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JennyMo

ebaYJeep - aka. "Daydream B'leafer"

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8 hours ago, Scouser said:

Agreed, when I buy RC4WD parts, I always feel I am buying peace of mind. 

Yes, I've come to that conclusion too. As importantly, having meet most of the team at their West Coast event recently, it is also nice to purchase products from a company you can meet face-to-face, and certainly their customer support is excellent.

I would also just like to mention that at the Saturday evening awards presentation and door raffle, they were exceptionally generous to the attendees and gave away what must have been a good few thousand dollars (at retail price at least) worth of product - the raffle prizes included at least 8 full vehicle kits (all of which retail for at least $400-600 dollars), a good number of body sets and accessories, and also full size product from their licence partners such as HiLift jack and Mickey Thompson tyres. 

Of course I didn't win a single thing did I - such is my luck in raffles!

Jx

 

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8 hours ago, JennyMo said:

... it is also nice to purchase products from a company you can meet face-to-face, and certainly their customer support is excellent.

An added bonus from your move?! You must be saving on postage and customs fees!

 

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Along with replacing the broken front axle (again!) - with a genuine RC4WD version, I also thought I'd make the Jeep a little more 'trail worthy' and remove/reposition some of the more extraneous detailing in an effort to not break or lose anything in future!

i-v9sLP36-XL.jpg

photo. I also replaced the original lexan windscreen as the original had come loose, plus was showing a few scratches... I left this new one clear rather than weather it with wiper blade mist as I'd done previously.

Both wing-mirrors snapped off during various tumbles at the RC4WD event, so I've elected to leave those off now (it's possible I'll get some rubber ones in future, although actually I kind of like it without the mirrors now anyway), and I removed the four roof lights (and cut off the metal bracket above the wind screen) and mounted just a pair on the tabs on either side of the cage uprights.

I also added a windscreen sticker I'd got as part of the set from the event - although technically it means Ozzy can't actually see anything ahead of him now!

I'm sure this build will continue to evolve further as it gets more and more use/damage...

Jenny x

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1 hour ago, Badcrumble said:

new Wrangler body too...

Love it!!!!

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On 11/21/2019 at 10:51 AM, Badcrumble said:

Have you seen these mirrors?

http://www.rc4x4-shop.com/Jeep-Wrangler-YJ-Rubber-Mirrors-v2-d14.htm

Loops have a nice new Wrangler body too...

Yes, I'm familiar with those! - and they are probably the ones I'll get (along with their Defender version) next time I place an order with them - you're probably aware I used their step-side rear bed on Hopper's HiLux - but currently I want to wait and combine the postage costs for a number of smaller items.

And yes, funny they've just released a YJ truck-cab body - I have another Tamiya shell here that I was going to do exactly the same thing with! (albeit with a slightly longer wheelbase as this build has too, as it would be on a similar length chassis)...

Jx

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On 11/23/2019 at 5:51 PM, JennyMo said:

And yes, funny they've just released a YJ truck-cab body

CC-02 with this body could be nice? Im thinking about it. The Loops stuff as you know is really solid and good quality.:) Would be even better with an angry face ?

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46 minutes ago, Busdriver said:

CC-02 with this body could be nice? Im thinking about it. The Loops stuff as you know is really solid and good quality.:) Would be even better with an angry face ?

I agree - Tamiya should release the CC-02 with the Wrangler shell - why would you not?!

Also, if you want the angry eyes for that particular shell, of course someone already does them: https://store.rc4wd.com/Angry-Face-Grille-Plate-for-Tamiya-CC01-Jeep-Wrangler_p_6982.html - although personally I think that looks works better with the round headlights?

Certainly my plan for my 2nd Tamiya shell is to make it more of a TJ and replace the rectangular lights with round ones - and have 4-link & coil spring suspension - gotta mix it up a bit right? ;o)

Jx

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I agree about the round lights, that why I changed the bonnet and grill on my CHiPs wrangler

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with Ozz, the funnest build to date.  what wounderful fun you did and had...

been posting and sharing every where.

Mr. Osbourne would really dig this. hope he sees it some day.

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June 2020 update:

Inspired by a new coil-sprung Jeep Wrangler project I'm working on (don't worry, that will have it's own thread too eventually ;o), I thought I'd also experiment and make a quick update to this YJ build... now that summer is here, I reckon it's time to take the doors off Ozzy!

i-nScZps6-XL.jpg
photo. a tale of two Jeeps...

i-BfBH4gW-XL.jpg
photo. Oh no, what have you done Jenny?!

By carefully cutting along the door seams with a fine Dremel wheel (and scoring the radius corners at the bottom with a sharp knife), I was able to snap out the doors leaving a pretty clean edge. I'd actually always had this option in mind when I first built the body, so had made the sills double thickness both for strength and potentially as a more realistic detail should the doors ever be removed (while the doors themselves are double thickness too, having sliding windows inside)...

i-jRCpkX9-XL.jpg

i-SBpRjnL-XL.jpg
photo. a quick clean up of the edges with a sanding drum on the Dremel, and the trail-beater style of this truck means it's not really essential to touch in the paint either.

i-PwPrDWW-XL.jpg
photo. I was temped to leave the passenger door attached, and just put the discarded door in the load-bed like a real junker!

i-sVr2n7G-XL.jpg
photo. ...but ultimately decided to remove both doors - which having done neatly, I can always reattach with scale working hinges, and have the pins free so that they can be taken on and off just like the 1:1 doors!

Hope you like the latest mods! 

Jenny x

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Just another quick update as this continues to evolve - Ozzy has got himself a British bikini top, and a tailgate net...

i-Mm9rKjG-XL.jpg

... plus a drain bolt in that ARB diff cover, to empty out the sludge!

i-PX8Rq9G-XL.jpg

 

Am I calling this one done yet? Yeah, pretty much...

Jx

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1 hour ago, JennyMo said:

Just another quick update as this continues to evolve - Ozzy has got himself a British bikini top, and a tailgate net...

i-Mm9rKjG-XL.jpg

... plus a drain bolt in that ARB diff cover, to empty out the sludge!

i-PX8Rq9G-XL.jpg

 

Am I calling this one done yet? Yeah, pretty much...

Jx

That’ll be the day🤣

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Absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Do I believe that you are done??? 

.............. NOPE!! 😁

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21 hours ago, Carmine A said:

Absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Do I believe that you are done??? 

.............. NOPE!! 😁

Ha! I do think this one is pretty close now... I like the stripped down look (I robbed the spare wheel tyre for another project, although I might reinstate that now some new tyres have arrived), and this is such a fun vehicle to drive - indeed I'm surprised how well the leaf springs work over rough terrain, so much so I had no qualms fitting leaf springs to Retro Desmond (the FJ/BJ40 in the background) - that vehicle being built on the same Gelande/Trailfinder pattern chassis, so performs in a similar way with soft leaves, 80mm shocks and a short (275mm or thereabouts) wheelbase.

I'm currently building a 'sister' to this YJ - again using a Tamiya YJ Wrangler shell, but have modified it to look more like a TJ with a truck-cab hard-top, and that will be running a higher end transmission (RC4WD gearbox and transfer case, and HPI Venture axles) - so any new ideas and further Jeep modifications can continue there instead... stand by for a dedicated build thread soon!

Glad you like it!

Jenny x

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I missed your Über creative Builds, when I was here the first time. 

This was really good! The parts combination, even the Yota Axles, made this Jerp an awesome Rig!! 

I'm looking forward to seeing your next one. I wasn't a fan of the Venture, but it did have excellent Axles. Good choice!!

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21 hours ago, JennyMo said:

like a TJ with a truck-cab hard-top,

What about a CJ . Proper round lights

AAA29D75-D49C-4744-BEB0-2723D3338050.jpeg.c6afd0cfb813625ae794b4d3c95bbe71.jpeg
looking forward to the new one

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I fear for Ozzy's safety with the removal of the doors but I suppose he is strapped in. Plus, I doubt he's a baked potato fan 

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Quick update to this one... Ozzy's been back in the workshop this week...

Having converted all my other crawlers to LiPo now, I thought I'd revisit this build and see if I can't revise the battery layout in an effort to make battery swaps far easier in future than it is with the current hidden NiMh installation.

The problem with this particular [completely open] vehicle and battery location [under the hood/scuttle panel] means the body has to be removed each time, and unfortunately that is a little more involved than just four sill-screws as the harness seatbelts locate on the shock-towers, which themselves protrude through the rear floor...

With the NiMh battery, I just left it in place, and charged it via the connector accessed inside the front wheel-arch, but with a LiPo I really ought to remove it, which would be more of a pain each time, and particularly if I wanted to swap batteries halfway through a longer trail run.

i-mNLcrpQ-XL.jpg

The solution turned out to be more obvious/lucky that I imagined - in that in this instance, the body is mounted quite far back on the chassis, and coupled with the low[er] profile motor and planetary gear transmission, means that once the hood was removed, a shorty 2S hard-case pack can be slide in and out of the existing battery tray (and secured with velcro straps as before) while the rest of the body remains in place - result!

Having measured more than once, I cut around the hood carefully with a thin Dremel wheel, and will now replace the moulded hinge detail with scale working hinges so that the hood lifts up to reveal the battery and other electronics, and be secured at the front (above the grille) with a pair of magnets in a faux radiator shroud.
 

cont...

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cont...

I'd been waiting for a nice low-profile Hobbywing 1080 to arrive in the post (my go-to choice of ESC these days) so that it might fit in the existing tray above the servo and motor - only to find that the bonnet wouldn't quite close on top of the power leads (note. you could probably squish them down if the bonnet was held on by pins or a catch, but I wanted to use magnets).

However, a bit of lateral (or is that horizontal?) thinking, and shifting the shorty Lipo battery slightly to the right, and I could mount the ESC inside the front driver's side wheel-arch, much as I'd done with the TJ Hooker - and indeed it turns out there was plenty of room for a slightly fatter 1060 ESC I had been using to test another build, so that is in the YJ now, and the 1080 will go in the new vehicle when it's done.

 

i-x9Dmc4q-XL.jpg

photo. a quick mod to the inner wheel-arch/battery tray assembly, so that the shorty pack sits offset to the right, and there is a flat panel to mount the ESC vertically inside the left wheel-arch, with easy access to the power switch too.

 

i-66SfDrD-XL.jpg

photo. it's not especially tidy, but then neither is the under-bonnet layout of a real YJ!  Still, I was really pleased to squeeze a 2S shorty Lipo, ESC, Receiver and remote winch controller (plus a feed for the LED lights) under the hood of a Tamiya YJ... along with the steering servo and motor/planetary gearbox too of course!

 

i-gb3N9Fr-XL.jpg

photo. working hood hinges - these were trimmed down and dress-pin heads used as rivets. I've since painted them in dirty white to match the existing bodywork.

So there we go! - the evolution of the Daydream B'Leafer continues - together with a full depth open interior and no doors (and the tidying up of the original wiring under the chassis) there is almost no indication this is an RC truck. Best of all, I no longer have to remove the body each time to access the battery or perform any minor servicing...

Hope you like these latest mods!

Jenny x

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