Futaba FXT - The Best Truck Tamiya Never Made

[R6cowboy 14]

Finally started on mine.  Completely disassembled one truck yesterday.  Bottom of the pans are scratched up pretty good on both trucks and need to be repainted.  My brother does powder-coating at his shop, it would be cool to go that route but afraid it'll warp since the pan is only 1.5mm or 1/16" thick (16 gauge).  What do people use to repaint these metal RC chassis'?  Just enamel spray like Testors?   

Hobgoblin, holy smokes what planet did you score diff parts from?        

[R6cowboy 14]

Regarding the aluminum motor mount plate that came with the FXT, which is sandwiched between trans and motor.  Are those replaceable or can be found anywhere?  One of my FXT's is missing it.  

[R6cowboy 14]

Finally getting around to making the FXT body.  Got some light filling and sanding to do on the rough casting, but turned out pretty decent.  

[Hobgoblin 1058]

Wow that's fantastic @R6cowboy it looks like it's come out incredibly clean!

Can't wait to see your progress!

[R6cowboy 14]

Took three entire 4 lb tubs of plaster of paris to fill the body. Have to go to the hardware store for more to fill in small voids before sanding and fine tuning.  While I'm at, I'm getting four more tubs to make another mold.  I learned some tips from this first go at it.  I'll still try to make this one as good as I can, but just in case it doesn't turn out to my expectations, the second mold will certainly turn out better than this one.  This one, I only had two tubs of P.O.P. which I thought would be plenty, until it wasn't.  Then I added another tub after the first two hardened over a day, that's the line you see about 1/2" or so from the bottom.  I also learned a better way to pour the plaster of paris so tiny pockets of air don't get trapped and create those small voids.  

I have a handful of large polycarbonate sheets waiting to become bodies.           

[Busajedi 18]

I did this exact thing. Had to move and tossed my mold and vacuum table but still have my new body uncut.  Made 6 or 7 bodies but detail was poor. 

[R6cowboy 14]

Busajedi, I remember reading the thread on rcuniverse when you made your mold.  Work has been super busy but hope to get back to this soon.   

[Busajedi 18]

 

[Busajedi 18]

To all peoples!!!!!! Team BlueGroove Has agreed to accept my New Uncut FTX body and begin preproduction. Its been along 5 year haul for me to get it done but they should be available soon.  They will not give the shipment until Jan 5th 2022.   Hope to see everyone with a new body soon. HIT THEM UP!!!   

[Busajedi 18]

[Busajedi 18]

Its coming!

 

[R6cowboy 14]

Good deal and thank you for your perseverance on getting this done Busajedi.  Most of last year I wasn't able to do much with my r/c stuff and didn't get back to making a new FXT body mold, but I'm still interested in giving it a try simply for the experience.  I also need to make bodies for my Kyosho Pro-XRT which I haven't found anyone who makes those either.    

[Busajedi 18]

The new Repo bodies have arrived and available  to all.  Hope there is still interest. My original was destroyed in the process.  

TBG did a great job and can't thank them enough. 

[Busajedi 18]

Video on the new body.

 

[Hobgoblin 1058]

Fantastic news! Hopefully it brings a few FXT's out of the woodwork. 

[Busajedi 18]

6 hours ago, Hobgoblin said:

Fantastic news! Hopefully it brings a few FXT's out of the woodwork. 

Thats the plan, I have 6 myself

 

[R6cowboy 14]

Got me beat, I'm at 5.  Can't wait to order mine.  

[Busajedi 18]

new body and decals on 1 of my FXT's

[Busajedi 18]

[Saito2 6035]

@Hobgoblin, the FXT appears to have a longer wheelbase than the run-of-the-mill Tamiya Blitzer. How much longer is the wheelbase?

[Hobgoblin 1058]

Hey! 

I'm pretty sure it's still 260mm - maybe only a couple mm longer if so. I will have a measure up for you when my next project arrives. It just fell into my lap and I feel it would be rude not to snatch it up! 



A bit of a parts juggle and I can have one really pretty nice one and one to chuck around and play with!