Oval body trimming

[gone_wheelin]

I need some assistance with trimming a oval body. The body is a ProtoForm Intrepid. There are cut lines for the front wheels and the lower edge but nothing for the rear wheel openings. I would really rather not make a huge mess of things so I am turning to you all for some input. Does any onve have any experience with oval car bodies?

[mikevillena]

I need some assistance with trimming a oval body. The body is a ProtoForm Intrepid. There are cut lines for the front wheels and the lower edge but nothing for the rear wheel openings. I would really rather not make a huge mess of things so I am turning to you all for some input. Does any onve have any experience with oval car bodies?

Hi gone_wheelin,
Just my two cents.....I've encountered that same problem a few times before. I would suggest mounting the unpainted body onto your complete running chassis using the correct mounting posts and holes. It might be a tight fit on the rear wheels considering that you haven't cut out the wheel openings yet, but bear with me. With the bodyshell sitting more or less the way you want it to (rake, stance, etc. looks good) take your marker and draw around the rear wheels (which you can see through the unpainted lexan). Add a little bit to the radius for clearance if you want. Then take the body shell off. Use a compass, or a spray can cap, or anything that has the correct diameter and re-draw your wheelwell outline. Then simply cut out the area you've marked and paint the bodyshell. There are probably easier ways and if so, some of the master painters here might be able to direct you. Thanks for letting me toss in my two cents.

[gone_wheelin]

Thanks for your two cents.

Like a bone head I was in a rush and did not think of marking the wheel openings or body post locations while the body was unpainted. I was able to gt the body posts located relatively okay but the wheels are being a pain. I have definately learned that haste makes waste with this one.

[Piggy89373]

Wheelin, a tip to help you find your body post holes on a painted lid, put a mirror underneath the car and shine a bright light (such as a swing arm lamp) on the mirror. You should be able to make out the body posts a bit easier.

Can you post a pic of the body and car so we know a bit more about what you're asking? I'm not overly familiar with oval race bodies.

[geartripper08]

if your front wheel wells are lined up ok take the cut out peices of lexan from the front and trace them to where the rear whells are and cut them out

[NotWalkinBlind]

With the body mounted on your rolling chassis, mark a 1/8" diameter dot on the outside at the the approximate location of the center of each rear wheel with a Sharpie.

Then take the body off and hold it up to a light and look at your marks from inside the body. Then remove about a 1" diameter circle of paint from each side of the inside of the body right around each dot.

Then remount your body and using a compass with some sort of blade in it, set the compass to about a 1/16" larger radius than your rear tires, and since you can now see through the body to the wheel, set the point of the compass as close to the center of the wheel as you can and scratch an arc around the EXACT center of each rear wheel, then cut out that piece.

[BudJ63]

I have had luck doing it this way.
If you have already cut out the front wheel openings and have the body posts drilled, mount the body up and set it down on a flat surface. Mark a line on your table top (or a piece of paper) and line up the rear wheel centered on the line. Take a spare untrued tire and lay it next to the body lined up on the line you made. Trace the wheel on the body with a sharpie. Cut.

[gone_wheelin]

Thanks everyone. I was finally able to correct my boo boo with some careful marking and trimming. I will post some pics once I have the body mounted properly.

Let this be a lesson to everyone. Haste makes waste. Take your time a do it right the first time.

[bobf24]

another way that works, press the side of the body agains the wheel (with the body mounted how you want it), and turn the wheel until the rim rubbs the paint off, this will give you the exact location of the rim, and since the rim is smaller that the foam, you dont ruin the paint that will be left after cutting it out,

also if youve got a circle cutter, i do what i said above, and that helps gives you the center of the circle more or less, and then use the circle cutter to cut the actual wheel well,

glad you got it cut out though,