Tamiya Mercedes-AMG GT3 #33 2019 Sebring

[Ben_B]

Things were going far too well on this kit, so I had to screw something up. I had gotten the masks for the ducts that go behind the front fenders wrong, so I masked where the edges should have been, then used alcohol to remove the purple paint I didn't want. This usually works well, but this time, the alcohol got up under the mask and damaged the purple paint that I'd wanted to keep. I sanded and repainted, only to have the paint come out too dark and the rough patches I thought I had sanded down popped out. Time for a full strip, repair, and repaint. Plus, as I was dipping the Q-tip in the alcohol, the bottle slipped and some alcohol splashed on the body. So now, a little more touching up. Oh well. I usually have to have at least one major self-inflicted wound on a build. This is what I get for trying to rush a "quick and easy" job. I'll wait until I have time to do it properly before I fix everything.

On a good note, the chassis and cockpit are finished! All I have left to do are the paint repairs and decals.




Ben

[tatocorvette]

I feel your pain.

I hate when that happens!



On the positive side it can be saved and you know how to fix it. 

Thanks,
Ismaael

[Joel_W]

Ben,
Next time you're at one of the chain drug stores checkout the Cosmetics department's nail section. They've got a million different wooden and metal hand tools to do finger cuticles. The wood ones wood great.

No matter how long I look at the BMW Z4, the car has to be pure ugliness due to its really weird proportions, and in sim racing it's still pushes like crazy even compared to the Merc AMG which I find once dialed in to be pretty consistent through all the various corners. All the cars have the same balance issue: ME !!

joel

[Ben_B]

I’ll pick up some of those wood cuticle tools this week. I need to make a few custom sanding tools for some upcoming projects, anyway.

My dad had both generations of Z4, the newer one only a little less ugly than the 1st generation. The Z4 GT3 looks even worse, since they added all of the flares and spoilers. Still, Racing Decals 43 sell Turner Motorsports decals for the Fujimi kit, so there still a chance I might build one to go with my Turner M6 GT3. If I run out of other race car subjects to build....  

Ben

[Ben_B]

Paint salvage was successful. I had to do some other touch-ups, because the purple paint kept pulling up when I masked it. The Pepto Bismol color and the white stayed down, so there must have been something going on with the purple. Now, on to the decals.


Ben

[Joel_W]

Ben,
Have no fear we'll never run out of model racing car subjects. And thanks for calling that Pink color Pepto Bismol. It's a dead ringer for that color.

joel

[Ben_B]

Making some progress on the decals. It never ceases to amaze me how well these decal designers draw their decals to fit the topography of the model. Much more difficult to draw than even the more complex airliner decals, where you're still just basically making a decal fit a tube.

I still think the car itself looks like a toad, but this livery really makes the design look pretty good. A psychedelic toad! 





Ben

[Joel_W]

Ben,
Just an outstanding job so far on that super complex decal job.

If the Merc AMG GT3 car looks like a Toad, I'd love to hear your description of BMW Z4 in comparison. I love Bimmers, but just can't come to terms with the Z4's looks even though I understand the reasoning behind it.

Joel

[Ben_B]

Mar 21, 2021 10:56:47 GMT -8 Joel_W said:

Ben,
Just an outstanding job so far on that super complex decal job.

If the Merc AMG GT3 car looks like a Toad, I'd love to hear your description of BMW Z4 in comparison. I love Bimmers, but just can't come to terms with the Z4's looks even though I understand the reasoning behind it.

Joel

Thanks, Joel

I think anything I came up with to describe the Z4 would cause the moderators to ban me.   Chris Bangle must have been on drugs when he designed the first generation. 

Ben

[Ben_B]

I tried Mr Color Super Clear III on Joel's recommendation. Wow! Much better than decanted Tamiya TS-13. I wish I'd had this stuff on hand for my M6 GT3 and Mustang GT4.

I just noticed I have to go back and touch up some orange inside the large duct behind the LF wheel. After that, not much left to do but add the grills that go inside the ducts and glue a few other bits on.



Ben

[Joel_W]

Ben,
The Mr. Color Super Clear Gloss III looks great. All I've ever been able to find is the aerosole. Ismael recommended Scalefinish's Super Clear 500, and I'm going to be trying that out next.

joel

[Ben_B]

Thanks, Joel! I got the Super Clear through Amazon. I think it’s going to be my new go-to clear gloss. I want to decant paint from rattle cans as little as possible.

Ben

[Joel_W]

Thanks Ben for the info.

joel

[Ben_B]

Finished! What a fun kit! Even though I'm still not really into the real car, the great livery make me like it, anyway. The kit itself was outstanding and the only part I had trouble with was the brake light assemblies. The chrome parts were fiddly and the way they fit into the body left some room for them to move around too much. The SK decals were great, too. They fit perfectly and the masks they provided made painting a lot easier. My one ding on them is they should have added another layer of white under the white parts, because the underlying colors bleed through some of the white decals. 




Sebring 2019


Ben

[clowncar]

Very well-executed.