I want to decorate it for SOU, have bought the correct decal set, and have 6 color prototype photographs. My question is this: Is it necessary to clear coat this car before applying decals or is the factory finish smooth enough to accept decals as is? I have built and painted several cars and know the importance of a clear coat on raw paint.
I believe the factory paint should work fine. I am doing a hopper with paint peeling marks on it. So… I had to redecal the whole thing and I just used the new paint I sprayed on it. The decals worked real good. I know you have to a smooth, clean, shiny surface, but I think the factory paint should be fine, but then you can be on the safe side and spray it with the clear.
I decalled a Walthers heavyweight diner that was painted/unlettered. The paint was fine and I decalled right on it. I used Solvaset to set the decals. After masking the windows a finish of 50-50 Testors Dull/Glosscote was thinned 50% with Scalecoat2 thinner and airbrushed on the car. This worked to hide and seal the decals.
The Walther’s paint may be fine in any of the lighter colors, but I have had trouble with a hint of silvering on my B&O heavyweights and some Chessie coil cars (dark blue). Instead of gloss coating the entire car, I found it easier to brush on Future floor finish where the decal goes.
Of coarse the finished car then gets clear coated with either dull finish or on passenger a mix of gloss and dull to get a slight semi-gloss look.
Even if you think your paint may be OK, the Future is a bit of insurance for a good decaling job.