Out and about bashers

[Saito2]

I've out and about plenty of times without a much needed RC when I spy a good running spot. Everything currently needs to be planned out. Where am I going? What will I take? Is the runner ready to roll? Do I have the time for a dedicated trip out (usually no)? So I decided to come up with three vehicles I'm not overly attached to that would serve as spur of the moment bashers : 1 monster truck, one 4wd buggy, one 2wd buggy. The monster truck will be a Blackfoot (I have a ton of spares to cobble together a basher). I need help on the buggy decisions.

The 4wd is down to a Boomerang or DF01. The Boomer has more of a vintage feel, but the DF01 might be more durable. For 2wd, I don't know. I have a Fox and a DT02 at my disposal. The thing is, these vehicles won't see the more meticulous type of maintenance I usually do. I'm really a vintage guy but don't want to be too guilt ridden neglecting these bashers. I have a Stampede for grab and go at the moment, but would rather be watching a Tamiya buzzing about. Plus, I oddly feel guilty when someone walks up and catches me behind the transmitter of something non-Tamiya. 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Sounds good. I have no idea about the boomer but the DF01 is a lovely runner with a couple of choice hop ups (motor plate, prop shaft, bearing steering set). 

If you like the vintage thing (and I am with you there) I grafted a grasshopper 2 shell onto my DT03 for exactly this reason. Vintage looks, grab and drive modern reliability. Maybe get a sand viper shell painted red with some repro astute decals? 

[Juggular]

I'd say you need at least one car with a mono-shock.  

So, I would choose either a Boomerang + DT02 combo, or a DF01 + Fox combo.  

If not, you'll end up with two cars with mono-shocks... the Boomerang, Blackfoot + Fox tean would be a full vintage crew.  Or you'll end up with two rather contemporary looking cars like DF01 and DT02...  But that depends on the body shell.  What are the possible bodies for your DF01 and DT02?  

 

 

[TurnipJF]

I have always liked the idea of a DT-02 based Astute lookalike to combine classic looks with affordable basic mechanical bits that don't need a lot of care or maintenance. This would be my 2WD choice if I were in your position.

[Saito2]

2 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Maybe get a sand viper shell painted red with some repro astute decals? 

Totally forgot about that clever little project. Going to have to look into that...

[emspjay]

Blackfoot sounds good, had an old Supershot never had a DF01 so can't comment between them, I love my DT02 handles great for a basic buggy,

[Mad Ax]

I started to think just this when I first built my dayvan a few years ago.  I decided that I should make space in the storage to always have 1-3 basic runners ready to go whenever I found somewhere suitable.  I was even going to paint them up to match the dayvan and have some matching graphics made.  The dayvan is called GCU Grey Area after a ship from Iain M. Banks's novels, so I was going to name each of the cars after a drone from the same series.  However I could never even decide on basic platforms (2wd buggy, 4wd buggy, monster truck, touring car, vintage, modern, advanced, basic) let alone actual cars to go with them.  Then I realised that this was really just an excuse to go buy more cars rather than a genuine need to do something.

Truth be told, you know this is just another "what should I buy" thread with another generic reason for wanting to buy something - so enjoy the suggestions and the window shopping buy what you were going to buy anyway

(I'm still tempted to look through my NIB pile and non-running projects to see what will fit in the dayvan)

[Saito2]

3 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

Truth be told, you know this is just another "what should I buy" thread with another generic reason for wanting to buy something - so enjoy the suggestions and the window shopping buy what you were going to buy anyway

Normally, I'd be guilty of this, but in this case, I have, or can throw together parts for all said vehicles. This will be a "no money spent" endeavor (hopefully, we'll see, lol). The Blackfoot will be made from scraps. In the case of the 4wd, I've decided to make a hybrid Hot Shot, using some Boomerang parts. Still debated on 2wd though. I might pull my Blitzer back into service, even though its more of a truck. I might also give up on parting with my unsellable TRF201s and make one a basher. Its pretty overkill for the purpose, but who knows, it might work out. 

[markbt73]

It's funny; I was just sorting/tidying up my workshop this weekend, and thinking along similar lines. I have a CC01 that used to fill that role, but it's pretty well used up now; the front end is so worn out that the dogbones pop out if you look at it funny, and there's a growl in the gears I can't track down. About the only salvageable component is the rear axle, which has never been opened and still spins smoothly. It will find its way under some other vehicle, someday, but the CC01 is essentially dead otherwise.

I had an old RC10 that was my "basher" for a while, but then it turned into a restoration project. I could use the reject parts from that and build another RC10, but I'm afraid that if I do that, it will turn into a project too.

Then I bought one of the Kumamon Sand Rovers to use as a take-along basher, but now I want to paint and detail it all nicely, and then I won't want to bash it.

What I think I might do is just build a couple of "Franken-bashers," built from this and that (I have plenty of this, and several of that, to choose from), and covered with one of the several old Lexan bodies I have lying around. But then, what if those turn into full-on projects too? Maybe I'm just not meant to leave well enough alone.

[wolfdogstinkus]

18 minutes ago, markbt73 said:

What I think I might do is just build a couple of "Franken-bashers," built from this and that (I have plenty of this, and several of that, to choose from), and covered with one of the several old Lexan bodies I have lying around. But then, what if those turn into full-on projects too? Maybe I'm just not meant to leave well enough alone.

Everybody should have a franken basher.

Here's mine.

[Badcrumble]

7 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

The dayvan is called GCU Grey Area after a ship from Iain M. Banks's novels, so I was going to name each of the cars after a drone from the same series.  

Does the van have a Mind if it’s own?

I met the man when he promo toured that book. I wasted that opportunity but never forgot it.

Sorry, @Saito2, can’t help on buggy choice - I’d go for that Blackfoot every time. 

[Mad Ax]

13 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

Does the van have a Mind if it’s own?

I met the man when he promo toured that book. I wasted that opportunity but never forgot it.

Sorry, @Saito2, can’t help on buggy choice - I’d go for that Blackfoot every time. 

Off-topic, but yes, it's big, grey, fast, and I'm never really sure if I drive it or it drives me...

I've already had the GSV Sleeper Service (Mondeo V6 which was a real sleeper), and the ROU Kiss My Gravitas (FTO GPX).

Banks is one of my favourite authors and probably my biggest inspiration as a writer.

[Saito2]

20181223_081352 by Scott Weiland, on Flickr

Well, here's my 4wd out and about basher I put together...the Super Boomer Hot Shoterang. Hot Shot chassis, Super Hot Shot front suspension, Boomerang rear suspension and knuckles, CVA2 shocks and a bit 'o brass plate to keep the upper front inner arm pivots steady. Since its three cars mashed into one, I stepped outside my comfort zone and chose a non-boxart color, PS16 Metallic Blue, my favorite Tamiya color. One down, two to go. 

[ThunderDragonCy]

That looks great in blue! Keep wondering about buildjng one of these chassis with big wig front suspension. A Boomerwig or Big Shot. 

[Saito2]

Thanks!  When compared in stock form, the Big Wig front end is better as it allows the chassis to touch the ground at full compression. I've found, with careful shock body and piston rod length selection, you can make the Super (Hot) Shot front end do the same thing. I have more Hot Shot spare front arms in my parts hoard than Big Wig ones, so that's the way I went. I like monoshocks, but the 4 shock 'Shot chassis just has a nice, solid, predictable feel to it.

[S-PCS]

So... a dedicated team of ready-to-go bashers including a Blackfoot, a Boomerang-type 4WD or a DF-01, a 2WD that might be a DT-02, and maybe a Blitzer type car to pull back into service? Painting some of them blue in order to confront Obsessive Compulsive Box Art Disorder?

Sounds familiar, somehow. Very familiar. I think 5 is a better number than 3 however, but I agree on the blue. Here's my team. 

[ThunderDragonCy]

@S-PCS Love that Blue Boomer. Great to see one that isn't white. 

[Baddon]

For out and out bashing I have defected to the dark side of Traxxas with 3 Stampedes for myself and the boys, Good lady still has her WT-01 ambulace which I LOVE the look of (proper old school monster truck that the body does not try and fit with loads of front truck showing out the front of the body and my little ones Pink Madbull. I will only show photos of the Tamiya's for fear of being lynched.....

 

 

[Saito2]

9 hours ago, S-PCS said:

So... a dedicated team of ready-to-go bashers including a Blackfoot, a Boomerang-type 4WD or a DF-01, a 2WD that might be a DT-02, and maybe a Blitzer type car to pull back into service? Painting some of them blue in order to confront Obsessive Compulsive Box Art Disorder?

Sounds familiar, somehow. Very familiar.

Wow, that's eerily similar to my final lineup. I was even going to toss a DF01 Dirt Thrasher in my lineup like your Manta Ray. Sadly, its beginning to suffer the "disintegrating plastic syndrome" that effects Tamiyas from time to time (every hole begins to split, parts shatter for no apparent reason, etc.) so its been retired.