JimBear

Well, something arrived on my doorstep - a roller CR-01 chassis. I'll probably be able to show you a few photos tomorrow. Nicely built (it was a batty ebay purchase - would actually rather have built it myself) but it is setup for 4WS, and since I only have a 2 channel radio and one servo, I have to revert it back to FWS only for the time being. In time, it has "lost" its motor, and I don't know what to make of the Carson Dragster ESC in the box. I assume it came with that originally, and the standard motor would be have been a silver can. Now, I need to get a motor of course - what of the Axial AX31312 35T (it's less than half the price of a CR tuned one)? Or should I just get a silver can to start out with?

Although I have only one unbuilt M chassis in bags and four other, actual projects on the list - I have come up against one thing: it's easy to buy something like a kit or resto car, get it delivered, unwrap (hey, cool thing!) and then there are all the other things ... I need. Like motors, ESC, TX/RX, paint, some odd tool thingy ... the list goes on. And in the middle of this, one gets the urge to "check out" whatever is up with the new RC baby on Tamiyaclub and what it might need in terms of fixes and essential hopups. Ooah ... this one needs some serious love, eh? New gearbox and extra sprockets up front? It's easy to get into spreadsheet territory, making flowcharts of "if then random failure apply glue". Perhaps it's just me, and perhaps I should have heeded the age old wisdom of Tamiya manuals: "Study and understand the instructions thoroughly before beginning assembly". But knowing all this, I can't help having a look at monsterizing a CR-01 or making a lowrider Lunchbox ... heelp!

You've done a great job on this - I am really surprised how much one actually can do (obviously with a lot of patience and skill). Future reference material.

To answer my own question ... ... I found a Spektrum IC3 to JST PH2.0 adapter cable that works (and then you obviously need to plug that into a charger). Perhaps that helps someone in the future.

@Kowalski86 - is the apprentice mechanic, Mr Penguin, doing his job?

Thanks, and good to know! The whole tyre business is pretty confusing - a lot of names and choices and no idea what really works (for me). But now I have a few option to look at when time comes (probably sooner than I think, hah).

I'll report back when it has arrived (and the servo, supposedly a good few days later ... aaah!). I am going to try to rein myself in and not go off buying tyres first thing I do. 4WS is on the long-term list, but first things first. Good to know at least something to start out with, once I get to that point. And yes, the siren call of Tamiya ...

Thanks everyone! This far, there has been a lot of good stuff to read and watch. As it stands at the moment, I have a CR-01 incoming. I am thinking I'll try this for starters and see if light crawling/trail running is something I'd like to get deeper into. From what I have read, it seems that the kit tyres are a bit on the hard side - I was thinking of perhaps using something else, like the Gmade Bighorn (if they fit on the orignal rims?). Or if someone has a better tyre option? I am just going to see how it works as a stock build, with a 25 kg servo up front first.

Perhaps would the new Pajero tyres look good on a Brat, too?

Getting slightly confused here ... do you mean MB-01 is better than the M05 in this regard? Something else that came to me - was it always 54/60 tyres (as it is with the MB-01) when using the Abarth body? Otherwise, then 54 tyres up front may have been a way to try to get rid of the rubbing? It also strikes me that getting a wider track width means you can't get the tyres in under the wheelarches on the Alfa, which to me looks odd, given how they tend to look like in real life.

Great examples, @Tamiyastef! Since I am asking a bunch of questions ... is an older Axial SCX10 (version 1) "better" than the CR-01? I have a feeling for hopups/spares situation for the CR-01 but am totally lost on the SCX10.

It looks great! I misread the title and thought of it as a WR-02 build. But hey, trucks with big tyres always gets my attention anyways ... I guess I have to blame the Bigfoot I saw in the car magazines as a kid.

@87lc2 - thanks for the clarification on the CR-01 motor. I am still not sure yet whether I am going to go seriously crawling in severe terrain, but if so, maybe an Axial comes to mind. Or a Gmade R1 Rock Buggy.

I ordered some plaster, and I am going to get going once the stuff arrives. Thinking of doing a first try with a one-piece board, something like 140x50 cm, or maybe two 70x50 that I can combine. I'll show some progress photos eventually.

I have been looking at some of the options - this far the MST looks great. The Tamiya CR-01 Rock Socker is still in there, too, since it is a more "complete" package. Perhaps the idea will turn out to be more of a trailrunner, rather than an all-out crawler. Not sure if the RS would work for that? I guess I need to get another TX/RX combo too.

Yes, I agree on that - I found the idea a bit silly at first, but well ... one can change ones' mind, right? @Tamiyastef - yes, that is the one I meant. I found them at tamico.de, going through their crawler category. @BuggyDad - good to know the options, going to have a look at the Element too.

Yes, I know - a million questions and ideas buzzing around in my head ... feel free to ignore! I am thinking of building "some stuff" for the 1/24 trucks to crawl around. I want it to be small and "portable" - either a larger piece to put on the kitchen table (80x140 cm or so), or a few "set pieces" to use on top of a green or brown carpet-something (Warhammer vibe-o-meter on high). Right now, I am thinking that it building something from scrap, painting and glueing would be a nice pastime, rather than just buying more ready-made stuff. I was thinking of plaster and chickenwire, but how to get that to be sturdy (and heavy) enough? MDF underneath and then wire and plaster on top?

Some great suggestions, thank you! I guess perhaps it might turn out to be mild crawling, and tinkering is (almost) always fun. @Tamiyastef - do you mean the MST CMX L version? What I haven't figured out yet, is if the Rock Socker (Sock it to'em, James Bond!) is if it uses a silver can 540? Sounds off for a crawler, but what do I know?

Great answers - thank you all, mentioned or not! @Andreas W - I've "seen" a Carten M210 FWD in a webshop (190 euros) - don't know if it is leftover stock, but Carten shows it too on their homepage. I was thinking that you were using one of these in the postal racing. @alvinlwh - great stuff - I'll have a read and see what's what. Thank you! @technics - beautiful as usual! Why I am asking specifically about fwd versions is that I like the M03, and I am intrigued by why some people think fwd is nothing for an RC car.

No, I haven't, not yet. Now I know what to expect ... gaaah! *running off, screaming* So, I guess the answer to the original question is frankly, a big "no". Tamiys models never work. Fact. Done. Now, shall we have some tea, please?

What would be a good entry-level kit (something to build, in 1/10 scale) for someone just wanting to dip a toe in? I was thinking of the Rock Socker, but perhaps there is something else that is decent in the 200-300 euro price range (the vehicle only)? I am running a SCX24 indoors, and I guess we can assume for the moment that it would be simple, just-for-fun, outdoors crawling.

It's meditative, reading the text and looking at the photos. Just wonderful stuff - this was a nice way to "slow down" in the evening, participating from the kitchen table.

Just curious ... how does the "other" M chassis fare (I am thinking especially of the 3racing Mini MG and the Carten M210 FWD, perhaps there are other FWD ones?) compared to an M-03/M-05?

DT-01 (the current Mad Bull) - primtive perhaps, but it works.

It really looks like some of garages I saw as a kid - a jumble of stuff and some order, only known to the owner/user to the space. Great, keep on going.