Strengthening an old plastic body shell

[bkrownd]

Are there some really clever ways of strengthing a decades-old plastic model body shell to make it more survivable as a slot car, and yet not make the car really top-heavy? For instance, some kind of light bonding and filling material that can be slathered in the corners and right-angle joints to hold panels together and absorb impacts? I'm expecting to do some internal bracing, but there's a practical limit to how much that can be done with a motorized chassis. TIA

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I'm feeling a bit like I'm walking a tightrope here. If the shell is truly old, it will shatter no matter what. I have some Aurora HO cars that were made in 1962 that aren't brittle yet, though. I have an AMT T-Bird that will break if I fart in its general direction. If it was made recently enough to have a high impact feature to the formula, it will take a long time for it to get brittle. As long as you don't get it too hot, you can dribble hot glue in the corners of a body to reinforce it, but some plastics get soft at lower temps, so look out. So, what's the body?

[MoparGreg]

On some of my 1/25 cars I build I epoxy glue in some styrene tubes in on the underside of the body. Mostly just in the front, sometimes in the rear. Usually just glue some in from directly behind the grille area. I usually run the tube from the the outside (ie behind the headlights) to the underside of the hood or just behind the hood under the window area. Overall it doesnt really at much weight as its hollow tube. Not sure if it makes a difference but its just extra insurance.

[bkrownd]

[Wolseley Hornet]

Are you sure you need to do anything?

Unless you're going to do the "contact encouraged" kind of demolition derby that UK Slotstox can become, surely most polystyrene body shells will withstand rolling off the track or glancing off barriers?

I'd doubt whether anything will protect against bouncing off the floor - or the depredations of wild kids(of any age ;) ).


David.

[bkrownd]

[Wolseley Hornet]

Well, I did say "of any age" :lol:


David.