Lookin for chassis tips..

[Evil Appetite]

I've never bothered with my underside..just a coat of semi gloss black and thats it. Any suggestions on how i can perk them up a little without adding a ton of detail? Maybe some pics of some chassis that arent as boring as mine?

--- Mike

[Richard Bartrop]

There's always weathering.  If a car spends any time int he real world, it's going to get dirty under there.  It's down't have to be anything dramatic, just a light dusting of some earth tone paint with an airbrush will catch the high spots, and bring out the detail.

[Jantrix]

Here's some options.

Paint it entirely body color, which if you watch barret Jackson, is widely done.

Or, to represent the factory look, primer grey or black with body color overspray like this. http://www.apexautosports.com/2012/fresh-overspray/

However there is really nothing wrong with what you already do. A semi-gloss black chassis with a silver gas tank really looks sharp in my opinion. It makes everything that isn't black, really pop. 

Another thing you can do no matter how you paint it, is to add some road grime. 

Plenty of options. Just have fun with it.

[ZTony8]

You could pick out the fasteners with some bare metal toned paint.I'd recommend steel rather than aluminum to tone down some of the brightness and lessen the "silver measles" look.Late model vehicles with aluminum suspension components would have those done in a shade of dull or dirty aluminum-again to kill off any over brightness.

[Harry P.]

The easiest way to "perk up" the chassis is simply to paint the various components their correct color and not just paint everything black. Do a google image search if you need some references.

[Evil Appetite]

Thanks for the advice gentlemen...much appreciated!!!

[astroracer]

I've used Sharpie markers with some success. Get the fine point and you can pick out all kinds of detail with them. This is a '69 Camaro chassis with the subframes picked out in black and the bolt heads in silver.

http://images22.fotki.com/v815/photos/9/904975/4650530/MVC011F-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/9/904975/4650530/MVC012F-vi.jpg

[robertw]

I always paint then do a little weathering on my chassis, weathering chalks or paint, fluid drips exhaust staining etc. While we might keep the top surfaces of our 1 to 1 cars clean only a show car will be spotless on the bottom so why shouldn't our models look the same way whether we hold them up for others to see the bottoms or not.

[GaryR]

Lots of good suggestions here. I always at least paint the frame or sub frames a glossier black if the floorpan is flat black.

There are umpteen different blacks in bottles and rattle cans, the contrast between different shades plus a little pastel weathering can really look good.

[Lizard Racing]

Unit body cars have the entire body (including the underside) the same color.

Body/frame cars (and trucks) have the body all the same color and the frame black.

Most suspension components are semi-gloss or gloss black from new.

[Earl Marischal]

Don't wish to hijack thread but expand it.

Rod chassis' would different though? Although I guess it depends if show car or street used?

Race cars?

steve 

[freakshow12]

67 camaro

Typical Ford muscle car chassis. Correct finishes

 

 

[Art Anderson]

The easiest way to "perk up" the chassis is simply to paint the various components their correct color and not just paint everything black. Do a google image search if you need some references.

I second that!  With researching to see what the real car undersides look like, GOOGLE is my BFF (Best Friend Forever)!  Simply Google the car you want to know about, and when the listings come up, click on "Images".  If you don't find the exact year of car you searched, search again a year newer, or older, or a different body style.  

This is how I find my first references for most any car I build.

Art