Rebuilding a couple vintage grasshoppers

[MadAtComputer]

I'm rebuilding a couple vintage grasshoppers, one for me and one for my Dad. Original plan was to run silver can 540s, but I ran it with the 380 first. It drove well and was plenty of fun so sticking with 380s. the body on the one I am fixing up for myself had a lot of damage. it won't be perfect but the repairs seem solid so far. It also needed a new gearbox housing and wheels and tires. Went with hornet spike tires, will run the same on both.

The old futaba servo in mine works great so been using that. bought an old Futaba MC 210CB ESC for mine to go along with the vintage servo and will move the 1060 I have been using to my Dad's grasshopper when the ESC gets here.

Dads grasshopper needs cleaned up badly, bearings which should be today, tires, and the body redone. will run a 1060 esc, amazon servo and a 380. it has a vintage 380 in it so I will how that dose. If it's worn out it will get a new one. His has the early style gearbox and black plastic bushings, but white ball cups and the chassis that supports the hornet body post. Maybe a parts bin build or been repaired a few times.

[njmlondon]

Fun cars to rebuild. Great choice sticking with the 380s too. Make sure you get these entered into the Racing By Post challenge! 

[MadAtComputer]

1 hour ago, njmlondon said:

Fun cars to rebuild. Great choice sticking with the 380s too. Make sure you get these entered into the Racing By Post challenge! 

Yeah lots of fun and nice and simple. The 380 seems like plenty for this chassis.

Thinking of painting mine TS-34 Camel Yellow and using re re grasshopper decals.

[MadAtComputer]

Got Dad's grasshopper cleaned up and back together. It was gross. Still not 100% clean after a couple washes. good enough for a runner i think. Seems all I need are tires, a servo saver and new motor leads. I cleaned up the hardware with a small wire brush on my rotary tool. Soaked the plastic parts in warm water and dish soap and scrubbed with a plastic bristle brush. Some of the plastic on the chassis tub is discolored. Not sure from what. Seems solid though.

 

[MadAtComputer]

Got the strikers stripped off, body washed and most of the sharpie cleaned off. It will be awhile before I can afford to buy the rest of the stuff for it so I put it all in a box to keep track of the parts.

[MadAtComputer]

Got the old futaba ESC in. Printed the manual for it and set it up. Was nice out today so i ran it for 20 min or so.

 

[MadAtComputer]

Got first coat of primer on my grasshopper. from what it started out as i think it's alright. Lots of little chips ect in the body but the three big cracks i repaired, broken roll bar near the right side mirror and the corners of the spoiler turned out good enough for me. It is going to get driven a lot so not going to go much farther on body work. plus who knows those big cracks might split back open lol Attached a photo from the listing when I bought it to show the cracks and chewed up spoiler.

[MadAtComputer]

I bought a savox budget plastic gear servo for my Dad's grasshopper along with a tamiya servo saver and a new 380 motor. The original motor is spare for now. I may end up putting it on mine since I have old school electronics, would fit in better. I dunno lol  I'll be ordering tires for Dad's grasshopper next week. It will get hornet rear tires like mine.

[yogi-bear]

awesome restore project. It's pretty cool that you are using old school electronics too.

[MadAtComputer]

10 hours ago, yogi-bear said:

awesome restore project. It's pretty cool that you are using old school electronics too.

Thanks It's a lot of fun fixing em up

[MadAtComputer]

We have a very nice day today so Dad and I painted our grasshopper shells. After a couple days of drying we will paint the roll bars. I'll order decal sheets when I can afford em, probably next month.

[Grumpy pants]

 A fantastic thread and 2 GH saved! 
 

Really nice that you worked on these with your dad and saved so much of the original RC’s 👏

[MadAtComputer]

Just waiting on ordering decal sheets now.

[MadAtComputer]

what I came up with for my grasshopper. Might put something on the spoiler, dunno. 

[MadAtComputer]

that should do it.

[El Gecko]

21 minutes ago, MadAtComputer said:

that should do it.

Whoa 

I've just seen a ghost

[MadAtComputer]

10 minutes ago, El Gecko said:

Whoa 

I've just seen a ghost

Cool, it's a nice color

[El Gecko]

21 minutes ago, MadAtComputer said:

Cool, it's a nice color

Well, yours is a nice color. Mine will be a nice color again eventually (copper this time), but is now mostly primer gray. Shortly after that photo was taken, it entered into a years-long reincarnation that's still in progress. You've not only started after, but also finished (both of!) yours before I did

[MadAtComputer]

10 minutes ago, El Gecko said:

Well, yours is a nice color. Mine will be a nice color again eventually (copper this time), but is now mostly primer gray. Shortly after that photo was taken, it entered into a years-long reincarnation that's still in progress. You've not only started after, but also finished (both of!) yours before I did

My Dad painted the blue one. so I did one and a half? lol