It's that time of year again, when hobbyists everywhere have new RC kits bestowed upon them. Some of you will be getting new car kits, and many of them will come with unpainted Lexan bodies. Without a doubt, some of you are going want to paint that Lexan body by yourself. If you've never painted a Lexan body before, then this month's Custom Works is just for you. We'll cover a few of the basics that will get your new body looking good the first time, even if it's your first time.

PREPARING THE BODY
Preparation can be the most important thing when it comes to painting a body. If it's not done right, the results can be horrible. Lexan bodies need some attention before they receive paint, thanks to the oils used in the molding process. If any oil residue remains on the Lexan, paint may not stick to the surface. Here are a few of the ways you can clean your new body before you paint it.

Method 1 • The easiest (and in my opinion, the best) way to clean a body is to use plain old warm water and some liquid soap. The process is simple: Turn on the faucet and adjust the heat to be about as warm as bath water. With the water running, put a few drops of liquid soap on the inside of the body, and add some water to make the soap bubble up. Using a paper towel, thoroughly scrub the inside of the body and rinse it completely with warm water. Make sure you dry the body completely to prevent any water spots from showing up.

Method 2 • Some people use motor spray to clean their bodies. Personally, I don't recommend this method, since some motor sprays contain chemicals that can leave a residue. Like any unclean surface, this can potentially affect how paint bonds to the Lexan, especially when using water-based paints. But if you're in a pinch or at the track on race day, this is a good way to clean your body.

Method 3 • Spaz Stix makes a spray called Surface Pre-Prep (#90050 for a can, or #90059 for a bottle) that is designed to prepare a Lexan body for painting. This is probably the quickest preparation method, since it doesn't require much work at all. Simply spray the Surface Pre-Prep on the inside of the body, holding the can four to six inches from the surface. You want just enough to get the body little bit wet, and then allow it to dry for five to ten minutes. Still, if you're going to be using anything other than Spaz Stix paints, I would recommend sticking with either of the other methods.

MASKING
Once you've cleaned the body, it's time to mask it off. If this is your first attempt at painting, I would recommend sticking to a single color paint scheme for now. It may not be as fancy, but you'll save yourself some headaches and be much happier with the results. To make your work even easier, most bodies now come with pre-cut vinyl window masks. All you need to do is peel off and apply the masks to the INSIDE of the body in the correct locations.

Step1: Peel off a single window mask, and carefully place one corner of the mask in the corresponding corner of the window, holding it in place with your finger.

Step 2: While holding the corner with one hand, use your other hand to rotate the mask and line it up with the rest of the window. Once it's lined up, slowly move your holding finger along the middle of the mask toward the opposite corner. This will ensure that no air bubbles remain trapped under the masking. As your finger gets closer to the opposite corner, your other hand should be moving the masking closer to the surface.

Step 3: Once the mask is in place, you need to secure it to prevent paint from bleeding under the edges. Using one finger, rub the center of the mask, and work your way to the outer edges. Make sure that no air bubbles remain trapped under the masking.

Step 4: To guarantee a tight seal between the mask and the body, rub the edges of the mask using the back of your fingernail. Always pull your nail across so you don't accidentally tear or peel up the masking.

Making a window mask
If you happen to receive one of the few bodies that doesn't include window masks, or if you lose the ones that it came with, you can still make your own. You'll need to buy some two inch wide (or wider) 3M masking tape, and then follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Tear off strips of tape that are long enough to cover the width of the window, and apply them to the outside of the body. If it takes more than one strip to cover the window, overlap the strips a little bit. Keep in mind you'll be peeling this back off, so keep the edges lightly stuck to make removing the tape easier. Also, if you are doing any side windows, you'll need to cover the window opposite the window needing to be masked. For example, to create a mask for the front passenger window, place tape on the outside of the front driver's side window.

Step 2: Using a ballpoint pen on the masking tape, follow the groove that defines the window.

Step 3: Carefully peel up the masking tape, making sure that any overlapping pieces stay together. Use a pair of scissors to cut along the line you drew, and you'll now have your own custom-made window mask.

In some cases, the left- and right-side windows may be slightly different. In these cases, a little guesswork may be required when drawing the line in order to get the perfect fit.


USING THE RIGHT PAINTS
Using the right kind of paint is very important when painting Lexan bodies, and using the wrong paint can be disastrous! The only paints that you'll ever want to use on Lexan are either lacquer- or water-based, and are made specifically for Lexan (polycarbonate) plastic. Under no circumstances should you ever use urethane or enamel paints. Urethane paints will crack or melt the Lexan, and enamel paints just won't stick properly, flaking off the body if it hits anything. There really shouldn't be any need to use these paints anyway, since there are plenty of color choices available that are made especially for Lexan surfaces. Brands like Pactra, Tamiya, Spaz Stix, Alclad II, Black Gold by House of Kolor, Parma, and Createx all offer a wide variety of regular colors, flakes, metallic colors, pearls and chameleon colors to choose from.

LAYING DOWN THE COLOR
Applying paint is probably the easiest part of painting a body. Just remember that you'll always be spraying on the inside of the body to protect the paint from getting damaged. When applying the paint, be patient above all else. Don't cover an entire body at once, and don't spray so much paint that it drips or pools. The first coat only needs to seal the masking so that paint doesn't bleed through. If you are using lacquer-based paints, this coat should be light enough that it will be dry to the touch within a minute of spraying it. Each subsequent coat can be slightly heavier, until you spray just enough to completely cover the body. Don't overdo it, and if you are using more than one color, make sure to spray the light colors first.

TRIMMING AND MOUNTING
Trimming and mounting a body can be a scary thing for a first-timer. Take your time, and always measure twice and cut once to make sure your body doesn't end up looking like Swiss cheese. To mark your new body, place it over the car and line up the wheel wells. While looking down on it, eyeball the base of the body posts and mark their locations on the outside of the body with a Sharpie pen.

Quick Mounting Tips
• It's easier to trim and mount a body before it's painted. Transparent Lexan is easier to see through than paint!
• Trinity No Brainer body mounting pegs make finding where to place the mounting holes on a clear or painted body very easy.
• Use a Sharpie to mark the positions of the body posts, engine head hole, exhaust outlet and wheel wells (as applicable).
• Get yourself some curved Lexan scissors to help trim Lexan bodies.
• Use a sharp body reamer to make holes for body posts and the antenna.
• Be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors and hobby knives that you'll be using, and even watch out for sharp Lexan edges.

HOW TO SCORE
Another way to trim a body is to score the trim line using a sharp hobby knife (such as a #11X-Acto). Run the blade along the lines that you'd like to cut, taking care not to cut yourself in the process. Scoring a line doesn't require a lot of force; you're not trying to cut through the Lexan, just put a small groove in it. Once you've scored the line, use a pair of scissors to make a small cut along the score line as a starting point. The downside of a wheel well usually works well as a starting point. Now, carefully (and slowly) fold and tear the Lexan along the score line. You'll see the Lexan tear smoothly right along the score line. If it's too hard to tear, you may not have scored the line deep enough, in which case you can just go back over the line with your knife again.

STICKER? I DON'T EVEN KNOW HER!
Once you've finished painting and the body has been trimmed, it's time to sticker it up. Before applying any stickers, make sure that you've removed the protective overspray film. Most bodies come with film these days, and there's nothing worse than applying all the stickers only to find out that you forgot to remove the film beforehand!

Step 1: Applying stickers can be a little tricky, and it is sometimes difficult to get them on straight. First, cut out the stickers that you plan to use with either scissors or a hobby knife. Use whichever tool you are most comfortable with; I prefer to use an X-Acto knife.

Step 2: Take a sticker and peel back about a third of its backing paper, folding the paper against itself.

Step 3: Place the sticker where you want it on the body, but keep the exposed sticky part from contacting the body. Once the sticker is in the right spot and correctly oriented, push down on the exposed end.

Step 4: Remove the remainder of the backing paper by pulling the folded section out with one hand, while pressing the sticker down with the other.

This method works well for smaller stickers such as headlights, grills, and sponsor logos. For larger stickers, the wet method works better, which is exactly as the name implies: wet! Using a spray bottle, spray either soapy water or ammonia-free Windex on to the area that the sticker will be applied. To make this method work, you'll need to spray plenty of liquid. Next, peel the backing paper off of the sticker and set it in place over the liquid. The liquid allows you to slide the sticker into place without it sticking. Once the sticker is in place, use your fingers to press the liquid out from under it, starting from the center and moving outward. If you have an old credit card, school ID, or something similar, use it like a squeegee to squeeze out the liquid.

Final Words
There you have it, a few easy tips that will get you moving in the right direction the very first time. After you've painted a few bodies, you'll figure out what works the best for you, and be on your way to becoming a pro painter in no time. I know that everybody wants to make the perfect piece of art on their first attempt, but in order to do that you really need to master the basics first. The key to creating a really nice paint job is to take your time and keep it simple. Now that you're armed with the proper tools and knowledge, start painting, and send us some photos when you're done. Who knows, you just might make it into the next Racers' Rides.