Ever built a kit without buying a kit?

[KEV THE REV 2433]

The only kit I have ever bought and built is a Mad Bull . I have built many RCs from piles of new spares like Wild Ones , Lunchboxes etc .

[TwistedxSlayer 1302]

 

 

The link to my Evo 4 build :-)

[BuggyGuy 1140]

I've built a few TRF201 varients and a DB01RRR from parts.

Not cheap

[Alexei 754]

On 8/9/2024 at 12:58 AM, Alexei said:

yeah, currently doing a project like that. though, it's not a Tamiya kit but the idea is the same. i have a handful of spares left over, so im buying up the rest i need.

i eventually got enough parts acquired and could start the build. this is what it looks like now. built from spares, left overs and some extras.

[jonboy1 3482]

I've built a TRF201 and a DB-01RRR (both with all the hop ups I could get) from parts - horribly expensive but fun to hunt down all the parts (not sure it would be possible any more.)

I also built a Super Astute and a King Cab from left over spares and new parts. Again, fun, but not necessarily the most economical method.

I had what I thought was 80% of the parts to build a TA-02 with left overs from my carbon chassis build, but as others have pointed out, you find there are a surprising number of parts you don't realise you need and they all add up very quickly. I quickly found out that it would cost significantly more than a full kit with body and wheels just to get the remaining parts, so I quit while I was still ahead.

I guess part of it comes down to what it is you hope to build: If you want to make a perfect, new build of something that is no longer available (or was never available as a kit, like my fully hopped up DB-01) then it is the only way to do it, and if you accept that then it's a no brainer.

If you want something to run or aren't bothered by having used parts and already have some of the parts in your spares box, then it can be financially viable. There are always caveats though - you can guarantee there will be one tiny little part you need and it will be on a parts tree that has every other part you already have and costs £50 to get! 

Going slightly off topic (for which I apologise in advance) but I have always intended to build a mash up zombie-esque buggy out of all the various bits I have in my spares. There have been other build threads along this line in the past, and they were great fun to read.

[JimBear 1012]

I have the rims and tyres right now, but need to figure out the rest ... (seriously)

 

[moffman 6021]

I built this grey wild Willy 2 from complete parts which I had collected without knowing over the years the only thing I actually bought was the driver figure set after I realised I had all the parts to build a second car! Mind you if I remember (because it was years ago) the self tappers I used were different condition and some I think weren’t tamiya and in some cases slightly different sizes but it ran fine and didn’t fall apart 

[GermanTA03Guy 1373]

... its what i do all of the time... 

[GToddC5 2002]

I recently finished collecting all the items needed for a Mud Blaster build. Box from here, manual from there, parts from all over. Even organized it into the parts and hardware bags. Now that I'm there, I loathe the thought of painting/detailing the Brat body, so I've moved some other stuff up in the build queue 

I'll let the "kit" simmer in the box for a bit

[Grumpy pants 5497]

I’ve got an SRB Ranger in my collection that was built entirely out of NOS parts about 10 years ago.

The guy slowly bought all the parts as and when he could source them.

Only the battery and radio gear are secondhand. 
 

Looks mint as well 😎
 

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=126124&id=40536