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Nitomor

Tamiya Bruiser Hilux 3 speed - detailed build

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Next hop up...

I have one of these on my 1:1 Hilux. This is beautifully made, really nice quality, thick plastic, came from rcmodelex.com , they have some nice scaler stuff there. I preferred the look of this hard top over the rc4wd one. It didn't come cheap, I think that's it now on the spending for a while!!

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This is in its unprepared state, it's not shown in the photos but there are hinge covers, seals, side windows etc. the seals are soft rubber, it's quite an impressive kit. I'm not entirely sure which direction I'm going to take yet!

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Next up; Hobbyking LED kit. With light buckets it would be plain rude not to!

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Contents;
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The bad news is that the bruiser uses 3mm brake lights and rear lights, so ideally it should have two less 5mm led pairs and 2 more 3mm led's. I spoke to Hobbyking and unfortunately they cannot supply 3mm leds seperately or as spares. I've since seen the same kit unbranded on ebay for less than a tenner posted from HK! I don't know how reliable this will be yet. I was pipped on an ebay auction for a Tamiya TLU01 and 02 setup for £30 by 2 mins lol. I was umming and ahing pressed the buy it now and it said auction just ended!

The good news is I tried the led's on my Tamiya TLU01on my Bullhead and the connectors are the same and it worked perfectly so I managed to buy some tamiya 3mm white led's on ebay (£6.50/pair posted) so I'll have what I need. They only had 2 pairs of 3mm led. To get all the lights functioning (there are sidelights at the front) I also wanted a third, since the hobbyking kit also includes one set of 3mm white, I bought another one of these kits from ebay for less than a tenner to get me the third set and I can use the control unit on one of my other builds.

So just to confirm, if you want all the lights operating, you want the following (note most LED's come as pairs so I'll list them as such, also on the Bruiser because the lenses would want tinting I guess you don't really need coloured led's, you could have white for all of them, but most kit's like above have coloured leds like red for brakes and orange for indicators);

2 pairs 3mm orange or white (Left and right indicators) (Comes with above kit)
2 pair 3mm white (reverse lights and front sidelights) (1 of these Comes with above kit)
2 pair 3mm white or red (rear tail lights and brake lights) (kit above has 5mm of these items - maybe the Tamiya bulb holders could be modded or drilled out - I wouldn't want to on this kit)
1 pair 5mm white (headlights) (Comes with above kit)

There are also side running lights on all 4 wings which could take led's if you wanted them too, which would be another 2 pairs of 3mm white! My unit won't control that many so I won't be using those.

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Started installing the wiring. There are futaba type y leads which intersect between receiver and servo/esc to give the correct signals to the control unit. I'll be mounting the control unit on the body, to try and keep wiring as simple as possible I have ordered 2Nr Futaba male to female 30cm extension leads (£3 each). My plan is to run these wires neatly out of the control box and secure them to the chassis so to remove the body all I need to do is unplug two Futaba J leads. The long term plan is to solder wires to a magnet system to connect body to chassis wires therefore no wires to disconnect as such. It's still pretty neat in there. These wires allow the control unit to sense when the car is accelerating, braking, reversing and turning to control the various function. Well that's the theory. I'm going to see later if I can complicate this further by giving me the ability to run lights off (powered through a different channel) or channel mixing on the remote so I can turn with or without indicators activated by a toggle switch on the remote. Again that's longer term. Right now I want to get it functioning basically.

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I've chosen the wires to run out by the on/off switch as it is the highest point on the control box and the rubber boot should help it be sealed. Fortunately the smaller switch on the HPI esc allows me to do this. alternatively I could run the wiring below, as there is a removeable panel that can be modified which used to be used for the resistor on old msc's. I might move the wiring down there when/if I go the magnet route.
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So it exits neatly, I could put some heat shrink around the wires. I've temporarily wrapped it around the body of the switch housing. Need to wait for the extension wires before I can do anymore there.

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Now getting started on this little mess!! smile.png

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After some messing about with drinking straws!! This is a first draft but the plan is to run all the wiring in conduits, the conduits will then be secured to the body shell with those adhesive clips with the bending metal tabs (they come with the HK kit). I don't know if one can get like 8mm-10mm ID styrene hollow rods (The straws below are about 4mm diameter internally). That would probably be ideal and could be glued to the shell pre paint maybe?!

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Please excuse the poor quality pics but the whole thing is a work in progress! Including smaller wheels on one side and the control unit was causing the body to sit lopsided too. I don't have the 3mm led's for the rear yet hence the brake lights are taped on fo now. Indicators and brake lights showing below.

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Anyone have any sunglasses! These are the reverse lights...might need to put some filters on these, although clusters yet to fit!

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Front lights;

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and in neutral they are on dim...same as the rears...

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There is a whole load of setting up to do yet, but so far I have the indicators coming on if I arm a switch on the remote and turn. I can also activate it from the left stick left/right so I can indicate while travelling in a straight line!

With regards to the main lights, I still have configuring to do, I'd like them to be switcheable, now that I know how to set up programmable channel mixing on the radio it's pretty cool what options this opens up!!

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After a productive afternoon :) . All pretty much set up now. I have to say that Hobby King LED set is a nice piece of kit. That combined with the Futaba 7ch means I now have a pretty funky set up.

I have ended up running the LED off seperate channels to the ESC and steering servo channels. So I'm effectively not using the servo splitter Y cables. I'm using up two other channels on the receiver. This means that rather than having the indicators coming on every time you turn (which is a little annoying) I can now have this function switched as to whether it comes on with steering or not. Because I'm running it on channel 4, mixed with the steering channel, I can also control the indicators on the throttle stick if I want to without turning. Of course my transmission is on a switch hence the sticks are free to use for this.

I've done something similar with the main lights. The front sidelights/tail lights are permanently lit dimly (as soon as receiver is powered which is a useful visual cofirmation), however I can switch all the other lights permanently off or have the high beam coming on with a little throttle or with a lot depending on another position switch, I can also flash the headlights with an intermittent switch or turn high beam on permanently using the right stick forward function on the ratchet. Again I'm using channel mixing and mirroring and exponentials and all sorts, so channel 2 is seeing the same as channel 3 (esc) but switcheable and yet once again you can also control front/rear lights with the right stick as well as sensitivity of high low beam as such.

That's another good few hours spent and although this was merely a first pass, I pretty much know exactly where I'm going with this now. I think I'll be running the wires out with the battery wires so I may end up having to take the entire electronics box off again!!! This will bring them out right by the control unit on the body which is positioned behind the drivers seat.

In other news, I've succumbed to buying a driver, from timetunnel models £7.50 or so which is the cheapest I've found him, I also ordered the relevant detail paints (10ml pots @£1.50 ea) as per the instructions and the Tamiya cement.

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Finally, work has commenced, adhesion promoter sprayed on :)

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Basically I won't be primering because I don't want to lose any detail. This product is made in the UK, Churchills Adhesion Promoter plastic primer, works through chlorination and etches the shell. I will also be using Churchills 1K (1 part) RFU (ready for use) Lacquer and Churchills cellulose thinners for thinning the lacquer a bit so it runs well through the airbrush.

For paint, I'm going with Createx Auto Air automotive paint, in Blizzard Blue, a sparklescent finish.

Oh wait, shouldn't it be blue? wink.png

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The Auto Air paint needs spraying over a white or black sealer which will influence the shade of the paint. I want a darker shade, so over black it is.

Work has finally begun in earnest on the Bruiser shell. Body shell was prepared and sealed in previous posts, I'm using black sealer to give me the shade I'm after when the blue goes on.

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After a bit of debate, I decided to keep the rear bed black so the rubber boot on the switch doesn't stand out like a sore thumb against a blue bed. I've carefully masked up the bed using an artool masking film which is spot on, and some Tamiya masking tape for nice clean lines.

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And finally, first coat of blue goes down. It's a big moment for me after waiting just over four months to get it right before tackling the Bruiser. It looks dark blue at the moment but will lighten up as more coats go down smile.png

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Laying down the second, third and final control coat.

2nd coat;

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After 3rd coat;

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At this point decided to join the two halves before the final control coat...

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And another pic comparing the colour with box art...

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I've taken off the mask on the rear bed, unfortunately a bit of overspray meant I tried to get some blue paint of with an isopropyl wipe and ended up taking the black bed with it. So spray gun came out again with black spray for the bed. With this done, I got the chrome out and masked up rear lights and door handles for chrome treatment. I've decided against doing the roof rails in chrome as the real Hilux doesn't have this chromed. The black window rubbers I'll do after clear coating with Tamiya X paint so I can wipe any excess overpaint off if need be with a wipe without damaging the paint!!

After this lot, did the lenses and white cargo top window surrounds then clear coated everything. About 2-3 coats of clear, when this has cured I'll sand it back a little then re-apply another couple of coats and take it from there. I'm seriously thinking of clearing over the decals too but that will be a little further down the line. It's a bit of a relief to get the clear coat on, since all the time it was un lacquered the paint was susceptible to getting damaged quite easily.

Pics;

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Some more tidying needed here...
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A quick sneak preview of the shell mounted on the chassis. Truck is wearing the option beadlock rims with Proline mashers this time in the picture below and the rc modelex hard top.

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These pics give an idea of what happens when light shines on the sparklescent paint...
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Bruiser tyres on this side;

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All caught up now...this is where I have got to for the moment...

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For those who have made it the whole way through the thread and pics, congratulations you need to buy a Bruiser now lol!!

What's left? I need to add a couple more coats of lacquer, the paint is quite textured with all the flecks etc, I learnt the hard way with the Mad Bull practice shell not to sand this paint, so instead I'm building up the coat with clear coats. Once it's like glass I'll add the decals then likely seal them in with more lacquer. I still need to paint the driver, finish the front grille, install the light kit and lenses and put the bits all together properly.

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Brilliant build thread, thanks for sharing. The 3 speed bit was my favourite bit, I so need one...

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Thank you. Yes the gearbox and axles have been my favourite part.

Did some of the other body parts...I still need to tidy the rear black grilled part of the cab top but most of these bits are ready to go onto the shell when it's done.

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The Jury is out on whether I do anything more to the grille. I've seen some with the highlights painted silver that look good. I might trial that on a fresh piece, don't want to potentially ruin this one as that would be a tricky job.

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Top build, looking fantastic, I have one of those bed caps on my Trailfinder, they are great kit & adds a great look.

It's inspired me to finish my original Mountaineer (2nd one) and want to break out me re release !

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Wow, I haven't seen this thread until now. Looks like a very satisfying build! I built an RC4WD Trailfinder II last year, and it's pretty good quality, but seeing this, I really understand the price difference between the two models.

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Thanks chaps.

I didn't have much time this weekend on it, courtesy of the AC/DC concert (ROCK ON!!) but managed to make a start on the driver yesterday and shoot some more clear on the body shell.

I gave the driver blue jeans and a brown leather jacket. The jeans haven't come out how I would have liked and the brown leather gets lost against the brown leather seats, so this needs reworking, will probably give him a black leather jacket and do some more work on the 'jeans!'.

I've also glued the drivers head together, while his 'clothes' are being worked on...Mr Bruiser decided to dress up in his race suit and take Senna's City Turbo for a joyride. (ignore the helmet...not happy with how the stripe came out so that's in for more work). The Bruiser driver looks pretty good in the City Turbo. Might try painting his face up like Senna's but my skills aren't up to that level yet! I had the bizarre thought of hollowing out the Willy helmet but that seems far too technical for the moment, maybe one day I might experiment with that.

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Thanks chaps.

I didn't have much time this weekend on it, courtesy of the AC/DC concert (ROCK ON)

\m/

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Awesome build!!! Now I want to paint my other body the same as yours!!!!

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The Jury is out on whether I do anything more to the grille. I've seen some with the highlights painted silver that look good. I might trial that on a fresh piece, don't want to potentially ruin this one as that would be a tricky job.

Brilliant work there!

If you're going to make it 100% authentic and boxart then don't use any silver on the grill. Just add the logo and the tiny red detail to the arrow.

By the way, the main problem with going boxart is the decals. The new ones are thicker than the originals, and even back in the day it was almost impossible for them to stay stuck down the shapes of the doors and near the wheel arches. I wanted to give that a try myself but I chickened out. I went non boxart, but I always loved the original concept art for this fantastic early 80's mudbog racer.

Any way you keep up the good work!! :)

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Thanks chaps,

Mongoose, that's one of the reasons I want to lacquer the decals in. I'm on family holidays at the moment so won't be touching it for a couple of weeks. My plan is to clear coat the main decals and get them to follow all the contours and cut down the door shut lines, the light blue stripe/bands and the Hog Heaven that is, the rest I'll put on after as I don't know whether to go re re box art or original!

Cheers

Nito

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Thanks very much for that, I hope it can serve as a useful resource to others and maybe convince a few that are on the fence to take the plunge into ownership as well as offer some insight into why they cost what they do. I used to love reading up on Bruiser builds and must have read up on a dozen or more mammoth threads, each one was different and they all served as great inspiration to both raise my build skills as well as give me something to aim for, for when I could eventually take the plunge!

I'm not finished yet so still a bit more to come... :)

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Last nights work involves modifying gmade hubs to fit the Bruiser option wheels which don't have a faux hub like the kit wheels.

Option hop up 4 piece rim

Before:

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After:

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Overview

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Thanks,

I may yet change them to silver hubs, or maybe silver on the rear and keep the black on the fronts since on the 1:1 the locking function was on the front only.

I also purchased some of these to try different wheels...

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To which I secured these Gmade 1.9 NR01 rims using the 6 lug pattern which enabled me to fit them closer to the body than with the previously mentioned hex adapters.

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although not quite close enough for my liking, I may be able to modify this concept further down the line. To be honest after trialling lots of different wheels and combos, the Option rims are probably still the best option. Using the Hex adapters, I tried on the 6.5mm offset Gmade G-Air 2.2 wheels...

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again they do sit out a bit offset wise and these would catch at full lock on the front unless the chassis was raised up a bit, these would probably be great for crawling, there is so much more shock absorption with these tyres/air system. To use these I'd still want to find a better mounting solution as the offset would appear to put extra stress on the Bruiser bearing hubs.

Cheers for now.

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