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JennyMo

Ghetto Vanquish... no not that Vanquish, the other one.

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Prompted by a comment on the "So what have you done today?' thread by Busdriver, I thought I'd introduce you to another project I've been working on recently - a parallel build if you will to the Baja Blazer (aka. NotABlazinClodBuster) featured: here.

Now I appreciate that this build really has nothing at all to do with Tamiya (at least the Baja Blazer has a couple of Tamiya parts, plus the body is kind of like a Clod Buster - well, if you look at it from far away) but at the same time, I hope this will if nothing else inform and entertain you in the usual manner, plus I'm aware that the rules for the builds section does allow brands other than Tamiya too of course.

So here we go...

First of all for those unfamiliar, a brief background so that what I'm talking about during this build is in some kind of context... this the Vanquish I'm talking about:

i-WcJgCRv-L.jpg

...not the Tamiya buggy but Vanquish Products (a US company) who started making high end CNC upgrade parts for the Axial SXC10 platform, and ultimately created a complete kit called the VS4-10 Origin (and more recently the Pro and Ultra versions) - which is a high end kit (very high end, the kits start at $750, and that is without any electronics), and very capable. There is more info here: www.vanquishproducts.com

Anyway, as you might imagine, spending that sort of money on a single vehicle is beyond the realm of most of us, and while I've seen these vehicles being driven in person (and met some of the people behind the company at an event last year), while the overall concept is appealing, as you know I'm much more of a DIY and custom builder that a complete kit assembly person - so felt I could take some of the key principles of the Vanquish kit, and put my own personal twist on it...

 

Fortunately the bare VS4-10 chassis kit is relatively affordable ($109), so that was an easy starting place - I won't bore you with a series of individual assembly photos - suffice to say it's a joy to work with quality components, although I found it's worth either running a tap through the hole in the plastic cross members and/or using a powered screwdriver to insert the M3 screws, otherwise you can start to get blisters if you tend to use knurled aluminium handle drivers like I do!

i-FvqF6rV-XL.jpg

I'd also add, that while the initial assembly is rock solid, I've found that repeated disassembly - particularly of the central transmission plate for example - can make the screw holes in the plastic rather loose over time. I appreciate the nylon skid plate is preferable from a performance point of view, but I can't help but think that an aluminium transmission plate (and using thread-lock) would be stronger long term if repeated disassembly is something you envisage? - presumably Vanquish factor this ought not to be an issue for most people of course. Just build it once and forget about it!

The other thing I'm not 100% taken with are the nylon* shock towers - the double shear design seems rigid enough, but conversely they are limiting with regard to which style/diameter shocks you can use - again, something that I'm sure Vanquish do not consider a problem since why would you not use their own Incision shocks anyway right?

*note. you can also buy their aluminium upgrade towers, but at $90 for a set of four, that is an indulgence I wasn't prepared to make at this stage, or possibly ever (although I so would if I'd bought a complete Pro or Ultra kit of course ;o)

Anyway, the last thing I want is to sound like I'm whining - the chassis kit is excellent quality and I feel very good value for money compared to other 'SCX10 style' ladder chassis options on the market, and I particularly like the way the aluminium battery tray integrates with the slider/floor extensions on either side, the whole thing feels rock solid!


Along with the chassis kit, I also bought the other parts required to build a roller - although I imagine that fans of this chassis platform/brand will already be sucking their teeth with distain when I reveal that most of these parts are cheaper 'ebay' options of Far Eastern manufacture...

i-QJbWh4D-XL.jpg

Still, that is the whole point of this build and title - it's meant to be a budget build, one which loosely follows the core principles and specification without having to invest in a $500 pair of axles!


As a quick spec summary: the links are SCX10 pattern 'Husky Links' from ClubRC, similar (I have to admit) to the Vanquish Incision links, complete with Incision ball ends and nicely finished (and heavy!) in stainless steel.

i-mx456Gg-XL.jpg
photo. I chose what is considered the 'medium' wheelbase option initially, as I had yet to decide on a body - but knew I didn't really want a 313mm/12.3" wheelbase vehicle.

 

The axles are made from CNC aluminium in the 'SCX10 II' pattern (which includes the necessary lug for the panhard rod) from a US ebay seller (albeit manufactured in China of course), and I have to say these examples seem to be very well finished and appear to be good quality both outside and in:

i-PPpc33f-XL.jpg
photo. CV joints not dog-bones in the front axle - nice!

 

i-Vtf5R6D-XL.jpg
photo. Helical cut diff gears.

 

i-zMNPSTK-XL.jpg
photo. everything appears to be well put together (for the price - just over $100 the pair) - obviously they are still nothing like the pukka Vanquish axles though of course!

 

i-JXrnBfM-XL.jpg
photo. I did choose to replace the original socket head diff cover screws with RC4WD scale hex heads, just because.

 

I admit I did cheap out a bit with the shocks (less than $25 a set of four from ebay) although initially I was actually impressed how plush they were for the price - they are full aluminium body (including the lower mounting eyelet), and feature dual rate springs with a preload adjuster, and that fundamentally their more modest diameter means they fit in the Vanquish towers properly:

i-SNfNQTM-XL.jpg
photo. I bought 90mm length as per the VS4-10 chassis recommendation.


Finally, the prop shafts were also a bit of a cheap-out (which I've subsequently replaced with more heavy duty multi-spine versions), but at least this got me up and running, with reasonable scale looks too:

i-27hRPBM-XL.jpg

 

I have to say, everything went together pretty well - the shocks needed some oil in them, and the [Axial width] ball ends were a little loose in both the axle mounts and the chassis skid end - I resolved this by shimming the axle ends with 0.5mm M3 shims, and at the chassis end by drilling through the outside of each hole with a 3mm drill bit, so the screws sandwiched the ball ends between the plastic faces more tightly, eliminating any slop.

Fortunately I already had some suitable wheels and tyres (again, via ebay) - anodised aluminium D spoke pattern bead-locks, with actual M2 hex hardware (nice!) together with 115mm tyres, which although unbranded, actually have a passing resemblance to Vanquish's own tyres too I thought?, and are nice and soft/grippy.

i-Bj5tWb4-XL.jpg

I also had a suitable motor and 3-gear transmission (aluminium cases) and associated electronics from a previous project (actually the Lil'Scamp cage crawler build from last year, which I've stripped down in the background) to get everything up and running... (having bought a 20mm Vanquish servo horn in preparation already).

So there we go - all metal (other than Vanquish's own plastic components of course), and proportioned in a similar way with 90mm shocks and modest dimension 1.9 wheels and tyres to a pukka VS4-10 rolling chassis, for around $350 (plus electronics)...

cont.

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cont.

Bodywork

So if I haven't already insulted the Vanquish consigenti enough with my ebay running gear and cheapo electronics, it was time to decide on a body for this budget beast...

Suffice to say, it would not be Lexan - even if I do have a soft spot for the International Scout inspired Vanquish body overall, especially the truck-cab Pro version - I just can't bring myself to work with it, even though I appreciate it's [lighter weight] performance benefit in more technical terrain... this one has to have a hard body.

i-vx7DXDd-XL.jpg
photo. A HiLux is an obvious, if slightly uninspired, choice perhaps?

Although it was increasingly appealing once fitted with a tray back and some alternative wheels perhaps - and ought to perform well off-road too in this sort of iteration...

i-VBNzq33-XL.jpg


However, as it transpired, due to the amount of wheel travel the VS4-10 offers (even on relatively short and upright 90mm shocks), some serious wheel-arch surgery would be required for these size tyres to clear on full travel, to the extent that really a pinch front is required (plus a raised rear deck) to not restrict the overall axle articulation, which is not ideal - after all, why go to all the bother and expense of such a capable chassis (and associated suspension) if the tyres are going to constantly foul the arches when it's actually driven over rough terrain?

With this in mind, I chopped the nose of the Trailfinder body - at first down to four radiator segments between the headlights, and ultimately down to three, before the tyres would actually clear on full compression and steering lock - and while it still has a certain charm, it really was no longer the kind of vehicle look I was hoping for?

i-BwVt6f8-XL.jpg
photo. initial wheel-arch cut (with full width hood/grille in place)

i-p6BZ7WK-XL.jpg
photo. still not enough with either set of wheels/tyres.

i-qtV2WwN-XL.jpg
photo. better perhaps, but getting further away from a 'scale trail' appearance, and more into the realm of a comp rig?


But hang on, what's that other body in the background of the photo above?

i-8ZV8FTH-XL.jpg
photo. I'd already tried on the RC4WD K5 Blazer body (which I'd bought for my parallel project, the Baja Blazer), and with some wheel-arch stretching, reckoned this could be quite the combination - although the same issue with ultimate wheel travel was likely to remain of course...


Once I'd narrowed the Blazer body (to fit the Baja project I was working on), I offered it up again, and increasingly liked what I saw - I really love this overall stance!

i-DT3B9hF-XL.jpg
photo. I reckon something like this has potential for another day perhaps (and particularly with the Vanquish grille I thought?) - the wheel arches would still need to be adjusted, but the result would be essentially a short bobbed-bed pick up.


So clearly the ideal body would have a full width grille (ie. not an agressive pinch front), but at the same time still offer enough clearance for the 115mm diameter tyres to not touch the arches on full travel...

In that regard, an Injora JK Jeep body (without the fender flares) was the obvious answer perhaps? - but I can't bring myself to go down that particular road just yet (although maybe one day). There must be something else...

i-WnR852b-XL.jpg

Of course! Keeping with the 'unloved' theme of cheap ebay running gear and budget electronics, the 'controversial' RC4WD 4Runner body (complete with the wonky screen pillars etc.) would turn out to be just the ticket for this ghetto build!

i-SQTJjWP-XL.jpg
photo. initially I mocked up some temporary body mounts using styrene sheet (for info. the 4Runner body fits nicely around the Vanquish floor panels, once the sliders have been removed - with enough gap for a thin mounting plate) to position the body on the chassis to work out the final wheelbase required.

i-zNNWDKw-XL.jpg
photo. I then resorted to some 'universal' SCX10 body mounts to further dial-in the body height and fore/aft location relative to the front axle, and cut the arches away following the natural moulded lines of the fender flares.


i-5K2dgxJ-XL.jpg
photo. at the same time I considered that the original angled battery tray would encroach too much into the full interior I had planned. Of course it would be possible to mount the battery behind the transmission/seats perhaps, but why not try and hide it completely [vertically] behind the dash?


i-3Vf8W85-XL.jpg
photo. Mk2 body mounts - these will ultimately be cut from aluminium (and tube sliders attached) now that the body height has been set.

i-q9kmXSq-XL.jpg
photo. the final battery location - the RC4WD dash will need to be modified to fit over this, but the idea is this battery is charged in situ (with the connector accessed from underneath).

i-7XKVbdm-XL.jpg
photo. meanwhile, there is actually the option of mounting a second battery where the rear seats would have been, under what will become a fabricated tool chest in the rear load-bed. I'll need to make a rear bumper too.

I also really don't want the shock towers to encroach on the load-bed with this build, and currently I have been able to mount them canted forward on alternative brackets below the bed line; and with the rear arches similarly trimmed around the moulded flare line, it turns out there is now enough clearance for these 115mm tyres front and rear. However, currently the canted shocks at the rear means the tyres do still touch the top of the arches before the shock has reached the end of the stroke - one option is to fit 80mm shocks on the rear (the most likely solution), or at least limit the travel with a bump stop - a small compromise I am prepared to make to retain the overall scale appearance. At the front at least there is full travel from the 90mm shocks, even on full steering lock.

i-Xs5SfZV-XL.jpg

Ultimately I also ended up buying a set of the shorter (11.4" wheelbase) links, and mixed-and-matched them to create what is still essentially a hybrid 12" wheelbase - since for tyre clearance the front axle is a little further forward in the wheel arch than it would be as standard, the whole body is correspondingly mounted with a rearward bias meaning the fronts are the standard lengths still, but the rear uses the 12" wheelbase upper arms as lower links, and the 11.4 lower links as upper links, or something like that... all I know is it works!

cont.

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cont.

Finally for now, a couple of other things I bought recently was this scale engine cover (from the newly released Axial SCX10 iii kit) to help hide the steering servo (note. that currently the ESC is mounted under the hood too, but that will likely be relocated once the interior styrene work has been finalised):

i-9vkVmb2-XL.jpg
photo. I know you can buy 3D printed motor covers in all sorts of iterations, but personally I'm not a fan of sanding tiny grainy parts and much prefer injection moulded options where available.

i-FPbnPp5-XL.jpg
photo. Yep, more budget ebay parts - this time a shorty winch-bumper (the same as I've fitted on my D90), suitably modified to fit around the front profile of the Vanquish chassis and retain the maximum approach angle...

i-83hjS3P-XL.jpg
photo. ... while still allowing a working winch to be fitted - in this instance the genuine RC4WD version, not a copy.

I've also bought a pair of Axial Corbeau bucket seats, and the plan is to leave the doors off and install a fully detailed interior - complete with the RC4WD dashboard above a styrene centre console and floorpan/seatbox - currently being mocked up in trusted CAD:

i-mvqscSh-XL.jpg
photo. there is plenty of space under the tool chest for a second battery - either to power the winch independently, or to extend the vehicle run time as required.

More soon - although I really ought to finish the Blazer first perhaps!

Jenny x

 

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Another cracking build!

There's nowt wrong with an Injora JK body for a budget build 😉. Try it, you might end up...hacking it pieces!!

Totally get where you are coming from in terms of the huge cost of a full Vanquish rig. I've had some SSD upgrades which I thought were great parts bit I still struggle with shelling out for a Trail Rig that doesn't have wheels, electronics, etc.

How about a cantilever kit for the rear? Or would that necessitate shorter shocks anyway.

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12 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

Another cracking build!

There's nowt wrong with an Injora JK body for a budget build 😉. Try it, you might end up...hacking it pieces!!

Totally get where you are coming from in terms of the huge cost of a full Vanquish rig. I've had some SSD upgrades which I thought were great parts bit I still struggle with shelling out for a Trail Rig that doesn't have wheels, electronics, etc.

How about a cantilever kit for the rear? Or would that necessitate shorter shocks anyway.

Hee hee - don't get me wrong, I think those Injora JK body sets are great (and great value too!) - it's just it seems everyone is building a 'scaler' JK body crawler these days, and I really wanted something a bit different...

Of course the RC4WD '85 4Runner body is also increasingly popular (and for those unaware, is similar in that it has opening doors (and a bonnet and tailgate), and a nicely detailed interior including dash, centre console and separate seats etc.) - and certainly my reason for choosing the 4Runner is it could be built up with the doors left off (so you can view the interior more easily), and in this instance I intend to have a driver and passenger onboard too. It also has a natural 'cut line' around the front wheel arches/moulded fender flares - so I was able to trim the front end aggressively while retaining the full width bonnet above, which is the look I wanted.

Funny you suggested the cantilever rear suspension - it is something I've experimented with already:

i-Wc8Kbxv-XL.jpg

Initially mocked-up using a shock cobbled together with Tamiya parts, and a suitable cantilever bracket - although subsequently I did buy a pair of Vaterra Twin Hammers front suspension cantilevers, which I understand people have used to good effect, as the leverage ratio is more appropriate... I certainly think it's an option with a small/short horizontal shock on that bracket (which is actually a low profile body mount to mount the Trailfinder cab to an SCX10 chassis).

However, I'm not sure I want to go that route - I think in this instance it would just as effective to use a shorter stroke (ie. 80mm vs 90mm) rear shock with a slightly stiffer spring, and mount it canted forward approximately 45° so it fits under the bed, and which will give me the articulation I need but with more limited travel so that the tyre doesn't hit the top of the arch in the way it currently does with the 90mm shock fitted.

Of course ideally (from an off-road performance point of view), I would simple remove the rear bed completely (hence the initial mock-up with the HiLux cab) and fit some kind of truggy cage back-end (much as I did with the original Desmond of course), and utilise the maximum articulation available from the 90mm shock geometry the Vanquish chassis offers... but hey, the whole point of any of this is to mix it up a bit from what went before, right?!

Jenny x

 

 

 

 

 

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Have you thought about making your own batteries Jenny?

you could distribute the cells wherever you want then?

 

JJ

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8 hours ago, Problemchild said:

Have you thought about making your own batteries Jenny?

you could distribute the cells wherever you want then?

 

JJ

Hi Problem' - I guess it's feasible to daisy chain cells together (in heat shrink) for specific projects where space is really tight, but as I've commented on in the past with certain builds (such as the SRB Cage Racer), I actually like the discipline of retaining the traditional 6-cell stick pack wherever possible - not least as in a vehicle like this which you might well want to run for an extended period (out on a trail or at an event) it means you ought to always be able to borrow/swap out the battery easily and continue?

Certainly with this build I wanted to retain the traditional battery tray style mounting, since I envisage this getting a lot of use once it's finished - I'm designing to be my go-to trail rig if you like?

However, if you did follow my Hopper's HiLux build (which was very compact with all the electrics well hidden), you will see I did concede the battery style there, choosing to use what is essentially six AA size cells in shrink-wrap (so still 7.2v) - and ultimately with one under each seat - one to power the vehicle and the other dedicated to the winch, although either can be connected to the ESC to extend the run time if desired.

i-B6NXBVb-XL.jpg

Similarly, I actually managed to squeeze a pair of regular 6-cell 7.2v NiMh batteries under the body of the YJ Jeep - this I was particularly proud of, especially since it is an open top vehicle with a full depth interior! - using a similar principle to that which I've incorporated here in the 4Runner/Vanquish - with the main vehicle battery vertically mounted across the chassis beneath the scuttle/behind the dashboard, and a second one in the rear (in the YJ this was relatively easy to incorporate below the load-bay floor since the leaf-springs at the rear meant there was space below where any upper link arms would normally be) - and while the main battery is very much buried behind the dash (and typically charged in situ), the second battery is easy to swap as required, and can also be used to power the ESC as well as the winch controller.

Of course all of the above is based on the ongoing assumption that I'll continue to use NiMh batteries for the foreseeable future, rather than actually get with the programme and embrace the LiPo battery technology which gives longer run times and significantly more power in a potentially far more compact casing... It's just I don't want to have to charge my batteries under a [fireproof] blanket!

Jenny x

 

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Just a quick update - although I'm currently concentrating on the Baja Blazer, I took a break and fabricated a styrene floor for the cabin:


i-JnpfFsS-XL.jpg
photo. CAD converted to styrene (2mm thick in this instance)

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photo. seat-boxes fabricated from 1.5mm styrene.

i-bgkb89F-XL.jpg
photo. the majority of the centre transmission will be hidden under the floor - the rest hidden in plain sight between the seats and under the driver's legs.

note. following on from the post above, the space behind the seat box is not quite large enough for a battery pack (although with hindsight I probably could have made it such), rather it is potentially there to mount the ESC and the winch control unit (if I decide to make a fully scale/detailed engine bay on this build too) while the second battery will actually fit inside the tool chest above the floor of the load bed, for quick-change access.

More soon!

Jenny x

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Just a quick update on this one... although I really like these black bead-lock wheels (and tyres), they also work/ed really well on the Lil' Scamp crawler I'd borrowed them from, so felt the 4Runner deserved a dedicated set of wheels - and these ones particularly are befitting of the 'Ghetto' Vanquish title...

As you can see from the photos earlier on (with the gold wheels), I also had some alternative slightly wider and more square side-wall tyres already, and had actually bought six of them originally - so bought another pair, plus some of my favourite wheels:

i-Z738FwD-XL.jpg

i-TkNFwhb-XL.jpg

These look suspiciously similar to the genuine Vanquish Method Roost wheels - which I honestly would have bought in a flash had they not been discontinued (you may recall I bought a set in silver many moons ago for another build - the SRB Cage Racer, see below), and I've been trawling ebay for a set of new-old-stock ones for a while now...

note. You sometimes see the Method Roost design advertised in 2.2 size (from China), but not 1.9 - fortunately, these matt black 1.9 versions popped up on ebay recently, so I jumped at the chance!

i-V3mv3v7-XL.jpg
photo. The SRB Cage Racer - which uses SRB running gear (complete with a Knight Customs scale engine) and a custom alloy chassis, mated to a modified Vaterra Twin Hammers cage - sort of like a 2-seater Rough Rider if you like?

Comparing them side by side, you do certainly get what you pay for with the proper Vanquish versions, including the Method logo cast into the face of the wheel itself, and the overall finish is appreciably better - although I have to say I'm impressed indeed by the overall look of these, particularly once mounted.

A couple of things to note: they do come complete with 12mm Hex hubs (which is a $36 bonus in itself!) so you can mount them straight away, and the off-set is nice and narrow too... I've just checked them against my SLW Vanquish hubs, and the PCD is the same - result!

However, be aware that these hubs (and the wheels themselves) use 3mm hardware, not the more usual 2.5mm or Vanquish's own 4-40 hardware, so in this instance my existing set of Locked-Up RC acorn wheel studs won't work (I've subsequently bought a set of alternative 3mm size hex bolts instead).

 

i-hLBzwGJ-XL.jpg
photo. mounted up, I feel these more square shouldered tyres - although actually no larger in overall diameter than the ones I'd fitted previously, ultimately suit the truck better? The matt black colour (very thin anodising by the look of it) although potentially vulnerable to scratches I fear, also looks suitably rugged. note. these universal hub style axle nuts fit perfectly with these wheels too.

i-NBhRcpv-XL.jpg
photo. so it's on it's way now - it runs, and the body is fitted, the interior is almost complete and the winch works as well - I just need to fabricate a few more styrene panel parts and then get some paint on this one too!

More soon!

Jenny x

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A little more work on this one - although the more money I seem to be spending on it, the less 'ghetto' it becomes... still, the concept of more affordable [transmission] components remains, for the time being at least...

First up, just needed to check the front tyre clearance with the new wheel and tyre combo:

i-mLMGqjQ-XL.jpg
photo. I'd say that is just about perfect.

Cutting the front arches away along the body crease line did have the effect of opening up those arches a little more than necessary, however I really don't want to compromise on the articulation this chassis offers (well, not at the front at least) and coupled with the impressive steering angle from these axles, I'm confident it won't drag a tyre under duress at all...

However, while I could potentially lower the body shell on it's mounts approx 5mm and still have enough clearance, that in turn would further limit the clearance for the rear wheels in the arches - something which I've decided to artificially limit by using 80mm shocks (rather than 90mm, which remain the length for the front), which in turn have approximately 5mm less stroke, and mean that the rear tyres only just touch the top of the arches on full articulation at the current body height - I can live with that.

So with that decided, it was time to get on with a little more styrene work - first of all the tool chest for the 2nd battery (to power the winch independently as required):

i-6nQwv5t-XL.jpg
photo. this will have a hinged lid, while the battery cable will exit through a hole in the floor to the wireless winch control unit mounted to the rear of the cabin floor/seat-box assembly beneath.

The other thing I decided was to simplify the body mounting system. I'd always intended the fabricated interior floor to be glued to the main shell for rigidity, and so that the whole thing could be easily removed for access to the chassis and electronics... 

However, this would mean it would be rather convoluted to install the forward battery - requiring the main shell to be fitted, then the battery slid into position across the footwells, then the dash would need to be fixed by screws somehow to cover the battery, before the driver (and in this instance passenger) figures could be installed... tedious and fiddly.

So taking a leaf out of my recent Baja Blazer build, instead I redesigned the body mounts to mount the interior to the chassis - allowing the battery to be fitted first - and so the dash board could remain attached to the centre console as it now simply drops over the battery along with interior over the rest of the chassis.

i-nrvr9Jw-XL.jpg
photo. new body mountings to support the interior floor independently. note the original cheapy ebay shocks have been replaced with slightly more expensive Gmade RSD shocks - 90mm at the front and 80mm at the rear.

The main body then simply fits over the sides of the interior floor and locates to four holes in the vertical mounts (which have M3 captive nuts glued to the inside), making it very easy to access the interior and electronics as required - although to be honest once the main vehicle battery is in place, the running electronics are all located under the [lift up] hood anyway, so this shouldn't need to come apart all that often.


Cagey...

While I was messing around with the styrene, and the overall theme for this build (which will essentially be a trail/adventure rig) - I also thought I might offer up a spare Axial cage I had knocking around - and what do you know, it actually fits perfectly width wise on the bed sides, and overall is not bad as a full length 'roof rack' style exo-cage I thought?

i-kdZmhJH-XL.jpg
photo. with a few mods - mainly shortening the centre hoop legs to match the hight of the rear ones - the whole thing ought to sit pretty well around the cabin...

Of course the bed is really a touch too long for this Axial Blazer cage, but since I'd been toying with a bed-bob anyway, this ultimately dictated the amount I'd remove - 22mm as it turned out:

i-dHHJJ9n-XL.jpg
photo. I also fabricated a rear bumper section to fill the void in the main shell.

i-WPRCqp3-XL.jpg
photo. tacked back together with superglue, I'd say that isn't half bad? - (more like 4/5ths eh?) and since I didn't order the tailgate and door parts for this shell, the idea is it will have tailgate net and open sides instead.

I'm sill undecided about the full length cage - one option is to just use the rear half and lower it another 5mm perhaps? - or perhaps create a couple of bosses at the base of the windscreen and just have it as an option since it is easily removable being secured with a series of 3mm screws along each side?


So at the moment I am concentrating on finishing the interior - mounting the dash directly to the centre console/floorpan, and a pair of Axial Corbeau seats, so that the occupants can stay permanently attached to the interior (a good idea as with no doors, they could end up falling out!) with or without the main body attached.

i-vh2nnPw-XL.jpg
photo. using trusty CAD to mock-up a centre console, which will in turn support the RC4WD dash assembly above the battery.


I'm also hacking away at the Axial SCX10-III engine cover, in an effort to have some scale detail under the hood - although it is not my intention to go super detailed with this build, rather a few choice detailing items (such as diamond-plate floors and adjustable seatbelts etc.) and keep it robust enough for some rougher running.

i-HqzZwp9-XL.jpg
photo. currently the ESC is mounted (and hidden) next to the servo, while the Receiver is mounted on a styrene plate behind, in front of the bulkhead, and will be hidden by a ProLine scale battery.


More soon!

Jenny x

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Slowish progress, but at the same time it's all about refining the design - in an effort to make this a robust trail runner as well as incorporating some scale detailing touches...

Following on form the photo above, I relocated the included air filter to the rear of the manifold - since as you can see, there simple isn't enough room at the front with the stock 4Runner cross-member (and magnet mount) in place:

i-thZfrQS-XL.jpg

The main issue is the design of this engine cover means that the steering servo dictates exactly where the engine has to sit in the bay - and in this installation, with the body mounted slightly reward to maximise front wheel arch clearance, plus that huge crossmember, then the only option was to flip the air intake location -  of course in a real trail rig you might well want to reposition the air intake closer to the bulkhead than the grille anyway, so I'd say that is a legit decision?

The next thing was to mount the Axial seats to the seatbox - I designed the styrene seat-box so that any of the holes in the base of seats could be used, and decided that three (in a triangle) would be more than sufficient... because the seat-box is double skinned, I drilled the top holes at 3.2mm for the screws, while in the base they are 6mm so you can pass the head of the screws though:

i-5FCB8pX-XL.jpg
photo. note captive nuts on the inside of the floorpan mounts - these are for securing the main shell once the interior assembly has been bolted to the chassis.


i-tTDWQTB-XL.jpg
photo. seats installed - I purposely have them mounted as if they are slid forward on their runners sightly, since my intended driver and passenger will be slightly smaller than a full size adult.


You can also see (above) that the dash assembly is now securely fitted to the fabricated centre console. I was particularly pleased with my solution here, having fabricated an upright column to support centre of the dash section, and incorporated a 'peg' on the dash so it slots into this column and securely locates the dash - the dash itself further held in place once the main body is fitted of course.

i-wGDNGLC-XL.jpg
photo. socket column on the centre console.

i-xZDBFfQ-XL.jpg
photo. peg on the back of the dash panel.

i-SLwB69X-XL.jpg
photo. slots in to hide battery and support the dash without any need for screws or glue.

cont.

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cont.

Lights

Although this is primarily a runner, I do think any build is enhanced with some working lights - if only head and tail lights for example?

In that regard, I'm going to keep things simple with this build - just a pair of headlights, plus utilise the pre-drilled holes in the main body for the rear light clusters - fortunately the sprue with the windscreen also includes the two rear lamp lenses with this RC4WD body set.

At the front, I've simple mounted a pair of ProLine 18mm diameter spot-lamp housings as light pods, directly to the front panel on the body shell:

i-4bSHgvM-XL.jpg
photo. main hole is 5.5mm (for the LED to pass through) and the two holes on the diagonal are to mount the buckets using M2 screws.

i-Qx4njkM-XL.jpg
photo. the buckets are held on with two screws - a self-tapping screw in the bottom, together with an M2 screw and LED clip (from those Axial spot-light sets) to secure the wiring.

The result is a simple front end, with a large lamp either side of the winch/bumper assembly, while the lights are well protected by the bonnet lip and allow the wheels to steer to full lock and articulation - result!

i-QttgW3r-XL.jpg
photo. all it needs now is a radiator and fans etc. to fill the gap behind the winch.


Finally for now, I also made a start on cutting the aluminium checker-plate panels to cover the load-bay tool-chest - this will allow a second battery to be fitted to power the winch, or to extend the vehicle run-time as desired.

i-GtkxDVd-XL.jpg
photo. bobbed-bed is now just the right size for a 115mm diameter spare wheel too!

More soon!

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Right, time to break out a little more styrene sheet:

i-3qNC2nR-XL.jpg
photo. I apologise, but I believe the common parlance is: "Do you even flex bro?"

As you can see from the above, I felt some sort of inner wheelarch/fenders would be required  - although at the same time since this is very much a 'home built' trail rig, I could use the principle that these would be fabricated from simple sheet 'metal', not least as I would want to retain maximum clearance for the tyres, and also show off those new Gmade shocks I'd fitted - so in that regard, I elected to essential just line the engine bay above the chassis rails:

i-fv6BwHv-XL.jpg
photo. 1.5mm styrene cut to fit around the shock towers, and secured using two of the existing screws on the chassis.

While this would be sufficient to hid the engine and stop the engine bay being 'see-though' (not a bad thing on a trail rig perhaps anyway?), I felt that a little more fabrication would be more realistic - especially when the hood was open, and ultimately decided to also incorporate a scale battery in a recess on the passenger side fender:

i-z74bpRv-XL.jpg
photo. this did take some working out, but I feel the overall effect [of added under bonnet detail] is worth it...

i-vH9zRzN-XL.jpg
photo. As it turned out, the bottom of the battery tray was also the perfect dimension to mount the ESC power switch - result!

note. I have purposely left the battery exposed in this open wheel-arch, as I feel it will add further scale detail when viewed from this side.


Vehicle electrics

I also took this opportunity to try and tidy up the engine bay and electronic installation as best I could - in the past I've always simply bundled wires together (with zip ties) and stuffed them under various corners of the body and chassis, but increasingly with more attention to under-the-skin detailing (which I really started with the full engine bay and interior in Hopper's HiLux last year), I now appreciate taking the time to shorten (or lengthen as required) wiring to hide it more neatly...

i-LbrXstb-XL.jpg
photo. initial installation - I elected to replace my Hobbywing ESC with this cheapy one from Desmond, as despite it's humble origins (from a RTR Mad-Gear Cliff crawler), it actually works really well, with great low speed control and an excellent drag brake - who knew!?

I fabricated a simple panel as a floor for the engine bay, on which I could mount the ESC and Receiver, and incorporated a single post to support the SCX10-III engine cover...

i-RTML6W5-XL.jpg
photo. shortening the servo lead and ESC cables to minimise bunching under the cover, and using a smaller Deans plug rather than the traditional Tamiya clip style also saves a lot of space.


i-5BJdcNL-XL.jpg
photo. the inner fenders in place - I fabricated simple top panels to fill on the void above each wheel, together with a series of rib braces underneath to aid rigidity.


i-XfJvKkB-XL.jpg
photo. low-profile battery installation, will add some extra detail when the hood is open. I really like how simple and clean the Axial engine cover looks in this installation.

i-cCVgdZB-XL.jpg
photo. I will also incorporate a brace/strut across the top of the engine to help provide rigidity to the whole inner-wing assembly - and to add further detail of course.

i-2hZwdt9-XL.jpg
photo. the brace will be important as I will cap the fenders with aluminium checker-plate, adding even more weight to the otherwise potentially flimsy 1.5mm styrene fenders.

i-vkGbNnW-XL.jpg
photo. I'd say that is getting there?

cont.

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cont. 

So with the front end finished for now at least, it was time to tidy up the rear - fixing the lid to the load-bay tool chest:

i-bLfQdX5-XL.jpg
photo. I got these tiny nylon hinges from Locked-Up RC along with the scale hardware I fitted to the wheels recently.

And finally fitting all four hooks to hold the tailgate net:

i-wPGT8bX-XL.jpg
photo. styrene bumper panel and infills at the base of the sides to mount the lower net hooks...

i-Dh9smGj-XL.jpg
photo. these hooks are actually removed from scale bungee cords, and trimmed to fit - the perfect size for M2 hardware - the same method I used on the Baja Blazer build recently.

So the exterior bodywork is very close to being finished now - just a little filler and sanding to do, plus I'm still waiting on some more Araldite* brand epoxy to arrive from the UK via ebay, so that I can beef up all the styrene joints prior to painting.

*note. I've tried the JB Weld equivalent 'rapid set', and not only does it smell really bad, but it just doesn't seem to set as well as the pukka Araldite does (staying tacky for ages) - hence me electing to buy a batch from abroad as it doesn't appear to be widely sold here in the US at all?


As for the final paint scheme... ha, I feel I've had an inspired idea - another movie/TV mash-up theme no less which ought to add a degree of comedy along with some additional nerdy detailing... however, I want to leave that as a surprise for now - suffice to say this is a hard-working trail rig so it won't be pristine.

More soon!

Jenny x

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MO Tough Jenny!

to me the funnest builds are crawlers (trail) what ever, it's all the wonderful things you can do to them and all the grand accessories that can be had and made.

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19 hours ago, ACCEL said:

MO Tough Jenny!

to me the funnest builds are crawlers (trail) what ever, it's all the wonderful things you can do to them and all the grand accessories that can be had and made.

Hee hee - yes, it's all the scale accessories and nerdy little details which is what attracted me to this style of vehicle particularly - those working Warn winches from RC4WD are awesome!

However, as I trust you can imagine - it is always a balance between making a 'true scale' working model, and something which is actually robust enough to use seriously on crawling type terrain - with the inevitable roll-overs and other trail damage, and also having something which is still easy to access under the body and repair...

In that regard, while I've done my best to fill in all the panel gaps and disguise the 'RC' elements of this build (wiring, servos etc.), at the same time there have been a couple of concessions - you'll still be able to see the ends of the forward mounted battery pack (or at least it's mounting bracket) under the open front wheel arches, and the interior floor will remain separate to the main body shell, for ease of assembly and subsequent removal for access... However I also find that is part of the fun of a build like this - finding an engineering solution which is ultimately a compromise, but at the same time does not compromise either element too much?

I'm pleased the say a new stash of Araldite arrived in the post from the UK yesterday, along with a collection of different Tamiya paint spray cans earlier this week - so stand by for a serious update to this thread soon!

Jenny x

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Right, stand by for a big update - in full technicolor! 

Yes, it took a bit of time to come up with a paint scheme [concept] for this, but bear with me as I ramble through my thought process...

So having painted the Baja Blazer in a base coat of 'metal' (metallic aluminium, which when sanded back with fine grit wet&dry paper, gives a very realistic bare metal effect I feel) before the white and yellow top coat colours, I wanted to retain more of that 'raw' appearance with this subsequent build, as I felt it would be befitting of a hard-working trail rig - and allow me to rust up certain areas too of course, while not being too precious about the overall paint finish...

As it turned out, who was driving would ultimately dictate the direction of the vehicle paintwork too!


The Boys are back in town

I'd already decided on a driver - and in this instance passenger too - for this build, having been inspired by using the Stranger Things Jim Hopper and Eleven figures previously, thought the dynamic duo of Dustin and Lucas would work well in this rig - after all, it's funny cos it's kids driving right?!

i-wgsh2SD-XL.jpg
photo. Dustin figure from the 7" McFarlane Stranger Things series - although the kids are closer to 6" tall to stay in proportion of course.

I have to say, this really is a really well-detailed figure - probably the best of them all, the jacket particularly and his corduroy trousers, and while his face isn't 100% Gaten Matarazzo perhaps, it is still a very lifelike character, and overall is most certainly 'Dustin' from Stranger Things. note. it's interesting that not only is this character a fan fave in the TV show, but that these days this is one of the most expensive of all the 7" McFarlane figures on ebay now - typically selling for between $35-50, with some chancers asking significantly more than that for NIP too!

It was almost a shame to chop him up... almost.

i-bCBmDjh-XL.jpg
photo. Dustin will be driving, Lucas will be navigating! It's worth noting that despite the perspective disparity here, the Lucas figure is noticeably physically smaller than Dustin - it means he fits in the Corbeau seat better, but he does look a touch small in comparison.

Fortunately the 6" figure fitted well in the seat and behind the dash (and fundamentally there was enough room in the footwells for his feet to fit in front of the vertically mounted battery, which actually has the effect of wedging him into his seat - although a seat belt will still be required for rougher terrain running I'm sure.

So all that really was required to get Dustin in a more realistic driver pose was to narrow the left sleeve of his jacket so his arm could reach across to the steering wheel, and trim some of his t-shirt so his legs could be bent closer to 90° to sit in the seat.

i-RhKZLqH-XL.jpg
photo. Once the angle of his legs and arms behind the wheel was decided, the articulated joints were dabbed with superglue before being filled with Isopon P38 and sanded/paint-matched using some custom mixed acrylics.

i-vKLjx9h-XL.jpg
photo. I felt these colours were a pretty good match - and ultimately I used a darker brown and a corse brush to more closely replicate the corduroy on his knees, and weather his jacket to blend in too.

Currently I have not modified Lucas at all - his darker clothing means the articulated joints are not particularly obvious, and it allows me to decide whether he rides inside the vehicle, or can be displayed standing next to it for example.

cont.
 

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cont.

So with the driver figure sorted, it was time to get some paint on the actual truck - and I trust the nerdy sci-fi obsessed occupants will be a huge hint at my final theme, as it unfolds in a serious of muted colours and masking tape...

First of all, the interior (the dash set from the RC4WD 4Runner body) was masked where I wanted the vents etc. to remain black plastic:

i-wr6DF9x-XL.jpg
photo. this dash panel is not quite as highly detailed as the Trailfinder II Hilux perhaps, but still has more than enough detail to be authentic.

i-CgM22bf-XL.jpg
photo. I blew over the whole dash with a matt 'Nato' brown (Tamiya TS62)...


i-Z3Z5jPH-XL.jpg
photo. ...which I would ultimately use on the centre of each seat too. note. I had to widen the shoulder section of the driver's seat since Dustin's jacket was so bulky - allowing him to sit lower and further back in the chair in a more realistic pose.

i-6LRM9JL-XL.jpg
photo. Workshop mech Louis checking out the almost finished interior - note the RC4WD dash sprue included the steering wheel and gear levers, plus the column stalks, but frustratingly not the actual steering column itself! I elected to use a length of 6mm diameter M3 threaded rod, and drilled out the thread in one end so the steering wheel can be dropped in and out as required.

You might also notice in the photo above that I have installed a pair of 3-point seatbelt buckles. Rather than resort to the typical 4/5 point harness seatbelts with this build (not least as there is no obvious mounting location for the shoulder straps, since there is a tool chest directly behind the seats), I thought I'd have a go and fabricating traditional 3-point inertial reel style seatbelts for the two occupants.

The buckles are made from a pair of zip-ties, painstakingly Dremelled so that the metal clasp (spare parts from Yeah Racing 5 point harness seat belts I usually use) can be inserted in a realistic way, and the tang from the zip-tie highlighted in red as the release button.

i-bK7M7m8-XL.jpg

The Yeah Racing seat-belt sets also include a series of triangular buckles, which I could use as the anchor on the other side of the seat base, and also as the shoulder strap buckle above the inertial reel:

i-v8H9vSL-XL.jpg
photo. upper seatbelt B-pillar mounts fabricated from styrene.

Now admittedly these haven't actually got inertial reels inside (although I did consider some kind of screw as a belt tensioner at one point), but factored that using Grosgrain ribbon as the seatbelts themselves, the ribs would have enough 'grip' in the buckles to remain suitably tensioned once the initial length was set... The only issue would be that because the upper mounts are connected to the [removable] body-shell, while the two lower mounts were bolted to the interior base plate (which stays in place when the body is removed), I would need some way to disconnect the the upper mounts before removing the body...

i-GDXVL8K-XL.jpg

The solution was surprisingly simple, if a little fiddly to fabricate... I glued in a 1.5mm thick piece of styrene to the B-pillar, allowing me to drill and tap in a short button head screw, coupled with a T slot in the base of each inertial reel. This way, there is enough slack in the seat belt to allow the B-pillar brackets to slide up and be detached, before the main body is removed - while the passengers remain in their seats and held in place by the lap belt - result!


cont.

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cont.

So with those potential logistical nightmares sorted, it really was time to make a start on the main paintwork...

As I mentioned above, the idea would be to try and incorporate the bare metal 'raw' look, but at the same time have some colour on there, if only as an easy way to contrast the weathering and chipped paint effect which I particularly like.

i-xc7DmSH-XL.jpg
photo. initial base coat of 'aluminium' semi-metallic silver.

i-5ZnRzb3-XL.jpg
photo. the interior floor and transmission tunnel was also painted silver and left bare, with the addition of some checker-plate floor mats, and the base of each sill painted in satin black (as this is exposed where the metal sliders fit over the top, below the body shell sills).

Similarly the fabricated tool chest (which doubles as a second battery compartment) was sprayed silver:

i-MMKzBdt-XL.jpg
photo. note larger hole drilled through floor for battery cable to connect with winch remote receiver under the passenger seat.

...and more checker-plate panels cut to fit and glued on:

i-GjZb2jD-XL.jpg

I also repurposed the pair of draw-bolt latches I'd fabricated for Hopper's HiLux originally (before replacing those with working external latches from Killerbody):

i-kHtFPSR-XL.jpg

i-9r3sFHZ-XL.jpg
photo. I also used a small T washer (spares from a servo mounting kit) as the receiver for the bolt in each side panel.

And of course no trail-rig would be complete without a sticker-bomb headlining would it?!

i-3SzdwHk-XL.jpg
photo. these are all individual stickers, from my ever increasing collection over the years.

cont.

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cont.

Enough already - what about the actual paint scheme Jenny?!

Well, as I've hinted already - these two kids are typical sci-fi nerds who grew up in late seventies/early eighties, and while initially I did consider they might be simply 'hunting Demogorgon's in their naily old Toyota, I felt that was a bit obvious perhaps (although you can get a really cool 10" tall Demogorgon figure in this series which would have been fun to have chained up in the rear load-bed for example?)...

However, having bing-watched the whole Star Wars saga recently [whatcha gonna do in lock-down eh?], it hit me - there's two of them right, in a two seater cockpit... but again, the obvious is perhaps a little too obvious, so why not mix it up and make it his nemesis instead?

i-hCXL3kB-L.jpg

Boba Fett would be perfect - mainly silver, and fundamentally with tatty worn paint over the top!


Right then - this I fear would require some pretty accurate masking, so I elected to buy a reel of the Tamiya tape, and I can see why people say this is good stuff, it is!

i-wqcg3Hz-XL.jpg
photo. after a base coat of aluminium silver was applied, the interior and exterior were masked while the hood, roof and [fabricated] half-height door panels were salted, and blown over with a couple of fine coats of Tamiya AS23 (light green Luftwaffe) which is a matt finish typically used for aircraft models.

i-6VpBGmQ-XL.jpg
photo. 2nd stage masking, to paint the red (Tamiya TS33 dull red) surround to the windshield and either side of the bonnet bulge - essentially to replicate the edges of the visor on Boba Fett's helmet.

i-w2HjBbm-XL.jpg
photo. close-up of the bonnet before the final [satin black] coat - I took care to try and ensure the salt was not knocked off between each coat, so that the chipping extended across the different colour layers, rather than simply being blocked for each separate colour. 

note. I also received my custom licence plates - yes I know it's spelt Fett, but I like to keep with seven figures for the main licence number - note also. while the Baja Blazer was 'Best In The Desert', I felt this twist on the tag was more appropriate for the infamous bounty hunter... oh how we laughed.


Here's Lucas showing off the finished hood - well, prior to chipping and weathering the centre section:

i-FZcP5C9-XL.jpg
photo. the idea is that the hood and windscreen will replicate Boba Fett's helmet.

i-fwWKfsR-XL.jpg
photo. Dustin is very excited! note the half doors (fabricated from 1.5mm styrene and heated to form the curve) were also painted in green to replicate Boba Fett's other armoured panels.

i-KQSXrgk-XL.jpg
photo. windscreen surround masked and painted Tamiya 'rubber black' (XF85 acrylic) - note. Modern Masters rust effect paint used sparingly to add further weathering and deterioration.

Another colour detail that perhaps only Star Wars nerds will really appreciate, was this detail along the passenger side - to help break up the otherwise monotonous silver:

i-db5zKgm-XL.jpg

i-pcCj3fL-XL.jpg
photo. a base of light tan, followed by some chrome yellow I had left over...

i-6bZGMJL-XL.jpg

The idea here is to replicate the stripes on Boba Fett's helmet, and also as a nod to the bar-code style decals you see on a lot of the droids in Star Wars (I know, kill me now!)

You might also notice I have attached the cage I was experimenting with earlier in the build - deciding that ultimately it worked best as just a simple rear cage over the bed, complete with a camo net which I feel ties in rather well with Bobb Fett's green cape?

And ultimately, this whole cage remains quickly removable with just two screws on each side should I want to run it as a regular pick-up, and not least to make it far more easy to accessing the second battery in the tool chest.

cont.

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cont.

So while it's not 100% finished yet, it is currently close enough that I felt some showroom style summary photos are in order - not least as I finally got the wiring finished yesterday:

i-5QV7Tp5-XL.jpg
photo. this is actually a [extensively] modified loom from RC4WD for the [Killerbody] LC70 body - all I actually needed was a pair of 5mm white LEDs for the headlights, a pair of 3mm orange for the side markers, and a pair each of orange and red 3mm LEDs for the rear light buckets. I ended up chopping a number of the strings to minimise any bundling, and that essentially the whole loom just runs along the passenger side of the body shell.


i-K6bpKC9-XL.jpg
photo. RC4WD '85 4Runner hard body - bobbed rear bed and custom half-height doors. The main shell gives you the majority of the vehicle, and I added the bonnet, windscreen and dash sprues, and fabricated the interior floor from styrene.

i-TxSwkhs-XL.jpg
photo. rear cage (removable) is cut down from an Axial Blazer. The camo net was incorporated to represent Boba Fett's cape.

i-pRPhzRJ-XL.jpg
photo. bonnet and roof paint a homage to Boba Fett's helmet.

i-Sq5NtDk-XL.jpg
photo. Proline 18mm spot lights as headlamps, Axial side markers and the RC4WD tail light lenses in a custom o-ring mount.

 

i-sqxxRzj-XL.jpg
photo. modified Axial SCX10-III motor cover and additional engine bay detailing - ProLine battery (and custom cables using servo wire), styrene inner wings topped with checker-plate and a grab-rail repurposed as a suspension brace. I also detailed the moulded air filter with mesh and chrome paint.

 

i-TkmTvsN-XL.jpg
photo. Ebay radiator almost the perfect shape (and would be with the stock headlights in place) - all I had to do was cut down the hoses on each side a little. RC4WD Warn 9.5CTi winch has wireless remote, and dedicated battery in the fabricated load-bed tool chest.

 

i-26bffFn-XL.jpg
photo. custom made half-doors from 1.5mm styrene - heated and bent to follow body curve, and capped with thin aluminium checker-plate. I also dented the rear wing using the heat gun and my thumb too.

 

i-r4V75Q2-XL.jpg
photo. tailgate net removable (spring hooks repurposed from scale bungee cords). RC4WD light lenses really require the separate [chrome plastic] backing surround - however, I was able to use some thin o-rings superglued in the recess, and backed the buckets with aluminium self-adhesive tape as a reflector.

 

i-bkVRZKZ-XL.jpg
photo. spare wheel will ultimately be replaced with another Method Roost alloy, and I'll need to fabricate a suitable bed-mount/spinner. I'm still in two minds about the cage & roof netting - I like the overall look, but the rear cage does make it more difficult to access the tool chest.

 

i-3Wkz54z-XL.jpgphoto. VS4-10 chassis, aluminium axles, stainless steel Husky links and Gmade RSD shocks - all ought to perform well on the trail.

 

i-RCtKNd5-XL.jpg
photo. driver Dustin was fixed in position using superglue and his articulated joints filled and repainted to match...

 

i-8r7LgMG-XL.jpg

photo. ...meanwhile I left Lucas the passenger figure articulated, so he can always be displayed in or out of the vehicle as desired.
 

 

i-3DktBNZ-XL.jpg
photo. VS4-10 chassis offers impressive articulation from 90mm front and 80mm rear shocks.

 

i-Fvt54Wp-XL.jpg
photo. 115mm tyres on matt black Method Roost alloy wheels. I added scale hex hardware and centre hub-cabs too. Arches needed to be cut away to allow clearance at full articulation.

There are still a few more things to finish off - I'm waiting on some more Method Roost wheels (from Ebay) so I have a proper matching spare, before fabricating a bed-mount for that... plus I'd like to incorporate some kind of bumper below the rear body panel, perhaps also including a rear winch too.

I'd also like to experiment more with the front suspension - the rear feels really dialled-in with the canted 80mm shocks and their stock springs; but I'm aware that some people complain that these Gmade shocks are a bit too stiff for crawler type terrain, and although I fitted the alternative 'soft' springs in the 90mm front end, I still think some even softer springs would help to drop the nose a little, and offer more balanced articulation with the rear.

It's also tempting to add a few sponsor decals on the rear flanks - as you'd typically see on a trail rig (particularly one driven by two teenage boys ;o) - but at the same time, I don't want to detract from the overall Boba Fett paint scheme either... so this is probably something that will evolve over time and after a few trail miles and inevitable damage.

But for now I'm calling this pretty much done... What started off as primarily a [simple] truck for trail driving, has become much more of a scale and detailed build... however, I'm confident that it still has the core attributes that will make it perform well as a runner as much as a show piece - not least that excellent VS4-10 chassis and metal axles and transmission.

I do think I probably ought to change the thread title though, as I've lost count of actually how much this has cost me now!

I trust you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have!

More soon... well, soon-ish.

Jenny x

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That's a fantastic looking rig, and that Fett paint job is just great. Not only does it look great, it looks capable!

But 3-point belts?! Just when are you going to run out of ideas for scale details?!

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7 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

That's a fantastic looking rig, and that Fett paint job is just great. Not only does it look great, it looks capable!

But 3-point belts?! Just when are you going to run out of ideas for scale details?!

Hee hee - yes, the three-point belts were something I've wanted to try for a while now - having amassed quite a few spare buckles from the various Yeah Racing harness seat-belt sets I've incorporated in various builds over the years, not least as I've only ever assembled those with 4 rather than 5 straps, so there has always been a few buckles left over...

I was inspired to give it a try again recently having seen someone else use a zip-tie as a seat-belt buckle (on a bench seat as I recall) - and felt I could improve on that concept further by milling a slot in the top of the zip-tie to insert the T buckle for the actual belt, which was then secured in place by filling the hole in the zip-tie with epoxy glue. This makes for a very strong third point mount, although I guess the ultimate incarnation would be some kind of buckle which actually released, oh and a sprung inertial reel to keep the tension - although I found I can fake that quite successfully using the ribbed ribbon snug in the slots of the buckles. Another option would be to perhaps use a length of 1/4" elastic for the belts instead if a little more tension was required.

I keep saying I should build a more simple vehicle for trail running - and this Vanquish VS4-10 chassis is the perfect platform for that kind of rig of course - but once I'd decided on the 4Runner body, the associated opening bonnet meant another detailed engine bay was almost inevitable, together with the possibility of a viewing a full interior through the open door apertures, simply by not buying the separate door pieces in the first place!  Once I'd realised there would be enough room inside for two figures, then the focus quickly changed to what other new scale features could I incorporate this time round too!

So glad you like it!

Jenny x

 

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A few more details:

First of all, as I was writing my summary of the build yesterday, the postman actually delivered my Method Roost wheels (I ordered them in silver this time) - so now I have a 'matching' spare:

i-TzNqJGz-XL.jpg

Of course now I'm also going to have to order a pair of proper matching tyres too!

I chose the silver version this time (which I probably would have done originally had they also been available at the time) to see the difference... in comparison to the matt black on the vehicle wheels, the silver appears to be more of a semi-satin anodised finish, but similarly nothing like the quality of the clear-coat you got on the pukka Vanquish version (now discontinued). They would make a great base for painting though, and I am tempted to blow over my existing wheels in metallic bronze at some point, to more faithfully replicate the 1:1 Method Roost wheels you can get in that colour.

I also added an RC4WD 'patch' to Dustin's hat while the body was off recently - you can't really see it when he's behind the wheel, but I'll know it's there... and now you do too!

i-j59dH6C-XL.jpg

And finally,  I've also shortened the battery cable to the ESC so it is better hidden inside the passenger front wheel arch. I made this concession [to scale appearance] to make the battery connector easy to access (ie. without needing to remove the body each time) to charge the main vehicle battery in situ.

i-VZ48sQB-XL.jpg
photo. also note that the bracket for the scale battery detail was the perfect size to mount the ESC on/off switch too - again, for easy access as this truck is still primarily a runner rather than a full scale model.
 

Hope you like the latest updates!

Jenny x

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As you can see Dustin’s feet thanks to those cut down doors, would you give him some pedals to push? It looks like he’ll reach them OK!

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