So, What Have You Done Today?

[BuggyDad 4477]

I went a bit dremel crazy on my budget rally TT-02. Nothing protruding down below the arms now, and (hopefully) nothing getting in the way of steering through the rally travel. Although the feel of the steering is not as free as I'm used to I think that's mainly those big unlubricated plastic ball joints that link uprights to arms and I think they'll free up in use. 

The Yeah Racing shocks feel wonderfully smooth except I have a feeling the springs are a bit too hard for this use. These are 60mm shocks, which I think was a good call for me. Any more height/droop would've required a lot more cutting. 

I also discovered that not only have I  a 7mm socket that'll go on my electric screwdriver for wheel nuts, so now I'm like a diminutive and less fire-prone F1 pit crew, but that said socket is also good fit on a ball adjuster too, so turnbuckles are suddenly a breeze. 

 

[Willy iine 18806]

@BuggyDad So the Dremelling you did, it does not affect the structural integrity of each of the parts?   Just wondering as I was thinking perhaps they were shaped a certain way to provide robustness..(?) 

As for the stiff ball joints I think they sell ball link reamers to smooth those out if they don't loosen up.  

 

For me, already got my tracking numbers for the Scorpion and regular Optima.     Should have them in my hands by end of this week.. with hope.    The motor and receivers will take a bit more time, but that is fine.  

 

Next project is to learn about HO scale model trains..I need to make a rail system to take videos of my RC cars while in motion..

[OnTheTrail 1152]

2 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

The Yeah Racing shocks feel wonderfully smooth except I have a feeling the springs are a bit too hard for this use. 

 

 I've gotten a few sets of the YR shocks and agree.   Super nice, especially for the price.   As for the springs, I almost always forgo the YR spring and use the ones that come in the kit.   You may want to try that on your TT02 project.   

[Sogogi 3218]

2 hours ago, OnTheTrail said:

 I've gotten a few sets of the YR shocks and agree.   Super nice, especially for the price.   As for the springs, I almost always forgo the YR spring and use the ones that come in the kit.   You may want to try that on your TT02 project.   

+1. On the springs. I just threw them out and used tamiya springs 

[one_hit 1047]

Went to the track and had a great time. No crashes, no breakage 

[OnTheTrail 1152]

6 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

I

I also discovered that not only have I  a 7mm socket.......said socket is also good fit on a ball adjuster too, so turnbuckles are suddenly a breeze. 

 

Wait.....???   So a simple 7mm socket can be used over the turnbuckle ends?  Even though the ends aren't anywhere close to hex shaped?

[BuggyDad 4477]

7 hours ago, Willy iine said:

@BuggyDad So the Dremelling you did, it does not affect the structural integrity of each of the parts?   Just wondering as I was thinking perhaps they were shaped a certain way to provide robustness..(?) 

I think it will be ok. The arms are all reversible left to right, so the removed material is nearly all redundant shock mounts and steering limiters. The cross section running the length of the arm remains at least constant with the arm before/after any given protrusion. The c hubs are a bit more of a risk, but I removed only a small amount of material there and to my eye the removed bit isn't structurally critical although I could've introduced a natural cracking point. 

Although I don't recall seeing pics I have read that this in principle is all pretty normal stuff to do when modding a TT-02 for rally. I'd have to have removed more to use a 65mm shock. Plus, my TT-02SR came with another set of all these parts so I have some spares. 

7 hours ago, OnTheTrail said:

 I've gotten a few sets of the YR shocks and agree.   Super nice, especially for the price.   As for the springs, I almost always forgo the YR spring and use the ones that come in the kit.   You may want to try that on your TT02 project.   

Trouble is, stock springs will be for road, I'm going for rally, so I figure it'll want softer, and longer, than stock. Think I've got to keep looking, but I'll build the car first. And that's taking a while because budget rally build means both a variety of experimental mods and slow sourcing of stuff. 

The shocks seem so nice though, I'm proper impressed. And they're the most basic of the YR options. 

3 hours ago, OnTheTrail said:

Wait.....???   So a simple 7mm socket can be used over the turnbuckle ends?  Even though the ends aren't anywhere close to hex shaped?

Yep. A bit gentler on them I think than a drill chuck. Squeezes the soft plastic a little, presumably holding the flat face against one hex face. Shove 'em in, push the button, Bob's your uncle. 

Hmmm. Maybe I should turn my XV-01 build thread into a rally build thread, for XV-01, TT-02 and XV-02 all together. 

[Nikko85 3454]

10 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Jeep looks fantastic @Nikko85

 

Many thanks and @Willy iine too, I am quite pleased with it. Now I have just got to finish off the final QD and I am caught up with all my projects.

However I have seen a Tamiya Hummer on eBay which is tempting me a little if the bidding stays low! 

 

 

[GeeWings 2830]

14 hours ago, Nikko85 said:

 

 

 fantastic! I absolutely love this.

[Willy iine 18806]

4 hours ago, Nikko85 said:

Many thanks and @Willy iine too, I am quite pleased with it. Now I have just got to finish off the final QD and I am caught up with all my projects.

However I have seen a Tamiya Hummer on eBay which is tempting me a little if the bidding stays low! 

 

 

Never ends!   

 

Once I am done with my Akira's corner and pretend RC shop expansion, I plan to get at least the BH WildOne and display it in my pretend RC shop.  I am trying to like their new HS, but I am not the biggest fan of those yellow plastic dampers..  and if I swap those out with anodized aluminum ones, then it's no longer box art.. so kind of on the fence.  I do however like their box itself so perhaps just keep it as a NIB collection and build on a rainy day..

Besides the Kyosho's Legendary Series cars I've been working on, I have no more cars I really want right now.. the CC02 LandCruiser looks good.. but I already have a black limited edition CC01 and I'm not much of a crawler guy so..   and while drift cars look cool, my MST GR Supra has very well filled my appetite so no more interest there, I bought all the Mini-Z's I want at the moment.. the 420X filled up the touring car category.. still have the F104 and XV to build.  

I think it might be time this Fall I consider the GF02 (nicherotors original) and go back to my M38 roots.  

[Nikko85 3454]

1 hour ago, GeeWings said:

 fantastic! I absolutely love this.

Thanks, I thought it would be up your street. The body is from a Taiyo renegade, another good candidate for the GF01 treatment, although it's a much larger scale than say the  RadioShack 4x4 or Tandy F100 being a true 1/12 scale. Gives it a less comical look and has a arch to arch ideal wheelbase of 182 mm.

I will keep this and the mini clod body as runner options, I am quite liking the idea of fewer chassis but with a few different bodies to really change the feel.

 

[Nikko85 3454]

3 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

Never ends!   

Thankfully I have an addiction to 1/12 Tamiya which are much rarer. I think the Hummer will be outta my price range once bidding ends, but does look super cool.

[Willy iine 18806]

@moffman @simalarion  I appreciate your comments and clarifications.  I will not be visiting any more negative energy threads.  

I am at a point in my life I am tired of the BS of the world.  I want to be inspired by goodness and positivity.  Everything else I will ignore.

[Juhunio 6830]

24 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

I will not be visiting any more negative energy threads.  

I am at a point in my life I am tired of the BS of the world.  I want to be inspired by goodness and positivity.  Everything else I will ignore.

I absolutely, categorically, emphatically and without question or hesitation 100% identify with and agree with this sentiment 👍

[Ray_ve 1043]

I.... may have....

ACCIDENTALLY

bought a Kyosho Corvette ZR1...

[Willy iine 18806]

24 minutes ago, Ray_ve said:

I.... may have....

ACCIDENTALLY

bought a Kyosho Corvette ZR1...

Is that the Mini-Z or Fazer?  

 

For me, made tire stops for my drift car as it slides on the shelf when I move the shelf itself. 

[Nikko85 3454]

I picked up a QD for a tenner. It will need lots of work as it looks quite rusted but I am hopeful I can achieve something cool.

The job will also need 3D printing as I am looking to extend the wheelbase a bit, not sure how but that's the fun really. 3D printing parts has been a big part of my last two new builds and to me it adds a really cool dimension.

More details when I come up with them.

[Tamiyastef 1970]

Searching under the muck to make sure the rallyblocks are still there 

[matisse 1581]

Bought a new project.

build thread incoming 

[Willy iine 18806]

Happy to report I finally got my black liner for the top shelf today.  The place I bought the commercial grade wire shelf from only sells in bundles of 4 plexiglass sheets and I only needed one extra, so had to order from another place.  Took a while to get.

Pictures are of the top 2 shelves of a 5 tier shelving unit.

Before..

Now..  

 

Previous picture for reference.. the other shelf liners are actually double overlayed.. meaning top side is gray wood grain overlay, bottom side black wood grain overlay to try to keep the wires appear tame on the bottom side of the shelves for when I take low angle shots of my RC cars.  

 

Funny fact.. when I took the old wire shelves down into the basement storage, I noticed that the entire wire shelf unit (36inch width version, 5 tiers) was about the same weight as one shelf (72") of the new unit.  So you can kind of image how much more metal is on the new unit.  

[BuggyDad 4477]

21 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

Happy to report I finally got my black liner for the top shelf today.  The place I bought the commercial grade wire shelf from only sells in bundles of 4 plexiglass sheets and I only needed one extra, so had to order from another place.  Took a while to get.

Pictures are of the top 2 shelves of a 5 tier shelving unit.

Before..

Now..  

 

Previous picture for reference.. the other shelf liners are actually double overlayed.. meaning top side is gray wood grain overlay, bottom side black wood grain overlay to try to keep the wires appear tame on the bottom side of the shelves when I take low angle shots of my RC cars.  

You need to have a race with all 9 Minis running together. 

But also, WOW. 

[Willy iine 18806]

1 minute ago, BuggyDad said:

You need to have a race with all 9 Minis running together. 

But also, WOW. 

   That would be fun.   Back in the late 90's almost everyone had these Mini's so the parking lot races were a lot of fun.   Like a bunch of colorful  little M&M's chasing each other.  

[moffman 5752]

8 hours ago, Willy iine said:

@moffman @simalarion  I appreciate your comments and clarifications.  I will not be visiting any more negative energy threads.  

I am at a point in my life I am tired of the BS of the world.  I want to be inspired by goodness and positivity.  Everything else I will ignore.

1000% agree with loads of BS in this modern world we live in today and keep on producing your creations and you will only get the positivity you inspire I always keep away from negativity because it just brings you down to that negative level and lifestyle to short for that rubbish!

[Ray_ve 1043]

3 hours ago, Willy iine said:

Is that the Mini-Z or Fazer?  

The Nitro version, about 25-ish years old?
Had one back then, so a nostalgia thing.

 

Meanwhile, finished the decorative roll-cage /semi-dashboard for the Juggernaut.

It came out pretty good I'm happy with it, mounts to original mounting points so no further body mods required.

[Willy iine 18806]

@Ray_ve Oh, nitro.  Very cool.   Nice job on the roll cage.   Looks good.  After sanding and painting no one will know what material was used.