I call this a "Triple Test" because, not only did I check out the new Intrepid kit, but I also took the opportunity to dig into that foot-high stack of decals from WetWorks and JWTBM (Just Want To Build a Model) I've accumulated over the past several months, but never got a chance to try. (Playing around with our 3 Amigos decals has been occupying all my modelling time!)
What better chance than this would I get?? I think Ol' Stirlin's great, and his cars are quite striking, and he was the most successful of the Dodge Boys in their first season back on the NASCAR track. Sooo... out came a set of COORS Light from WetWorks, and Target from JWTBM. (Of course, I'd already spent hours drooling over the crisp accurate sheets from both... and all the reports on various sites were glowing... but you like to find these things out fer yerself..)
The body proportions look right on, and the nose has the latest 3 inch "cheat", that NASCAR gave them, built in - I hear retooling this was one of the reasons for the kit's loooong gestation period - and they even cast the template split into the rear spoiler, which looks properly sized, unlike two other recent Revell NASCAR kit issues... The one piece window assembly works well; the only thing I did was file a bit off the rear edges of the side windows, as the fit was real tight, even unpainted. I chipped the paint on the C-pillar the first time I tried to press-fit it in place, so I wanted a bit of play in it.
Won't bore you with all the usual gory details on priming and painting, all that has been documented in my other write-ups. For the regular COORS version (WetWorks), I used VW Mars Red Touch-up aerosol for the Target version, and Datsun Silver touch-up for the COORS Light. Both real simple paint jobs. no masking, no fogging... life is good...
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First one I did was the TARGET version, using the JWTBM decal sheet.
To quote Benny Parsons: "wow...".
They went on perfectly. I was real curious to see how much showthru there might be with the white lettering on the red car, but if there was any, it was impossible to detect. The whites looked white, the yellow numbers held their hue and brightness, and everything snugged down with only minor encouragement from Microsol. All I had to do was slit the roof number to get it to fit around the camera. Quality of these decals was everything I'd read about them. I set it aside, and went on to the COOR Light machine.
This of course was the WetWorks sheet. Once again I need to invoke Benny's comment: "wow..."
The WetWorks sheet also worked beautifully, with no problems. The bright orange numbers held their colour, and everything laid down smoothly, and looked in scale. There did seem to be more of a problem getting the decal to adhere, but that was likely more due to the composition of the metallic basecoat, vs the red basecoat, which likely provides a better surface for the decal to adhere. After all, both are printed by the same manufacturer, Cartograf, and there would be no reason to expect a difference like that that I can imagine. After they had a chance to dry both were smooth and snugged down just the same.
Now I entered into true unknown territory. My habit is to clearcoat my models with TAMIYA TS13 clear, a fairly hot aerosol lacquer that can chew a decal to bits in unsuspecting hands. I have, over the years, developed a technique of dustcoating the first couple coats from a heated can, then applying a couple light to medium coats. This stuff flows out real nice, so even if it looks peely, it usually dries nice and smooth, and only requires a bit of Turtle Wax and elbow grease for a shine sufficiently mirrorlike for a stock car. (I have my own theory as to why one should clearcoat the graphics on a NASCAR model for increased realism, even tho the real ones are not, by the way... just ask me...)
This process works very well, particularly with kit decals and with our own 3 Amigo decals. It requires a very light touch with SLIXX decals, as they seem to quickly soak up the solvent from the clear and blister if you are even slightly too heavy. How would WetWorks/JWTBM react?
Good News. Both sets took two dustcoats and three light/medium coats of TS13, with less than 60 minutes between coats, with no sign of blistering or lifting! And with that level of clear it was simple to bring up a great shine with a bit of buffing!
Pop in the windows, do a bit of detail painting (sideskirts, gas cap...)pop it on the chassis, tighten the screws, and they both looked like they'd driven right out of WINSTON CUP ILLUSTRATED! Fantastic!! (Side note: the posts in the Inrepid kit seem to be proper length; body stance was perfect with no shortening of the posts as I had to do on the Monte and the Poncho Profinish kits)
Conclusions?
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