[JMay]

Printing 3dp bodies can be quick and easy from downloaded files or can be a very intensive journey into software packages. To illustrate recently I downloaded 2 bodies as below.

   
Jaguar  C type

   
FALCON 65 

Both files from 3Dexport at $10 each.

Note: To find files I usually type into the browser search bar
e.g. Ford Falcon 65 STL file

The Jaguar C type file has lots of detail, is high resolution but as downloaded impossible to print. The Falcon 65 is lower resolution, but presented as a shell that once scaled and with print supports from the slicer program (Cura etc) could be printed as shown. For the beginner the Falcon 65 file and other similar ‘shell’ files is the way to go.

To tackle the C type requires software editors that will edit STL files as most CAD programs will only add/subtract or rescale the file but will not allow you to edit the parts. My go to is Blender (Freeware) as this allow you fully edit, remove extraneous detail, then tidy up the shell such that the overall shell mesh is not compromised.

Bodyshells can also be obtained by using a 3D scanner

   
TR7 scan

This is a scan of the Scalextric TR7. Using the Scanner software to tidy up the file (and possibly Blender again) the file can then be loaded into CAD and new sections added and now you have a

   
TR8 IMSA

Finally you can in CAD draw your own.

   
Wolf Dallara  CAN AM

I started with drawing CAN AM shells from the 70s period as these tend to be more angular so easier to draw and there are Youtube videos showing different techniques on how to do this.

The above comes with a health warning as once you have printed your 1st shell it gets very addictive.

Cheers
         John