Brushing Alclad ®
  Alclad II Chrome Lacquer® appeared a few years ago and represented a major breakthrough for model car builders. Finally there was a way to simulate chrome finishes with a paint product! Click on any of the thumbnail images for a larger photo.  

  The recommended method of applying Alclad is to first lay down a black gloss enamel coat and then apply the Alclad with an airbrush. But sometimes straying from recommended methods produces some great results. (Besides, applying Alclad lacquer over enamel breaks one of the usual painting rules anyway!)  
  I decided to experiment with using a brush to apply Alclad on the seat trim of my '59 Impala convertible. Yes, I could have used foil, but I wanted to try something different. Besides, there are times when using foil is just not practical. Here I've followed the instructions by first laying down a black gloss enamel base coat.  
  Once the enamel was thoroughly dry, I brushed on a first coat of Alclad. It's very thin, so the first coat was only the start.  
  After the second coat things started to look better.  
  I continued to build up the layers of Alclad.  
  With each successive coat, the chrome look got better.  
  Here's the finished product. It's just a matter of adding layers of Alclad until you get the results you want.  
  Here's the trunk of my '58 Impala. I used foil for the "V" emblem, but used Alclad for the script. Here I've applied the black enamel base coat.  
  Once again, the finished product.  
  I also used the technique on the steering wheel and dash of my custom '49 Merc.  

 
Back to the Tips & Tricks Index