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So - I finally found a suitable Gran Torino shell with 230mm wheelbase !

After hours wading through the databases, the MF-01X offered the best off-road ability and chassis fit (225mm wheelbase). 

I'm still mulling over the right power plant -noting this will be a w/e family, club racing basher - but would appreciate views on essential (not pretty) hop ups ?

Ploughing through the forums suggests very few - so, really bearings, shocks and servo mounts / tie rods.

Is that fair ? 

Thanks in advance,

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Ok so no replies but, for anyone interested, the build is underway and the wheelbase works a treat. 

Height looks ok for now - stock tyres and a Yeah Racing suspension kit all round.

May need to widen axle lengths with thicker hex nuts and keep the ABS shell wheel arches intact. It's 70s vintage and cost me £90 alone ...

M chassis hop up sharing seems a mixed bag - great flexibility but an avalanche of parts where one quickly (or inevitably) leads to another ...

Other alloy hop ups work well - esp the shafts, gears and stuff keeping things cool.

Apart from that this is the most versatile and competent 4WD chassis I've built to date. Definitely a favourite given the wheelbase and height flexibility.

Interesting to see how it compares to a highly hopped up CC01 - which is next !

 

 

 

 

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The MF01X is definitely a versatile chassis.  You should throw up a few photos of the Gran Torino.

There's a great MF01X thread you should read if you haven't already.

 

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Thanks Blista - v helpful.

Its been a challenging build - with hop ups forcing knock on tweaks / parts delay.

The Yeah Racing long arm suspension kit really needs 4 x TRF foam damper bushing to seat properly - without them the arms will toast the shaft ends v quickly under load. 

And turnbuckle / tie rod lengths to set suspension height / drop are more art than science - noting Tamiya's build instructions and Yeah Racing's 1 page manual conflict and are both (ultimately) useless. 

Apaet from that I'm still excited by the chassis - and start the Gran Torino 12 LED wiring loom tomorrow !

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Next step a wiring loom for 12 LEDs and body fitting :)

Also thinking about buying a separate Mini Cooper PE shell to create an 1960s Italian Job replica to run on the same chassis ?

Not sure if the wheelbase will work tho !

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I don't see a Mini shells working on this chassis, not because if the wheelbase, but because of the motor, especially with that fan and heatsink on it. You'd need to cut a lot of the body away at the back.

 

How about a Fiat 1000? You could have the fan and heatsink poking out through the open bonnet at the back.

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Thanks Turnip.

The heat sink and fan are easily detectable - they're really there because the alloy hop ups added a lot of weight and I'm trying to avoid cooking the motor ? 

Would a mini shell fit ok w/o ?

Love the Fiat idea as well ! 

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I don't have either to hand to check, but I suspect that the rear motor is going to interfere with the Mini shell even without the fan and heatsink. On my mate's one, the shell only just clears the standard M-03 rear bumper, and that doesn't stick out as far as the MF-01X motor AFAIK. Perhaps someone with the chassis and shell to hand can confirm?

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OK guys - finally done !!

Fitting the shell was tricky but I'm pretty happy with the result :)

If I custom built another, I'd add fewer alloy hop ups - they look great but add weight at odds with the right level of durability for a kit this size.

What chassis would you recommend for a Mini Cooper build ? And are they all Lexan shells these days ?

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Ooh, I was so looking forward to this.

I think that shell deserves a better chassis/wheels though - either a more-realistic lower one, or a proper cartoon monster one like the original Lancia Rally or Nitomor's ace Aqroshot-based Subaru (below).  This halfway-house looks a bit 'cheap toy' to me.  No offence intended.  Lovely job on the LED's though. B)

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Thanks @StrokerBoy - I think you're probably right. @Nitomors Subaru looks superb !

The MF01X chassis was largely driven by the 1970s shell - mainly its narrow width (160mm), height (90mm dropping by half at either end) and wheelbase (225mm). 

I also want to drive off road and the MF01X was the only viable contender.

My original plan was to extend the axles and drop the shell a little lower but there wasn't enough central headroom in the shell even after lowering the electrics inside the chassis 🙄

I think I'll sell the MF01X with its Jimny body, keep the shell and start again !

All suggestions for a new chassis v welcome 😁

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The Arqoshot that Nitomor used is available at a reasonable price - perhaps even slightly cheaper than the Jimmy. It is the DT-03 chassis. 

I think it is 2WD and don't know if a 4WD with that wheelbase. A shortened TL01?

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Thanks @Badcrumble The Arqoshot spec suggests it has a 287mm wheelbase ? Is that right ?

The Gran Torino shell needs something between 225 - 230mm, which I guess rules the Arqoshot out unless I cut out huge chunks of the mid-frame ?

I also tried a Lunchbox chassis to see if @StrokerBoys cartoon look would work but its 25mm too short and looks worse than the MF01X :( 

The only other stock chassis that seems to come close is the 911 / 934 Anniversary - with a reported short wheelbase of 230mm - but the ground clearance is way to low to be adapted to run off road.

Its also expensive to buy then hack about. 

Any other ideas welcome ?

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19 hours ago, SuperChamp82 said:

The Gran Torino shell needs something between 225 - 230mm, which I guess rules the Arqoshot out unless I cut out huge chunks of the mid-frame ?

I also tried a Lunchbox chassis to see if @StrokerBoys cartoon look would work but its 25mm too short and looks worse than the MF01X :(

Any other ideas welcome ?

I never said I knew what I was talking about. :lol:

Maybe stick with the MF01X chassis then, but try some different wheels.  Something wider with more offset, so they stick out more, although that's just my own personal taste I admit.

It's not easy though is it ?  I went through 5 sets of wheels and loads of spacers/hubs trying to make my Lowride Pumpkin sit right, and still never really got it spot-on.

58594_31.jpg.

Now I'm thinking it needs a white stripe and a magnetic orange roof light...

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Ok guys - better or worse ?

I've added c. 20mm in width to each axle so the body to sit as low as possible. If this look works, I'll also have to trim the front wheel arches to provide steering clearance.

My gut says its better but still a little toy-ish ? Not sure how to fix that ?

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pity you didn't think about alternative ways of mounting the body.

With magnets or Velcro it could have looked much better.

Close the holes + the side holes and give the body a good paintjob and some layers of clear coat that might make it look less like a toy

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