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mongoose1983

RC project for 2015: Dodge A-100 2wd Puller

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I have to start this thread doing some sort of Mea Culpa, by bringing on the fact that I haven't finished not even one of the three RC projects I had for 2014. There's different reasons for each one of them not to be finished as of tonight. The International Super Stock tractor was discarded by mid 2014 when I had to sell the driver and use the rear tires on my Wheely King runner. But I was given an extra set of tires for it so I'll resume my work this summer. As for the Bruiser, and the Rough Rider/Sand Scorcher, I can only name lack of inspiration. My mind has been into many things, fortunately now I have some time to go back to the cars. I'm smiling. :)

Well, the vehicle I just started working on is a 1:12 mini truck 2wd puller, pretty much in the style of the classic Psycho and Hog Wild Econoline pullers from the Golden era. It happened that a friend here in TC told me he had a Dodge body that "he had no use for". I became interested in it when remembering the classic Little Red Wagon dragster, and the awesome wheelstanding pullers of the 80's. Now I'm working on to make that vision work as a custom RC vehicle. By the way, thanks, Paul! :D

As reference, here's a picture of Hog Wild, and a fantastic clip of the incredible Psycho puller:

hogwildrearvw_zps2ea47b50.jpg

I'll post some pictures of my custom set-up right away. :)

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Well, basically this is what I have over my workbench tonight:

2wdver_zps99a41dbd.jpg?t=1421636812

The drivetrain is from a Hornet buggy. It was given to me by a friend here in Santiago. I've got a sweet, sweet pair of vintage aluminum Sees wheels that my good friend Crash Cramer gave to me a few months ago, and some aluminum covers for the front wheels, too.

DSCN9100_zps1e971387.jpg?t=1421637802

Today with the very last drops of silver/chrome paint I had in some old Pactra can I painted the engine:

DSCN9087_zps30bbb7f7.jpg?t=1421638007DSCN9090_zps26484bd8.jpg?t=1421637976

My buddy Alan here gave me an extra Clod blower he had laying around and I am thinking about using it. I'm loving the looks of this thing:

DSCN9099_zps5b20a487.jpg?t=1421638004

Here's the Dodge body with and without the Clod blower:

DSCN9096_zpscb92b1a8.jpg?t=1421638002

I hope to finish the chassis next weekend. It's basically the same sort of work I did with the tractor puller. I'm only missing a pair of Hornet spindles to get the roller ready!

I've no money for paint now so I have no other choice than using what I already have here. It will be brown or gold, or both. As much as I love this combination, I already have a brown Jeep Wrangler, and now the Hot Soccer Mom WK here, so I am not too excited about the colors. But still that doesn't take away all the fun and happy times I'm having by working on this little truck. :D

I hope to update this thread later on this week.

You all have a good Tuesday! :)

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What a excellent start and on limited funds too - shows it can be done . USE the clod blower for sure as it looks fantastic sat on that motor .

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Subscribed - will look forward to seeing this one come together :)

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Thanks for the kind words and encouragement bromvw and Mad Ax!

Well, I'm all smiles today. I finally got the compressor my father gave me one or two years ago working, and so I could airbrush the Dodge. It's my 1st time using the airbrush so I'm smiling and feel excited for the future projects that I can come across. :lol:

I had no choice other than gold. I think it looks pretty good. I had fears that it would look as tacky as some Elvis car, but I think it is nice and with the decals and stuff it'll be pure eye-candy. I stop the chit-chat here and here's the pictures:

IMG_0418_zps8z55g034.jpg

IMG_0421_zpsxtmbnar3.jpg

IMG_0405_zpsr8wlidkj.jpg

You all have a fantastic Thursday! :)

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I really like the gold color! It's very appropriate for the time period. Some chrome accents (aluminum foil) would look great with that color; I've seen some scale modelers use the shiny side of aluminum foil to great effect.

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Thanks, Paul! I've no aluminum foil here, but I do have a chrome decal sheet and I plan to do a couple of interesting things to finish it nicely.

I truly believe you're going to like it. ;):D

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Looking good so far :D I think the colour will really suit the era, looking forward to more :)

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That looks the dogs testicles IMO . Very era correct . This is going to be epic i'am sure .

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What a perfect colour choice, that'll look good when it's all built up.

Cheers for posting the video above as well

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Thank you guys again for your encouragement and kind words.

Well, this isn't much progress I know, but I happened to spend easily a couple of hours today placing some decals on the Dodge truck. As you can see I only took bits of the film off of it to get specific decals there. I'll get it all off when I come to think of a good name for the truck so I can get all of the decals and sponsors that I have for this body ready.

Some pics:

IMG_0461_zps6pn9f9f6-1-1.jpg?t=142205310

IMG_0459_zpsuvm3asbr-1.jpg?t=1422053051

IMG_0460_zpsnw7dmrgh-1.jpg?t=1422053054

You guys enjoy your Sunday! :)

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Some more hours spent working on the little puller. Last weekend I traded a pair of Turbo Blaster 550 tires for the rear axle. They look better size-wise, but although they go nicely on the truck, the whole thing kind of lost the puller looks, so I'm not completely sure about them. :mellow:

Anyway, here's the front axle finished and ready to be used. As you'll see in the pictures below, I used the front arms of a Midnight Pumpkin that were badly bent and a piece of aluminum (10mm size). Basically I cut the arms, and then drilled a couple of holes on the alu bit so I could get the screws right where the original shocks fit these arms. It worked alright and painted all black I know it's going to look fine. :)

IMG_0565_zpswz5cszqn_1.jpg?t=1422413881

IMG_0569_zpspwfyrwz4_1.jpg?t=1422414006

IMG_0567_zpsohpeblsn_1.jpg?t=1422414013

IMG_0588_zpss8p9twbg_1.jpg?t=1422414023

IMG_0597_zpsyedgpaav_1.jpg?t=1422414032

IMG_0598_zpstrgb1rzp_1.jpg?t=1422414037

IMG_0592_zpstddfetiq_1.jpg?t=1422414033

More updates soon. ;)

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I also worked on the main chassis frame today. I used a couple of Grasshopper axle holders and wider alu pieces. I'm not 100% sure I'll use these in the end, but so far they seem to be the most obvious choice for a frame. Let's see how the whole thing turns out.

There will be some suspension set up for the rear axle but very limited. I'll use a single shock fixed to the gearbox. Here's the pictures:

IMG_0573_zpstaqdbt8k_1.jpg?t=1422415276

IMG_0580_zpsuhicte4v_1.jpg?t=1422415274

A closer look at the Turbo Blaster 550's:

IMG_0633_zpstvoxtgqh_1.jpg?t=1422415227

And here's a couple of pictures of the truck. I like the overall looks of it, but these rear tires make it look more like a souless on-roader than a puller. <_<

IMG_0617_zpsx5haoa7n_1.jpg?t=1422415231

IMG_0603_zpssrka6vfa_1.jpg?t=1422415234

You all have a good Thursday! :)

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Max personally i thought the other rear tires looked better . As for a name how about Marabunta given your location ? :D

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Wow, what a great project! I had no idea one could get these dodge bodies. Is the van version available too?

Great color choice, excited too see more of this build. :-) I especially like how the front wheels tuck in, looks very authentic.

I think the first set of wheels and tires was a better choice for what you wanted to achieve. Do you still have them?

Thank you for the gears btw, they just arrived a few days ago.

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Thank you guys! I am not sold yet on the rear wheel/tire combination. Fortunately the wheel arch I cut fits both sets, so I can change them anytime when I get to finish the project.

I got an idea today about how to attach the front axle to the frame. I only need a lil time to spend on the workbench to make it real ;)

Also, I think I need to buy a little bronze hinge but that's for another part of the truck. More stories hopefully SOON, haha.

@tilstad1: Thanks! The body is made by the RJspeed brand. Will email you right away!

You all have a great Friday! :)

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Instead of Lunch Box tires/wheels for the rear, what about TLT-1 wheels/tires instead? Aren't they a little smaller? They might look more scale to the 1:1 pullers at the top of this thread.

Also, thinking about the front wheels -- RJ Speed has some O-ring front tires for their dragsters that might be interesting to consider. I see the 1:1 pullers have relatively skinny tires. Maybe a fat O-ring on the RJ Speed wheel would look reasonable?

Just some thoughts...

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Instead of Lunch Box tires/wheels for the rear, what about TLT-1 wheels/tires instead? Aren't they a little smaller? They might look more scale to the 1:1 pullers at the top of this thread.

Also, thinking about the front wheels -- RJ Speed has some O-ring front tires for their dragsters that might be interesting to consider. I see the 1:1 pullers have relatively skinny tires. Maybe a fat O-ring on the RJ Speed wheel would look reasonable?

Just some thoughts...

Just last night I started thinking about TLT-1 tires, and searched for size comparison pictures online. Come up with nothing, and finally gave up because I must keep the budget where it is and use what I already have here.

Yes, I know the o-ring type of tires you're talking about but they're used on drag racing like you said and not on sled pulling. The front tires used in this kind of pullers are not thin. Here's some interesting reference picture:

703564_3331263857341_486955665_o_zpsce8e

See? This is why I am very happy with the front wheels I have for it. I do believe you're going to like the project when finished, Paul. ;):)

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The only thing that concerns me from a design point of view is weight . You need more of it - a lot more . To get traction you need a lot of mass on that front end .

think about how your going to do that as i'am sure you want it to be able to pull and not just look the part .

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Haha. You're asking too much from a guy in the 3rd world! All I can promise you guys is a fine looking RC vehicle that "runs". A real RC puller to pull a real pulling sled would cost over five hundred bucks if not $1000. With that kind of money I'd be able to have food over my table for almost a year. Anyway, be sure to check the updates from time to time. If when finished the pictures and video of the truck finished & running doesn't make you smile, I would be a definite and total failure as both, hobbyist and TCer. :lol:

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Haha. You're asking too much from a guy in the 3rd world! All I can promise you guys is a fine looking RC vehicle that "runs". A real RC puller to pull a real pulling sled would cost over five hundred bucks if not $1000. With that kind of money I'd be able to have food over my table for almost a year. Anyway, be sure to check the updates from time to time. If when finished the pictures and video of the truck finished & running doesn't make you smile, I would be a definite and total failure as both, hobbyist and TCer. :lol:

What classes as the Third World at the moment? With the EURO about I think most of Europe must qualify

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What classes as the Third World at the moment? With the EURO about I think most of Europe must qualify

Is'nt Bradford part of the Third World ? :lol:

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Wow Erich, really digging that rig. I don't know what name would be good, you do seem to like Bruisers and HOG HEAVEN, but that HOG WILD isn't exactly Gold now is it?? I do know you won't be calling it Fat B()*& Like I did my mini lately in the TC showrooms. :lol:

I wonder what else might fit, I mean with the motto you put on the back cab area, the name WOODY comes to mind, but.....

All your rigs make me stare and wonder how the heck you get such good results and hit the nail on the head when you go for a look and all, regardless if the scale matches the outcome, IE, this puller might not even pull a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, but it will LOOK like it could pull the tusks off a wild boar.

Since you like the Bruiser and Daisy Duke and other things like I do, wonder if Boar's Nest or the like could go on this, maybe BOSS HOG, now we are talking, BOSS HOG would only be seen in a GOLD pulling van, no other color could suit him. :P

I have a set of those Turbos on my static display Ranger, they wouldn't be able to turn under the chassis without removing all four wheel arches, so kudos for finding them a use, but I think you could use some REAL BIG paddle track type tyres like you showed us on Hog Wild scan with the full rear end shot. Those look like custom cut treads, cut down from the full tire like the MP/VLB all utility traction type???

Well, I shall leave you to it and enjoy the updates.

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Wow Erich, really digging that rig. I don't know what name would be good, you do seem to like Bruisers and HOG HEAVEN, but that HOG WILD isn't exactly Gold now is it?? I do know you won't be calling it Fat B()*& Like I did my mini lately in the TC showrooms. :lol:

I wonder what else might fit, I mean with the motto you put on the back cab area, the name WOODY comes to mind, but.....

All your rigs make me stare and wonder how the heck you get such good results and hit the nail on the head when you go for a look and all, regardless if the scale matches the outcome, IE, this puller might not even pull a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, but it will LOOK like it could pull the tusks off a wild boar.

Since you like the Bruiser and Daisy Duke and other things like I do, wonder if Boar's Nest or the like could go on this, maybe BOSS HOG, now we are talking, BOSS HOG would only be seen in a GOLD pulling van, no other color could suit him. :P

I have a set of those Turbos on my static display Ranger, they wouldn't be able to turn under the chassis without removing all four wheel arches, so kudos for finding them a use, but I think you could use some REAL BIG paddle track type tyres like you showed us on Hog Wild scan with the full rear end shot. Those look like custom cut treads, cut down from the full tire like the MP/VLB all utility traction type???

Well, I shall leave you to it and enjoy the updates.

Thanks Chris,

As you know I've been working on the Bruiser these days, therefore no updates on this one yet. Last Sunday I found some metal straps that might help me fix the axle to the chassis in a more realistic way, but it is still an idea that needs a little more thinking.

Oh, the motto in the back cab area wasn't my idea! I took that from the Psycho Econoline in the video. I thought it was so funny. And of course it makes sense when you remember what that lil truck used to do back in the day.

Now that you say that, I think I'm going to have to do a video of it pulling not six but eight pop cans when ready! ;)

We'll have to wait and see what tires I end up using on this truck. I don't see myself shaving tires though. All I can say is you're going to like it when its done.

Next post will have to be some update. :ph34r:

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