Rolled down window mod

[ravevolution]

Saw this on the Radioshack xmodsrc forum via an email. So don't thank me thank "Motor Mouth"

It's a visual upgrade.

here's the link: http://www.xmodsrc.com/community/how...hread_id=61090




Cracking Up with Motor Mouth
02:27 PM 28-Dec-2006

What's up, modders? This month's Reader Rides' question touches on a very hot subject here at Motor Mouth World Headquarters: what's for lunch? The only thing more hotly debated here than a) what we should MOD next and b) what show/DVD/video game we should zone out on, is what we should eat while modding. I like Gut Bomb Burritos, Lazy Friend likes Cheezy Poofs, and they both have their downsides. When Lazy Friend wins the toss, he gets to get his greasy orange powder all over my tools, my controllers and my XMODS. When I win, well, then we've got a different kind of "poof" floating all over the workshop.
Crack the window!

Which leads me to the topic of this article: the XMODS window-crack MOD. Not the poof.

Crack That

It all started the last time Lazy Friend and I hit the track for some drift racing. RC drifters do some fine detailing on their car bodies for realism, like trimming the Lexan carefully so it looks like the car's window is rolled down slightly. I told Lazy Friend the Lexan MOD would look better if they tinted their windows. He reminded me that ALL the XMODS have "tinted" windows. Then he bet me a bag of Cheezy Poofs against a Gut Bomb Burrito Combo that he could do a better XMOD window-crack than me! A smack-down ensued. Silly, silly Lazy Friend. First he bought the farm. Then he bought the Gut Bomb. Lazy Friend continues to suffer to this day. Which is why this is one MOD y'all will want to definitely pay attention to.

Tool Up

For this one you'll need:

* Dremel or rotary tool with small cutter attachment (I used a 3/8" cutter, but any small router or cutter will do)
* Hobby knife with new, sharp blade
* Small sharp snips or wire cutters
* Emery board or nail file
* Ultra fine-tip Sharpie permanent marker, black

Speaking of tools, don't be like Lazy, trying to take your XMOD apart with the kit screwdriver (and if you do, wipe off the Cheezy Poof powder first, OK?). The little kit tool is fine for getting the car on the road fast, but if you're reading this you're definitely next-level and you need to step it up. 90% of my modding is done with a #0 Phillips screwdriver. First, it always fits the XMODS' self-tapping screws perfectly. Second, it's magnetized so I don't lose screws when they fall in the bag of Poofs.

Get Crackin'

What you're going to do is remove a strip of the body's plastic along the top of the window so that the tinted window appears to be slightly rolled down. First, remove the mirrors and all of the body trim pieces except the hood. If your Dremel starts to chew things up, you don't want it to eat your body kit pieces! Next, you may want to sketch on the window where you want the line of the window-top to be. You'll be cutting along that line, and so keep in mind that the illusion depends on the line exactly matching the door/roof edge.

Use your rotary tool and small cutting tip of choice to very carefully cut along the line. You may want to slow down and take your time for this. Remember, you can always take away more plastic, but if you cut too much, you can't put it back. Slowly cut the groove all the way through, being careful not to let the spinning tool touch other parts of the body. You will cut away part of a side-trim screw mount, but don't worry, there will still be plenty to hold the trim in place. You may also want to snip off the plastic fingers hanging from the roof so there is nothing visible behind the open window.

You Must Chill

At this point, your car probably looks like Lazy's did when he was done: like a puppy chewed it up and left it for dead. That's OK, you're only halfway home. Have you chilled out yet? No? Well, slow down now, because this is where we separate the Cheezy Poofs from the Big Burritos.

Now is the time to get out the hobby knife and the emery board/nail file to clean up all the edges. Make the window line smooth and parallel to the roof line by filing down the window a little at a time. Also smooth the top edge of the opening, cutting only up to the door edge (leave a little black, that's the window molding) and don't cut into the roof of the car. Shave away the plastic from inside the body so you can't see it, and use the file to round the sharp edges of the window.

For the finishing touch, paint the exposed, colored plastic with your black fine-tip Sharpie. Step back, look at your crazy MOD, and congratulate yourself. Why? Because you haven't done the other window yet, and with all you just learned you'll do an even better job on that one!

Pix

Yes, I read your comments, and yes, I'm picking up what you're putting down. You want pix? You got'em! Here's a picture of my window-cracked Scion tC, and also a pic of last month's dual-exhaust MOD.


Pages: 1 of 1
Author Post


Voxdemon
01:19 PM
29-Dec-2006

What's up, modders? This month's Reader Rides' question touches on a very hot subject here at Motor Mouth World Headquarters: what's for lunch? The only thing more hotly debated here than a) what we should MOD next and b) what show/DVD/video game we should zone out on, is what we should eat while modding. I like Gut Bomb Burritos, Lazy Friend likes Cheezy Poofs, and they both have their downsides. When Lazy Friend wins the toss, he gets to get his greasy orange powder all over my tools, my controllers and my XMODS. When I win, well, then we've got a different kind of "poof" floating all over the workshop.
Crack the window!

Which leads me to the topic of this article: the XMODS window-crack MOD. Not the poof.

Crack That

It all started the last time Lazy Friend and I hit the track for some drift racing. RC drifters do some fine detailing on their car bodies for realism, like trimming the Lexan carefully so it looks like the car's window is rolled down slightly. I told Lazy Friend the Lexan MOD would look better if they tinted their windows. He reminded me that ALL the XMODS have "tinted" windows. Then he bet me a bag of Cheezy Poofs against a Gut Bomb Burrito Combo that he could do a better XMOD window-crack than me! A smack-down ensued. Silly, silly Lazy Friend. First he bought the farm. Then he bought the Gut Bomb. Lazy Friend continues to suffer to this day. Which is why this is one MOD y'all will want to definitely pay attention to.

Tool Up

For this one you'll need:

* Dremel or rotary tool with small cutter attachment (I used a 3/8" cutter, but any small router or cutter will do)
* Hobby knife with new, sharp blade
* Small sharp snips or wire cutters
* Emery board or nail file
* Ultra fine-tip Sharpie permanent marker, black

Speaking of tools, don't be like Lazy, trying to take your XMOD apart with the kit screwdriver (and if you do, wipe off the Cheezy Poof powder first, OK?). The little kit tool is fine for getting the car on the road fast, but if you're reading this you're definitely next-level and you need to step it up. 90% of my modding is done with a #0 Phillips screwdriver. First, it always fits the XMODS' self-tapping screws perfectly. Second, it's magnetized so I don't lose screws when they fall in the bag of Poofs.

Get Crackin'

What you're going to do is remove a strip of the body's plastic along the top of the window so that the tinted window appears to be slightly rolled down. First, remove the mirrors and all of the body trim pieces except the hood. If your Dremel starts to chew things up, you don't want it to eat your body kit pieces! Next, you may want to sketch on the window where you want the line of the window-top to be. You'll be cutting along that line, and so keep in mind that the illusion depends on the line exactly matching the door/roof edge.

Use your rotary tool and small cutting tip of choice to very carefully cut along the line. You may want to slow down and take your time for this. Remember, you can always take away more plastic, but if you cut too much, you can't put it back. Slowly cut the groove all the way through, being careful not to let the spinning tool touch other parts of the body. You will cut away part of a side-trim screw mount, but don't worry, there will still be plenty to hold the trim in place. You may also want to snip off the plastic fingers hanging from the roof so there is nothing visible behind the open window.

You Must Chill

At this point, your car probably looks like Lazy's did when he was done: like a puppy chewed it up and left it for dead. That's OK, you're only halfway home. Have you chilled out yet? No? Well, slow down now, because this is where we separate the Cheezy Poofs from the Big Burritos.

Now is the time to get out the hobby knife and the emery board/nail file to clean up all the edges. Make the window line smooth and parallel to the roof line by filing down the window a little at a time. Also smooth the top edge of the opening, cutting only up to the door edge (leave a little black, that's the window molding) and don't cut into the roof of the car. Shave away the plastic from inside the body so you can't see it, and use the file to round the sharp edges of the window.

For the finishing touch, paint the exposed, colored plastic with your black fine-tip Sharpie. Step back, look at your crazy MOD, and congratulate yourself. Why? Because you haven't done the other window yet, and with all you just learned you'll do an even better job on that one!

Pix

Yes, I read your comments, and yes, I'm picking up what you're putting down. You want pix? You got'em! Here's a picture of my window-cracked Scion tC, and also a pic of last month's dual-exhaust MOD.

[bc_edition]

That does look pretty cool, although I dont think I'll be trying it, Ill end up doing a hack job to the window or something

[lee]

nice tut in my opinion

[musclecars4life]

IMO that mod is stupid. though it could be used as a cooling system for a really hot motor. i wouldn't do it, unless i am running a hot motor.

[XmodGam3r]

thats pretty cool

[XMDrifter]

that tut is ok. it doesn't really help your speed. it might help your handling

(low aerodynamics usually leads to more downforce. these cut windows will make drag, so there might be a minicule degree of downforce) IDK but ill need to test my theory

you could use this tut as weight reduction

[ravevolution]

Originally Posted by XMDrifter

that tut is ok. it doesn't really help your speed. it might help your handling

Gosh don't you guys read the whole post!?!?!?

It's a VISUAL UPGRADE, not a Performance upgrade, get your facts straight, what a bunch of DEE DEE DEE"S~!

[snobro]

I'm pretty sure just about all of motor mouth's tut's are for appearance.IMO a few were cool but most just add weight or look ***.

[xmodkidd33]

thats pretty cool, but you can see a little purple where he used the Sharpie, lol.

[adam]

ya but it looks ok