Every R/C car body I've ever painted has been from rattle cans. Pactra and Tamiya make lexan specific paints sold in small aerosol cans. When applied with light coats, you shouldn't have issues with paint cracking or falling off the body. Lexan specific paint seems to bond to the plastic as opposed just sticking on the surface. However, no paint will survive all types of abuse (such as tires rubbing directly on the inside of the body).

There are various modeling companies that sell lexan specific paint either in rattle cans or small jars for use in airbrush systems. Some are water based, which allows for easy clean up. However, the water based paints react poorly with nitro fuel - and might require a backing coat for protection.

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I have used other lacquer based paints in small aersol cans to paint my r/c car bodies. The 2 brands that I've used most recently are Testors Model Masters lacquer paints and Tamiya TS paints.

Testors Model Masters Lacquer - http://www.testors.com/category/1369..._Lacquer_Paint
While this paint isn't marketed for r/c cars, it usually lasts longer than the bodies I've raced with. There are a number of Model Masters colors that match 60's muscle cars, so they are good choice for USVTA. Here is what has worked for me.


- Scuff up inside of body with green pad (or similiar) to increase surface area for paint (dish sponge with green pad works as good choice for this step and below)
- Clean inside of body with dish soap or clean with rubbing alchohol
- Use light coats, as this paint is not very see-through
- Back with a lexan specific paint for an added layer of protection

Check out my earlier post showing a Model Masters Panther Pink paint scheme after I had raced it for several months (http://www.rctech.net/forum/4671319-post36.html). As you can see in the pictures, the paint held up better than my driving.

One issue that I've ever had with Model Masters paint is that it isn't very scratch resistant even when fully cured. The paint does stick but it just doesn't seem to embed/bond into the lexan. This issue doesn't prevent me from using it though. ALso, make sure to let the paint fully cure before applying shoe-goo or anything adhesive.

Tamiya TS series paint (note: Tamiya PS paint is made for lexan)
I've used TS paints from rattles cans on a few bodies because it happened to come in a color that lexan specific didn't. My results with this paint were not as good as Model Masters. This paint didn't hold up well on a race body. While it didn't flake of during normal racing, it would come off in areas were the body was bent or damaged. In other words, it didn't seem to be as flexible. I would not recommend TS paint for a lexan race body. On the other hand, Tamiya PS paints work very well and spray much better from the rattle can as compared to Pactra.

I have to give a hand to those VTA enthusiasts in Melbourne, Australia. They are taking VTA up another notch.

I agree! nice job on the "cat" mustang...now i dont feel so bad for putting home depot stickers on my 68 camaro.

I know how you feel. I was the only VTA racer in my club to put Sunoco stickers on a 68 Camaro. People thought it was funny to see NASCAR stickers on a VTA car.

My 2nd VTA body...had to get a few pics in road car trim before the race decals get applied and it gets beaten up on the track
Body sitting on an Xray T2 007 LiPo converted chassis, LRP Sphere ESC, Reedy Sonic 21.5 (VTA is Oz is 21.5 not 25.5)

No matter how many times I've seen that Fastback, I still love it. Carroll Shelby may be gone, but car fans are going to admire his work for hundreds of years to come. Your's looks like you painted the stripes which makes it even nicer (if not, that is one helluva decal job). The car looks sweet, but how is your little driver dude going to see out of those blacked out windows?

Thanks, the stripes are painted Tamiya light blue (PS3) and the windows are actually see through with painted Tamiya smoke tint, but in the late afternoon light I took this pic in they look blacked out, in the sun they're actually quite easy to see through, driver dude will be ok Agree with you about Carroll Shelby, I think along with Ferry (Beetle) and Butzi (911) Porsche, their cars will be admired forever

Here is my VTA rig. It is a HPI Pro4 chassis modded for Lipo and running a Tekin R1 ESC and 21.5 motor,Savox 1257TG servo and Spekky Recv. Our rules are a bit laxxed here at our track. A couple pix for your viewing pleasure.

















And a lil scale vid as well.lol

http://s180.photobucket.com/albums/x...t=MOV05581.mp4

Thats a nice looking car i especially like the yellow rims

Actually, Sunoco sponsored Penske Racing for a couple of years. Mark Donahue won the Championship driving the Sunoco sponsored 69 Camaro. So tell your friends:

I very much prefer laquer paint done with my airbrush to anything water based. What I have not had any luck with is any of the laquer sprays paints.

For airbrushing I used pre-thinned paint intended for model cars. The thinner ratio was pretty high so there was quite a bit of solvent, which should help bond the paint into the lexan. I also sprayed at 15-20 psi with multiple thin coats. Other than cleaning and scratching the lexan with a scotch pad that's all I did. The laquer held up better than anything else I have used.

theres also an excellent book called "the unfair advantage" on the donahue/penske years.definite must read

So, after running this Doug Carter Body for a few races I have decided to retire it and put a new J71 together while tying to pay tribute to his design.


Thanks to Evoracer for the body and VTA tire lot!

Here is my new VTA car for this season at our track. All of it is done with paint masks...except the sponsor decals. The mountain dew logos, numbers, and a few of the other logos are all painted.

thats nice...the pin stripe lines(green) are a nice touch...