spraying a gloss clear coat on a Lionel GG1

you just made all the "weathering freaks" take a couple Rolaids...

I would be more inclined to try car wax or Armorall first before doing the clear coat. The clear coat is not going to be reversible if it doesn't come out well.

 

Roger

My question is Why? Leave it the way it is. That's how it is supposed to be. 

Boy, I will DEFINITELY second that!!!!!

Having personally dealt with the exact loco, the factory finish from Lionel is ridiculously flat.  It was one of the reasons I repainted mine.

 

To safely clear over the original paint, use an acrylic or enamel base clear.  The real issue in clearing is that it will not adhere to the original finish as it should and will likely be susceptible to flaking as the clear ages.  Still, if you have to, I'd try a satin finish as it doesn't have the tendency to magnify flaws as gloss does.

 

Clear coat is bound to discolor the silver sections darker than what they are now.

 

Bruce

I found Floquil Crystal Cote to be pretty durable if you can still find some. You could also use a single part clear coat found at an automotive paint store. Also check with an automotive collision shop and see if they will clear your engine. They do this almost every day and might do it for little or no charge with paint left over from a job. This catalyzed paint will be the most durable.

 

Pete 

I use urethane clears snd paints on all my trains and hobby stuff...Got one train that im going to use Imron on it..that paint is built proof...thats used on Semi's and real trains airplanes and marine boats...but its toxic...your best bet Tiffany..your locoal autobody paint store should have the urethane clear in a rattle can forum..its a two stage clear..theres a red botton on the bottom of the rattle can..that release the hardner into the can...shake it up good and then your good to go spray paint....but be warned..this is a one time use spray clear..any left in the spray can in a day or so will harden up...because the clear was activated..to prep the body to clear..use a red or gray scotch bright pad to scuff the body with it..then use window cleaneror dish washing soap to wash any oils on the body..whipe it off really good then your ready to clear it....if you want..you can bake it the over at 110-150 for 10mins...that will give you a hearder finish and can help speed dry it..Macco autobody and paint change does that to all cars they paint..I used to work for peterbuilt and when I painted the semis we bake the finish after we paint them...

I vote leave it alone.........but if you want to.....

Pledge with Future floor shine. It is just a high quality clear acyclic coating.

I have been using it since 1983 without issues. I just brush on a even coat with a NEW brush. Light coat......a 2nd one if needed 3-4 days later. Good part is hot soapy water takes it off if you do not like it. Looks like this......note reflections in roof...

A REALLY high grade clear lacquer is made by Tamiya in spray cans. SUPER stuff.....but mess it up and you may have to go down to the metal to fix it......but great stuff!! 

Future acrylic floor wax great stuff!!

great way to butcher it up..I vote do it the wright way...guys maybe she wants the out of factory looks or restored looks..I dont see of these real restored steamers or diesels painted with flat paints..all a high glossy finish..amc dave..I re did My S1 with gloss clear and it looks great..

To each his own!!!!!

And I do use clear lacquer spray....but there is NO going back....and you may not want to use it for your first attempt.

At least with Pledge/Future you get a free do over 8-10 times if needed. I have Futre clear coats that are now 30 years old....and look great.....not bad.

I too have a S-1....but I ain't even weathering her!!!

I use Hot Rod detailer from PEP Boys. It comes as a pink type liquid.

 

Basically this stuff works very well. Smells nice too. I use it to bring back the plastic to a more or less shiny surface. The wax protects the plastic, but handling it requires some wiping off occasionally so it does not get all tacky looking.

 

I would NOT paint her up with anything. Doing so, may risk creating a host of other unintended consequences. Just my 2 cents.

 

Wax her up!

 

 

Pete

I have to sing with the chorus here, don't attack it with a permanent clear coat unless you're prepared to live with the consequences!  As others have said, if it doesn't come out right, then you have a much larger issue on your hands.

 

you just made all the "weathering freaks" take a couple Rolaids...

 

I use the "Future" wax on my GG1s  and Tuscan passenger cars.  I apply it over gloss Scale Coat before decals, then again after the decals are set.  I apply it with Q-Tips, going one way only.  I learned it from my brother-in-law, who is a past president of the International Plastic Model Society (makes TCA look small) and who makes models for the Smithsonian.

 

Be very careful spraying clear with organic solvents.  I almost lost a perfect finish spraying the same brand clear.

Tiffany, you want a glossier finish on a 1988 Amtrak GG-1, go for it girl.  You aren't talking about putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa; the model you're buying is common and abundant.  Also, I don't recall you asking for opinions on whether you should do anything to change the model from its original condition.

 

As for suggestions, see if something short of spraying the model will satisfy you; shooting the model would be my last resort because of the difficulty of undoing a poor outcome that may be caused by something other than your skill with a rattle can.  I don't do a lot of painting of LIONEL models, but I have noticed distinctly different reactions of their paints when it comes to stripping them prior to repainting.  If you are going to spray, shoot the inside and see how that goes before shooting the exterior, assuming the interior is comparable to the exterior, of course.  But, it's your property, or soon will be, so go with what you want to do. 

tiffany..if you want it glossy and done wright send it to me and Ill do it for free..Im a 33+ year autobody painter..first pic from a guy from our forum..want his passenger cars to match the santa fe silver..did it with PS2 dodge paint code..he loved it and the pic was taken by him.. it matched his wife car..lol..second pic was another forum member train id done for him..was in bad condition..now its like new and very very happy of the job Id done for him..

hello joseywales..........

 

I be GLAD to send the GG1 body to you.  All I want is a tough glossy clear coat that can be handle. I am IMPRESSED with the black finish on the pre-war Lionel #318 WOW. I will pay for shipping both ways in the original box.  I am afraid that I might mess up the factory paint job if using the wrong clear coat myself.  I will be getting the GG1 in sometime by the middle of Jan.  Can a glossy clear coat make the silver paint brighter ? (I am hoping for that)

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678.2003,200 and Amtrak 8303

Tiffany

What a nice offer!!! I don't care how much painting you do....it's still work to clear coat a model and make it nice.  But shows how many great folks we have....

its alot easyer then real cars..same paint prearation..AMCDave as you stated dont care how long Id been painting..well it does..more experience in painting...How did you think in how I got started...My grandpa used to restore alot of lionel trains..He would use krylon spray paint on those trains and man they turned out nice.started me at age 6..Got into building and paint model cars too..then jumped into doing real cars...Tiffany not problem..I got some train paint work to do and will clear yours the same time as the other train Im doing..kill 2 birds with one stone..here other sample..did these two R/C boats..there ours...won first place at fortwayne hobby show with them..my wife with steve david and kyle perkens..taken at madison IN unlimited hydroplane races..Steve signed our boats..Tiffany heres the other train that james who's own the black 318 sent me to do...body was badly beaten up for the age..as you can see how it turned out...he loves it..I'll email you my address.

Sure wish you were closer to me!!!!! I have a 66, 68 Mustang and a 74 Matador that need paint. The few guys in my area only want insurance work......

Tiffany
auuuggghh. You now have me staring at the Williams 4800 gg1 I just started running this week. I got a display case for Chrismas and now I'm thinking "ooooohhh shinier".
Please post pics before and after!

Hello Marty R........

 

yes that would be good idea to post pictures of before and after. I would like to do that and see how much differences between photos.

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678,2003,200 and Amtrak 8303

Tiffany

Hello joseywales......

 

My goodness !!!!!!!!! another outstanding paint job you did on the Lionel #42.  I had a 1967 dodge Coronet R/T back in 1977 and I paid 400 dollars for the black paint job even back then it wasn't as good but it was okay for what I paid for. I REALLY missed that car !!!  It would be good to post pictures of my GG1 body before and after the clear coat.  I am betting that the clear coat will make Lionel's dull paint job into first class.  Will the gloss clear coat help make the silver bit brighter by making it glossy?

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678,2003,200 and Amtrak 8303

Tiffany

 

well they pay more and can get that work done faster..But I do restos..heres a 70 mustang..charged the guy 3000..he know other guys around here wouldve charged him 7-8 grand..I had it done with in a month.about this time had it done aweek before christmas..no snow around that time..so he could drive it home..Then he sent me his 89 to do too..added ground affects and hood and duel tail pipes..the 70 replace rear quarter pannels door skins,cut hole in hood for shaker setup and twist hood locks..added rear spoiler too..The only thing I was upset with him was those fenders..after Id stripped them down..there where metal patches brazed on them..Warned him dont cry to me if they pop out...I wanted to replace those front fenders..they where 250 each..then that stange wouldve been a clean car..but you do what the customer wants..

The only car I ever sold and really regretted was a 70 Mustang sportsroof. It was my high school car. But so was the 66 2+2 and one had to go....kept the 66. Here is my now wife and I back in the day. 

 

 

 

 

Any way.....back to trains......

I do a lot of train painting.....

 

I painted and made the decals for all the above.....wish I could do the same for my 1/1/ scale cars!!!

joseywales...........

 

WOW, that's a beautiful paint job you did on that Mustang Guys........ let's keep this thread about trains ok otherwise it will be deleted.

 

The woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678,2003,200 and Amtrak 8303

Tiffany

dave you shouldve seen what my S1 looked like before Id repaired and restored it..it was damaged..looked like somebody dropped it during shipping..Id won it at live auctioneers for 470.00..I wanted it badly..and knew I can repair it too..No bondo in it ,all releaded and brass repaired..heres pics of it before I'd repaired it..Im hoping to put in that TAS EOB system in it this winter..been alittle chicken about doing it..

tiffany it wont be deleted..the mod will understand..just showing my work..

I put 3 train pictures for every car photo.....pretty good odds!!!

But we are just showing quality of work....AND trains!! 

 

Josey...love the S1......I have one too....but didn't have to do anything like you did....GREAT save!

 

Hello Joseywales and AMCDave....

 

Is it possible to "powder coat" very bright silver almost like polished finish a Lionel GG1 body then paint the red ends and blue stripes on the sides and lettering ?

 

the woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678,2003,200,Amtrak 8303

All it takes is CASH!!!

If the body is die cast you could get a automotive plater to chrome plate it. Different degrees of shine can be done.

If plastic a vacuum platr can do the same. 

Both surfaces can be painted over.....but real care is a must to keep both plated and painted areas intact!

 

There are some very bright silver paints too......Josey can address that better....

Hello AMCDave.............

 

There's a powder coating place about mile where we live and we can go check out the place to get prices. I don't think they will charge a lot to do a job on the GG1 body since its a small object ?  Just a idea though. I have NO doubt that you and joseywales can do a GOOD job in painting train bodies as I have seen both of your guy's workmanship and I am impressed.  Dave, I like AMC cars such as a 1968 Javlin (spelling) ? with a 390 in it, could use a 401 in it. I love the body style of that car as a 2 seater.

 

The woman who loves the S.F.5011,2678,2003,200,amtrak 8303

Tiffany

 

You will want to ask the powder coaters how thick the coating will be and what temperature it gets heated to. Powder coating tends to be much thicker than most paints, in particular model paints so you will likely lose some detail. Also temps above 450F might warp the zamac. There are model paints that can give a chrome or other metal shiny finish without the risks of powder coating.

 

Pete

Hello Norton...........

 

I didn't know that part and thank you for the warning. I better not take a chance then. I really didn't want a chrome finish but a very brighter silver instead so I thought clear coat spray might do the trick ? Maybe is it better to just leave it alone ?

 

the woman who loves then S.F.5011,2678,2003,200,Amtrak 8303

Josey,

 

The Cruise Commander from Electric Railroad is MUCH easier to install and works great.

If the silver finish that currently exist on that locomotive is more or less matted, you might simply try polishing the whole locomotive with a simple type wax made for plastics. This should facilitate a more shinier surface and make the locomotive appear

more glossy.

 

In reality, most Amtrak locomotives are really not too shiny, unless they are brand spanking new.

Hello guys and gals..........(up-date)

 

I decided to just get the 7 cars set and NOT the GG1 because of I found a slight warp on one side of the body. I have a set of dual motor F-3's and how much work is needed to paint the F-3 shells in Amtrak colors ? The F-3 shells are plastic of course. Can it be chrome plated or very bright silver color ? I am looking for a painter to do the job. Here is what the Lionel Amtrak F-3's looks like http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL...;hash=item43d4956941

 

Tiffany

It would probably be cheaper and easier to find an F3 in original livery (I know Lionel did one in the 70s, but with single motor) and use that shell if you want a chassis with two motors, or to buy an AEM (MTH), HHP (Lionel), or Genesis (Williams, MTH) than to have the shell repainted correctly by a professional. 

 

 

Len  Carparelli nows does custom roads as well as restorations.  He was getting 90.00 per restored shell, custom I am not sure. He has a web site.

Rob