NWarty 1325 Posted April 13, 2014 Yep, two sets of wheels and I'll go with wild one stuff to run. The knobs are in okay shape but a little worn down. Feels like I'm handling a Model T in all honesty By the way T, it came with period Futaba gear Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mongoose1983 3335 Posted April 13, 2014 That car looks really nice. Kinda breaks my heart to imagine it broken in two! haha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 13, 2014 Well, you've got some more vintage Futaba gear on the way, so ... you better buy another car. You see how my mind works, and why my wife is threatening to wring my neck. Yeah, model T is a nice way of saying they handle terrible, but that's half the fun trying to keep it rubber side down. I've got a DF-02 and frankly it gets a bit boring because even with a low turn motor it isn't hard to drive - pretty pedestrian actually. I run my Hornet 10x as much and nobody has ever accused it of handling well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 13, 2014 I run my Hornet 10x as much and nobody has ever accused it of handling well. LOL Started into it this morning. The MSC as you can see was in pretty bad shape, the entire balloon had melted onto the MSC and disintegrated. For the time being, I decided to slap my Pumpkin's old MSC into it. Fitted with newer MSC but still need to tidy the wiring up This GHII has me a little perplexed. I'm most likely the fourth owner of this car after the gentlemen who I bought it from on ebay stated that he got it from another collector (who I assume probably bought it off the original owner). The body has hardly a scratch or ding, pretty amazing considering the decals aren't very scuffed up. The bottom of the chassis is fairly clean and has very few scratches also. Please excuse my Basset Hound Now, there is not a single lick of grease on this car. It's dry as a bone. Nothing, nada. That's why is creaks and squeaks so badly. One of the rear axle springs is missing too so I had to buy a set on ebay this morning So, I've got the bearing set and axle springs coming this week and will start on the teardown, washing all the plastic parts and really going over this thing with a fine toothed comb. The new driver figure should be here on Tuesday so I can install him on the runner body. Hopefully my "other" decals get here this week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 13, 2014 Doesn't look like it got abused in any way at all, other than the dry gearbox. Yikes! Probably a very good thing it didn't see a lot of hours. I would certainly replace the standard pinion with a Robinson Racing steel one if you haven't already. Dry gears and a dry alloy pinion are just a recipe for disaster. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 13, 2014 And that old blackened MSC looks just nasty. Yuck! I bet there is a nice round storage container to safely store that in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 13, 2014 Yeah, it's pretty gross I think it won't be too much to get it cleaned up. Good info on the gears and pinion, Lookee what I bought last week Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mongoose1983 3335 Posted April 13, 2014 Don't throw that MSC! They clean easy and work very well. That's just the residue of the melted baloon. I have Tamiya bags from older kits where those ballons dissintegrated and turned into some sort of black dust. That chassis looks pretty nice. Another reason not to break it, haha. Oh, and so far none commented on that gorgeous Bassethound! What's the name of the dog? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 13, 2014 Don't worry Mongoose! It's safe and I'm cleaning it up to reuse it in the GHII. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 13, 2014 Oh by the way, his name is Quincy and he's seven! We're also fostering a rescue lab mix named Daisy Mae! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kontemax 1725 Posted April 14, 2014 This one doesn't fit with the GH2 gears. You need a 0.8 metric (or 32P) 18T pinion gear, better if made of steel. Max Yeah, it's pretty gross I think it won't be too much to get it cleaned up.Good info on the gears and pinion,Lookee what I bought last week Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 14, 2014 Yep, Mongoose beat me to it, but don't use that pinion whatever you do, it'll ruin the spur for sure!! Here's the one you want mate: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEX03&P=7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WillyChang 1814 Posted April 14, 2014 Yep, Mongoose beat me to it, but don't use that pinion whatever you do, it'll ruin the spur for sure!! i'll betcha it don't! RPP-0180 is so much bigger, the 48dp with same # of teeth won't even get anywhere near the spur Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 14, 2014 Yeah, you're right Willy! I should've noticed how small that was compared to the 32p. All you'll notice will be a loud whirring noise as it struggles to r e a c h the spur. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 14, 2014 Doh!!! Thanks T, off to the hobby shop for a new pinion and grease Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 14, 2014 Tearing apart the gearbox today to clean, re-lube and install bearings.Cracked it open to inspect and look at this. Not a single lick of grease on ANY of the gears. None...just a pea sized glob inside the case no where near any gear teeth. Thank goodness this GHII wasn't run hard and abused. Grrrrrrrr.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grastens 2795 Posted April 14, 2014 Well, all it needs is a lick to run! It is very peculiar that the spot on the inside of the gear case was the only grease present... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taliesin 260 Posted April 14, 2014 Certainly doesn't seem like there's any wear though. You'd see it if there was a problem, so that's a great bit of luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 15, 2014 So I do a tear down and of course, since I had the day off, had to put it back together again. A complete tear down to the very last screw. Gave the chassis, suspension arms and all the other bits a complete bath. Tore down the gearbox, washed, lubed and put it back together. So I'm sitting there thinking to myself, a good TC bud here sent me a very good condition Futaba Magnum Jr. Radio. This GHII came with a period Futaba Rx and matching servos. I ran down to my stash, find a set of matching crystals, test everything out and voila! Everything works. Now, it seems only fitting that a Grasshopper II resto gets period radio gear Installed a full set of ball bearings, radio gear, got her all back together (with the cleaned up and original MSC Mongoose ) and an idea came to mind. I wanted to keep the runner body as original as possible. So I used 3M rubbing compound to polish out all the dings and scrapes (works wonders by the way) and peeled off the torn up decals. Only four which is amazing. I utilized my "other" set to fix the B-pillar blue/red stripe, "Big Daddy Evans" name, front number and replace the entire "I'm Hopping Mad" decal and was able to save the original Grasshopper logo in the process. Not a shabby looking runner body if I do say so myself (and by the way, my camera thinks red looks pink at night) Painted the A-pillars and have started work on the driver too. I need to install the left axle springs once it gets here and am on the hunt for a new black rubber MSC bag and MSC resistor cover (mine was missing). Onto getting this guy painted up NIB Bodyset is on the left, Runner Body is on the right 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 15, 2014 Couple more things that I bought today. A new black rubber bag set (haven't seen one sporting this yet even in the showrooms) and vintage resistor cover. Can't believe how much "tighter" everything is with this car now that it's been put back together. No more sagging, squeaks, screeching or groaning. One of the things I am going to have to fix when the new axle spring comes in, the left side axle spring carrier. The original owner most likely tapped the top hole with a screw and it drilled out the small spring carrier knob. This is fairly simple fix with a little bit of styrene tubing and epoxy. There is also a small chassis crack in the nose that it barely noticable, but I still need to fix it also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mongoose1983 3335 Posted April 15, 2014 ...Why do I have this feeling that, after all of the bliss that working this car has brought to you, there is one or two more resto projects coming soon? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 15, 2014 You're right Erich When I put the whole thing back together and looked at how shiny and clean it was, it just brought a smile to my face. And getting that MSC completely stripped down and clean was a good feeling. I have a little bit more to go for this job, but we're getting close. As far as another project goes, yes, I do have something in mind. It'll be a mid-80's car with period gear (another Futaba Magnum Jr.). It was re-re'd but I want an original, a basket-case is preferred Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mongoose1983 3335 Posted April 15, 2014 [...] It'll be a mid-80's car with period gear (another Futaba Magnum Jr.). It was re-re'd but I want an original, a basket-case is preferred As ol' Peter Criss would say That's the kind of Sugar Papa Likes, haha. You hang on tight, Blake... The collecting rollercoaster is about to begin!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 15, 2014 I'm not gonna beat around the bush, but yeah, a Wild One. An original basket case that needs some TLC. I've said it before, but the WO was my first car and I've been putting it off since it's an emotional one and I want to do it "right". I'll be on the hunt soon... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1325 Posted April 18, 2014 So I tried to get a set of black rubber bags and look what Horizon Hobby sends me instead. grrrr.... Vs. Actually what was sent to me and oh...I can't leave neutral feedback for 7 days, WTH??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
