site containing various painting advice, perhaps a little overkill. ) If this is not a real problem I'm quite keen really. This guy is might be a little too picky, so I'd surely take your word for it, if you say they're fine Howmet.

QUOTE (bastumannen @ 8 Dec 2004, 10:37)I just read somewhere that the small propellant bottles, because of their small size and high pressure loose their temperature very quickly and thereby forcing you to have an unwanted break in the painting
That is correct, but you can keep the temperature more constant if you immerse the can in a bucket of warm (NOT hot!!!) water...keeps the pressure more constant too

QUOTE But you know how it goes, the day I buy a compressor will be the day I finally run out of projects.

Ah howmet, Life Is A Long Song

Lots of nice advice guys, thanks! I now have an airbrush on my christmas wishlist. I could however not wait till then to get this baby painted. So I tried the good old brushes. The result is quite pleasing but a fraction on the dark side, but it's hard to say now that the sun has gone down. I had to do a few more layers than I really wanted, in order to get an even layer over the silver base, and since the paint is transparent, the more layers the darker the shade. But the candy effect is definitley there . Clear blue in some lights and angles and purlple in others. I've also painted the kit wheels black and started on the interior. Now all I have to do is build a chassi...
I'll try to take some pics of it now having been painted, but the lighting needs some adjusting first.

Nice paintwork Toby! And now I am eagerly awaiting further progress

Thanks for the kind words! I was actually a little dissapointed with the way these pictures turned out, because it looks smoother and not as stripey in real life. But maybe I'm being to harsh on myself . Anyway I'll see if I can get some shots outside today, although it's pretty grey and miserable, so it'll be mostly blue in that light.

Ok, I went a bit crazy and took some more shots (many more ) of the car as I said I would. But maybe I went a bit overboard I'm just really amased how the candy turned out. All these pictures were taken outside today in grey weather, so in that light the car looks deep blue, it needs direct sunlight to bring out the purple in it. Allthough to the naked eye it looked a little purple even today in that light, from some angles. I also put the painted wheels on for better looks They are only covered once and need at least one more coat to look 100% and withstand racing. I just sat the car directly on the tires for now as I haven't yet made a chassis for it, so it looks almost a bit too low at least at the rear. I have only clear coated it twice, and I want to wait for the decals before I do more coats, so that they become nicely sealed too. Oh, and the black at the front has only one coat too...
Anyway here are the pictures:







And here's one taken with the flash outside:



Sorry for the large amout of pictures, but I like seeing other peoples pics, so I hope you don't think it's too much I'll take some of if you think there are too many.

...here's just another picture of the real things:

From www.motorsport.com

A little question to John.P, were you at LeMans this year and saw these cars yourself? I got that impression above... I'd love some feedback about how the cars looked there, and if you've got some pictures I'd be thrilled to see them