HG P407
Like others I have always admired the Bruiser, just never thought I would use one enough to justify the cost. Funny enough, building this truck has given me great appreciation for the Bruiser/Mountaineer and I plan on getting my hands on a genuine Tamiya kit soon.
This started as an HG P407 kit version. Didn't even make it through the build before I had some issues. Ended up replacing the leaf springs, spring mounts & clamps, and a few other odds and ends with genuine Tamiya as others have done due to inferior part quality. In the end I got it properly assembled and it actually performs decently. I locked the axles during the build and relocated the steering servo to the front crossmember of the truck, that made a big difference and the steering is quite responsive. Suprisingly, the transmission works flawlessly and shifts are nice & smooth. I also added front wheel spacers to get the front & rear tracks equal.
I'm not really a fan of the cap on the Bruiser body, so I purchased a Mountaineer rear window and geniune Mountaineer roll bar. Body is painted in 2 coats of Krylon Metallic Bronze with 3 coats of clear. I also painted all of the original white parts in satin black and the bed in textured bedliner. Added full LED lighting as well.
Overall it's a nice truck, and I imagine the genuine Tamiya is just that much better. I don't think I'll use it much as I have other much more suitable crawler/trail trucks, but I think it looks great and it's nice to run around the hard and shift some gears once in a while.
Comments
mickey1000
Great looking build
Re-Bugged
Luvin' the brown on there, suits the Truck really well, nicely done.
JerseyRC
Great result and very scale! Love the brown too, sooo vintage Toyota. These really look good and are a great alternative to taking out a second mortgage to pay for a Tamiya Bruiser/Mountaineer.
Antt02
Been thinking about getting one myself. Just finished up a Hilux High Lift and loved it.
Hammy1
I own the original 3 Speed Hi-lux, it's a runner but I am too scared to use it. So I think I will be getting one of these for sure.
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