About pre-painted kits

[Deleted]

Here is a question for any of you guys that have built any of the "ProShop", "CustomShop", or similar pre-painted and pre-decorated kits. Of course the body is all painted up and detailed. That's a given. I'm wondering about either polishing the bodies or shooting them with a clear coat. Have any of you guys done that? Do the bodies need that? Is it a good idea or bad idea to be considering doing either thing to these bodies?

Any feedback appreciated. I've got several of these kits now and will be building at least 2 or 3 right away as soon as I get all the paint I need ordered and delivered. I want to do the right thing to the bodies. I'm thinking the bodies need some type of "protective coat" on them, but I'm not sure it's the right thing to do.

[david]

Just leave them be unless you want to shoot a coat of Future over them. You never know for certain what paints they may have used and taking a chance that your clear coat will damage or react poorly with it is too great considering how nice they generally are untouched. A light coat of Future won;t harm anything but really, unless these are going to be handled all the time or handled poorly, I would just leave them as is. Here's a pre-painted build that I did with my 7 year old grandson and it has nothing on it, just the box stock finish.

[Deleted]

That looks great. OK. Just leave them. I can do that. None of my builds will be handled. I'll be displaying them in individual display cases.

Thanks for the response!

[68383]

I’d leave them alone too, unless you want to use something like Novus.

I don’t really like them as much due to the noticeable mold lines.

[Deleted]

Hmmm. I haven't really taken the time to check any of mine for mold lines and other imperfections. I'll have to do that some time.

[david]

Don't Steve. That's not what those kits are for. 99.9% of people's model car builds have imperfections regardless and maybe the only ones that don't are the ones that never really finish a model. Just enjoy the hobby and enjoy building. "Perfect" is a place rarely visited by anyone and even when they do, they never stay there very long. Build on!

[Deleted]

Yeah, and I do kind of have an obsessive/compulsive issue. I'm not nearly as bad as I use to be, thankfully. And my builds truly are "just for me". I doubt there will ever be more than a half dozen people that view my builds up close and personally.

Yep. Thanks for that tid bit.

[stevielewis]

I just finished two "Pro Finish" funnies. I was thinking that maybe I should put a protective coat on the bodies, but after reading the above info, I'm just going to leave them as is. If anything, I'll be detail painting the chassis and engine as they are two colors, dull Silver and Black. I just build for myself.