Help with painting hemi cuda body

[Livewire]

Hi Guys, I am about to paint my first body (1970 Hemi Cuda)!! I need some advice on a few things. Any help would be great.

1, Is it better to trim body before/after painting?

2, I am using a pre made flame mask I bought, when I remove the mask will I have to clean the plastic under the mask again? or can I paint without cleaning?

3, will I need to use a knife/blade to cut round the edges of the mask before pulling the mask off the body after painting?

4, on the hemi cuda body you have to bend the plastic round (once body is trimmed) at the back to complete the trunk, Will I have to do this before painting or after? because I am guessing if I bend the plastic after painting the paint would crack and flake off??

Sorry for all the questions, I dont want to mess the body up...
Thanks in advance for any help provided...I will put some photos up when the body is done....:resp:

[Armageddonmonkey]

Trim your body afterward.... the extra plastic gives you something to hold on to while you are painting.

As long as your mask doesn't have any adhesive on it, you shouldn't have to clean that area once it is removed.... but it wouldn't hurt if you did.

You also shouldn't need to trim around the mask to remove it. Just dont pile up the paint around the edges of the mask, and you should be fine. I did my first body entirely with liquid mask, and never had any problems with removing the mask. Take your time removing it, and if it is stuck to the paint, you can help it along with a sharp blade.

As for the bending, I'm not entirely sure. I would think, if it is painted properly, and sealed well, that you wouldn't have any problems, unless it is a sharp bend. You might find out from someone else that has painted this particular body what they did.

Hope any of this helps ya bud. Good luck with painting your body! Can't wait to see it!

[f1n3sse]

pull your mask off when the paint is wet. if it dries and you try to pull it off theres a good chance youll pull the paint off too.

[Dreadnaught]

im not entirely sure what you are talking about with bending the body. nothing should have to be bent to get it finished.

[Livewire]

im not entirely sure what you are talking about with bending the body. nothing should have to be bent to get it finished.

Yeah to finish the Hemi body you have to use double sided sticky tape (provided by HPI with the body) to finish the shape of the trunk off, It's kinda hard to explain but anyone who has ever painted one of these bodys would know what I am talking about, Thanks all for the help so far...

[DrRob]

I haven't even started painting my first body yet but I've been researching it too. I found the following site really useful. There is great advice on masks. Hope it helps.

http://www.rctech.net/articles/painting_hauntedmyst.shtml

[whipnet]

You'll hear people say paint before trimming or trim first. There was a poll somewhere and most people trim before painting including myself. Doing it that way allows you to clean up your cuts with a dremel and you also won't damage the paint when cutting. I get mine nice and smooth and then paint. (You use less paint too)

As far as it bending, as long as you got paint for polycarbonate it will bend.. That paint is designed to stick to plastic and bend.

You want to make sure everything comes off with your decal and nothing remains.

http://banners.whipnet.net/savage/bh-all.jpg

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[whipnet]

I haven't even started painting my first body yet but I've been researching it too. I found the following site really useful. There is great advice on masks. Hope it helps.

http://www.rctech.net/articles/painting_hauntedmyst.shtml

That's a great article. I've read it before, but I don't think anyone is over 16 years old on that forum and no moderators. I avoid it like a plague.

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[Larsenracing]

1, Is it better to trim body before/after painting?

2, I am using a pre made flame mask I bought, when I remove the mask will I have to clean the plastic under the mask again? or can I paint without cleaning?

3, will I need to use a knife/blade to cut round the edges of the mask before pulling the mask off the body after painting?

4, on the hemi cuda body you have to bend the plastic round (once body is trimmed) at the back to complete the trunk, Will I have to do this before painting or after? because I am guessing if I bend the plastic after painting the paint would crack and flake off??

1. I usually trim the body before I paint. Thus makes it easier to cut it out.

2. You will want to make sure the mask doesn't leave marks on the lid. If it does let completely dry then wipe off.

3. Usually not, if it starts pealing the paint back then yes I recommend cutting.

4. I would think you want to bend it first. The paint should be fairly flexible if the correct paint is used but I would get the body into the correct orientation before painting.

[[hs] darkshine]

http://www.prolineracing.com/t-video.aspx

The painting vids are really informative.