SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion  
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All Forums >> RC Cars, Buggies, Trucks, Tanks and more >> RC Tanks >> War Room >> SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion
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SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:03:11 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline
Hi all,
I started this project last year, and had to shelve it while I worked on some other things. So I pulled it back out and dusted off the parts. This will be a true conversion kit bashing the WSN T-34/85 RC tank, with the super detailed Trumpeter T-34 static model kit, Imperial Modelbau SU-85 resin conversion kit, and Tamiya IR electronics. You may have seen some of these postings and pics in another thread last year, before the project got put on hold.

The Iperial Modelbau kits (SU-85, and SU-100) are true resins. They appear to be urethane resins, and of fair quality. The SU-100 comes as a solid super structure (fighting compartment), where as the SU-85 kit which I am currently working on is made up from several flat "slab" peices that need to be built up. The castings themselves are of pretty poor quality, they are very thick, have lots of air bubbles, and my peices are severely warped. It will take extensive work with hot water or a hair dryer to get things flat enough to glue together.



Craig

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:04:55 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		For this project I opted to stiffen the WSN chassis with a 0.80 styrene plate with structural ribs added. The lower hull is now very stiff, with virtually no flex. The upper deck will come from a Trumpeter static T-34. And I'm upgrading the stock WSN gear boxes with Tank Toko metal gears and bushings. Ethan added these to his SU-122 with good success. You can see both my Su-85 and his SU-122 build at our website at www.desertarmor.com

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:10:57 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		With the chassis stiffened up I went to work on the suspension. The best easiest to reduce flex and bolster the suspension would be to buy after market metal components. But I never said I was looking for the easiest way. I added laminated styrene, and epoxy with baking soda as a filler to fill all of the openings in the stock WSN suspension arms. Making them a lot stiffer, and hopefully stronger.

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:14:28 AM   
All Tanked Up



Posts: 109
Joined: 7/21/2006
From: Rockville, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I got my SU85 conversion kit last year and it was a solid resin piece. They must have changed it to this version. Photo below.


Bill Will/CO A.C.E.

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< Message edited by All Tanked Up -- 3/9/2008 6:15:02 AM >

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:14:50 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		I'm planning on keeping the lower WSN hull as well as using the more stout stock suspension parts. Then combine the back half of the WSN roadwheels and sprockets with the more detailed Trumpeter outside half as they have crisper and more refined detail. Likewise I'll be mating the Trumpeter upper hull which has much better cast metal texture and details, to the WSN lower. All of the engine louvers are operable, as well as the hatched and a multitude of detail parts. The fuel can tie downs and rear engine deck screening are photo-etched brass affairs...........very nice. You end only using about 15-20% of the Trumpeter kit, but the results are well worth it. Because they are made by the same company and share some parts most things can be crossed between the two with only a little adjusting and tweaking.

The retail on all three versions that Trumpeter puts out is about $140-150, but you can usually find them on e-bay for about $80. Which is pretty good considering they come with complete interiors, and complete engine and transmissions. It's actually kind of a shame most of those parts will go to waste. Of course the tracks are too fragile to run but look great for the "extra " track hung on the hull (come with ice cleats as well) and all of the pioneering tools are nicely done.

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:18:34 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		That looks pretty nice. Looks like it fits a lot better than the component pieces as well, they have been challenging thus far

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:23:37 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Finally got to laying up the fighting compartment. The pieces were severely warped and took quite a bit of work to get the resin to mate up nicely with the Trumpeter upper hull and the WSN lower. I also fabricated custom "snap" closure to seat the upper and lower hulls. I used aluminum alignment pins, home made snap closures, and I may add one or two strong earth magnets for security.

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 6:30:41 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Also started to add some detail to the fenders. I think the Russian tanks looked a lot meaner without fenders, so I'm ripping mine up.

For the front right fender (mud guard) I cut the fender at the hinge,and then fabricated a new half of the hinge plate. I drilled attachment holes and added styrene bolts to the other half, simulating the look that the mud guard has been torn off or removed at the hinge.

For the front left fender I completely removed it and fashioned a bent under fender brace from styrene. My plan is to then add a new fender fabricated from thin gage aluminum which will be bent and torn.

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In desert warfare, the desert itself is your greatest enemy

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RE: SU-85 Tamiya FO conversion - 3/9/2008 8:09:44 AM   
streetsquid



Posts: 272
Joined: 10/17/2006
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Hey guys,
I feel like an idiot, I didn't mean to post this thread here in the war room. I thought I was putting it on the regular RC tank forum. I've created a duplicate post there, and that's where I will continue with updates as this project progresses. GEEZ!

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