SRB Cage Racer - aka. Mjolnir (the heavy metal Hammer)

[njmlondon]

Good grief this just gets better and better every time I check in. I particularly like the folded up rear arches. Elegant and practical and simple, basically the 3 things that all engineering solutions should be. 

[Man1c M0nk3y]

Wow. Just read all this. Simply amazing detail and skill. 

 

[mr crispy]

It’s great to see this back on your work bench Jenny, looks amazing. You always seem to out do yourself with every build 😮 Loving this one, top build 👌

[JennyMo]

Thank you everyone! I have to say, I am inspired again with this one - but I am taking my time to try and find the simplest and neatest solutions to each issue I come up against...

I'll post a few update photos soon - I've got some alloy angle to make the rear suspension tower (it's going to have to be handmade rather than CNC, for now at least...), and have refined the rear shock upper mounts even further. I've also been trying all sorts of steering-column options - the main issue is whether I fit the steering column to the cage (dash), which is more realistic, but will make fitting and removing the cage tricky; or if I use a simple post to support the column from the floorpan (between the driver's knees, more like a go-kart) meaning that Kelly can sit and steer, even without the cage fitted...

I'm also still debating which battery to use - the neatest/easiest solution would be a regular stick pack horizontally behind the seats, and with a simple 'tonneau' cover (or perhaps chequer-plate) to hide the battery and associated wiring below - as per my cardboard template from a previous post... The other option is to mount a square six-cell pack more vertically in the centre, disguised as a fuel-cell, and have free space either side behind the seats - making the cabin even more 'scale', although it will then be much harder to hide all of the wiring of course.

Fortunately all this 'thinking time' meant I had an inspired moment with regard to the upper seat belt mountings - yes, I've bought some of those fancy Yeah Racing ones that you have to assemble!

Plus, in about a week, I'll have a stash of more cool parts coming over from the USA - including that Knight Customs engine I ordered through Shapeways (but which didn't arrive until after I left before Christmas)...

More soon!

Jx

 

[JennyMo]

Work has slowed down on this a little - mainly because I've been trying 101 different ways to do basically the same thing... (don't get me started on the rear suspension mounts - again!!!)

However, I think I'm finally close to sorting out the steering driver now - there is still some play in the system while I finalise the geometry, then a dab of superglue on the ball joint ought to see things solid:

note. I ultimately elected to mount the steering column support to the floor/chassis after all (rather than to the dash/cage framework, as it would be on a real vehicle), as otherwise it would have been very difficult if not impossible to install the driver and remove the cage and bodywork as required... and this way Kelly can still drive with all her limbs intact, even without the bodywork fitted.

Similarly, the seat-belt harnesses will also be connected to the chassis (suspension towers), so that the whole cage assembly can basically be removed [with just four screws], just like a regular RC car body.

Once the car is together, the effect will still be very authentic/scale, but is a degree of [scale] compromise I was prepared to make to keep things simple and robust, and easy to work on. After all, as Terry Gilliam once said: "It's only a model..." ;o)

Jx

[JennyMo]

I couldn't help myself, so stayed up late and made the first two of these! 

Jx

[JennyMo]

Christmas came late this year...

I finally have my hands on my Knight Customs SRB engine with 'twin cannon' exhausts:

 

And Kelly's credit-card melt-down [Vanquish] Method Roost alloy wheels:

These are every bit a lovely as I'd hoped they be!

More soon, well, at the weekend...

Jx

[JennyMo]

Oh, and a close up of those Yeah Racing harness seat-belt kits: for anyone who's not familiar - they have to be completely assembled yourself!

 

Things are about to get awesome!

Jenny x

[Man1c M0nk3y]

Belts, wheels and engine all look great. Gets better every time this build. 

Tempted to buy something just so I can have one of those engines!

[njmlondon]

Wow wow wow.

Really looking forward to seeing the engine come together. I think I need to get one myself so interested to see how you go about getting a good finish on it.

Now, tell me more about those wheels! Where did you get them!? Do they fit the SLW hubs you have? 

[StrokerBoy]

Another one of your ace threads that I'd somehow missed altogether until now. Top work as usual.

[SRB Bloke]

6 minutes ago, njmlondon said:

Wow wow wow.

Really looking forward to seeing the engine come together. I think I need to get one myself so interested to see how you go about getting a good finish on it.

Now, tell me more about those wheels! Where did you get them!? Do they fit the SLW hubs you have? 

I've painted up few of those engines,  really nice.

But I'm with you nimlondon, need to know more about those wheels....  stunning, gorgeous  

[JennyMo]

On 2/6/2018 at 6:47 AM, njmlondon said:

Wow wow wow.

Really looking forward to seeing the engine come together. I think I need to get one myself so interested to see how you go about getting a good finish on it.

Now, tell me more about those wheels! Where did you get them!? Do they fit the SLW hubs you have? 

Hi NJM' - yes, the engine does have those grainy traces of '3D-printitus' that you get, but I think a bit of fine sanding and some [filler] primer ought to get a good finish - I think the trick is to not rush to get the paint on parts like these. Of course being an engine, a degree of 'rough casting' for the cases is going to be ok anyway, but I will try and get a good smooth finish on the heads, fan cowl, air-filter pods etc. Otherwise the detailing [that James includes] is spot-on, really lovely!

 

Those wheels are Baaaaaaaaaaad, aren't they?! They are Vanquish's Method 'Roost' design in 1.9" size, and beautifully made.

They come with internal beadlock rings should you wish, but fundamentally are one of the few SLW designs that don't have huge chunky external bead-lock rings, which I didn't feel would work especially well visually on this build, nor physically with the Tamiya BF Goodrich tyres I want to use - they being both lower in profile and also much thicker/stiffer than typical 'scale' crawler 1.9 tyres.

And yes, the SLW hubs I have (from Locked-Up RC) are meant to be made exactly for this bolt pattern - so if they don't fit I will literally cry in despair!

 

In addition, I see you can even get scale brake discs (in 6-bolt SLW pattern) to fit them - not sure if I'll go that route too, I need to get them fitted up on the car first and see what the off-set/track width is like first since the discs sandwich between the wheel and hub, so increase the rim off-set by a couple of mm each side... 

for info. I got these wheels from a USA seller (Lisa brought them over for me along with the engine parts), and they came as a set complete with matching alloy hub centre-caps too, but again these also fit between the hub and wheel, rather than on the front face of the wheel, so will increase the offset even further...

So for now it's still in the experimental and 'fingers-crossed' stage until I get home at the weekend!

Jx

 

 

[JennyMo]

45 minutes ago, StrokerBoy said:

Another one of your ace threads that I'd somehow missed altogether until now. Top work as usual.

Thank you Stroker' - it's been a slow burn (3+ years in the making so far!), but it's now become my new obsession - so after these past few weeks of experimenting and tweaking the specification, hopefully the actual building/fabricating side of things will be finally finished in the next week or so (once my 87th rear suspension mount idea can be realised!) - and then there will be a flourish of painting* at the end ;o)

*fortunately with this build, my intention was/is to keep as many of the components real/raw materials (and the majority actual metal of course), rather than having to apply various paint effects as I usually do with my more plastic based projects... so the 'paintwork' will really be confined to the scale engine (note. I had hoped to have that printed in metal originally too, but the cost really would have been prohibitive), plus Kelly of course - who already got her new outfit for Christmas, but may also get a Moon Eyes metal-flake helmet to finish things off ;o)

 

Mind you, I'm still debating about which if any decals to use... I'd like to have some sort of nod to the SRB heritage (this being my take on an 'ultimate SRB' build), so the obvious choice would be either a mix of Sand Scorcher/Rough Rider decals, or my leaning which is currently towards a [modified] version of the red/orange/yellow combo stripes from the Super Champ perhaps?

Then again, I might just leave it raw metal for the time being - with perhaps some blank number-boards on the side panels and a few 'sponsor' logos in the front wheel-arch wells - ie. keep it subtile and arguably a little more 'scale'?

Hmmmmm... mind you, I wonder if Kelly even knows the meaning of the word subtile?!

More soon!

Jx

 

 

[SRB Bloke]

As always Jenny loving your work...

Any tips on how to cut aluminium plate, like you did with the chassis etc..

[JennyMo]

10 minutes ago, SRB Bloke said:

As always Jenny loving your work...

Any tips on how to cut aluminium plate, like you did with the chassis etc..

Hi SRB' - for the chassis, I used 2mm alloy - and fortunately was able to buy a piece that wasn't much larger than my latest design template.

The first couple I cut (if anyone has followed this thread from the beginning you'll know there have been almost as many versions of the chassis plate as there have been aborted rear suspension tower/mount designs!) using a jig-saw, and finished off the edges with a file - time consuming, but you do get a pretty accurate finish to the line/s you want.

For this latest/final version though, I took a gamble and used an angle grinder to make the rough cuts close to the lines (with a thick piece of wood underneath), trimmed any excess with a flap wheel, and again finished the edges using a hand-file. Fortunately this chassis design is all straight lines, so using the cutting disc on the angle grinder (and a steady hand) was really all that was required.

Hope that helps!

Jenny x

[Toykid]

Jenny,

thanks for getting one of the engines. The trick to get the printed nylon smooth is to build up a 3-4 layers of Tamiya primer first. Then only sand back the primer. We chose nylon as it’s tough enough to withstand most scale adventures and isn’t brittle & will not melt like the PLA material most 3D parts come in. BUT it doesn’t like to be sanded. Sand down just the filler and you’ll be fine. 

For the areas you want to look like cast metail just a few brush coats of Tamiya silver with a wash of thinned Tamiya Black will get you the best results. No need to sand those areas.

 

[JennyMo]

1 minute ago, Toykid said:

Jenny,

thanks for getting one of the engines. The trick to get the printed nylon smooth is to build up a 3-4 layers of Tamiya primer first. Then only sand back the primer. We chose nylon as it’s touch enough to withstand most scale adventures and isn’t brittle or will not melt like the PLA material most 3D parts come in. BUT it doesn’t like to be sanded. Sand down just the filler and you’ll be fine. 

For the areas you want to look like cast metail just a few brush coats of Tamiya silver with a wash of thinned Tamiya Black will get you the best results. No need to sand those areas.

 

Hi James - thank you! That's great advice about only sanding the primer (I think I might have read that before somewhere?), and I have that very photo from your web-shop as my painting inspiration - although I have a couple of twists I intend to include too!

I've also taken on-board your tip about the spark-plug wires, and have some spare servo leads ready to cut up... hmmmm, I'm thinking maybe orange on mine ;o)

Thank you again for producing such an awesome upgrade and series of parts!

Jenny x

[StrokerBoy]

29 minutes ago, JennyMo said:

I'd like to have some sort of nod to the SRB heritage (this being my take on an 'ultimate SRB' build), so the obvious choice would be either a mix of Sand Scorcher/Rough Rider decals

SS on one side, RR on the other, but very subtle...

[njmlondon]

1 hour ago, SRB Bloke said:

I've painted up few of those engines,  really nice.

Well now you have finished those tires for me... fancy doing an engine!?

[njmlondon]

35 minutes ago, JennyMo said:

I'm still debating about which if any decals to use... I'd like to have some sort of nod to the SRB heritage (this being my take on an 'ultimate SRB' build), so the obvious choice would be either a mix of Sand Scorcher/Rough Rider decals, or my leaning which is currently towards a [modified] version of the red/orange/yellow combo stripes from the Super Champ perhaps?

Then again, I might just leave it raw metal for the time being - with perhaps some blank number-boards on the side panels and a few 'sponsor' logos in the front wheel-arch wells - ie. keep it subtile and arguably a little more 'scale'?

How about raw metal with the most representative decals from each of them...

Mint 400 or Go For It from the Super Champ

110RMR from the Rough Rider

And some Bilstein, Gumout, Penzoil and NKG from both the Scorcher and the Rider and Champ

 

[JennyMo]

29 minutes ago, njmlondon said:

How about raw metal with the most representative decals from each of them...

Mint 400 or Go For It from the Super Champ

110RMR from the Rough Rider

And some Bilstein, Gumout, Penzoil and NKG from both the Scorcher and the Rider and Champ

 

 

Yes, the donor to this was a 2009 Rough Rider/Buggy Champ - but I foolishly sold the decal set (along with the body-shell) to help claw back some of the money I spent initially (a drop in the ocean by now if I'm honest!)

Personally speaking I don't really like the larger "Mint 400" or "Go For It" lettering - they are the thing that I most closely associate with the 'toy' nature of some of Tamiya's graphics - but I'd agree the RMR logos (or even the old Bell Ray graphics you got in the original Rough Rider kit) ought to strike a good balance in keeping it real, but at the same time recognisably Tamiya to those that know.

I agree the smaller sponsor stickers - Bilstein and Penzoil particularly - would certainly be considered 'iconic' in that regard (and I chose blue boots for the yellow shocks with Bilstein in mind, although technically these RC4WD scale shocks are OME/ARB branded of course) - so I certainly think we're on the same page there ;o)

The other option is to actually get some printed (that way I could also get them scaled correctly too for the size of the body panels), so I could focus on the brands actually used in the build itself (see list below) - however,  while I do like the overall print quality of Screen Print Digital (for example), I find their vinyl is a touch thick compared to genuine Tamiya decals, so can look a bit 'stickery' - especially in this instance where they would be applied to a smooth metal surface?

So, in that regard - in no particular order, the 1:1 scale brands so far:

Old Man Emu / ARB (shocks)

BF Goodrich (tyres)

Method (wheels)

PIAA (spot lamp covers)

Corbeau (seats)

Simpson* (seat-belt harnesses) *I need to get some more small Simpson logos.

Bell (helmet)

K&N (air filters on the engine - I have a plan ;o)

Cherry Bomb (likewise, for the cannon exhausts)

oh, and I will have to include the Tamiya stars somewhere of course ;o)

 

Hmmmmm... I do actually have a number of these already, so let me see what I can come up with!

Jx

 

ps. Then again, I could just slap a 506 door sticker on the bonnet and call it good ;o)

[Only4Fun]

3 hours ago, JennyMo said:

 

I have to say that I think these look fantastic and are better than the RC4WD White ones. They look more aggressive and in keeping with your build, and the perfect colour if you are leaving the panels their natural Aluminium. (in my humble opinion) 

[njmlondon]

17 hours ago, JennyMo said:

Personally speaking I don't really like the larger "Mint 400" or "Go For It" lettering - they are the thing that I most closely associate with the 'toy' nature of some of Tamiya's graphics - but I'd agree the RMR logos (or even the old Bell Ray graphics you got in the original Rough Rider kit) ought to strike a good balance in keeping it real, but at the same time recognisably Tamiya to those that know.

I can see what you mean re the "Go for it" but the Mint 400 refers to an actual race...

https://themint400.com/

I have a set of re-re Rough Rider decals lying around that are not going to get used. If you want the RMR logos then I will happily send you them for free to assist finishing this awesome project.

[JennyMo]

1 minute ago, njmlondon said:

I can see what you mean re the "Go for it" but the Mint 400 refers to an actual race...

https://themint400.com/

I have a set of re-re Rough Rider decals lying around that are not going to get used. If you want the RMR logos then I will happily send you them for free to assist finishing this awesome project.

Hi NJM' -  ah, I realise I might have been misconstrued there - don't worry, I am familiar with the MINT 400 (and pretty much all the other desert races in the US ;o)

What I really meant was that in general the big[ger] chunky lettering style graphics look a bit simplistic to me, although I know some real 1:1 cars are simply sign-written too of course...

Personally speaking, I tend to like the extra detailing of an actual logo, and typically those that might be reproduced as a [scale size] sticker if you see what I mean? Fortunately Tamiya do produce a good mix/selection of those in most of the body decal kits too - in fact the Hornet set is one of my favourities in that regard.

As for the pukka RMR logos - thank you! - I would certainly take you up on that if that is the way I go - I'll drop you a message once the car is built up!

Jenny x