Changing the finish of Paint Builder layers (beta)

In order to use a Paint Builder project with Finish options set, you’ll need to generate a spec map MIP file using iRacing based on the spec map TGA file provided by Paint Builder.

You’ll need iRacing installed and running on your computer to do this.

Option 1: Using Sim Preview to obtain a Spec Map MIP file

If you’re using Sim Preview to check out your work in progress on a Paint Builder project with Finish options enabled, iRacing generates the spec map MIP file needed with each Sim Preview command.

Navigate to your Documents\iRacing\paint\[selected vehicle] folder and look for a file called car_spec_[some number].mip. That’s the file we need to upload to Trading Paints and assign to our custom paint.

If you find this file after using Sim Preview, you can skip to Putting your Spec Map MIP file on Trading Paints below.

Option 2: Download TGA and convert in iRacing

Alternatively, you can export the Spec Map TGA from Paint Builder and convert it in iRacing yourself.

Generating the Spec Map TGA file from Paint Builder

• Enable Finish options on your project in Paint Builder if they're not already enabled. (Project Settings gear icon, then check Show Spec TGA/Finish)

• From the project actions menu in the top-right of the screen, select the Download menu and choose Spec Map TGA.

• This will initiate a file download of a file called car_spec_[some number].tga.

Generating the Spec Map MIP file in iRacing

• Place that file in your Documents\iRacing\paint\[selected vehicle] folder. (If you want, delete the contents of that folder first.) Don’t close your file explorer window as we’ll need to return here in a moment.

• Open the iRacing UI and navigate to My Content, Cars, then Car Model for the selected vehicle.

• When iRacing loads the car model while your car_spec_[some number].tga file is in the above folder, iRacing generates a spec map MIP file based on that TGA file; it’ll be called car_spec_[some number].mip. That’s the file we want!

Putting your Spec Map MIP file on Trading Paints

• In Paint Builder, assign the car as your custom paint on Trading Paints by clicking the Race button, or submit it to the Showroom by selecting Share and then Submit to Showroom.

  • If you selected Race—you’re assigning the car to your own account for personal use—go to My Paints, navigate to the vehicle that needs the spec map, select the Paint Options dropdown and choose Add spec map. Browse to your Documents\iRacing\paint\[selected vehicle] folder and choose the newly-generated car_spec_[some number].mip file.

  • If you selected Submit to Showroom—you’re sharing your creation with the public community so that they can race with your car—choose the Add spec map or decal layer option, then browse to your Documents\iRacing\paint\[selected vehicle] folder and choose the newly-generated car_spec_[some number].mip file.

If you make changes to your Paint Builder project, you’ll need to complete this process again to generate and upload a new Spec Map file.