I Think I Might've Just Made A Mistake...

[VagabondStarJXF]

... or perhaps made the best decision ever! I'm going to build myself a Sand Scorcher!

Hi everyone!

I was going to convert an M04L into a Sand Scorcher, a project which I'd first decided on last year, and life kinda got in the way as it always does. Then this weekend I find a Twinset SRB chassis for sale on eBay and that old plan has been scuppered in favour of building my first Sand Scorcher, which will be a custom runner and not a shelf queen. At first I thought it'd be great to build one of these classic Tamiya RCs but now I'm beginning to think I may have over estimated how easy it'll be. The M04L conversion was a pretty simple plan to begin. Now I'm going for a complete build. Anyways...

I've got a brand new set of wheels and tyres from the re-re Grasshopper and a genuine Sand Scorcher body (albeit in a real bad condition) and now I'm awaiting the arrival of the Twinset chassis, a roll bar with clamps and a battery/radio box. I know there's a helluva lot left to buy in order to get this project completed but... I guess I'm just looking for a little justification from the SRB guys on here to spur me on. That and a lot of advice on where to get some nice parts that'll make my Sand Scorcher not just nice to look at but also run really well too. I don't have a time scale for completion (unless you count 'sometime while I'm still young' as a time scale! lol) so please let me know of any custom parts worth fitting or any nice homebrew mods that are not too complicated to do.

Many thanks and much appreciation in advance for all help and advice given.

[TWINSET]

Then this weekend I find a Twinset SRB chassis for sale on eBay

No you didn't, that's one of Cherrybomb's

Give it a couple more weeks before you really start spending the cash - the Buggy Champ's release may well lower the price of a lot of 'old' spares on ebay.

Also, check out the TC traderooms, there's a fair bit of SRB stuff going up at the minute.

[VagabondStarJXF]

No you didn't, that's one of Cherrybomb's

Cool. I was about to try asking you about that as all I'd found was 1 Cherrybomb chassis pic in the showrooms. Thanks for letting me know. Gonna give credit where it's due. Did you make any other Scorcher bits perchance?

Those bits arrived today and I'm really psyched about building my Scorcher. Just finished reading most of the thread on the Buggy Champ I'm tempted to just wait until it's released then get a kit to use for parts. It'd also give me a complete screws kit, new gears (not that I can't get new gears via eBay) and a new bodyshell that I can do up with vintage/repro decals. I can't find any other info on it yet though and I've never been particularly patient when it comes to a new release. I might give up on it before it comes out just like I did with the RX7 TT01. lol

Before I throw more Q's here is my parts list, pieces in my posession, some of which are literally in my hands as I [struggle to] type:

Cherrybomb SRB alloy chassis

Roll Bar

Clamps

Kamtec "Carbon" Radio Box

Re-re Grasshopper Wheels and Tyres

Sand Scorcher body (in need of restoration)

The Q's...

Where did everyone get their alloy cages, bumpers and exhausts from? Is there someone on here that makes them? Or do most make their own?

I found Awesome Alloys. Are there any other companies like them making alloy bits 'n stuff?

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

I got my alloy exhaust from ebay, I think mine came from seller Mike00top, who's still making different designs.

Here's a picture that shows it

More pics of my sand scorcher in this shameless plug for my showroom, tamiya101 it someone please!!! lol

The cages and bumpers show up on there too but I'm pretty sure it's some one on TC that makes them.

I would have recommended a Kamtec radio box but you may as well wait for the real deal when the chassis is re released - though the kamtec box is perfect for a runner.

Just ask away with all your questions!

[terry.sc]

The Q's...

Where did everyone get their alloy cages, bumpers and exhausts from? Is there someone on here that makes them? Or do most make their own?

I found Awesome Alloys. Are there any other companies like them making alloy bits 'n stuff?

Awesome alloys - otherwise known as Tc member rad22rad http://www.tamiyaclub.com/trades.asp?id=1892

Alloy bumpers and cages from J-man http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...9&sid=16781 or from Blacque Jacque http://www.tamiyaclub.com/trades_model.asp?cid=58734

Exhausts are usually from mike00top, many examples in rad22rads showroom.

[VagabondStarJXF]

Thanks for the info guys. I've been contacting people left, right and center to give myself a better idea on the total budget for this project and, since I'd found that the Re-Re Rough Rider is gonna be expensive in the UK (as it seems it always is at first), I've decided to continue sourcing old parts instead of waiting for the Re-Re to arrive. £300ish MSRP won't do UK retailers any favours so I'm hoping it'll be a lot less than that on release. I haven't been able to spend more than £100 on a new kit in absolutely ages!

Parts update... I'm planning on getting the following bits:

rad22rad - "Custom 1" Wheels, Motor & Gear covers, Skid Plate.

Mike00top - alloy exhaust kit.

J-man - complete set of alloy front bumper and rear cage.

I'm starting to get consistantly outbid on eBay so I've also contacted Tamstar about parts, seeing as he's advertised a big box of bits on TC, so I'm hoping he's still got some left and can offer me a good price.

[dazaa]

Thanks for the info guys. I've been contacting people left, right and center to give myself a better idea on the total budget for this project and, since I'd found that the Re-Re Rough Rider is gonna be expensive in the UK (as it seems it always is at first), I've decided to continue sourcing old parts instead of waiting for the Re-Re to arrive. £300ish MSRP won't do UK retailers any favours so I'm hoping it'll be a lot less than that on release. I haven't been able to spend more than £100 on a new kit in absolutely ages!

Parts update... I'm planning on getting the following bits:

rad22rad - "Custom 1" Wheels, Motor & Gear covers, Skid Plate.

Mike00top - alloy exhaust kit.

J-man - complete set of alloy front bumper and rear cage.

I'm starting to get consistantly outbid on eBay so I've also contacted Tamstar about parts, seeing as he's advertised a big box of bits on TC, so I'm hoping he's still got some left and can offer me a good price.

I have 2 mk1 rough rider front suspension uprights. They are the much rare type which use screws instead of lugs on the later type. Unfortuantly the mounting brackets for the spot lights and the little bit for the shocker have been neatly removed but with the help of a plastic spacer for the shock they can be used again. Let me know if your interested.

dazaa

[VagabondStarJXF]

I saw something cool whilst browsing the Awesome Alloys "Hall of Fame". One of the Scorchers has some alloy knock-off hubs on it.

Does anyone know where I can get a few sets? Until I saw them on that Scorcher I thought they were only available for monster trucks like the LST (My brother has a set on his), T-Maxx and Savage kits.

[VagabondStarJXF]

I've got another question for everyone...

Is it true that the Sand Scorcher gearbox can't take anything more than a standard silver can but the Super Champ gearbox can?

Edit:

Rad has just told me the knock offs were custom made. I guess I won't be having have some for my scorcher.

[VagabondStarJXF]

So it's not as big a mistake as I thought it was gonna be... Surprisingly I'm not doing too badly with my first Scorcher build now. I've sourced a load of bits via the bay and gotten some essential bits from old fella (Thanks very much again dude!) to get me to the point where all I need is the custom made alloy parts like the covers, wheels, skid plate and front and rear cages. That doesn't mean that I haven't run into another problem (c'mon, don't be silly! )

I can't seem to figure out how the Kamtec box works with the steering rod. I was test fitting it so that I could measure it up for drilling 'n stuff when I noticed that the top looks a bit shallow around the bump where I thought the rod is supposed to come out and the front of the box seems to sit rather high making clearance a problem. Has anyone else got the Kamtec box on their runner? How did you get the steering rod set up with it?

[hedge]

I've got another question for everyone...

Is it true that the Sand Scorcher gearbox can't take anything more than a standard silver can but the Super Champ gearbox can?

Edit:

Rad has just told me the knock offs were custom made. I guess I won't be having have some for my scorcher.

You can dremel off the parts that prevent other 540s being put in, if you look in the gearbox from where you will put the motor in you will see some raised nipples, cut them off.

[TWINSET]

You can dremel off the parts that prevent other 540s being put in, if you look in the gearbox from where you will put the motor in you will see some raised nipples, cut them off.

Some gear cases require the diameter to be opened a little, depends on the casting and the motor used.

The casting sometimes have a large radius in the corner where the pinion end of the motor sits - that might need sorting too (dremel fest)

Also, depending again on the motor, not all of them will work with the stock endbell cover, as the wires are not always diametrically opposite

If you can't use the endbell cover, you can always drill screw mounting holes through the casing;

[VagabondStarJXF]

Thanks for the advise about the motors. After being warned about and reading about the handling 'difficulties' the SRB chassis' have compared to the later buggies I've decided to try it out with a stock silver can to begin with then upgrade as I get used to the way it handles.

Next problem... I'm looking for some dampers for this runner. I saw some on one built by delux and I tried contacting him about them but I haven't gotten a reply. I'm not even sure if he's got my message. They are a nice fitting set of coil overs with the piggyback tops. Anyone know where I can find a set?

And I've also seen brucie's mod to help preserve the front shaft areas. Are there any other mods I should be considering?

[WillyChang]

i think Parma has knockoffs but they're nylon

[irenL]

i think Parma has knockoffs but they're nylon

Parma and RPM makes them in plastic, as well as plated in chrome or gold.

HG (Hammad Gummand i think) have them in alloy. They used to do aftermarket alloy parts n bits for HPI RS4. And I think they also came out with clear bodied shockers before everyone.

But perhaps nowadays can pay a visit to fleabay and find them offered by one of the taiwanese seller. I see they do the frog wheels in alloy too, with the hubs as well, and hot shots.

[VagabondStarJXF]

I wasn't too keen on the plastic ones so, unless I find some HG ones (I'm searching right now! ), I'm gonna stick with my flanged lock nuts.

[Live Steam Mad]

Some gear cases require the diameter to be opened a little, depends on the casting and the motor used.

The casting sometimes have a large radius in the corner where the pinion end of the motor sits - that might need sorting too (dremel fest)

Also, depending again on the motor, not all of them will work with the stock endbell cover, as the wires are not always diametrically opposite

If you can't use the endbell cover, you can always drill screw mounting holes through the casing;

Andy, is that gearcase gritblasted at all? Just curious, it's very clean and slightly sparkly in the photo'.

Regards,

Alistair G.