An old dog with a new trick

The DT-02 is not a new chassis by any means, but it is still a good one. Despite being found under such shells as the Holiday Buggy and Sand Rover which hardly scream performance, it is still a nice platform for upgrades, several of which are already supplied with its higher-end versions of which the Desert Gator is an example.

I have had this one for quite a while now, bought 2nd hand in good nick, and while it was okay on its stock silver can and quite fun on a hotter brushed motor, it really came into its own recently when I gave it a 13.5t Bluebottle and 19t steel pinion.

This really livened up the performance, prompting me to want to start fiddling with the suspension geometry too, hence the fitment of the optional turnbuckles. Other upgrades include the alloy shock set and DT-02 heatsink (well, the inner part anyway).

I really like it in its current spec, with the motor and chassis well-balanced, each allowing the other to be enjoyed to its full potential without overstepping its limits.