Dr.Robotnik

Here is the Composite Craft nose plate that I bought recently and also the start of some shocks.[] The shocks are RC10 dampers but have gold CRP clamps at the rear. I am going to strip the gold anodizing and return the shocks to raw un-polished aluminium, like on the box picture on the original RC10 box.[8-|] It's really starting to take shape now but I am still a few parts short... Enjoy [H] View from above; View from the front; View towards the rear; Now I just need to work up the courage to drill the nose plate to accept the front transmission. I don't find it hard to take new parts out of bags but I find it hard to modify new parts. [:S]

My most wanted; 1:Blazing Blazer (to restore) 2:Blitzer Beetle (NIB) 3:Monster Beetle (to hop-up/restore) 4:Can-am Lola (to restore/race) 5:Ford Hi-Lift (NIB) - I have really run out of ideas Number 4 and 5 were really stretches for me.

Oh and thanks for the glue tips guys, I have found that Plastruct plastic weld glue here Jim and am about to order some. I just need a smashed nose cone now and then I'll have roughly all the bits. I'd rather not fabricate one as the tip has two many bends in it to get right without lots of filler I fear.

Thanks for the compliments so far guys. [:$] I had hoped to do the repairs without any reinforcement, as I want the shell to look ok when viewed from the inside. I know that's weird but ho-hum. That's why I'd rather consider some other method. I think I am going to try and weaken the joints with Acetone. I have touched up some spare plastic material and glue and it seems to work ok. Then hopefully the joints will come apart completely or at least partially. Then I will re-glue it all with the right glue! I am slightly gutted that I am going to take it apart, as the panel fit I've achieved is excellent (even if I do say so myself) so far and the grafting of the two parts together was the best joint of the whole lot. Anyway, I'll let you know how the saga unfolds as and when I get new glue.

Hi guys, I am sorry I have not been able to keep to my own deadlines.[:$] But I have finally bitten the bullet and I have taken some pics of the experiment so far. Step 1: Assemble ingredients -2 x 2 litre bottles of Christmas Coca-Cola (I checked at the store and Christmas Coke strips paint ten times faster according to the cashier) -0.5 x MRP Lexan 'Scorpion' body shell -1 x Plastic sealable stipping bag (this is just a large zippy bag which came with some oven cleaner) -1 x Plastic container in case of spillage Step 2: The shell is in the coke which is in the bag which is in the container! So now, all there is to do is wait and see if its an embarrasing failure or not! [8-|]

Well I think its come out looking okay so far, if a little brittle [] I just had the smashed bits lying about and needed a test vehicle for fixing and painting so I won't have lost out as I've learnt a lot so far.

Now I know what glue I should be using, how do I go about undoing what I've done to re glue it? Does acetone work well as a glue remover on these shells?[*-)]

The rear section came in many parts and here's a view from the back. and the top. Today I started by first preparing the front shell for the rear to grafted on, I had to remove part of what was left of the roll bar area. Here are the two shells clamped together and glueing. This is the project so far. If I am going wrong [:$] somewhere please tell me as this is the first shell fabrication I've done! [8-|] This ias about as far as I can get at the moment as I don't have parts for the front nose or one of the roof bars so if anyone has some smashed shell parts they don't need, I'd love to use them, please drop me an email.[]

I didn't know if this was going to work out so didn't take pictures of every part of the shell like when I started, however everything seems to be going ok so far, so I have started taking pictures. [] When I bought my first Rough Rider chassis ages ago, I asked the seller whether he had a shell in any condition. At first he said it was to smashed and it wouldn't be worth having, but I told him whatever the condition just send it anyway. It turned out all that was left was 3 parts of the roof and a rear end in 6 pieces.[] As there wasn't much I didn't do anything with them.[8-)] Then I got a chopped up front half of a RR shell in a parts lot and this encouraged me to attempt this project as there is nothing to lose.[:|] After first reconstrcuting the roof and rear section yesterday, today I started with this. I have been using -a Rota-craft dremel type tool for cutting and grinding the parts to shape -Two Babco trigger clamps -a smashed Tamiya Striker shell is the donor material to fill in gaps I first draw around the space to be filled on a piece of paper. I then trace the shape onto the part which is for filling. I then grind and sand the parts until they fit smoothly. Finally I glue with Loc-tite Precision Super Glue a cyanoacrylate and clamp until the glue dries. I fabricated a new lug for the roof and glued it in.

I forgot to add, if that amount of chopping of the chassis hasn't made you want to quit, don't despair, there is more chopping to do!!! The picture below should show you how much of the body needs to be chopped to fit around the conversion! My body was a Parma hop-up version and had previously been chopped to fit the Hot Trick front The Hornet suspension conversion. Hope fully you will start with a fresh body and so your cutting will be neater. Well until my html works please just follow the link to my old showroom; http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp...841_3.jpg If you visit Westy and Clod Crawler's showrooms you can see they just cut their Grasshopper body onto two parts seperated by the front shock towers/bulkhead. Cheers Ed

Hi straightspeed2 , As Jay wrote I have made a Hornet chassis up using the CRP front end for the Futaba FX10 which was/is available from tamiyatech on ebay. This car was in my old showroom but I have unfortunately sold it so I can't take any more pictures.[] However I will try and guide you through the fitting process as best I can from memory.[:S] In my explanation I have had to use Westy and his son Clod Crawler's Grasshopper as an example picture as there picture taking is far superior to mine and I needed a shot of the bottom of the chassis.[] Please visit their showrooms for other great cars and pictures of this conversion. You will need; -One Grasshopper/Hornet Chassis (with normal front end removed) which you are prepared to cut, drill and grind to fit the FX10 suspension. This is a one way modification, the chassis once modified will not be able to be returned to stock! -A Dremel or similar hand held rotary tool. -A ruler. -Some time and patience. [] -The first thing I did before embarking on this conversion was to read the CRP FX-10 front end instructions (I didn't actually read the instructions but I reccomend you do ;-) and assemble the CRP kit (don't do the bolts up to tight or use the circlips as you'll need to take it apart in a moment for fitting). The benefit of this is, it allows you to see the finished front end and hold it up to your chassis. This will help you establish in your own mind where the chassis will need to be cut (its a lot of places). Mounting the CRP front end -The following pictures should help you more than my words ever could. Step 1, fitting the CRP a-arms/cutting the ends to fit (pivot points), trimming the chassis for clearance and drilling holes for the new front bulkhead. Step 2, fitting the front bulkhead and new shock tower. The original chassis's front shock towers need to be completely removed. To mount the bulkhead flat to the chassis and then mount the shock tower to it, more material from the chassis around the front back and sides of where the bulkhead is to mount needs to be removed. bulkhead Hope this helps, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Cheers Ed P.S. Thanks guys for giving me the opportunity to help out (I've always wanted to write a how to), I hope my feeble explanations can help in some way with this conversion as when you first get it and none of the pieces remotely fit, it is a little daunting. P.P.S. -Step 1: Westy and Clod Crawler's car is a Grasshopper and has red tires. -Step 2: My car was a Hornet and has the yellow bumper.

Yes just a quick update, I fixed my 1:1 car this weekend and unfortunately it took all of my free time and energy. Although I have all the ingredients now for the Coke strippin (coke, shell, sealable bag), I need to borrow a camera to document it. I am sorry I am rather behind schedule.[:$] I promise to update tonight.

Well I have few more parts coming for both cars. Over the weekend I managed to fit the gold short CRP axles that Jerry sold me and also the front universals. I am still having trouble working out how to remove the front MIP slipper clutch and propellor shaft from the front transmission housing. [:^)] So if anyone has any ideas, I am all ears???[8-|] I have a new Composite Craft front nose plate for the RC10 in the post. I paid far to much for it but had thought from the outset that that is what I wanted for my RC10. So I am stoked![] I will update with pics as soon as possible. [] Oh I have been after part SP25 the front propellor shaft for the MIP conversion for a while and now have decided to make my own as I need a few and can't find one! So it is a 15 tooth cog on a shaft. I think turning a shaft won't be a problem so now to the cog. I need to get a 15 tooth pinion to compare sizes with the SP25 I have and see if this is a good starting point for a repro part. If not its back to the drawing board! So here's a link to the 15 tooth pinion trade I put up; http://www.tamiyaclub.com/trades_model.asp?cid=47441&id=17773 All the best, Ed

Thanks for the replies everyone, I think the best advice I can take from this, is that I should just chill out and keep things strictly RC. I will try and do this in all posts in the future. [8-|] Thanks again. Ed

Oh, feel free to comment in which ever way you want on this topic, whether good or bad. I will accept everything as constructive criticism and will not be offended, I am trying to learn. But please, please read my post carefully.

I love being a member of this site and every other I have joined, as they allow me the ability to ask questions and find out information on the hobby while discussing these things with like minded individuals, for which I am very grateful that those involved have allowed me to participate and have created such websites for this purpose.[Y] However for the second time in the short while since I joined tamiyaclub, I have gotten into some bother on the forums. I have not on either occasion meant to offend or upset anyone, but have somehow spectacularly managed to do so on both occasion. Whether it be from the way I write or how I react, on both occasions the comments were taken in the wrong way.[:$] I have decided to right this post to hopefully avoid such problems in the future.[:S] First I'd like to categorically say; I don't read all the threads, I don't read all the forum sections, I don't know all the members, I don't know everything about this site or any other and I definitely don't know everything about the hobby. I have never claimed these things and there are many other things which I don't know either, the list could go on forever.[:|] I would like advice on the problem I am going to outline below and hopefully it will help myself and other people (if applicable) post confidently without causing problems in the future.[8-|] Here is the situation; -I write something in a thread on a particular point. This is meant as a benign post. I am NEVER out to cause trouble.[6] -Then someone responds... They write another post referring to the point without saying my name. I assume that in their post they are speaking to me as no one in the thread I post in has referred to the subject being addressed. So why else would they be writing about it???[*-)] -I take it that because I am the only person in the thread to make the point they are referring to then they are referring to me. I then respond having taken it personally and try and address the situation as best I can. -They then get upset, more people chime in, everyone gets the wrong idea and it turns into a complete mess.[:^)] I don't have time to read every thread and so don't know everything about every subject as I stated earlier. However I feel everyone should get freedom to comment however they want without it being taken in a negative light on their character or second guessing their motivation. I would like advice on doing this so as not to cause problems in the future.[8-)] Thank you for your time and I hope you can help me because I don't want to cause any trouble and just want to enjoy talking to other people who like RC.

Thank you Stevo309, I accept the apology, no hard feelings. I am sorry for taking offence too if it wasn't directed at me. [{] I will continue to be a member of tamiya101.com and look forward to contributing in the future. Cheers Ed P.S. I had no idea about other threads or bad comments about your site.

I don't know what to say other than please carefully read my previous posts! You guys aren't doing yourself any favours by getting upset as 100% of people who've commented on the actual movie after seeing it have been overflowing with praise for the movie and your site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that's an interesting looking car. Thanks for sharing that with us. Anyone have any idea whether the chassis was a production model or whether this is a complete custom job? It looks very well made whatever it is. Do you have any more pics? I see a very interesting shell in the background[8-|]

No problem, if you can find free hosting for a streamable 20+MB movie that allows direct hotlinking without popup ads then I'll go for it...! Trouble is it's almost impossible to find. It's a Tamiya movie in a Tamiya environment - If it wasn't so darn big I'd have put it on TC...! Sorry Wireless, I am not aux fait with all things internet related and didn't realise it was hosted there because of the size and the other things you mentioned. I wasn't having a go either it was just meant as a suggestion. Out of interest, does youtube or putfile not allow the things you mentioned? As far as I am aware they don't have popup ads, are free and allow direct hotlinking, you could even embed a video link in your post. Just a thought.

That was just meant in jest by the way[]

Phil which pic do you like best? The SP25 which I am missing remains a bargain in both pics!!!

eek that is fantastic work, I love to see you guys with real modelling skills customising and modifying your RC cars. There are so many good posts here at the moment with people's custom projects, I love it. Well done, I can't wait so see it all working in the snow on video perhaps? I look forward to your updates no matter how infrequent, great orignal project (oh and thanks for the background story). And to monster_beetle, can you keep me updated on the ski's front as I would love to get a pair for my Hornet. Thanks for sharing, Cheers Ed

Sorry I am an idiot, you wrote it came from tamiya's homepage. Sorry I hadn't read all the way through.

I don't suppose you have a link to the original Japanese interview do you? I speak Japanese and would be very interested to read it in its original form. Thanks for sharing and for translating it anyway.