squeeguk

Thanks for your kind comments.

PVC is nice and clean and easy to machine. I didn't have any aluminium to hand to start off with and it becomes messy machining aluminium because it needs alcohol to keep it cool and the filings get everywhere. We only use the machines to make appearance models from chemiwood and various plastics, so didn't want to go getting the machine all dirty and wet.

I did want to make it out of almuinium initially, but for the reasons above decided to use PVC. Seems to be nice and strong and came out ace, so very happy.

Lunchboxer

I see.. cool..

Any reason why you think the PVC is stronger than the original plastic unit? (again, just trying to understand the reasoning.. you obviously have great machining skill... !!)

How do you do the screw hole spacing for the proper gear machining? Do you have the print or measurement from Tamiya? (or just use the old one as a trace and get measurement from there? I mean, you can use the mill and use a dial to measure the center of each hole and then move the lathe to the next hole and record the movement..)

squeeguk

Had a block of hard PVC lying around and thought I would try it. It is definitely much harder and more rigid than the standard ABS motor mount. I have tried to break it doing some crazy stuff that I wouldn't normally do bashing and it's great. Hasn't broken and when I stripped it out, no sign of stress cracks or anything. I am not sure of the shore hardness as it was lying around, but is is very hard indeed with just a hint of flexibility when pushed hard. I was gonna use nylon, but it's a ...... to machine. It tends to melt while being machined and gives a really bad surface finish (not that that's really important)

I must be honest, my machining skills from many years ago had nothing to do with the workmanship, thanks anyway. We have 2 large industrial 3D milling machines. They should get all the credit.

I have a drawing of the Tamiya hop-up aluminium mount I found somewhere. I imported that into Pro-Engineer and made a 3D solid model of it using that as a template. This was then converted into a machine code program for the machines. The rest, as they say is history. The machines go ahead and do all the hard work.

I then out it in a lathe and trued up the motor mounting face and drilled out the mounting holes to the correct depth on a drill press. I use these machines for all my modeling stuff, from cars to planes. They work a treat. Even make moulds for machine guns, etc for my scale warbirds. I know it's cheating, but why make life harder for yourself.[sm=thumbup.gif]

Lunchboxer

Very nice.. yeah, CNC is the way to go for sure.. I use Pro-E to do 3D modeling extensively in my previous life.. and it definitely beats using hand to make some drawing.. LOL!

Tamiya Racer

A guys, as I said earlier I will be posting pictures soon. I seen in earlier post that hunter was having trouble putting a pack in his f-150. Well guys I have managed to put a 7 cell gp 3300 pack in my tamiya Eunos Roadster. My car has the same battery slot as the f-150. These packs were originally for my Emaxx. I sold it, and i still had these layin around, they were custom built from cheapbatterypacks.com.

Pics coming, soon when I recieve my new notebook and digital camera!!!!!

Lunchboxer

Yeah, let us know how you cramp that one in there!

notez2beat

I have a question about your paint job. First off, it looks great. Secondly, you said you painted it with Rustoleum Paint. Is that the brand you can buy at Wal-Mart and the like or is it a special paint? Does it bond well to the lexan or does it chip off easy?

Thanks and great job on this build.

hunter306

It seems to stick ok, this is the second body I have done with it... It works pretty good and you can get it pretty much everywhere.

I got mine at a "Meijer" store.

hunter306

Pics of the F-150 Tamiya body sitting on my XXX-T... Looks decent I think.











AND YES, I KNOW THE TIRES ARE BALD. LOL.

Lunchboxer

Looks good, but I guess it might not be wide enough, eh?! (But then, your XXX-T is wider than the buggy anyway..)

Did you see the pic of my Touareg over the Dark Impact.. I think that actually look decent..

hunter306

I'm gonna check out your DI + Toureg monster

As for the body not being wide enough, you'd actually be surprised to hear that the F-150 body is almost a full 1.5ins wider than the standard XXX-T body.

The F-150 body really gives the XXX-T a wide body look. It's a tough call though, I think if the front was leveled out a little bit and I got some better stance images, you'd be able to get a good read on it.

Lunchboxer

Hunter.. go check out my T-Egg thread on how I deal with the big battery issue.. check it out..

Lunchboxer

Any more updates on this truck?!?

hunter306

Here are some action shots from running in the yard today!

Lunchboxer

Glad that you didn't sell it!!!

Now, all you need is a gravel field to kick up some rocks!! I'd like to see those pics!! Ha ha!

You got the silver can in it, right?

hunter306

I'm gonna go look for a place to take it with some dirt... So I can get some rooster tails going!

No, i took the silver can out and put in a Epic 19t Motor. It's about 2 and half times faster at the topend then the stocker.

Lunchboxer

Nice.... maybe I should start looking into mod motors... I mean, I have always been doing the silver can or BL deal.. ha ha..

hunter306

Normally I wouldn't have considered them, but for the tamiya stuff... I'm not worried about cutting coms.

So, I figure I'll just replace brushes every once and a while and use them in there, when they stop turning... Throw them in garbage or see if I can get them cut.

Oh, and I didn't buy any of them new, I got the whole set (4 decent motors) on ebay for like 38 bux or something. I figured at 10 bux a motor, I'll run em' into the ground =)

Lunchboxer

That's right, I remember that now!!

I am thinking about putting 23T Tamiya Super Stock in a F103GT.. cause I was told that those chassis really isn't meant to take big power anyway, as they are direct drive, almost no suspension, and light.. they will fly with even just Sport Tune.. so the 23T Super Stock (they are very strong motors, by the way, not cheap, though, like $38?)

We will see...

kiwiscanfly

They are some inspiring photo's. I have a Chevy S-10 (your car's evil twin), currently sitting in my spare room, in a box, awaiting some attention. I have purchased it second hand, in unknown condition, and missing the bodyshell.

I am now having a "what body should I buy" crisis

Any suggestions (preferably linked to a picture) would be much appreciated

Your Ford tempts me in that direction...

hunter306

I believe towerhobbies sells both the original Tamiya F150 body and the Original Tamiya Chevy S-10

I personally like the Chevy S-10 body, but they discontinued that kit long ago!

So I got the F150 and painted it up. It's all beat to heck now (paint was chipping before I took those pics) but I'll probably strip the paint and redo it if I can motivate myself.

kiwiscanfly

I've found the S-10 shell here but unless I'm blind (which is not to be ruled out as a possibility, the Ford doesn't seem to be there sadly.

aircruiser

I have been thinking about this thing forever now and I'd like to know how good of a truck it is.

I was looking into a TT-01, but to low.

I found a TLT, but it doesn't look scale and it is very low for a rock crawler.

hunter, how big is this thing?

I go camping alot and would like to bring it along but 16 inches???

Is it really that big??


Would stampede bodies fit?

Thanks!

hunter306

16ins Long x 7ins Wide

aircruiser

Man thats huge!

How easy is it to waterproof?