Krypto The Superdog and Back to the Future!

[Rock Waterman]

(Note: I posted this in the Help Forum, then realized I intended it to be here.)

Hi guys!
It's been 11 years since I last built a model, so long ago that when I came back here to the Clubhouse, my name and password had apparently been purged!

Anyhow, I am now ready to pick up brush and glue once more, and since I was a novice lo those many years ago, I am again in need two pieces of counsel:

1. I'm sending my ten-year-old granddaughter the vinyl model of Krypto, but I see I'm going to have to put the eyes on in advance because this will be her first model. Since I have no confidence in my own ability to paint eyes yet, I bought a sheet of eyeball decals. Yeah, wish me luck. But here's my question:

I know to wash styrene models before I work with them, but do I have to wash vinyl also? If so, the same way? (mild dishwater.) If I'm going to decal some eyeballs onto Krypto before I send him off, I need to know.

Also, Krypto is all white, so there should be no need to paint him. Should Taryn's dad give him a clear spray coat of some kind of sealant anyway? If so, what kind of clear spray do you recommend that he can find at the Auto store?

2. My first project for ME will probably be the Polar Lights Back to the Future Delorean that's been in storage the past decade. I even bought a spray can of Stainless Steel color paint, then noticed that the body of the car is already designed with a brushed steel look. So I'm guessing it would be a mistake to prime and paint that body, because the brushed steel look will probably be lost.

I'm thinking I should still give it some kind of clear coat spray, but what? Gloss? Semi-gloss? Dullcoat? Or what?

Any advice would be most welcome. And by the way, I'm SO glad to be back here among my compatriots!

Rock