Need help, advice, opinions//Clear Bodies, again !

[6666hotrod]

I am going to try to upload three photos, to help describe what I'm talking about : I'm having real difficulty in trying to paint clear PVC Boss Bodies ! I do like that you can paint them from the inside OR outside. But I've decided to paint from the inside. Know that I'm VERY happy with my scratch build paint jobs, on my Hardbody cars, even the one I brush painted. Quite proud of 'em ! But with the clear bodies, you can't remove the windows and stuff. I ran across a forum, and this Australian hobbyist showed a car, that could be The Answer, to my problem. Since my Clear Body cars won't be displayed, with my Regular Slot Car Collection, I may be able to accept what I might do. The car he showed, Had The Window Lines and Door Lines, DRAWN on, from the outside, it looks like !! Like with a fine point SHARPIE. If I can bring myself to accept that, I can paint the car, because now I would Have A Guide. I'm certain I can do a better job of drawing the lines than on his car. Do ya'll know of any hobbyist's that paint this way ?? Is it acceptable (of course, ultimately, that's up to me, though) ? I will try to show the three photos.

[chrisguyw]

Using a fine tipped permanent Sharpie to accent panel lines/window frames on clear bodies has been fairly standard procedure for decades,.....usually done on the outside, after the body has been painted on the inside. If you make a mistake, the sharpie lines can be cleaned with some isopropyl and a Q tip.......this completely remove the line, and, will not damage the Lexan/PETG at all.

Hopefully you will do a better job than the car in the photo

Cheers
Chris Walker

[6666hotrod]

Thanks, Chris !

[Pappy]

A lot of clear bodies come with window mask that you peel and stick to the inside of the window if you want to paint the body from the inside. Parma used to make a liquid window mask that you brushed on then you could trim with an Xacto knife when dry and peel off when finished. There are other liquid masks available on the internet. There is a third option that I'm trying to remember the name of the product where you cut off piece of this tape, then stretch to about four times it's length, let it shrink back for about a minute then lay over the area you want to protect. You keep adding pieces until the whole area is covered and then trim it with an Xacto knife and peel off the waste. I'll try to find the name of the product and post it.

I've detailed bodies with a Sharpie but you need the Extra Fine point.

[6666hotrod]

Yes, please let me know. I have a fine pointed Sharpie around here, somewhere. All my other stuff is organized and exactly in their places, but wouldn't you know just that particular Sharpie is not where it's supposed to be ? I'll find it, though.

[Bill from NH]

I outline just the windows on the outside of the body. Then I mask window areas with the tan paper masking tape on the inside of the body. Next, I hold the body up to light & use a new hobby knife blade to cut the masking tape using the lines you drew on the body's outside. Remove the cut tape scraps & you're also left with a near perfect window mask on the inside. You could also substitute several coats of liquid masking for the tan masking tape. I think the stretchy tape that Pappy mentioned is Paraseal. I bought a roll from Micro Mark in the past but didn't like it for slot car use. Lighter fluid also will remove Sharpies without damaging bodies, but it does not work on all brands of permanent markers.

[Bal r 14]

Back in the 60s, I painted clear bodies from the inside. I taped the window areas and used a fine, pointed Exacto knife blade in the body lines. They were not very distinct and were much too wide. The Exacto knife made them deeper and narrower. Painting from the inside leaves the outside much to glossy, so I would polish the outside with toothpaste or fine rubbing compound. It makes the finish look more real.

[RichD]

I have never heard of anyone making clear slot car bodies out of PVC. Bodies from the '60's were usually butyrate that got brittle and turned yellow with age, more modern bodies are usually Lexan which is stronger and more stable. Soft grades of PVC have a plasticizer added, which eventually leaches out and that causes the plastic to get stiffer. In any case I have never painted PVC and I don't know how well the paint will stick. If you have some spare material you may want to do a few test shots to avoid using paint that might tend to peel off later on.
Here is an article on how I do Lexan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rSU...ew?usp=sharing

[6666hotrod]

Boss Bodies are made of PVC : for a clear body, they are pretty thick and tough. They specify that you Not use paint that is used on Lexan bodies. They specify you use acrylic, or enamel. Also, they let you know, they can be painted on the inside, or the outside. I have five of them.

[Pappy]

6666hotrod,

The masking tape that I was referring to that you stretch and let shrink back is called Parafilm.

[6666hotrod]

Thank you !

[Bill from NH]

I got the name partially right. <LOL>

[Pappy]

It was because you got it partially right that I was able to remember the name. LOL

[Courtney s]

Look here Noose is an artist he paints the majority of the car on the inside then will customize it with a brush on the outside.
Noose paints again... after ? years - The Body Shop & Paint Booth - Slotblog

This guy is also an artist
Jairus' Toys in the Attic - Slotblog

I hope these links are ok

[6666hotrod]

Thank you !!

[Bill from NH]

Jairus is a professional artist. Noose is recently retired from a full-time job. He's a slotracer with more than his fair share of artistic talent. He's painted slot car bodies for years. Both of these men do great work! One in NJ, the other in OR.

[Rastas]

Easy way to make a window masks tape over the window on the outside with a masking tape trace the widow with a pencil, peel off , stick to oven paper, baking paper.cut out , when happy it is covering the glass peel off paper and stick to the inside of the body . Get some clear polycarbonate paint , spray tape edges to Seal and stop bleeding under mask!
Cheers,
John.

[Bill from NH]

If you burnish the edges carefully, you'll never get bleeding. Some tapes are better than others. If I have to cut tape, not on a body, I cut it on a pane of glass

[mattb]

Tamiya masking tape is one of the best. You can tape the outside of the body and draw your cut lines or even cut carefully with a new blade in your knife. Tape tends to lift after paint dries (for me) at least). Self stick vinyl is a little better choice and maybe doesn't lift as easy. There are several paint on masking paints available. I think Tamiya makes one. You better have good skills and a hand that doesn't shake if you want to use a sharpie to make accurate lines on the outside. My skill level is not that high. I can mask the inside and after painting use a Sharpie or Molotow chrome on the inside to create a trim around window openings. Even that is subject to variation at my skill level.

I read many posts about using spray can lacquer and how it damages or ruins clear bodies. I have used only lacquer for 20 years or so and never had a problem with any body. I've probably painted over 100 vac formed.