Painting Lexan Slot Car Bodies

Materials

To paint a Lexan slot car body, you will need the following materials:

• Lexan slot car body
• Primer
• Paint
• Clear coat
• Masking tape
• Sandpaper
• Rubbing compound
• Polishing compound
• Buffer

Preparation

Before you begin painting, you need to prepare the Lexan body. This involves cleaning the body with soap and water and sanding the surface to smooth it out. You can use a fine-grit sandpaper, such as 400-grit or 600-grit.

Once the body is sanded, you need to apply a primer. Primer helps the paint to adhere to the Lexan body and provides a smooth surface for painting. You can use a spray-on primer or a brush-on primer.

Painting

Once the primer is dry, you can begin painting the body. You can use any type of paint, but acrylic paint is the most commonly used type of paint for Lexan bodies. Acrylic paint is durable and easy to apply.

When painting the body, you should use thin coats of paint. Apply the paint in even strokes and allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat. You may need to apply several coats of paint to achieve the desired opacity.

Masking

If you want to create a multi-colored paint scheme, you will need to use masking tape to protect the areas of the body that you do not want to paint. Masking tape is a thin, flexible tape that can be easily removed after painting.

To apply masking tape, tear off a piece of tape and press it onto the body. Smooth the tape down with your fingers to ensure that it is securely attached. Repeat this process until all of the areas that you do not want to paint are covered with masking tape.

Clear Coating

Once the paint is dry, you need to apply a clear coat to protect the paint from scratches and fading. Clear coat is a transparent finish that is applied over the paint. You can use a spray-on clear coat or a brush-on clear coat.

When applying clear coat, you should use thin coats of clear coat. Apply the clear coat in even strokes and allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat. You may need to apply several coats of clear coat to achieve the desired level of protection.

Finishing

Once the clear coat is dry, you can finish the body by sanding and polishing it. Sanding removes any imperfections in the clear coat and polishing brings out the shine.

To sand the body, use a fine-grit sandpaper, such as 1000-grit or 1200-grit. Sand the body in a circular motion and be careful not to sand through the clear coat.

To polish the body, use a rubbing compound and a polishing compound. Apply the rubbing compound to a buffer pad and buff the body in a circular motion. Once the body is buffed, apply the polishing compound to a buffer pad and buff the body in a circular motion. Continue buffing until the body is shiny.

Tips

Here are a few tips for painting Lexan slot car bodies:

• Use thin coats of paint and allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.
• Use masking tape to protect the areas of the body that you do not want to paint.
• Apply several coats of clear coat to protect the paint from scratches and fading.
• Sand and polish the body to remove any imperfections and bring out the shine.