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ChrisHGTV

Is a Chevy S-10 vintage and what should i do with it?

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Hello all

Well after restoring/recommissioning my original 80's Sand Scorcher I wanted something else to use more as a basher to help preserve it.  I prefer scale cars and trucks and don't go in for big jumps etc (more pootling around in the woods) so ended up getting a Chevy S-10 with a TA01/TA02 chassis from ebay.  This one has all the original electronics including the MSC, but I have a few questions that I can't seem to find answers to!

Firstly, I think I read these were released in 1994 so would that classify it as a vintage?  The model number is 58146.  Only reason being so I post anything in the right forum, i.e vintage or not!

Re the chassis - I think it's a TA02 tub with TA01 arms?  I've also seen it referenced as a TA02T?  And is it basically the same as the F-150, Pre-Runner and the Desert Fielder?

In terms of what to do with it  - when it arrives it will have a full strip and clean.  I've got a full set of bearings for it and ordered an ESC.  I'll keep it as 27mhz so I can retain the receiver, and also use my spare Kyosho controller (I have two of these from a couple of Kyosho Mini-Z's I have - i'm using one for the Sand Scorcher and it works fine). I'll wait on buying anything else until I see it. (I've ordered shock oil and ball diff grease etc).

Battery-wise, i'm thinking I could probably fit a hump-back NiMH (7.2v 3300) that I use in the Scorcher so I can chop and change.  I'll be losing the MSC and servo so I think I can remove the plate it sits on giving space for the battery hump?

That should at least get it running.   I know it has some detractors but I quite like marginal performance (I have a Scorcher!) but one mod people seem to do with these is replace the arms with those from the Hummer to increase the track.  It looks like GPM do the aluminium ones, but would you also need longer drive shafts/shocks etc?

Anything else I should consider doing?

I'll post some pics when it's here.   Be nice to have another little project!

 

Cheers!

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To me MSC = Vintage, so I think this is a good place to discuss your truck, looking forward to seeing it come together

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Thanks - that's what I was thinking!  It seems a shame to replace the MSC (as I have done with the Scorcher as well) but i'm still traumatized by an incident I had when I had my Scorcher age about 11 and the MSC got stuck in reverse, and it ended up going backwards at speed into a wall destroying the rear cage!

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Yeah for driving an MSC is a poor choice these days when ESC’s are readily available for economically justifiable pricing

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Well it's all back together.  Completely dismantled, cleaned and assembled.   Added ball races, new 7.2v 3300 battery, cleaned the shell with oven cleaner, repaired a couple of cracks and painted to make it half presentable.  Added a few spare stickers I had!  New aerial cover, swapped the MSC for a TBLE-02 - works great. Painted the wheels.  Paired it with a spare Kyosho mini-z transmitter.  Compared to the Sand Scorcher it's fast and actually the 4WD seems quite fun!

The idea of this is to use it as a basher to preserve the Scorcher.  After taking the Scorcher to the beach at the weekend it now needs a full strip, clean and re-build which is a bit of a pain!

One question - what do folks think of using chassis dust covers or overtrays?  The electronics in this TA02 are a lot more exposed than in the Scorcher.  I can't find an overtray or dust cover specific to the TA02 so would likely need to bodge something.  Just curious if people find them necessary?

Chevy 1b.JPG

Chevy 2b.JPG

Chevy 3b.JPG

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That turned out great, is that a lexan body or Styrene? I’m interested in how the Oven Cleaner cleaned it

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Thanks - it's lexan.  The body isn't 100% but i'm pleased how it came out compared to what it looked like originally - it was pretty beaten up!  This is supposed to be my basher as well - I might buy a new shell at some point.

 

I used "Oven Mate" oven cleaner on it.  After reading some of the posts on here I tried all sorts of white spirit, degreasers etc but nothing shifted the paint (apart from nail polish remover but I was worried about dissolving the shell).  So I dug out the oven cleaner.  It's a gel - I painted it on and waited about 3 mins and some of the paint started to dissolve.  There were at least a couple of types of paint over the top of the proper polycarbonate paint the original owner had applied.  I progressively left it longer to sit each time, up to about 15 mins - it took about 4 applications to get it all off.  A combination of scraping with a razor blade and scrubbing with soap and water.  No damage or clouding to the shell at all so I could have probably left it longer to dwell each time.

The wheels i'm really pleased with - I couldn't face queuing to get some silver paint or ordering more paint online so after a coat of Tamiya fine primer I used a white satin appliance spray paint I had in the garage.  Then a couple of coats of PS13 lacquer on top with the black bits picked out with a paint pen.

The cracks in the shell  I repaired with superglue backed by some heavy duty duck tape on the inside - and painted over the top which will hopefully seal it.

This is what it looked like originally

Chevy pre b.JPG

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11 hours ago, ChrisHGTV said:

One question - what do folks think of using chassis dust covers or overtrays?  The electronics in this TA02 are a lot more exposed than in the Scorcher.  I can't find an overtray or dust cover specific to the TA02 so would likely need to bodge something.  Just curious if people find them necessary?

For the chassis cover, you could try using an old DF01 buggy shell with the front section cut

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Nice truck. The TA02T is a good chassis. Look for this post in the GENERAL DISCUSSION thread (Post your TA02-T's Trophy Trucks). I am working on a Prerunner rebuild right now. 

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Thanks!  I actually had a bit of a mishap with it and so just ordered a new front gearbox case!  A front wheel came off and it hit a tree.  Apart from a couple of broken screw threads for the front suspension mounts it came off quite lightly, so it's currently held together with servo tape.

I'm also half way through fitting a Penguin Racecraft Manta Ray shell and undertray to act as a dust cover.  Have to say so far it looks really nice and the S-10 shell fits over the top fine.  So I could run with just the buggy shell if I wanted.  I had to narrow the shell and undertray at the front slightly as the track is narrower so on full lock the tyres were very close to the shell.  Just waiting on some lexan glue and paint then I can finish it.  Will post up some photos...

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The Oven Mate oven cleaner, can you tell me what the “active ingredient” is? Those results are remarkable

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Yes it's potassium hydroxide - 10-30%.  There's a website www.ovenmate.co.uk.  There might be more info on there or local distributors to you...

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Well a bit more tinkering and I have this - the Manta-Shroud!  Thanks to Didcos for the idea!   I think it looks pretty mean.  I really like the shape of this shell.   I had to narrow the front end a little to allow tyre clearance on full lock.  The S-10 shell fits over the top fine and hopefully it will keep some of the crud out of the electrics etc.  But I might run it as it is as well.  I've also got a spoiler for it I might try to rig up at some point.

 

Clearly visible is the gaffer tape helping to hold the front suspension together - pending the new gearbox case arriving!

Manta 1.JPG

Manta 2.JPG

Manta 3.JPG

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Ahhh curses!  

 

Well my new front gearbox case arrived so that's all sorted.  But running it yesterday i experienced the "Death sigh" as the motor mount broke and the gears unmeshed.  Taking it apart i also realised that the lower mounting threads had also cracked.  So on order an aluminium motor mount and new rear gearbox case.  At this rate the whole thing will be replaced piece by piece in a few weeks!

 

I do still love it though - i painted up the spoiler for the buggy shell and with a couple of small holes it now fits nicely on the rear body mounts.  It sits basically horizontal rather than kicked up at the back but that probably gives me an extra 20mph top speed i reckon.

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