anyone got tips on how to weather a race car? Currently modelling a porsche 935 turbo and would like to make it look like it's been to a couple of race. I knew how to do the tires and weather the engine. But what about the paint job? Any idea guys

Ok, first of all, you have to set in mind how will the car looks like when it's finished (finished building it lah). Then you have to decide how minor or major race damage you want to put on the car and finally, the most important thing that I think almost all modellers will agree... research, research, research and research. :D

Why is this important? You have to know what type of material the car is using for its body (if you want to make it looks like it has been onto a few bumps with the other racers). Is it using steel, alluminium, carbon fiber, carbon kevlar and etc. This is because, each material has different effect upon impact. Steel and alluminium will dent and carbon fiber and carbon kevlar will probably dent and break upon impact (correct me if I'm wrong).

As for the weathering, if it is for the engine, some minimal washes is sufficient unless you want to build it to look like after a few races, then you can add some blackwashing and some soot on the exhaust. Race cars even if it looks terrible on the outside, usually the engine is kept clean.

As for the tyres, if you want it to look worn down, you can use a lower grit sandpaper (800 or 500 grit) and give it a few rubbing. If you want it to have the more worn out look, you can try using motor tool with the sanding head and give a few runs onto the tyre. The side markings (the manufacturer marking) on the tyre will be worn out too after every race. For this, try giving the marking a few rub with higher grit sandpaper (1000 grit and above).

Hope this helps. :)

hmm i think i should look for some reference pics. Ya i black wash the whole engine and will gonna mist some light grey on the engine. Because i see those black parts on a real car is not actually black. It's a bit greyish. Thanks for the help druid. Will update my car pics later in the forum

As a military modeller, some times I don't follow instructions on painting. For example, for aircraft ejection seats, it's usually black. But I often paint it dark grey (or tamiya german grey) and then do a heavy black wash. For tank tracks, instruction will say paint it with steel color. but I'll paint it with mud/rust color then dry brush with steel.

But I know when it comes to cars, it's different. Clean waxed cars you can just use the color of the instruction. As druid said, you need to have an idea how worn or muddy u want it to look like. That's y u need references (no point weathering F1 cars with mud)

Some simple external weathering:

Oil Stains, rain streaks
For rain streaks, use black oil paints to pin a dot of paint to the area with a fine brush. Then use a broad brush, dip the brush into mineral spirit (not too wet until dripping) and the streak down across the oil paint when still wet. This will leave a black stain trail which.... u can see it clearly if you have not wash your car (real car lah) for a month.

Oil stains can be created with the same method, but use more oil paints, lesser mineral spirit.

Dust & Mud:
You can use pastel chalks. Grind it down to powders (or just buy Mig pigments), use a fine brush to 'paint' it to the model just like normal paints. It'll leave a blur dust-like effect. Apply this to engraved area or corners. Use common sense to apply places that collects dusts.

For mud, you can also use grinded pastel chalks, add in little water and glue (white glue oso can... but try to us clear wan), and make it to a muddy paste. Then apply it to the car using an old brush. This wan is applied to wheels and lower hull.

For Mud splashed on the side of the car or bonnet, you can also use grinded pastel, add abit of water (no glue). Dip an old toothbrush to the mixture and use your finger to stroke the toothbrush to splash droplets to you model. Make sure the splash is in the correct direction.

If you want your mud look wet, airbrush some Future to the mud.

Best thing about pastel chalk is that you can correct mistakes using a dampen cotton bud.

Fading
Fading is ... well.... normally due to the effect of sunlight. Usually applied to top hulls and top parts of the side. This is done like the rain streak, but using multiple lighter tone colors and you brush until the oil paints are almost invisible. Say if you car is blue color, use light blue, light grey and white. Apply the oil paints in dots randomly on the area, not too far apart for each dot. Then use broad brush dip into mineral spirit and mix all the colors.

Windows and windscreen
If you want heavy mud weathering, then the windows and windscreen will collect thin amount of mud. This wan can do it several ways. But at first, you need to mask off the area where wipers will run. Then you can either airbrush a thinned mud/yellow color to the clear parts, using mist spray method (low pressure, keep airbrush at least 1 ft away from the model). Or u can use the tooth brush or just apply with dry pastel chalk powder.

There are some sequence of weathering you might wanna follow. So, after painting:

1) apply decal
2) apply wax if you want
3) apply top coat
4) Do a wash if you prefer, with diluted dark color
5) Start with Fading
6) Do some oil stain & rain streak
7) apply mud
8) apply dust

If you want to create bumps, cracks, impact effects, you have to do it at assembly stage. Then before you paint with base coat, you can first paint the area with steel color or primer color, then salt mask it, then proceed. Peel off the mask before weathering.

You don't have to apply all of the above. Just brainstorming you how effects can be done, in the amour model's way. :D

wow fly. Thanks a million. Unbelievable ways of doing it. Btw, im modelling a track car now. So i think stone chips is a must for the front bumper. Other than that, i'll follow your guide on oil stains. My engine coming out great. But im using phone to online. So cant post the pics. Show u guys in the 'in progress' section when i figure out how to post it. Thanks guys.
Cheers!