tips and tricks to mounting a tc body
 

I used to race touring car many years ago and I'm going to get back into it this summer with a tc6, but from what I remember mounting the body was always a difficult task to get it perfect what are some tricks you guys use to mount and line up the body's and to cut perfect cicrles for the wheels?

Thanks in advanced, Ryan

i usually set the car up then mount the body before painting it... align the wheels on the wheel wells and mark the posts with a sharpee.

I am no pro but i just did a body and had a buddy paint it, tho i did not cut the body post holes and did make them!! Should have cut the holes first!!

this is the procedure that i am going to use next time

cut holes for body post
trim excess lexan minus wheel wells
place body on car and mark out wheel wells with sharpie
paint
take off protective coating
cut out wheels and dremmel as necessary!!!

Get yourself a compass cutter. Very cheap as long as your don't buy it from an r/c related shop!

Yep, compass cutter is the go. Olfa make one you can pick up from art and craft stores or internet and it is a professional tool. Not expensive at all.

Lining up the bodypost holes is very tricky. I still haven't figured out a bulletproof way of doing it, although I am considering buying some perspex and making a box that will fit above the bodyshell and bolt on the wheelaxles. It will need to be adjustable though. That will be used to line up the bodypost holes with the wheel centers first on the chassis, then put it over the bodyshell and drill at the marks. It is very involved though, but for me it would work as I do a few shells every year.

For the time being, I cut the wheelarches first (undercut) then I try to measure everything up, checking a few times, then push the body against a flat surface and find the right position for the holes with a square edge, make sure the body will be centered correctly, then drill rear holes first and front last. I don't cut the bodypsots as I use a variety of bodies on the same chassis. Last thing, I adjust the wheelarches to size with a sanding drum in a hand drill. Finish with an entire sheet of fine sandpaper rolled up in hand and softly seesawed across the wheelarch cut.They come out a treat, smooth and perfectly round.

I use another set of bodyposts that are cut down to the actual mounting holes. So when I place the unpainted body on these it sits as it would when mounted. Works like a charm.

Pretty much the same procedure as above replies, but I add spacers in the wheel hex to make it a snug/just fit when the body is over the car. Use that to get the body centered, move it forward/back for the wheel wells and mark the holes for post and axles.

I do it this way, plus I make sure the whole body is cut out.

Thats a darned good idea. Using the tires to "grip" against the uncut wheel opening would be a great guide. I suppose it might be useful though to have some wheels with offset rather than rely solely on spacers. Some chassis may not have spacers available for them or may not have enough axle length to use spacer washers AND mount the wheel to acheive the right width.
I've also found that using mounts with close to the right height REALLY help. To often if they're to high in back and shorter in front (typical) then you make holes only to find out when the body is sitting at the correct rake or is level, the holes aren't right.

I use lexan scissors to get as close as I can to the fender line, then trim down the rest with a Dremel and a sanding drum. After the major trimming, I follow it up with 300/400 grit sandpaper.

This is what I do to save alot of time. I only run a Mazda speed 6 or an LTC. So after I have one of each that has been mounted perfectly, I will take it and cut off all the sides, rear and front of the body leaving only the hood, roof and trunk. It is basically a thin cap that I can lay down on top of the new body. The only reason you can't just slip an old body over a new on is because it will not fit flush on top of the new. By removing the sides, front bumper and rear bumper, you eliminate all the body lines that keep it from fitting flush. Therefore leaving you with a thin cap that lays down flat on to the new body with body post holes right where you want them. Save your templates and you can mount up a body in just a few minutes. I saw Paul Limeux with these at Snowbirds 2 years ago and I have been using his idea since.

+1

These are also pretty helpful I'd your body is already painted http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p...219&p_catid=44

+2. Thats a darned good idea. Never thought of that one but I'll try it after my VTA body gets a bit trashed.

i mainly run mazdapseed6's or LTCR's so i have my body posts cut fairly short. And what i do is roughly trim the body to height then lay the body on top of the mounts then line up where you will want your wheel wells to be, then from underneath use a flashlight to create a shadow of the body post's on the body and mark them on the top side with a marker. Once you have reemed the post holes Then i mark the center's of the wheels and use a circle cutter for the wheel wells.

A good trick to get the proper height of the bottom edge of your body is to run a standard sharpee on it's side along your setup board marking the side of the body while it's on the car. Doing this will give you i think roughly 5-6mm clearance.

It's quick and easy

these are some really good ideas.. this is my first TC.. and i have a quick easy question about the bottom line of the car.. i like the sharpie idea..

is there a close.. or ballpark number.. like.. 5mm clearance you need.. when the car has the body trimmed.. mounted.. to make it so it doesnt scrape. or.. just barely scrapes when at speed?

so. when car is sitting.. the clearance of the body from the ground.. to cover downforce?