How long have you been painting?

I have been painting helmets for motorsports for over 30 years. The last 25 years have been dedicated exclusively on painting motorsports helmets. From karting to Indycar, NASCAR, DTM, WEC, and everything else that races on four wheels.

Can I have someone else do the design and you paint it?

Yes and no! You can hire a third party designer to mock-up the helmet of your dream. It doesn’t mean that I am going to paint that dream helmet for you. Most “designers” out there have never painted a helmet and have no idea of the intricaties and techniques of custom painting a helmet. That design made with a computer software may be awesome on your computer screen, it might prove quite a challenge to paint. Pricing will go accordingly.

How much do you charge to paint a helmet?

Each project is different which means pricing will differ. From combinations of colors to details, pricing for my painting service will vary accordingly. On average, getting a helmet painted by me will cost around $1800-$2500 CAD excluding shipping and taxes.

Do you offer chrome on helmets?

No I don’t! Thank you.

Is it safe to get a helmet painted?

Safety is THE major concern for everyone in racing. And that includes me. Most high-quality helmets for racing are designed and manufactured to be custom painted. From helmet manufacturers strict guidelines for painting helmets to sanctioning bodies rules. I am always looking out for ways to improve the safety of my painting. It is perfectly safe to get your helmet painted if basic rules are followed. I DO NOT use heat activated paint. All ventilation holes are blocked to prevent paint from reaching the critical inner parts of the helmet. When specified, no parts are removed during the painting process.

Do you sell helmets?

Not at this moment. Because all drivers have their preferences and size requirements, I leave it to proper racing equipment distributors to better serve you. We do work with a few distributors located here in Canada. Order your helmet from one of these shops and get it shipped directly to me. And say hi on my behalf while you’re at it!

http://www.driversedgeautosport.com/

https://braidanmotorsport.com/

https://perryautolaval.com/

What is your lead time to get my helmet painted?

Lead time may vary through the year. The period from early-January to mid-summer is the busiest time. Keep in mind also that years of new SNELL homologations are quite hectic. Reach out early to get your helmet on-time for your important race weekend coming up. Nature gave me one head and two hands and I can’t work any faster than what nature gave me.

What kind of paint do you use to paint helmets?

I use exclusively automotive grade basecoats and clears to paint helmets. From different manufacturers, notably: PPG, Automotive Art, House Of Kolor, Lechler, SEM, Sikkens. My clear coat of choice is House Of Kolor Urethane clear USC-01. It is a high-solid Urethane clear with excellent UV protections for the paint. It also shines like nothing else. For matte finish, I use Lechler Macrofan HS 2000 Matt clear.

If you made it this far and still have other questions: smartracepaint@gmail.com