Jump to content
kontemax

Rebirth of a Terra Conqueror and a Blazing Star.

Recommended Posts

Rebirth of a Terra Conqueror and a Blazing Star.

Ok people,

this is a new discussion about one of my cars so please don't expect that it will be finished in short time.
I purchased this Terra Conqueror recently from a club member (thanks Klausen).
I was searching for a display model and as all my display models they must be new built, in perfect condition, better if hopped up and boxart (although there are some exceptions).

For these reason this Terra Conqueror was not the best choose for my intent keeping in mind that I did know very well the car conditions and I have no time, no money and no wish to make another restoring job (I have almost 75 shelf queens to cure, mates, I'm going crazy and in bankrupt!). Anyway seeing the lack of Terra Conquerors all around I decided to buy it having well in mind that this car has something bad and something good.

The bad things are that the car is used, slightly used but used. So I will replace gearbox parts and arms parts. The bathtub chassis is new and this is a good point.
Another bad thing is that some original spec parts are missing like the steel suspension shafts and both ball differentials.
At the end the body is not restorable for a shelf queen imho.
The good starting points are that the rest of the car is in so good conditions that could be considered virtually new built.
In addition to new chassis the car is full ball beared, all rare orange wheels are present (many people buy the Terras to keep the wheels for their Top Force Evos) and the tires are 95% new.
Some extra hop up is present like the RW Racing nylon gear in place or alloy original one, like a 18T steel pinion gear, like both Top Force shock towers that are far away better than originals.

Terra_Conqueror_01.jpg

TerraConqueror02_zps1d8db026.jpg

TerraConqueror04_zpsbba81d1d.jpg

Stay tuned.

Max

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, here we are, I made some work on this model in the past few days.

The car has been totally disassembled, the cleaning work is starting now.

One of the items I'm more interested in, due their rarity, are the wheels. As you can see they are in excellent conditions, they need only a quick clean.

TerraConqueror11_zpsc3ea05f0.jpg

I can't say the same with the body that is in not so bad condition but not enough good to be properly restored to a shelf queen new built conditions. The green is a very thick brushed paint, it presents many cracks in the paints, a big crack around the window mounts holes and the front nose has been reduced with a couple of cuts.

TerraConqueror12_zpsc8037dbd.jpg

TerraConqueror13_zps14b74100.jpg

TerraConqueror15_zpsb35a8e07.jpg

TerraConqueror17_zps8b83fee0.jpg

TerraConqueror18_zps21b28435.jpg

The broken wing:

TerraConqueror14_zps20062ba2.jpg

The cutted nose:

TerraConqueror16_zps8a8777b9.jpg

Anyway a new body will replace this one that will be restored as better as possible and used for a runner.

Thi is the final result of my job: a pile of parts all mixed together. They will be separated and cleaned. All of them, screws included:

TerraConqueror19_zps82ce3ce9.jpg

A little note on the motor. The Dynatech 01 is quite rare and colletible motor and it was stock on the Terra Conqueror. The motor seems to work fine, it will also be cleaned and refurbished and, if necessary, I will replate the commutator with new copper if needed.

Old vs Older:

TerraConqueror20_zps88ea9ec0.jpg

That's all at the moment.

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice project there, one of the lesser chosen DF-01s but certainly a cool one. :)

If you don't mind complete originality, the Blazing Star shell would of course be a good alternative.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Lovely project. I commented on this in your showroom and will be following your rebuild. Terra Conqueror is one of my faves.

Seen one set of body & decals available for sale, Pretty expensive though imo.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You are right, the Terra Conqueror is very underated DF-01 chassis but differently from the other cheap ones it had some nice hop ups like the ball differentials, the steel propeller shafts, the CVA II dampers, the steel suspension shafts, the steel half shafts, ball bearings on the wheels, turnbuckles all around and last but not least the Dynatech 01 motor.

I also have a Blazing Star that needs some works on. The car is new build but has been hopped up to Top Force specifications, then finaly converted to new built Top Force (in not suspicious times, when the Top Force was not still re-released).

Now I have a uncompleted new built chassis, wheels and parts with a shelf queen new painted body. My project is to restore the Terra Conqueror and to complete and finish the Blazing Star.

Aftere these probably I will get a Dirt Thrasher and I will modify it to make it a sort of Terra Scorcher 2. But this is even another project.

Max

Nice project there, one of the lesser chosen DF-01s but certainly a cool one. :)

If you don't mind complete originality, the Blazing Star shell would of course be a good alternative.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fortunately I alredy own the sticker set and the new body is coming to my home. There are a couple of bodysets on eBay but they are too much expensive for my tastes. I can't believe that the Blazing Star lexan become so expensive <_< .

Max

Lovely project. I commented on this in your showroom and will be following your rebuild. Terra Conqueror is one of my faves.

Seen one set of body & decals available for sale, Pretty expensive though imo.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know of a shop that still has the blazing star in stock for 119€ B)

so if prices of shells go beyond that let me know ;)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, many thanks!

Max

I know of a shop that still has the blazing star in stock for 119€ B)

so if prices of shells go beyond that let me know ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, some news about the Terra Conqueror.

First step was to clean the precious orange wheels and the tires.

The wheels are perfect and the tires are near perfect, good enough for the shelf so I lost some time to grease them with glicerine. Now the rubber is black and soft, it seems the compound is changed to softer.

TerraConqueror21_zps0e628c43.jpg

TerraConqueror22_zps6e6fade9.jpg

TerraConqueror23_zps12128727.jpg

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just an idea for the rear wing, I painted the orange and cut out he numbers.

DSC01988.jpg

Comes out better as the orange is the same as the rest of the body

DSC01991.jpg

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This is an excellent idea and I will "copy" it ;) .

Max

Just an idea for the rear wing, I painted the orange and cut out he numbers.

Comes out better as the orange is the same as the rest of the body

DSC01991.jpg

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, let's go on. I started to clean the rear gearbox and I have a good new and a bad new.

The good new: the gears are in good shape and no trace of aluminum gears inside! Yeah!

The iddle gear is full plastic and the little gear of the spur one is the nylon RW Racing option.

You can see it because it's lighter and more white than originals from Tamiya.

TerraConqueror24_zps91f86419.jpg

The RW Racing option part:

TerraConqueror25_zps7174b124.jpg

Here is the bad new. I cleaned the rear gearbox but the degraser I used was too much aggressive and I ruined the plastic. Doh!!!

TerraConqueror30_zpsfe6aa226.jpg

This is the fifth or sixth rear DF-01 gearbox that I broke or ruin, probably I have no feeling with this part.

TerraConqueror26_zpsbb90100a.jpg

TerraConqueror27_zps409af781.jpg

TerraConqueror28_zps5178c2f4.jpg

TerraConqueror29_zps820c56c1.jpg

Now I must to buy another gearbox part. I will paint this with black. Once painted this will be used on some of my runners.

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, still waiting for spare parts.

In the meantime I decided to open another restoring job and I decided to join it to the Terra Conqueror project.

BlazingStar01_zps6ddbfd8e.jpg

This Blazing Star has a strange history. I bought it NIB because I wanted a off road runner and, in the period of touring car domination, there were not many buggies to choose.
I worked on this model to upgrade it at the top so, once it did hit the top, the chassis has been cannibalized to became a full spec Top Force.
The body is an excellent new built and is very close to perfection.
In the meantime I also had a Manta Ray runner with many hop up parts. I used and abused it for months on the track with an hot 12 x 2 turns motor. Never made refurbishment so the car has worn out.
I cannibalized this second chassis also, leaving all worn out parts assembled all together at the end.

So I decided to win this challenge, to restore two DF-01 chassis contemporarly, one in medium condition and the other one in hellish conditions with many missing parts.

BlazingStar03_zps10e49a58.jpg

BlazingStar02_zps84c68c33.jpg

BlazingStar04_zpsee63fe36.jpg

This is the excellent body. Now the terrible chassis:

BlazingStar05_zpsde2581f2.jpg

BlazingStar06_zps4ffc3a98.jpg

BlazingStar07_zps5f2f9ede.jpg

BlazingStar08_zpsa0eeaa6a.jpg

Stay tuned.

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow! You weren't kidding about it being well-used! It'll be good to see how you bring it back from the brink as it were. Good luck with the resto!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks XV Pilot, this is a real double challenge. The third challenge is not to spending too much money.

Ok, a little news for today. I'm still waiting for packages with spare parts so I restored the TC rear gearbox. It was only dirty but I ruined it with a too strong degreaser. I repaired the little usual cracks around the screw holes, closed them with solder iron and a plastic sprue then drilled again and threaded for 3M screws.

Then I sanded it and painted with polycarbonate PS-5 Black instead of TS-14 Black. Now it's like new.

TerraConqueror31_zpsd9ad91c9.jpg

TerraConqueror32_zps3826fd65.jpg

This was not the first time I used PS paints on plastic parts. The PS paint melts with the plastic and it is more and more strong than TS paints. Even the look is better because the PS paint are semi gloss so their finish is closer to plastic appearance.

Max

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great job on that rear gearbox. I've got about 4 that need doing here if you don't mind :)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, here some news about the Terra Conqueror and the Blazing Star. A big box is arrived today, one of the four I'm waiting for.

The box comes from a famous UK dealer but the happyness for the arrival is finished very soon.

In the box there was the body but not the wing. I just contacted the dealer and I hope we can solve the problem in the best way.

I can say I'm a little bit disapponted because I was thinking to close a chapter with the arrival of the body but I must wait some time more now.

TerraConqueror33_zps0b7251ee.jpg

Anyway, with the body there were also the Rally Plastic Gears for the Blazing Star. The Terra Conqueror already have them, they are used but in good shape and they will be closed in the gearboxes so nobody will see them once on the shelf. The car will never touch the ground again in the future.

TerraConqueror35_zpsfc354386.jpg

At the end, last but not least, the light steel gear shafts. They are stock on the Terra Conqueror (but were missing) and a nice optional for the Blazing Star.

TerraConqueror34_zps0cff96b8.jpg

That's all for the moment.

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm waiting for many parts like four ball differentials, steel suspension shafts and many other parts... can't wait more. Uff!

Next buy will be the black plastic gearboxes.

Max

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, the spare parts are yet not arrived so I'm going on with the restoring job, working on what I have at the moment.

I cleaned and restored the Top Force shock towers. They are not stock on the Terra Conqueror but I think they are a must have to replace the silly original plastic shock towers. Fortunately they already were with the model.
I also cleaned and checked the turnbuckles and replaced two of them with a couple with the right lenght. I also mounted the correct 6 millimeter gray ball connectors with the right set up.

I also replaced the rear hubs because one of them had a broken ball connector screw inside.

TerraConqueror36_zpsc41c10d8.jpg

I decided to give another optional to this Terra Conqueror. I'm speaking about the RW Racing steel propeller shaft.

This propeller shaft is unique in the market because it has the universal joint on front gearbox and has the torque splitter set on the rear gearbox joint.

TerraConqueror37_zps10ca60a3.jpg

TerraConqueror38_zpsfdaa3ad0.jpg

As you can see, if you see it, there's a one way bearing inside the rear gearbox joint.

TerraConqueror39_zps9a8d8090.jpg

At the end I found extra turnbuckles for the steering rods and steel suspension shafts that, in stock for the Terra Conqueror, were missing on my model.

TerraConqueror40_zps5a1821dd.jpg

TerraConqueror41_zps182d4da5.jpg

Still waiting for 4 ball differentials, the rear wing that the seller forgot to add to the previous package and a lot of spare parts.

Grrr!!!

Max

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I also decided that on this model I will use, where possible, only M3 threaded screws.

One of the most common problem on the DF-01 chassis is the failure of the plastic parts where the screws are tightened.

So I'm using this M3 thread cutter to thread all screw holes. I began from the rear hubs.

TerraConqueror42_zps4c4fb153.jpg

Threading.

TerraConqueror43_zpsdc16eaf1.jpg

Et voilà! No more broken plastic parts.

TerraConqueror44_zps19840055.jpg

Max

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nicely done indeed, I'll be taking the same approach on my upcoming build. :)

Quite a tasty bag of suspension shafts by the way - and a finger licking upgrade on the prop shaft.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...