Hi guys,

Ok, I'm continuing most of the models that I have partially build and I'm trying to complete it as soon as possible. This is one of it. It is a 1/24 Fujimi Nissan RPS33 180SX Type X. Here's how the box art looks like.



I've painted the interior a two-tone blue which is cobalt blue and light blue. This was actually to match the yellow body of the Nissan but I have decided to change the body colour from yellow to black. I painted the disc caliper red and the disc brake in Gunze's super silver.



Next, the body...

Since the body will be black, I paint the rims flat black as to remove the contrast between the body and the shiny chrome rim. As usual I painted the rims with Gunze's Surfacer 1000 and Gunze's flat black. Shown below are the completed rims with the tyres attached.



Now the body colour. I decided to paint the body black. I lightly sanded the yellow paint on the body and sprayed super black onto the yellow paint. I don't need any primer because the sanded paint can also grip the black paint which is applied later. Shown below is the body which is already painted black minus the clear coating and polishing.



When that is done. I dry fit the body and the chasis as well as the windshield to see if the black and blue paint combination matched each other and it looks ok to me. The black rims will totally be contrasted with the shiny disc brake and red caliper.









That's all for now. I need to add the decal and clear coat it before I can consider this build finished. Comments and suggestions are welcome. :D

Not sure about the stark contrast of the interior, bro, but it's your choice. I would go for 2 tone of gray for the interior. Baru "stealth" :D.

Nice car bro....now you starting to clear up your stash ha??

Anyway ,Apa color color kereta ni bro?

Xamel1975: I'll go for the two-tone grey as well bro but the interior is already painted and glued, so, I'll let is stay as it is.

Dremel: Ha'ah, starting to continue all pending builds bit by bit. This car will be painted totally black. No design but maybe add a carbon fiber bonnet (still thinking nak letak ke tak). :D

if the internals are to be painted gray that would be nice but since u already had that combi for ur earlier build, other less-contrast "body color-to-internals color" would add more variations to ur collections ;)

my 2 cents though :P

Ok guys, some minor update on the build progress.

Since it has been painted and clear coated for several layers, it is time for the finishing process. Let me guide you to my step-by-step method.

First, I give the body some wet-sanding with 1200 grit sandpaper under a running water. When the whole body has been sanded, I then apply some Autosol (gold and black tube) onto the body and rub it to remove all major scratches on the clear coat. Shown below is the body rubbed with Autosol (not buffed yet).



When that is done, I buff off the Autosol residue and using the Mr Rubbing Compound 1000, I rub and buff off to remove the scratch marks from the Autosol. Bear in mind that Autosol has rougher particles than Gunze's Mr Rubbing compund and using Gunze's compound, it will remove the scratches by Autosol. Shown below is the body after I use Gunze's Mr. Rubbing compound.



After that, it's waxing and buffing time. First I use Tamiya's Fine Compound to remove all scratches left from Gunze's Rubbing compound (which is very-very fine scratches but when I applied the Tamiya's fine rubbing compound, the scratch is still there... this left me puzzled because I have never faced with this problem previously. After a few minutes pondering, I come to a conclusion that the polishing and buffing cloth is the cause. It has been a good few years I've been using the same cloth over and over again that all the residue from the previous application of compound and wax cause the cloth to scratch the clear coats rather than polishing it so I get a fresh polishing cloth and starts applying the Tamiya compound again.

Using the new cloth, I can get back the shine that I hope for.... note to self and others: it is always good to have new polishing cloth/chamois when your old polishing cloth/chamois has run out of clean space...

Shown below is the picture after a few runs with Tamiya's Fine Rubbing Compound and Tamiya's Finish Rubbing Compound. Look at that shine!!!... :lol:







Since it is already 1.00am when I've done polishing some parts (still not completed), I dry fit the chasis onto the body.



It is still incomplete because if you look at the pictures after I rub it with Tamiya's Finishing Compound, there are still some scratches that needs to be removed, this will be done later.

Again, comments and suggestions appreciated. :D

i wonder if commercial autocar wax can't deliver the shine if i skip the tamiya fine rubbing compound process :o ?

The rubbing compound is used to even-out the clear coats on the model. If you think the clear coat is even and already looks good, you can always use the commercial autocar wax to get the shine.

oh.. wat i mean is.. for ur current nissan rps13 wip :lol:

wat if u skip the tamiya rubbing compound.. straight polish & wax with commercial wax.. will that show much differences?

:P

Yup... it will show much difference because I can't get the shine I wanted if I didn't use the rubbing compound but it does not mean I have to use Tamiya products.

I can still sand from 1000 grit to 2000 grit and then try polishing it using comercial wax but I doubt the finish can be the same. At least I have to have the Gunze's rubbing compound and then to finish a commercial wax which is the Autosol Deep Shine and Finish Wax (I think that's the name) which is in green and black tube.

thanks :lol: bang imran..

no wonder la.. i never tried using rubbing compound b4.. i tot that part could be skipped after wet sanding by 2000sandpaper and polish by commercial polish/wax..

You can either try to polish it straight after wetsanding with 2000 grit sandpaper or you can also try to use toothpaste (not the gel type, the classic ones) to substitute the rubbing compound and polish using wax afterwards. I never try this but I think it should work as well...

toothpaste (darlie) has very powerful leveling.. but outcome can be quite "matt"
when high shine polish is to be achieved, my struggle is that there are still some visible fine-scratches seen on the highly reflective surface :(
futher polishing/waxing does not seem to remove those fine scratches.
if use coarser materials scare whole surface become not shine.. <_<

i guess u r right in using a clean and new coth for the final buffing of waxed surface :)

awesome! looks like knight rider, my rps13 will join later.

No problem... cone, come join... the more the merrier... :lol:

well druid_99.. regarding the incomplete part u mention..

your quote "It is still incomplete because if you look at the pictures after I rub it with Tamiya's Finishing Compound, there are still some scratches that needs to be removed, this will be done later. "

actually.. how was the surface of your final polished surface compare to the one below pic which u've polished using Tamiya's Finishing Compound?





or u are actually planning to further polish it using even finer polishing/waxing materials like novus/tamiya wax?

coz i was a bit curious despite the gloss of that Entau did to his polished peugeot 206, which is very shinny, still i can see the tiny tiny scratches in real close up.. looks something like the pic of ur roof-top nissan rps13 below, but lesser.

no matter how much car-wax he applied, the tiny tiny scratches when look under the light still visible..

so.. can this tiny scratches be removed?

i am very curious about that scratches also

i can get a food finishing but scratches <_< very very obvious
i tried lots of clothes but some will let minor scratches also...

Well guys! Scratches is rally unaviodable. Mainly the scratches come from the grit of sand paper you used while you were wet sanding. The lighter scratches were normally produced when you are using the wrong cloth to cuff the polsih out.

I agree Kenneth. By the way, what type of cloth you're using? I used chamois for car polish (not the used ones lah but new ones).

hmm.. my guess is i'm really poor in selection of a proper types of cloth for final waxing..

how do we know if it's a good one :lol: (besides a clean clothes to be used :P )?

Sorry Klay I totally missed your question previously. I thought it's my reply... :lol:

Actually the picture I shown is the last that I've done to the car. I didn't have time to further polish it. I will try to polish it later but using different method.

The tiny scratches can be removed provided the correct selection of cloth and the correct way of application of compound and polishing material.

I think the mistake that I've done to the car is not the selection of cloth but mostly the way I apply the compound and polish... I should not wait until the polish or rubbing compound partially dried. I think after a few second of application of the rubbing compond, I should change to a new cloth area to continue and continue swapping the areas until it is fully polished.

It's just a theory though and I'll try it when I have the time. :lol:

excellent explantions though it was a bit lengthy for my eyes to read :lol:

agree with u, when i removed the glazed surface after the wax has dried with clean cloth, it becomes less shinier (damn those instrcutions on the wax bottle was useless <_< )

entau mentioned that it has to be polished constantly until u see the shine.. i was impressed wt the differences :lol:

but still.. those very very fine fine fine scratches are still there... and i believe "it's" gonna be there stil even after waxing with the finest modelling wax right?

i think it's stil the best for me to try the tamiya wax (any other equivalent products as well?) with normal autocar wax to tell if i'm applying it the correct way... :huh:

actually i was going to try and buy the Tamiya FINISH polishing compound, but its quite expensive though, around rm33, compare to Tamiya FINE polishing compund only cost around rm17, i think ;)

Druid,
I too used the same kind of cloth. But I the cloth I use for application of compound or polish is different from buffing. Each type of compound has their own cloth. So when I use my 5 to 6 step of polishing I actuall use 10 to 12 different cloth. At the corner of every cloth I mark them so for step 1 I make 1 on the cloth then mark another cloth 1a just for buffing.

One more thing. After application of compound. You really need to buff it lightly. not too much pressure to avoid scratching it.

Klay,
I really do not use Tamiya wax. Really not necessary. In fact the tamiya finishing compound does have a little wax on it. one you apply them. all you need to do is lightly buff it up and change the buff spot on the cloth regularly. Give it a shot ;) !

yeah, dats true, yesterday night i was polishing my 206, some spot seems ok, but some area had alot of scratches, i wonder y, then i realise i was polishing too hard, leave some scratches :o

so if i continue lightly buff dat area will it reduce the scratches? the scratches quite deep wor ;)

Entau,

Just repeat the polishing steps around the area using corse compound first. it should do the job. ;)