Hello all, I',m looking for info on how to bring out the detail on engine radiators. I like to leave exposed engines in kits when they are there, why button it up and hide it right ? I've primed, sprayed semi gloss black, but would a wash or drybrush bring out the fin detail of the rad ? And what colour ?
Thanks
Cheers

Hightower,
I give a bit of thought to engine bay colours if I'm modelling the insides.
Look at the rad in an older car (one thats done a 50 odd thousand miles say). Is it semi-gloss black or a very dark grey?
I tend to use a very dark matt colour first and then build it up from there. Rubbing the edges lightly with a finger gives it a little 'automotive sheen'
Tom

Hi Sterling
Older rads were made of brass and or copper,whereas more modern one are made of aluminium.
HTH
Andy

It depends on the color of the full scale radiator. They were usually painted black even if it was brass or copper, which you can very lightly drybrush with steel or any dark metallic grey thats lighter then the black. You can also use MM gunmetal metalizer and when you 'pollish' it the recesses stay darker and matte finish for a very subtle texture. If its fins are raw copper colored(not likely) you would just do a traditional wash with paynes grey or black to highlight the low spots. Basically if its dark colored, highlight the high spots, if its light colored, wash the low spots. It could also have unpainted brass/copper end tanks and the fins can still be black, or been completely oversprayed with the base camo color, so check your refferences. Newer aluminum radiators are sometimes unpainted, but not always....though most of the time an oil or trans cooler is typically left in bare aluminum.