Maisto 1/10 Beetle Body

[wolfdogstinkus]

What should I put this on?

I won it on the bay before xmas quite cheap, (cheaper than a Tamiya body)

Was thinking M04-L but the body is a bit too long, maybe only mm's?

Edit 2 Add; might go faster if I dusted it?

[wolfdogstinkus]

Is this the same body?

still very early in this project... rebuilt the gearbox with new gears and full bearings and stuck in a brand new motor. cut off the fenders and now it's time for some styrene slingin...

[wolfdogstinkus]

Here is the Maisto body on the M04L, Just sitting on, not fixed

The width is perfect!

Need to shift the rear wheel back a wee bit?

This is the Maisto chassis

Tamiya body on Maisto chassis, Nice

So, I think I want to fit the Maisto body to the M04L chassis as a runner, need to stretch the chassis a bit and source some nice wheels.

Any ideas or opinions gratefully received. Thanks

Snowdogstinkpants

[wolfdogstinkus]

Got a new chassis to replace the bent one and it came with the spacer, added it on to the chassis and it's a perfect fit for the Maisto body, just need to find a way of fixing it on to the chassis?, any suggestions welcome. I don't really want to drill/ ream holes in the body.

I also want to fit a larger wheel and tyre to the rear of the car so need suggestions for that as well please.

[wolfdogstinkus]

Just had a thought, how about this, but in styrene or aluminum? with velcro to hold the body in place.

Need a bigger wheel for the back end

How it might sit

[TA-Mark]

Aluminium plates (creatively bent to match the panel shape) and some button neo-magnets to hold the body on. Glue one set of magnets to the plates and the other set inside the body (be sure you get the polarity right or it will repel the body). 2 magnets front and 2 rear is enough for it not to move. I use this method to hold the Escort hard body on my shortened M04, and also smaller button magnets to hold the doors, hood and boot lid closed. It can be a little difficult sometimes to get the body off, and you need to push the body sideways before lifting it up to get the magnets to 'let go'.

I found velcro has a tendency to move around a little which can lead to the body sitting to one side or moving backward or forward on the chassis (so much that the wheels can rub).

Use some 6mm thick drive hexes and thin wheelnuts to gain a little track to fill the gaurds out nicely.

You can get about 2-3mm of wheelbase adjustment either end by trimming the lower arms on the inside where the hinge pin goes (the gearbox end). Shim the opposite side to maintain tolerances. Much more than 3mm cut from the arms starts to play havoc with the steering geometry on the front, and the dogbone length on the rear.

[wolfdogstinkus]

Thanks again Mark, it's amazing how time flies, had this car for 2years and it's just been sat on the shelf.

[wolfdogstinkus]

Stuck the body on with velcro in the end, I did try magnets first but I couldn't get good contact between body and chassis.

I left part of the old front bumper on but I might take this off.The velcro holds it really well and it can be picked up by the body.

Added some L.E.D's.

 

[Skottoman]

What a great conversion! The lights are sweet...

[wolfdogstinkus]

Thanks Skottoman, the original Maisto car had headlights and blue lights in the engine bay but no tail-lights, I blew them up by accident, I think I tried to power them with a Tamiya battery or something and they popped, so I got a set on the bay and fitted them instead.

Also the Maisto car had 3channels so the lights could be turned on and off by the transmitter but the chassis was rubbish, I did originally buy it with the intention of putting the body on a decent chassis especially after seeing some of Kingcobra's work. (if you havn't seen his work, click on the link above or search his username for some fine builds )