I've received three LIONEL TCA convention cars over the past 3 days that will be used for a couple of paint projects that were purchase on the Bay. Their main virtues are they are smooth-sided, the paint comes off easily (usually), and they are cheap in relative terms.
The three cars were disassembled today. The Full Vista Dome surprised me because it did not have the typical sheet metal screw securing the truck assembly to the frame--so the trucks remained attached to the frame as the frame/truck assembly was removed. I'll need to research this/ask here on the forum if that is the correct way to do the. removal.
The other two cars, a diner and an RPO, were the typical sheet metal screw removed and the truck detaches from the frame that I'm used to seeing.
All three cars received liberal doses of Rustoleum Aircraft Remover and the paint removal process is well underway. The full dome responded best with virtually all paint removed. The diner was very good with a modest amount of paint remaining.
The RPO is a mystery since a lot of paint came off, sort of like a first coat, but a lot of paint remains, especially on the roof. Those have been set aside to dry and then I'll hit them with another dose of the paint remover.
On another project, I masked a PW Lionel aluminum car with a vestibule that I'd shot with Molotow liquid chrome attached in preparation for shooting the Tru-Color Chinese Red paint per the Texas Special. I've never used this paint before so this is in the nature of a test application. Also, I'm interested in how the paint reacts to the Molotow and the latter reacts to being masked.
Two little things: ordered RPO mail hooks for the Lionel RPO mentioned above; and, bought a K-Line 15" aluminum RPO decorated as an SP Golden State car which will be used for yet another paint project.
Pictures of in process steps will be posted later.
THANK YOU, NICK, FOR THE STEPS IN MAKING AND APPLYING CUSTOM MADE DECALS. There are a number of uses for that particular skill in my passenger car projects.
