Best Available Scorcher Chassis

[tamiya3speed 463]

Who has the best aftermarket chassis currently?  I have an older Radshape which is beautiful but they don't seem to be around anymore.  I also bought one of these:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F221996309178

in the past and was very unimpressed.  Cuts were uneven and sharp.  Not sure if I got a bad one or what.  So what else is available and worth the cost?

[TWINSET 1793]

The design you've linked to is mine from 2003 - I gave the files to Junfac/GMade as a thank-you for a kit they sent me and they produced them for a while
At some point, the chassis was either copied or the files were leaked and that was it.

The pics in the eBay auction are Junfac's originals (they used those weird washered flat head screws a lot) but I don't know who's making them now - seems to be a lot of sellers all using the same pics.

There's a skid-plate for the SRB on eBay too - that was originally one of Junfac's designs

 

No idea how you'd go about getting a well-made one, I had one made recently (see below) and the quality wasn't great - this was a sample run from an online manufacturer and the best they could do.

The ones pictured on eBay have a lot of work done after the bends are made - Junfac/GMade always made well-presented parts which is why they all look good in the pics.
The problem with churning them out en masse is the time needed to tidy them up - as you can see below there's usually some very definded tooling lines either side of the bend and  if they're laser-cut (as opposed to machined) then all the edges are usually very untidy and you get one or two 'pips' where the laser starts or stops (see 'lump' along edge in second pic)

Because laser-cutting is so cheap compared to CNC milling (after the machine's been bought) I doubt you'll find any milled ones - Mine were all laser-cut.
Even when I had them made they were never as good as the Junfac photos, but they were a helluva lot nicer than this one;

 

 

[tamiya3speed 463]

Thanks for the info on that design Twinset.  Interesting to find how the design originally came about! 

[Re-Bugged 10137]

Not sure if you’ve seen this one from an eBay seller who makes very nice wheels/rims so the quality should be good? 
 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/vintage-tamiya-sand-scorcher-rought-rider-super-champ-alloy-chassis-3T/332547938863?hash=item4d6d66da2f:g:n1MAAOxyjK1RBSnv

[Shodog 1835]

Depends on what you want.  Are you looking for shelf queen status or strongest for running?   I think the nicest one ever was made one by Rogue Elements.  He also made one with Rough Rider milled in it. 

I have one of Twinset’s chassis and it’s beefy and would be great for a runner. 

[tamiya3speed 463]

In reality I don't need anything special.  Just something for what will most likely be a light runner that will be stiffer than the stock setup.

That Rogue Elements item is super cool!

[Rubyred 34]

I’m a bit of a Tamiya snob in that I always prefer a Tamiya bit if at all possible.  I’ve found the rere “Fighting Buggy” chassis to be a suitable hop-up as it’s much thicker than sand scorcher and readily available.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F222686891465