body shell let downs :(
 

So, I'm just putting it out there for open discussion guys. Is it just me or is it really irritating when you pay top money for a new bodyshell for your buggy and it comes with no window masks? And even worse....no stickers! I would think that companies would really want racers to promote their products and brand? Give us some stickers and I can guarantee that all of us would decorate our shell and wings.

The window mask thing is my pet hate at present, who feels the same guys? Considering most good quality shells cost around the 20.00 quid mark..

If you pay top price for a shell why would you use stick on masks?
They leak paint and and dont leave sharp lines then its really ruined.

Liquid mask :thumbsup:

Are you talking about the Vega shell by any chance?? I brought one and that didnt come with any stickers or window musks?? :thumbdown:

yes i agree about the window mask but only becomes a problem when diy ing your own shells.
personally id rather pay a pro to do the shells for me and generally they dont need window masks when using liquid mask.
valid point though .

I wouldn't consider £20 top money for a shell. If you think how long it takes to spray a shell including the cost of the paint, £20 isn't expensive.

I'm sure if you asked the painter of the shell to put window masks them I'm sure they would. As for stickers, do you mean for them to put 1 sticker advertising their service, or to cover the shell in a variety of stickers? If the latter, then I most certainly would not like someone else to put stickers on the car

vega shell
 

Well vega one kinda made me start the thread as I got it out to cut it and yep...no stickers or masks....xfactory got it bang on when they used to do masks for windows and a surround mask with the kit shells :)

I agree regarding pro painters not needing masks as they use liquid mask, but sometimes its nice to crack one off yourself and the window masks really help us mortals :)

The sticker thing is simple....add a sheet of relevant stickers to each shell bag and I'm sure we would all use them as we already have the car and want to promote the products we invest our time and money into racing.

Pro paint is really amazing value at 20.00 quid as I know how much skill and effort goes into each shell...its just nice to create one yourself on rare occassions

Yeah I was disappointed that there was no stickers on there so I thought I would buy some but no stock at Inside Line Racing and hasn't been for a while and I can't see on Team Xtreme web site??

Easy tiger... :o

It wasn't so long ago that bodyshells didn't come with window masks at all, so you had to do it all yourself. Not so bad on buggies but pretty labourious tasks on touring cars. I used to use fablon and tracing paper to make my own window masks.

I think Pro-line were the first people to put window masks in bodyshells.

+1

seems to me it's one of those things that increases costs, that are passed onto the consumer.
next thing you know he'll be complaining that the £20 went up to £22 because it has masks.

+1
bodies used to not come with overspray film either. that would've really set him off.


Seems like people today, if not handed everything on a silver platter, will complain about anything.

Even though I mask windows, I seldom find myself using the ones supplied because seldom are the window lines perfectly matched on both sides of the body. And since it takes less than 10 minutes, I don't find it that big of a deal or a deal-breaker. Damned sure not worth spending the same amount of time to log on and post a whiney rant. :lol:

i always get someone to do my shells for me,

a shell i got for half marked price a few days ago (yet to be spayed) came with window masks and stickers :)

If you look at it from a manufacturing / distribution & sales point of view, the people who make the body shells won't supply the window masks. So that's then probably down to the distributor, they've got to template the window, then find a sign company who will accurately cut and weed masks out. Then they've got to pay someone to bag it with the shell.

You'd be surprised how much extra that would add to the shell, a lot of people are seeming to go down the pro painted route as it seems the bit people hate most about building their own car. So all those masks would be wasted and the companies have maybe thought it isn't worth it any more.

Get yourself a scalpel, some new blades and a roll of paper masking tape from B&Q or the pound shop, if you buy 2" tape you can usually do it in one hit per window. Takes little time, then you can say you did ALL your shell :)

Noneed for window masks in this day and age!
Most people change the shape of theirs anyway
You could have masked your own in the time it took you to post this
Can't anyone do any thing for themselves any more lol

I thought we were talking about shell painting not what you do when you have time to yourself !!:p

The x factory window mask was a good idea but the stuff it was made out of was rubbish I thought , paint seemed to bleed and not leave a sharp edge.

Im not fussed really about masks really ( mainly as I don't spray my own shell now) but as people said I always used to try and alter the window line abit and it was quiet satisfying when ' you did it yourself '

What about when bodies didn't come with over spray film!

Also how's it a let down?
I start by Reading the product description first
Cheers

I mainly do 1/10th touring and 1/10th buggy bodies but all seem to come with the window masks and stickers (which none of them get used by me) as I liquid mask and spray the bodies.

but i agree with most others its not that big of a deal with the masks as it would take a few minutes to make a mask up for the windows and alter to suit your style.

Thought stickers always came with the bodies for advertising purposes??? but like said previously if it was a choice between paying extra for the body to have these I'd rather save the few quid. :D

It is model car racing so surely some element of modelling may be required!

Whilst on this subject it really anoys me when someone enters there car into the concourse with a pro painted shell, then looks so pleased with them self when it wins. Jerk.

Pro paint shells should be banned from concourse.

Maybe they feel pride in their car and felt they didn't have the skill to do a shell that would do the car justice and so decided to have a 'pro' do one for them.
Don't hate, congratulate.

You need to relax and stop getting upset about what makes others happy...

I like my cars to look cool, but cant paint at all.. where is the crime in that?

Well said! :thumbsup:

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

It has been a while since I have received a shell with no window masks, and for the people who are happy with a one colour wonder, they are essential, as they don't want to be fussing with masking tape or vinyl, cutting it out etc. And they really cost pennies to produce, but make the life of the 'home painter' far easier.

As a painter, I use Liquid Mask, as I find the window masks take far to long to get lined up in the right position. But not everyone can afford to get shells painted either.

+1

Never use the tape masks, liquid mask is much better. And the result is more accurate.

£30.00 for a Xray shell but guess what NO STICKERS!!! :thumbdown::thumbdown:

Some people would like there car to be in the A but arnt good enough, you don't get someone else to drive for you.

This is not bashing the pro painters love there work really do. Its my opinion that they shouldn't be in a concourse event on someone elses car, it should be individuals work.

Strange, I've painted a couple of Xray shells, always had window masks with them, I'd contact who you bought it from and ask where they are ? Or give it to a painter who won't use them anyway...

I can see your point but it isn't like there is a massive prize for winning concourse, you don't get a kit or anything, usually in my own experience it's just a little trophy. The owner of the pro painted shell has after all paid out of their own pocket to commission said paint job and therefore if they want to enter it into the concourse because they paid for it that's fair enough, however perhaps the judges should be made aware of who has painted their own shell and who has paid to have theirs painted. The obvious solution for everyone is to pay for a shell to be painted then all enter concourse :yawn:

It's a very grey area, in motorsport you have a driver or rider to pilot your machine, they get prize money for winning, and the team also get prize money, it's a complete team effort. No one says, oh, you can't have the prize money because you didn't hold the spanners. So perhaps painters should be seen as part of a team effort ?

I think their point was that when concourse comps were started everyone painted their own shells, there were no pro painters (that can charge exhorbitant rates), and the contests were mano-e-mano and not mano-e-who has the deepest pockets. :rolleyes:

I think that the comment on painters is a touch harsh as it takes alot of time and effort to paint bodies like that and time cost money and the prices are better than reasonable in my opinion.

I sort of agree on the concourse front though its not so much a big deal, I think it matters more at local club concourses than at event ones as alot of the top drivers get there bodies painted and if they wish to enter its more of a level playing field.

I did find it funny that I was recently told I wasn't allowed to enter my own body as I paint bodies for others in order to be fair to other people at the club. No big deal though everyone likes to see there work being show cased either on there car or someone elses.

My new Hotbody has arrived with window lickers!

When was the last concourse competition in the UK?

I've never heard of one?

Sorry....whats a concourse meeting??

My point exactly!

:woot:

State of the world today.....

i think its to do with the perfect shell disign:thumbsup:

From my understanding of body shell paintwork being charged out between £20 and £40 - minimum wage for someone over 21 is £6.08 per hour, minimum wage is usually basic factory work or shop assistants. None of whom I suspect can use an airbrush to a proficient level to airbrush a body shell, for people who are doing this and putting their time and effort into it I don't think £40 is too much to ask at all. I couldn't do a shell in 4 hours from the time I unpacked it to the time I took it back down the post office to return to it's customer so I don't think any painters are charging "exorbitant rates", also it's not just their time you're paying for, it's the fact they have the knowledge to do it in the first place as well as the paint in stock along with the masking materials and the airbrush. Those rates are cheap !

Your other point about it being unfair on those who do paint their shells vs those who pay for them to be painted it fair enough though and I can see your point.

There aren't just concourse meetings, it's normally something that happens a few times a year within normal club meetings. I don't think every club run it though ?

Apparently you missed the point - for it's not about how much they're priced for being done by someone else, it's that they didn't do the work themselves. It's like a child cheating on their homework from school - getting someone else to do it for them, whether it be that they're too lazy or don't have the skills, and putting themselves up for an academic prize.

I believe the comment about exhorbinant prices that you wrote, is what eyean was refering and he also agreed with you on the concourse part.

I don't really think its that big of a deal to be honest the idea of a concourse is for people to show off there bodies (they painted or not) and they are given a small trophy in reward for having the best body.

No big deal really.

especially as I've been racing 20 years and never seen one!

EFA.