Decals, lights and finishing touches

The paint is dry and the film is off. The shell is glossy and bare, and the last hour of work is what makes it look like a car: decals, window trim, lights and the hardware that holds it on.

Peel the film, then do nothing for a minute

Take the window masks out from the inside, then peel the protective film from the outside. Any overspray goes with it. Wipe the outside with a soft dry cloth and check it over in good light before any decal goes on.

Applying decals

Decals go on the outside. Small ones can go straight on. Large ones, and anything that has to sit over a curve, are easier wet.

1. Cut each decal out close to its edge

   Use sharp scissors and round the corners slightly. Square corners are the first thing to lift.

2. Plan the layout dry

   Hold each decal in place, or tack them with small bits of masking tape, and look at the shell from both sides and from above. Numbers and sponsor logos should be level with the ground, not with the body line.

3. For large decals, wet the shell

   Mix a drop of washing-up liquid in a cup of water and wipe a little on the area. The decal will slide until you are happy with it.

4. Squeeze the water out

   Work from the centre to the edges with a soft cloth or a finger wrapped in kitchen paper. Leave it an hour to grip.

5. Use warmth on curves

   A hair dryer on low softens the vinyl so it follows compound curves. Warm it, press it down, hold until it cools.

The decal sheet in the bag is a starting point. Decal sheets are sold separately too, including replacement sets for specific models, sponsor sheets and carbon-effect vinyl.

Window trim and panel lines

• Window surrounds. Many decal sheets include black window frames. They hide the edge where window mask met paint and sharpen the whole shell.
• Panel lines. A fine permanent marker run along the moulded door and bonnet lines on the outside adds depth. Wipe any slip straight away with a cloth.
• Tinted windows. Window tint is sprayed inside, in very light coats, after the window masks are removed and before the black backing would have covered them. If you want tint, plan it before you start.
• Matt finish. For scale and military looks, a matt varnish made for polycarbonate goes on the outside as the very last step, after the decals.

Lights

LED light kits turn a painted shell into a scale model, and they make evening running possible.

• Light buckets are small moulded cups that hold an LED behind the headlight or tail light area. Leave the lens areas unpainted, or mask them like windows, so the light shines through.
• Most kits plug into a spare receiver channel or a dedicated control box, and run from the car’s own battery through the receiver.
• Fix the wiring to the shell with tape so it cannot reach the wheels or the gears, and leave enough slack to lift the body off.
• Light bars and roof racks bolt through the shell. Ream the holes before paint if you can.

Mounting

Body clips hold the shell on its posts. A few practical points:

• Put a small washer or a body mount pad under the shell on each post so the paint is not rubbed away around the hole.
• Angled or pull-tab clips are far easier to remove with gloves or cold hands.
• Trim posts that stand well above the shell; long posts catch and bend in a roll.
• Reinforce the inside around each hole with tape before the first run. It is covered in How to cut and trim an RC body shell.

Looking after it

Wash a muddy shell with water and a soft cloth. Avoid solvent cleaners on the inside: some will soften the paint. A cracked shell is not finished either; see Fixing paint mistakes and tired shells.