Next up is a Model A Tudor Coupe. I have two of these, and I added lights to one of them. I could tell in advance the challenge for me was how to paint the wheels. The example from the manufacturer (below) was kind of disappointing. The mastering was fine, but the painting left a lot to be desired. Consequently I came up with Mr. Wheelie to help me paint the wheels: essentially it's a little micro-mini-turntable. Turns out it was more useful than expected.
Look at the reference images, and notice in particular how the spoked wheels have that significant gap between the wheel hub and the rim. I really wanted to capture that look, somehow, so I came up with a painting scheme to simulate it—and I couldn't have done it without Mr. Wheelie. First, I painted the area of the spokes with black acrylic paint. When this was dry, I applied cream acrylic paint (white plus a tiny touch of yellow ochre) to the hub and the rim, and then very lightly dry-brushed the spoke area. Finally I applied the tire color (Floquil Weathered Black). The finished effect was precisely what I sought—although it took many tries to get the five good tires I needed. I thought about making the tires whitewalls, but decided not to press my luck—maybe I'll try it for the next car.
The rest of the finish work was pretty straightforward. After painting the windows Floquil Engine Black, I brushed Floquil Dark Green onto the body, followed by a light coat of Krylon clear gloss. The fenders got Floquil Engine Black and Krylon clear gloss, and the undercarriage received Floquil Weathered Black. Finally, for some of the chrome trim bits such as the headlights, I applied Molotov chrome paint; for others, like the radiator trim, I simply scraped the metal casting with a sharp knife. Owing to unsteady hands, this all took nearly two days to complete.
REFERENCE
