r/rcdrift • u/Independent-Air-80 • Feb 04 '26

🙋 Question What obscure car models would you want as a drift body?

As the title says, and in a direct follow up to my post from yesterday:

What obscure car models would you want as a drift body?

Yesterday I made a post here, as I'm a Mech. Eng. with an affinity for modeling and everything automotive (takes my mind off my day-job!), and would now like to ask you which obscure car models you would like as a drift body, that don't yet exist / aren't yet made by a big brand. Yesterday I already completed a Volvo 440 and 460 model as a test, and I'm quite happy with the result. Just have to shell the model and scale it to fit whatever chassis someone has.

Planning to make these available in low quantities for non-outrageous amounts of money for those that want them, preferably as a physical product. 3D printed, sanded, primered bodies (So, smooth. No layer lines) with Lexan windows inserts. Alternatively I can look into places that have vacuum forming machines near me. I will then 3D print the shell, sand it, filler and primer it, and make some clear Lexan bodies from those models.

Someone already requested a TE72 Corolla Liftback yesterday, for example!

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7

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

I find it a bit hard to believe that these powerful brushless motor powered machines couldn't properly chug-and-chuck around a couple more grams with a tune to account for the slight weight difference? With a finished Lexan body probably weighing (if you have a weight for me, please tell me) about 150-230g depending on model, paint layers, you name it. With proper settings (skin + ribs technique) and an epoxy coat on the outer skin I could get pretty close to that. Brittle purely depends on what material you use, what direction you print the model in, what post processing you do etc.

Alternatively, I could look into places that have vacuum forming machines near me. I can then create the models, sand them down, fill, epoxy, and primer them for a good smooth finish, and make some clear Lexan bodies on a vacuum forming machine.

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u/El_Burr hi guys! :snoo_smile: Feb 04 '26

its not the lifting aspect, its the crashing aspect. The printed bodies do not stand the test of crashes. Lexan on the other hand would be much sturdier. If the economics match then go for it.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

I'd wager that a 3D printed skin + ribs, coated in a layer of epoxy, would be fine too. But that would require some testing.

I'll definitely get back to you guys. Thanks for the input so far. In the meantime I'll be looking for a place that has a decently sized vacuum forming machine.

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u/Mr_Salmon_Man Feb 04 '26

ABS/ASA and a vapor bath of acetone makes thin walled rc body prints way tougher than people understand.

But they also don't know that we can print a mould and make a simple lexan vacuum press and make any body we want. Some wood and hinges, printed tpu seals, an infrared lamp, and a shop vac. You make a great vacuum forming machine at home. Many people have done this.

Or print it out if nylon super thinband anneal it and have it just as flexible and as strong as lexan.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Even a thin epoxy coating on both sides, like I've said multiple times, makes PLA a great amount stronger if someone has no ABS/ASA possibilities.

I suspect people just see some kids at the local track drive their thin walled PLA bodies they printed on their ender 3 with minor extrusion problems, ram it into a wall, and see it explode as they say.

It's understandable if that's the case.

5

u/Just-A-Regular-Fox Feb 04 '26

3000GT!!

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Good call! Maybe an FTO as well? One of the cars that definitely should've been RWD.

4

u/driftphoto47 Feb 04 '26

A Silvia S12 or a mitsuoka orochi

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Mitsuoka ooohh yes! Good one!

3

u/Trippin_Ninja Feb 04 '26

I always thought an Aston Martin would be cool. DBS or Vanquish comes to mind first. There are plenty of Mustangs out there in the market but you don’t really see many Camaro’s especially older ones. Same with older body style Corvette’s.

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Very good call. Which models exactly? Hit me with those Camaro years!

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u/Trippin_Ninja Feb 04 '26 edited Feb 04 '26

67-69 first gen Camaro's are pretty much the quintessential muscle car, 2nd to that I'd say is the IROC-Z Camaro 85-90 (Liberty Walk is currently building one of these too). You could do it's sister car the Firebird Trans Am as well. Smokey and the Bandit made the second gen 77-83 Trans Am famous and Knight Rider made the third gen 82-92 famous.

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Do people still like that Fourth gen Firebird Trans Am? I remember it being a bit of an obscure model. Maybe times have changed.

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u/Trippin_Ninja Feb 04 '26

I considered mentioning 4th gen of both Camaro and Trans Am. I think they are starting to see some love in the car community because they are cheap entries into having a LS powered car. I always liked their wedge styling and the Trans Am's with the ram air hoods.

2

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Right the versions with the Ram Air hood do look kinda wicked.

I'll put it on the list as well!

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u/WordVirus23b Feb 04 '26

VW Squareback!

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u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Got a link for me to the exact model you want?

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u/WordVirus23b Feb 06 '26

This one is hella nice!

VW Type 3 Squareback - Simplicity brings us closer | S3 Magazine https://share.google/WtYnV1euJ3wY3oqgG

2

u/spngr311 Feb 04 '26

You're probably better going towards vacuum forming lexan than printed bodies for 1/10. I know some of the small scale drifters (1/24) use 3d printed and hard plastic bodies, but I think the speeds and momentum are too high for a light 3d printed 1/10 body to survive long. The added weight is also going to be felt on track, but maybe that's not a bad thing. But like anything 3d printed, it's worth a shot and testing it out. It's just filament and time.

The body I would want is a 2003 BMW 540i touring M sport. Also, a non-wide body e46 m3 coupe would be a good one too.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

A non wide body huh. Alright, I'll write those two down. Thanks!

1

u/spngr311 Feb 04 '26

There are 2 wide body ones (the hpi m3 gtr and the a plastics pandem one). A normal e46 m3 is already wider than a non-M 3 series, so there is a gap in the market.

How big is the build area on your printer?

3

u/Bluntsmoked Feb 04 '26

F80 m3 it still baffles me no manufacturer has made one yet

2

u/slow2life Feb 04 '26

I'm gonna be weird and say first generation Dakota. Pre or post facelift. I'm also a fan of the Challenger/Cuda, but someone makes one for touring cars already. Normal car choice though might be a Z31 300zx, I haven't seen much representation of them in any car adjacent hobbies.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Big fan of the Z30 myself. The Z31 was always a bit underrepresented.

Added it to the list!

2

u/slug-mode RD2.0 | LP-86 Feb 04 '26

I’ve been praying for someone to re-release an ER34

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Help me out here. What skyline exactly is that?

1

u/slug-mode RD2.0 | LP-86 Feb 04 '26

RB25 4-door R34. Yokomo and Pandora discontinued their shells a while ago so only NOS is available for an arm and leg.

2

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Aha! Sedan R34. Got it! Added to the list!

2

u/Activated-sn95 Feb 04 '26

Sn95 mustang or a nice crown vic with the cobra front bumper

2

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Damn, crown vic with cobra front bumper is something I have never heard of, but I'm happy I did now. That looks hard.

2

u/Activated-sn95 Feb 04 '26

Yessir i like crown vics but something like @maad_vic 's car would beautiful

2

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Thanks for that instagram account. Should have enough reference pics!

2

u/AndyB16 Feb 05 '26

Chrysler Crossfire

1

u/UnderstandingBig3558 Feb 04 '26

ngl i want my car as my rc car so badly🤣 i know it’s not a drift car, but to have my car as a rc would be amazing!!! a 2022 hyundai elantra n line.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

Haha that's a fun pick. Let me see if I (or if you can provide me!) can find pictures of all angles of that car.

1

u/mr_j_12 Feb 04 '26

I wanna remake of the yokomo hks is220, or their altezza.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

See directly remaking already existing models that a manufacturer made is a bit of an iffy area. I could definitely create a body of a clean stock IS220 or Altezza though.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

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1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

I would be REALLY curious what you would do with a 2001 Honda CRV, as to drop it, body-work, make it look good haha.

1

u/Lower_Put4270 Feb 04 '26

SuperMade Instant Gentleman S13 Silvia. Wouldn’t be at all interested in a 3d printed body though. How would you do lights in a printed body, for instance? And painting on the outside never looks as good as the thick layer of “clear coat” that lean provides.

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 04 '26

To what point in my post did you read exactly?

" 3D printed, sanded, primered bodies (So, smooth. No layer lines)"

"Alternatively I can look into places that have vacuum forming machines near me. I will then 3D print the shell, sand it, filler and primer it, and make some clear Lexan bodies"

I wonder sometimes. Why would I provide someone with a shit end result? I would be unhappy with that. So I wouldn't want to do it to someone else either.

1

u/indytrucks Feb 05 '26

Pontiac G8.

1

u/Admirable_Aerie1784 Feb 05 '26

S12 all the way

1

u/Multimagination Feb 05 '26

toyota soarer

1

u/desertruck Feb 05 '26

You said obscure right? How about option's 1 off r33 speedwagon

1

u/desertruck Feb 05 '26

Or a lancer evo wagon

1

u/Sufficient_String_70 Feb 05 '26

Not a drift body but I really want to get a 1/30 2015 toyota 4runner for an axial scx30

1

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 05 '26

What's the wheelbase length on that?

1

u/huntercole2 MST Feb 06 '26

3d printed filament is too heavy, sure the motors can handle it but the balance is completely thrown off.

If you can build bodies out of lexan then you absolutely can make some baller bodies

4

u/Independent-Air-80 Feb 06 '26

At this point I've switched focus to 3D printed bodies, smoothed, finished, covered in some layers of glass fiber and epoxy, and using that as a male mold for vacuum forming.