HPISF Review: HPI’s 2002 Dodge Ram Body Part #7178

[ShiftPoint]

Review: HPI’s 2002 Dodge Ram Body Part #7178


I have to post this in a couple post's, it is too long for one post.

Reviewing a body, first thing I thought when I was given this opportunity was “How to review a body?” Not too much to review except the quality, appearance, durability, cost and contents.

I can however show how easy and enjoyable it can be to paint these, I decided I will do a step by step of how I do a body, the tools I use and the steps I take from start to finish, I hope this will help others, especially those who haven’t painted one before. First I want to hit the items I mentioned above.

Quality: The quality of this body (actually most of this applies to every HPI Savage body I have ever had) is good for the price we pay, they are well made for the job they do, I am not sure they could be made much better. They will help keep the dirt out, offer some protection, and they can be painted to make our Savage’s look awesome. Something I like about HPI’s body’s is that they have indentations where the holes need to go, and the areas that need to be cut out are clearly marked, this makes it easy to trim and drill the holes, you wont have to mark the places yourself unless you want. One last thing I love about these bodies is there is a protective film that covers the outside of the body, it helps protect the outside of the body while your working on it, also allows you to draw designs on the outside to help getting the look you want.

Things that would improve the quality of this body (and other HPI bodies I have painted) I would like to have the masking and decals precut through the backing of the material. (you will see why later in the review) I have also noticed on this (and other HPI bodies) is the window masks do not seem to fit exactly, this could be better.

Appearance: Mush of the appearance is opinion, if you like the Dodge Ram, you will like this body. In my opinion this body is as nice as any of the other bodies I have had, HPI does a very good job with the detail, it does look like a Dodge Ram, The decals are also very detailed and the instructions show exactly where they should go.


Durability: This is something that only time and use holds the answer. Something I noticed about this body is the bed of the truck it is particularly strong as it has many ridges which should add quite a bit of strength. Most of HPI’s body’s have these ridged areas incorporated into the design which makes for good reinforcement, however this truck has more than others I have seen, it also adds to the overall look of this body. This should also provide good protection to the engine too.


What’s included?

Here are some pictures of what you will find inside the package. An instruction sheet, pre-cut mask’s for the windows, stickers for the outside of the body, the body itself, and a HPI catalog that unfolds into a poster of an action shot of HPI’s Baja.

Instruction sheet, window mask’s and Decal’s

All of HPI’s body’s include a catalog, when unfolded the back is a large poster of the HPI Baja 5b. Here’s a shot of the Poster.

Finally the Dodge Ram Body, ready to be painted, almost…

How I paint these bodies.

First I want to say, I am now where near a pro at doing these. This is only the 4th body I have ever done. I have no idea how this will turn out. If you want a perfect paint job on your body you can spend as much time preparing the masks as you like. If you do want as near perfect as you can, I suggest during the preparation part do it over as many times as it takes because, well I know no way of fixing it once you put paint down. I guess you could wait till the paint drys and sand it off. As for myself I am still learning, I do it once and if I mess up on the masking or something I just keep going. They usually look ok when finished anyway. Also remember most of us will just destroy these body’s soon after finishing so I suggest just enjoy what your doing and try harder on the next one. Usually you will be happy with it anyway.

Note: I just finished, I wanted to add this to the beginning, there are plenty of mistakes. Mostly from my lack of experience and my inexpensive airbrush.



TOOLS:

Safety equipment:.

Air filtration mask. (Breathing Mask) -- I don’t have one of these so I only spray in a well ventilated area with a fan blowing fresh air my way

Safety glasses – I do have these and use them when using the dreml tool, should also be used while using a compressor.


Tools I use for prepping the body:

These are the tools I use for preparing the body : a dremel with cutting disk’s and a sanding wheel, Body scissors made for cutting lexan body’s (the blue handled associates seem to work slightly better for me), a reamer for reaming the holes foor the body post’s and antenna, and Scotchbrite pads (numbers #07447 gray and #07448 red) used for roughing up the inside of the body, this will help keep the paint from chipping. (I will also be using some dish soap)

Here are some pic’s of the tools I use.


Scotchbrite pads, reaming tool, trimming and regular scissors, and a sharpie marker.

Dremel and bits used

The tools I use for painting

Airbrush, I don’t recommend this model, but it is inexpensive. I tends to spray blotches of paint which messed up this body in a couple of spots. It may just be because I am using it wrong, have the air pressure set too high or too low. I have tried to stop it from happening. I suspect it is just the quality of the brush I have, around $60 for the kit.

You will also need an air compressor with regulator and water separator or caned compressed air. The canned air is much more expensive over time.

For the paint I am going to be using Spaz Stix Paints I have some on hand and like the way they look.. Spaz Stix paint is a Lacquer paint. You could also use acrylics which are water based. For this project I am going to use the Spaz Stix paint because I love the look it gives, also because this being only my 4th paint job I have only used their paint so far. I do have some acrylic paint I am wanting to try. I also use thinner for clean up.

Misc items, scissors, liquid masking, thinner for lacquer paints (For acrylics water can be used for thinning the paint and clean up), alcohol, paint brushes, Sharpe marker, and Paper towels.


You’ve already choosen the HPI Dodge Ram body, now its time to decide masking, color(s), design and over all look you want your HPI Dodge Ram to look when finished. This is something I do from the time I pick out a body till near the end of painting. To dream up a design, this is for me by far the hardest part of painting these body’s. First I study the body and pre-cut mask if using one. Try to see what you can come up with in your head. Usually I end up starting one idea then go from there. Sometime I start by drawing a design on the outside of the body, which is covered by a clear film, using a sharpie marker. If you don’t like what you come up with the sharpie will clean off using alcohol.. Some times I end up using some of each of these techniques.

To help me choose colors. I use any clear plastic, for example one of these is a shell that a roll of tape came in, another is a piece I trimmed lexan from another body, or a empied 2 liter coke bottle cut in half., spray and back the different colors of paint you have on them. This gives me an idea of what the paint will look like on the body.

For this body you guys at HPISF choose a pre-cut mask by Parma in a poll, thanks guys! Pictures of the mask can be found here in the thread containing the poll.

https://www.hpisavageforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4646


Preparing the body:

While I am thinking about a design, colors, etc… I am going to trim the body. Some people trim the body last, I like to get it out of the way. Also if I mess up and hit the body I wont remove any paint, and can cover any marks that may be made during trimming. I do however drill the holes after painting.

Trimming:

All you have to do is remove all the plastic you don’t want on the finished product. First I will Dremel with a cutting disk to cut off the large areas of the material getting as close to the line as I can without chancing a mistake.

First I remove as much of the extra lexan as I can with the Dremel tool and a cutting disk. Don’t forget the hole for the engine and gas cap.

I use the body scissors to cut out the areas I couldn’t get to with the cutting disk if needed, I didn’t have to do this with this body..

Finally I will use e Dremel with the sanding cylinder to remove the rest of the unwanted material us to the line and to smooth out any sharp edges. The better job you do with the cutting disk and scissors, the less work you will have here.


Finished trimming.

 

[ShiftPoint]

PREPARING THE SURFACE FOR PAINT (roughing up the surface with Scotchbrite)

Before you start on this step yo must decide whether you want clear windows or not. Also if you want to paint any areas with Spaz Stix Chrome paint you will need to leave these areas un roughed, you may mask them if you like or just be very careful not to scratch them. The chrome only comes out looking like chrome on a un roughed up surface..

Unless you know for sure your going to paint the windows a solid color like black, you will need to mask them using the included window mask’s. I am going to leave the windows clear on this body. Here’s how I apply the window mask’s.

Here is a little trick I use for applying masks like this, and stickers.

These masks are precut, however the protective backing is not, Use a sharp Exacto blade or scissors and cut through the backing around each mask to the exact same size as the mask. (as shown in the picture) Next take one of the masks and peel and fold a small part of the backing exposing some of the adhesive. Carefully place the mask in place using the side with the backing still in place and line it up where you want it. When you have it in place hold it firmly in place and stick the exposed adhesive side down then slowly unpeel the backing while sticking the mask in place. This way is much easier than if you try to unpeel the entire mask and lay it in place. (pictured below)

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Heres a shot of the body trimmed and with the windows masked.

Once all the window mask’s (or areas to be chromed) are in place its time to rough up the inside, yes the inside of the body, I thought this was crazy when I first heard it seems like it would show through but it doesn’t. It does however keep the paint from chipping or peeling off after your finished and more importantly insures a good even coat of paint. I have noticed on one I tried without roughing it up the inside and I had spots that were thinner than others.

Tools needed:

Scotchbrite #07447 Maroon and #07448 gray (really you only need one or the other but you will do a nicer job if you have both. You will also need dish soap and water. I do not recommend using sandpaper for this, it makes a easy job very hard.(it is hard to get into the corners with the sandpaper and just not as even looking) However if you do I would suggest 720 grit or finer.

For this Just put a little water with a drop of dish soap in the body and stare sanding with the heaver #07447 Maroon Scotchbrite then when ready move to the finer Scotchbrite #07447 Gray and finish up. I have been told not to make circles so I haven’t, but I am not sure it matters on these body’s.

When you get it where you like it simply rinse with water and dry the inside so you don’t leave any water spots, they will show through.

The inside surface should appear foggy as pictured from the outside of the body.

Applying pre-cut design Mask’s

The members at HPISF have chosen the mask I am using on this body out of 3 of them I had here. This is a pretty tough mask to lay down a it is very detailed, especially for this body. There are lots of lines or ridges in this body and not a lot of room on the side. Because of the lack of room the mask for the side’s of the truck will not fit, there too long. To remedy this I will cut the ends off and apply them behind the rear wheel wells. I think this will work out pretty well in this case, it is however important to choose the right masking for the body you choose. Of course you can always improvise as I have in this case.

First thing you need to do is to cut around each mask part and “weed” it as shown in the picture below.

These mask’s come with a clear piece of adhesive backed film that allows you to remove the mask from its backing and apply it in the inside of the body where you want it.

Once you have the film placed on the mask your doing use your fingernail and rub over the whole thing so the mask sticks to the adhesive side of the film, when ready pull carefully and slowly on the film separating the mask from its backing. Watch closely as you peel the backing away, if part of the mask stays stuck to the backing lay the film back in place and rub over that part with your finger nail again and try again do this until you get the mask off its backing.

Once you get the mask off of its backing you can place it in the body where you want it and press firmly starting on one end of the mask and film working to the other side. When it is down both film and mask will be stuck to the body, now you will peel the film away leaving the mask in place on the body. Again take your time and watch what your doing if part of the mask comes up with the film, lay it back down and rub with your fingernail again and try again.. the adhesive on the film is not as strong as the adhesive on the mask, it is easier than it sounds.

NOTE: if you mess up and place the mask crooked or in the wrong place, well I don’t know of a way to fix it, so make sure you have it where you want it before sticking it down.

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On this truck I decided to make it more than one color, What I do is use a sharpie and draw some designs on the body, the sharpie will wipe off with a paper towel and a little alcohol.

For this design I am going to use some black paint around the masks I have already placed, so I am going to spray some borders around the masks now, then go back and draw the rest with sharpie. I am using Spaz sitx black. Pictured below.

Note if you wanted shadow effects, you would do just one side of the mask.

Now that I have the paint down I have drawn the rest of the design using the sharpie again, this is what I have come up with. Now I will have to use liquid mask around everything except where I have already painted, the masks that are already down, and the first color I will spray.

After applying several thin layers of the liquid mask and it dry’s I go around the sharpie marks on the inside of the body and clean any excess liquid masking from outside the lines. It is very hard to “paint the liquid mask on without going out side the lines in small areas. If you do don’t try to wipe it off while it is wet it may mess you up later when painting. Its better to leave it and trim it with the Exacto blade. (Use a new blade or you will have problems going through the masking. I had problems with it but am getting better. I just try the best I can.

Applying the liquid mask

cleaning up the dried liquid mask with an exacto kinfe

 

[ShiftPoint]

Finally its time to start spraying some paint.

I still at this point am not exactly sure which colors I am going to use but do have some idea. (I have changes my mind 3 or 4 times since starting this project) What I do to test colors and combinations of colors and Just practice airbrushing paint is use the same method I mentioned above with the coke bottles etc...

, Now that I know what colors I am going to use its time to start. The first colors I am going to spray on the unmasked areas is Deep Red by Spaz Stix. Because most of these paints are transparent you will have to spray the backing color down before going on to the next color unless you want a color to overlap the color you just sprayed to make a new color.

Backing Paint

You can use a solid color to back your transparent paint. The choice in color is important because it will effect the look of your paint job. Black will darken up the paint white will brighten it up. I am going to use chrome with this paint. Actually these are called Spaz stix anodized paints and get the anodized look because of the mirror chrome backing shows through the transparent colors you have already sprayed down.. I really like this look. Backing is only sprayed down on paint that has already been allowed to dry thoroughly.

Chrome backing over the Deep Red.

Pics backed with chrome…

From here you peel the masking away from the next area (color) you want to do, it is best to do the largest areas first to the smallest areas in order. After each color is sprayed make sure to spray the backing color down before unmasking the next area.

Here is a picture of the border removed from the Parma mask.

The colors I ended up using are, Deep Red, Purple, Blue, Dynamite Purple, Vino Red, Black, and Mirror chrome.

Finally I am going to spray a coat of black over the whole area, some people do this when ever they spray chrome down, this is the first time I have done it, I don’t see a need for it but it will offer a bit more protection.


After all the paint dries well, you will want to add a layer of Sealer, it is a protective coating, make sure you choose the correct type for the type of paint you use (I am not sure if is necessary to use the same type of sealer for the type of paint you use but I do to be on the safe side. Just make sure it is Nitro fuel proof, this way the nitro fuel won’t remove the paint from the body. I usually just brush this on pretty heavy.


At last, this is my favorite step, peeling the protective film from the outside of the body. This is the first time you will really get to see what your work looks like. It will never look as good as it does at this moment.

Starting to remove film

Film removed, first look at body, mistakes and all…

Applying decals

Same as applying the window mask’s I like to cut all the way around the backing and use the same technique to apply these, I find it easier to use scissors to do this, get as close to the actual printing on the decal as possible. The as with the window masking, peel back a small area of the backing and fold it against the back of the sticker. Lay the sticker in place and press the uncovered adhesive to the body, then slowly unpeel the backing while pressing the sticker in place. Something I love about HPI's products is the extra materials, tools, etc... they include, the decal sheet is no exception, you will most likely have plenty of extra stickers when finished, It would be very hard to use them all on one body. Thank's HPI!

The last thing I will do is ream out the holes for the body mount’s. Like mentioned the HPI bodys have indented areas where the holes go no guessing if your putting it on a Savage.

Here are some finished picture. I will take some better shots tomorrow and add them.

There are some more photos here at my photo bucket account.
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii282/shiftpointed/

I hope you enjoyed and found this article helpful. I want to thank HPI and HPISF for the opportunity to review the Dodge body.

 

[Crash]

one thing you got wrong shift,

you are an expert .. great job

 

[Shaun]

i have to agee with crash, if you say your not a expert it sure as heck doesnt show in your work great paint job!!!! and good job on the review!!

 

[chrisw]

wow thats a great job alot better then me,looks good

 

[Jeremy]

AWESOME !!!!!! Perfect Review

 

[JohnH]

WOW that was a great review............:resp::resp::resp::resp:

 

[RangerRock]

Great review bud!!!!!!!!!!! Love the paint colors.....and you are not a rookie.......EXPERT!!!!!!!!

 

[HPISF-POLICE]

Great review and even better paint job :jamout:

 

[X]

I'd love to give you rep for this awsome review. For some reason though the rep button is not showing up next to your post for me.

 

[ShiftPoint]

Thanks guys, I enjoy painting them every once and a while. I have to thank you guys. I didnt have a clue how to paint these at all till joining the fourm. Learned everything from the members that came before me. Thought it would be nice to have all the info in one place.

 

[Larsenracing]

I love how you make that look so easy. Great job.

 

[oregonmud]

That does look realy nice in the light. I bet it realy looks cool outside. Thanks for sharing!