Jim you thought in the blog photos the ends of the car were a tad shiny . Yes they are due to lighting used to take the photos.
And, you asked, “ have you ever tried using a dry brush technique to add just a touch of color to the details (such as the grabs and ladders) that is a few subtle shades different from the car body color” I have not. I have used Pan Pastels, usually the Payne’s Dark Grey to go over the ladders and grab irons to add a dirty look. I will consider trying your suggestion.
