Any tips to simulate a vehicle vinyl roof covering?

[Stefee]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any tips or experience in air brushing a vinyl roof covering as was popular in the 1980s?

I am replicating an early Range Rover 3 door in 1/24 (Italeri kit) which one of my customers had to which we fitted a vinyl top after a very heavy hailstorm gave it an appearance akin to a golf ball. A strip of 1mm masking tape should represent the the stiched join lines well but to get a textured look is proving vexing, perhaps thicker paint at higher pressure?

I use Tamiya acrylics and a Bartsharp AB with 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 needle/cap kits. Any ideas gratefully received.

Stefan

[Jim R]

The only thing I can think of is to use Mr Surfacer 500 to create the texture. Stipple it on. When dry gently sand back to a finish you're happy with. Then paint as usual.
It's only a suggestion so would need a bit of practice to see if it would work. Others may have better ideas.

[Stefee]

Thanks Jim, looks like experimenting is the order of the day.

[Andy T]

I'd definitely have a go at Jim's method, or maybe try quite a thick primer airbrushed on at low pressure to give a heavy orange peel. Once the tops are sanded off that it should be close.

I've done very similar on full sized vehicles to represent interior vinyl textures so don't see why it shouldn't work scaled down.

[Stefee]

Nice one Andy, things have obviously moved on in the trade since my day because we would just replace damaged interior trim.

[Mini Me]

A variation on Jim's theme is to use liquid cement brushed on then stippled with a short densely bristled brush. I use an acid brush that I trimmed the bristles down to about .250 roughly 6mm. It produced a very nice canvas top for one of my trucks.

[Stefee]

Thanks Rick, I have a lot of different techniques to try now. This is why this forum is so great.

[Guest]

I got a few old issues of FineScale Modeller last week, and in one of them is an article about an American car kit conversion that includes a vinyl roof. I just got that issue out, and what it says about the roof is:—

Once the body [paint] had fully cured, I had a painted body with a primered roof. Simulating the vinyl top still posed a problem, but after experimenting I decided to use Plasti-Kote black wrinkle paint (No. 217) to simulate the vinyl roof. I masked the body and applied the paint from an aerosol can.

That’s it, nothing more. In the photos with the article you can clearly see a dimpled/rough-looking finish to the roof, as it catches the light.

[spanner570]

Probably too late now, but when I was building my narrowboat, I needed none slip areas on the metal deck..

I neatly painted the area to be treated and when the paint was tacky, I sprinkled very fine silver sand through a sieve onto the paint. Worked a treat and set like concrete.

Perhaps a similar scale method would work here?

Ron

[Mark1]

Loads of utube videoshttps://youtu.be/b3AhIWmHdck

[Stefee]

Thanks everybody for your help and tips, have to try them out and will report back when completed.