Choosing Mini 4WD Bodies

The body is the least performance-critical part of a Mini 4WD, but it still affects weight, clearance and what your rollers can do.

Polycarbonate versus ABS

The kit ABS shell is rigid, easy to paint and heavy. A polycarbonate shell is much lighter and flexible, which lowers the centre of gravity and frees up weight for damping. It also needs trimming and different mounting.

Clearance for rollers

Whatever shell you run, it must not foul the rollers or the stays. Trim generously around the roller positions; a body that touches a roller under load will unsettle the car unpredictably.

Class rules

Some stock and B-MAX-style rulesets require the kit body, or restrict how much it can be modified. Check the ruleset for the class you intend to race before cutting anything.

Weight where you want it

A lighter shell is not automatically better. Sometimes weight high at the front is exactly what stops a car from nosing up over a jump. Treat the body as a tuning component.