XV-01 Lancia Delta Build

[simalarion]

Yes, looks promising

[Cuiken]

Thanks guys. Rest assured this will be a slow build. Plenty of time in 'the mind shed' trying to figure out how to do stuff.

Speaking of which I'm pretty sure I can squeeze the MambaX in there (even with it's fan) if I just extend the motor wires a bit and drill a couple of small holes in part of the elctronics compartment lid. I'll add pics if/when I can demonstrate this.

Lastly, thinking doing the window surrounds as black paint rather than using the included stickers. I'd use the X acrylic brush paint and mask with decent tamiy vinyl tape. Figured it might look better. Basically, I'm scared of doing the fiddly stickers.

That said, not sure how well the X acrylic paint bonds to polycorponate?

Cheers. 

[Big Jon]

If you remove the fan from the Mamba X and use a 300mm sensor wire, it'll install nicely in the front of the electronics box, and you'll only have to widen the wire exit slot slightly for the extra wires. You can install a 30mm fan in the lid if you feel that the extra airflow is necessary. For reliability, I ALWAYS remove the switch on Castle ESCs.

[Cuiken]

13 hours ago, Big Jon said:

If you remove the fan from the Mamba X and use a 300mm sensor wire, it'll install nicely in the front of the electronics box, and you'll only have to widen the wire exit slot slightly for the extra wires. You can install a 30mm fan in the lid if you feel that the extra airflow is necessary. For reliability, I ALWAYS remove the switch on Castle ESCs.

Given the quality of the rest of the castle kit, the switch (and even the wiring to the switch) is a weird anomoly. Nothing like the quality of the HW switch. I might remove it just for the neatness to be honest.

As to fitting the Mamba X in the front of the electronics box, it'll definitely fit there with the fan removed but I'm finding the motor wires still foul against the lid. If you've done this install, I'd love to see a photo.

Cheers.

 

[Cuiken]

I fear I may come to regret this but decided to go for painted window surrounds. Masked up and ready to go.

What's the worst that could happen?

I'm starting with the sides. Dependning on level of success I'll decide whether to use same approach for the front/back.

[simalarion]

Take it you are going to brushpaint the outside. If so the masking jobb looks good and if any bleed you can just swipe away with Alcohol, i found the product in the picture to be best, it does no harm to lexan body. 

[Cuiken]

Yeah, brushing on the outside. Run a 'pokey stick' over the edge of the tape before painting and cross my fingers

That polycarbonate cleaner looks ace but doesn't seem to be available in the UK (?)

Cheers.

[simalarion]

Not sure, but Hobby King have some on « sale». So you can even use it to clean the Lexan, thats how gentle it is:

[Busdriver]

Try rubbing alcohol, you can get it from the chemist in small bottles or by the litre on www. There’s two types I believe one is basically pure (99%) alcohol the other is not as strong. Can be used to remove things like sharpie pen from bodies, also clean plastic surfaces before applying sticky pads and before paint. Smell like a hospital though!!!

[simalarion]

I tried that too, its for sure is cheaper but its much harder to remove the PS-paint with it. White/Red spirit and so on hardly work at all and in some cases can make Lexan foggy dry and then Lexan can crack, if you ever try Nail polish (do not) it will crack 10 min after cleaning. 
 

So this is my experience but the mix in that botle seem to work extremely well to clean Lexan and not harming it at all

[Big Jon]

9 hours ago, Cuiken said:

Given the quality of the rest of the castle kit, the switch (and even the wiring to the switch) is a weird anomoly. Nothing like the quality of the HW switch. I might remove it just for the neatness to be honest.

As to fitting the Mamba X in the front of the electronics box, it'll definitely fit there with the fan removed but I'm finding the motor wires still foul against the lid. If you've done this install, I'd love to see a photo.

Cheers.

 

I've done a few Mamba X speedos in the XV-01, but I don't have any pics on this phone. I used "low profile" bullets for neatness, though, with the wires at 90°, not vertical.

[Cuiken]

15 hours ago, Big Jon said:

I've done a few Mamba X speedos in the XV-01, but I don't have any pics on this phone. I used "low profile" bullets for neatness, though, with the wires at 90°, not vertical.

Thanks.Yeah, I guess that's the key. I've had a look around for decent low profile ot 90 degree bullets but nothing jumped out at me. I'll have another swatch about.

TBH though, I might just mount the ESC at the back of the box. I can keep the original fan in place and the 30cm sensor wire will still reach (I think). Only issue is having to drill a couple of holes for the motor wires to exit through the cover.

[Cuiken]

Okay, so window surrounds update.

Brush painted with X1. Good news is I managed to avoid any runs or significant leakage under the tape:

 

Less good is that I got a bit of cracking along the edge of the paint when I removed the tape. I get the feeling the X1 paint does not adhere very well to the polcarbonate body. Certainly, not as well as it adheres to ABS plastic. FYI, prior to painting I cleaned with water then white spirit and then gave a sand with super fine paper to try to give the paint something to key to.

On balance, it'll need a bit of tidying up in places but I think it looks okay. Would the decals have looked better? Maybe, but only if I'd applied them really well. I've seen plenty of attempts where crinkles or peeling have spoiled the effect of the window decals on these cars. From a distance, this actually looks pretty good. I think durability is going to be my main concern. Is this all just going to flake off?

I'm going to try the decals fro the front and rear windows and see how I get on. I can always remove and paint if I make a mess of it.

And yes, there is a smudged finger print on the door. How come the paint flakes off where I want it to stick but it's adhered perfectly well to the door? I think I'll get away with that one since the door decals will cover it.

[simalarion]

Nice job!. Yes the X paint is a pain very often Also on some plastic parts on the 1/24 models.

Is that a shelf Queen then?, if used outside that should probably be PS spray or LP paint from inside (i believe, but im not a pro in any way)

[Cuiken]

It is not a shelf queen. It will be crashed, it will lose paint

So, yeah, I should have done this on the inside but it didn't occur to me at the time (plus I think the masking would have been even more difficult).

As I say, worst case, I can just add the decals later

 Cheers.

[Cuiken]

22 hours ago, simalarion said:

Not sure, but Hobby King have some on « sale». So you can even use it to clean the Lexan, thats how gentle it is:

Hobbyking no longer seem to ship to the UK from their Global or EU warehouses.

Anyone else in the UK noticed this? As it happens, I bought the battery for my XV01 from hobbyking a couple of weeks ago. I could only select products that were listed as having UK stock. If I attempted to buy anything from EU or Global I was told there was no warehouse available that would ship to my location. This was definitely not a problem before Christmas.

Is this Brexit? If so, I'm going to write to my MP and demand it is raised in the Commons...

[Raman36]

I like what you’ve done with window trim! 👍 in future I’d recommend using proline paint. It’s designed to stick to lexan and easy to spray with airbrush. 

Tamiya acrylic paint doesn’t stick to lexan well. I wish Tamiya would come up with an additive that you could mix and use it.. because it’s such a pleasurable paint to work with.  

PS paint will clean up with denatured alcohol, Denatured is a much stronger solvent.  It won’t strip or remove it but you can clean up bleeds with a Q tip. isopropyl alcohol (hospital trade) is not as strong and won’t do much to PS paint.

 

 

[Cuiken]

Interesting. So, basically this:

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/pro-line-air-brush-paint-black/rc-car-products/437020

I may buy some for the inevitable 'reworking'. I take it you can also brush it on? I don't have an airbrush.

[Cuiken]

Extremely minor update. I tidied up the cracking along the tape edge (I can't believe I thought paint might be a time/effort saver vs the decals) and test mounted the interior:

Next job is to bite the bullet, do the front/rear window decals and the then start cutting out the near infinite number of tiny stickers for the front grill.

Really (really) wanting to get the body finished now so I can move on the the chassis (a self-imposed rule).

 

 

[No Slack]

Vallejo also has a good line of RC paints in small bottles. The paint is formulated for airbrush but my guess is you can also use it for touch up by brush.

[simalarion]

Very nice, i like it a lot!.

Think you will be very carefull with this outside and do not let any Kids drive it hehe

 

[simalarion]

Ps: you can also put Flat clear Lp over your X paint, that will make it stick a bit better. 

[Cuiken]

45 minutes ago, simalarion said:

Ps: you can also put Flat clear Lp over your X paint, that will make it stick a bit better. 

I didn't know about the LP paints. I might try that.

Noob question but are the LP paints better on polycorbonate generally? Basically, might I have used LP black (LP 3) with more success than the X1?

https://www.emodels.co.uk/paints/tamiya-paints/tamiya-lacquer-paints

Thanks. 

[simalarion]

Well its Lacquer paint for plastic, it should stick better than acrylic X and XF paints that i believe is ment for use on plastic models for display inside.

how LP flat clear behave on top off Black X i do not know but i think it should work ok. It you apply much Acryl paint will be runny so i would apply a thin layer first and let it sit for 2 days and apply another. Always test new ideas on a peace off test Lexan first

[Cuiken]

9 minutes ago, simalarion said:

Well its Lacquer paint for plastic, it should stick better than acrylic X and XF paints that i believe is ment for use on plastic models for display inside.

how LP flat clear behave on top off Black X i do not know but i think it should work ok. It you apply much Acryl paint will be runny so i would apply a thin layer first and let it sit for 2 days and apply another. Always test new ideas on a peace off test Lexan first

Good tips. Thanks.