FTX Outback 2 Build Topic - Giveaway build Pt. 1

We wanted to arrange a giveaway contest for our customers. Our goal were to offer some special prize for the winner. We started to co-operate with legendary Finnish scale RC builder Heikki Halme (Known as "halme" on many build forums). Among other things Heikki has won Scratch build competition on Scale Builders Guild forum and been an inspiration for many other builders. We chose the kit and accessories for the build and basically gave free hands for the artist to create something by his own taste from the given set.

Enough of our words Heikki will continue from here.

Written by Heikki Halme

FTX Outback 2 Roller Chassis is excellent base to build your own personal realistic looking RC off-road vehicle. Kit is well suited for hobbyist with basic knowledge and when paying a little patience with work one can achieve easily stunning results. Kit includes a ready-built four-linked chassis with axles and power train already installed. Body options are available and all come unpainted and are made from polycarbonate.

As it is a roller chassis, there are no other electronics included except motor and front/rear lights what are already installed inside the bumpers. To complete the kit, we picked following electronics to suit our build.

ESC: Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 Brushed

Servo: Highest DT450 (7.9kg.cm of torque)

Battery: 2S Halko Dark Core 5000mAh 7.4V

Also needed:

- Deans-connectors

- Soldering equipment

- zip-ties

- Double sided tape.

Painting the body:
Careful masking of the polycarbonate (lexan) bodies is very important, especially when we want to leave the windows clear like they are in real vehicles. Along the kit comes simple decals what you can also use if you want to progress faster and paint the whole body with a single color.

When painting lexan, right order of the paints (painting order) is important. As a general rule the darker shades are painted before the lighter ones.

Inside the body we applied a liquid mask (three times) excluding the windows and other parts of the body what need to stay clear. Liquid mask is carefully cut with a hobby knife. Straight lines should be made with a masking tape and you can be creative with them!

Unlike lexan bodies usually, this time the primary color will be painted outside of the body and will be covered with matte lacquer. Inside of the body we first paint the black areas (light bezels, mask, window gaskets, fender flares..etc). After that we remove the liquid mask and paint the rest of the inner side with silver lexan spray to imitate the original body material, aluminum. We are trying to achieve a effect that silver paint will be slowly shown when the primary paint wears out after the car has been in use for a while.

Please be careful with the masking tape! Leaks happen very easily but this time it is not critical as we are about to paint the body from the outside.

On the outer side of the body there is a thin film what can be used also as a mask. First we cut out the larger area for the primary paint and we leave the film to protect the black areas and windows.

Then we spray the primary color on the outer side of the body and finish it with the matte lacquer Tamiya PS-55. When we remove the protective film we can see the silver paint on
the inside of the body.

Next we paint the black areas on the outside of the body. In this project we used black rubber spray paint by Maston. It has been tested and thanked along the RC enthusiasts  and could be trusted! To be successful, this phase requires again a very careful masking with a tape. Only the areas what will receive paint will be left unmasked. Pay attention!

Ready two-tone color with silver and black shade inside. Looks compy!

Next we start the conversion progress for the body. To achieve a pick-up look, the roof has to go. We started roughly and then proceeded slowly to the final edge of the wanted body line. Masking tape is a great help again to find those straight lines!

Body cut to the shape.

Pick-up look lightens the body and makes it look even a bit more aerodynamic! Streamline shapes, even!

Continues in part 2.