Dave ESPI

I may be thin and have long hair, but I perfer "Dave" rather than "Jeezus", and I'm just not into being the savoir or the human race....... Just racing RC (and not Roman Catholic)

I've been busy with the restaurant ( www.filet7west.com ) so the dirt infested Baja has become a "shelf queen" as I still have not had time to get to the hobby shop to pick up my wheel lock ring.

Glad my thread helps

Cheers,
D.

Fabe

Nice Baja and vids. Do you work/own the restaurant? The food looks great!

Dave ESPI

I work there.
I'm a kitchen goon and often am "Chef De Departe", so I make sure the food goes out right. I am also the "Serve-safe certified" Walk-in cooler nazi

Fixed my Baja today. Hopefully I'll have new video of it ripping around in my fave spot "The grass bowl" in a few days.

Mudgy

G'day Dave,
The car looks killer, and I bet it's tough! Nothing like driving the bugger so hard it hurts, and the car can take what you dish out! Makes you grin the whole time the transmitter is in your hands, yeh?
I hope you never get a visit from Gordon Ramsey!

Dave ESPI

yep, its 3:28 am EST. Know where I was for the past hour and a half?



You guys gotta find a commercial parkinglot, or lighted grass pit, and go out at night.... its awesome

I killed 2 tanks of gas, and had some serious fun with not a single broken part or issue (other than it took me 10 minutes to start my car cause I have not ran it in a few weeks)

AND MAYHEM ENSUED!lol

even in the wee hours, they draw a crowd from the drunks and local late-night employees.

gotta love it

* pix in the am when I can see how much grass is wound up in the driveshafts.... I musta pulled 10 pounds outa the car in an hour lol.

ProRCRacer88

Fantastic thread and vids Dave!! I hope to get one of these later, I think seeing this thread definatly makes me wanna abandon another project I was going back to to get one of these cars.

Dave ESPI

New video @ my fave "Stompin' grounds" Da Grass Bowl

The grass was hella-long today, so I was slow, but I had fun ripping around. Saddly the best part of the video came just as my battery died and I didn't get the 'ja blasting through the weeds on the far side of the pile of discarded clothing on the far side of the pit ( some bum or random person just threw a "salvation army" sorts of bag of clothing over there and it was strewn about.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Mzq0pQzvc

For some reason, Youtube and my camera don't get along, and there is a one second sound delay, but ohwell

Driver and camera man in one ... not too bad

Dave ESPI

My 'js has been sitting for the better part of almost 2 months. I busted the endbell pinion bolt head off, and had to get it tapped out.

ONE STUPID 4mm x 15mm Cap head screw has kept me from driving it. I've ordered it three times at the LHS, and they cant seem to get the bolts in stock !.. Home depot was out, Lowes was out, Ace hardware? hahahahahhahah yeah right. they were all like " Uh... met-rik? whats Met-ter-rik?" (metric)...... utterly and completely useless.

I was bumming as I really wated to fix all my largescale toys (the FG was laid up needing a transfer gear, the ENFORCER boat has a busted drive spline, and the Baja with one stupid bolt out).. and I was pawing through my FG parts box and soe random bolts....... and what to my wondering eyes should appear? (SANTA!) but two white sealed hardware packages with two 4mmx16mm cap head screws in them !

YEEEEEE-HAWWW !

the 'ja is back alive

Lars from Norway

What to do with the 1 mm leftover?I am glad i live in a "metric-land",endless loads of screws to my FG

slawhammer

Hey My Friend: Been there with metric in this town I live in...Ok this site should work for you..If not I will get you a toll free 800# www.rtlFasteners.com when comes up ..click on.. hobbies,radio control
good prices and also same on shipping....Hope this helps...Roger
Edit: Looks like the site works ok...

Dave ESPI

Well its been a while..........

Time for an update

I had broken the pinion gear bolt off inside the clutch bell, and took about a month to find a 16mm x 4 mm replacement bolt, and to tap out the broken bolt end, but the baja was back up and running this summer a few times.

I won a contest on another forum, and Sat AM I opened my mail box and have some new "bling" to add to my machine, so I figure "why not !"

RnD Rear Alloy hub carriers.

Other than the nuts being a tight fit with the anodizing coating being on them, it was an easy swap out and they were well made machined parts and went together smoothly.



I pulled the shear pin on the lower arm, then the top bolt, and removed the wheel retainer (VERTIGO HUBS) and slid it off the shaft. Slight tap with a hammer and it popped out.

Pulled the berrings (FAST EDDYs) out and had to press them into the new carrier.



Cleaned them up and they were good as new.



Screwed them on, replaced the shear pin and E-clips, and then with a bit of blue Loc tite on the included head bolt for the upper control arm, finished the assembly and put the hub and wheel back on.







10 minutes total time.

but Oh............ look how much "loving" Ive been giving the Baja

*no shelf queen here

Mr Terminator

Looks good Dave,I read al of yur thread and even saved it when I was building mine and it helped a great deal.Keep up the mods dude.my next is for new tranny upgrade,waiting for the new Turtle clutch upgrade kit and some Hostile MX Nightmares....

Dave ESPI

Thanks Mr.T Glad I can be of help indirectly to a bunch of people allover the world

My next "project" is to CLEAN IT once winter is here (soon) hahahhaha.

Mudgy

G'day Dave,

How many tanks of juice have been through the car so far?
looks like you've been getting your money's worth out of it
cheers

Dave ESPI

8 gallons.

I'm out of AMSOIL Interceptor, or else I'd be driving it now.

DarkFire989

I see that you have the stock can on it. Is there a reason your not using a aftermarket exhaust?

Dave ESPI

Well, the included HPI "tuned" pipe is a joke. Really not any noticeable gains.
THe stock one I drilled the side of the can, and it vents exhaust a bit differently than just the main exhaust port, and well, I like how the stock can sounds

It isn't as obnoxious as the FGMT Jetpro V2 I have on my truck, and most the pipes that are out right now make it sound like an angry bee.

I've been waiting for a new design to come out, OR the Gabe pipe to drop in price. I'm not spending 400.00 on an exhaust unless its on something I can ride on or in!

Its just a component that I have not decided upon yet.

I WILL be getting new tires soon for it. I've trashed the stock HPI rears on all the rocks and pavement that I run in.

I also am getting a rear shock tower brace. the Stock SS(upgraded) version works well, but does not protect the top of the shock uprights from rollover scrapes and "road rash".

Mr Terminator

I found out that about the rear shock race not giving any protection,I ordered a Turtle rear brace and the front to match with a GH front tower...

Jeff Oliver

Very nice car, I must say. I looked at all the steps and pictures that you provided and it really gave me an idea what it's like to actually put together a car rather then buy a RTR car, and it's a lot of work!

Looks good though, i'm sure you're having lots of fun with it.

Great stuff!

Dave ESPI

I think I may offer this glorious beast up for sale.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=490536

I want to fund a PWC jetski project, and eventhough this car is a blast, I just don't run it asmuch as I do the FGMT.

1500.00 with all the hop ups is a fair price> Included a brand new clear body and set of "Baja Skins" and what ever else I have thats extra.

The car is barely broken in with just about 8 gallons of gas.

SCOOTER1985

Ya man...Nice car..I got to ask what makes it $1500?? You have $800 worth of upgrades on it?

46u

My Feedback: (3)

Hope the forum police do not see this post if they do it will be deleted. [X(]

Dave ESPI

This thread has stood the test of time, and I'm well respected here. Please see the same for other forum and large scale fans as this car has history to it. It was one of the first Full build car threads since the SS came out.

8 nuff said.

many props to the peeps who have sent me PMs saying to Keep the car alive and running as its a piece of RCU history

Dave ESPI

I pulled the car out from winterized mode (under the table LOL) and ran today for a half hour.

FULL list of mods and parts on it:
Baja Skins
Shock Socks
Fast Eddies BB berings
HPI heavy duty steering crank
Outerwears Intake cover
Outerwears Filter cover
HITEC Metal Gear HS802 Servo
HITEC HS 9645 THrottle Servo
PROMATCH Battery Pack
VERTIGO Carbon Fibre triple plate Brakes
VERTIGO clutch cover
VERTIGO Front and Rear wider stance extenders
R&D Rear hub carriers
TGN Third Channel Baja Failsafe
TGN filters
TGN Metal Pullstart Ring
HPI hardened ring gears
HPI ceramic clutch shoes and 6000 RPM throwout spring.

Dave ESPI

I still have this car if anyone is interested in running large scale cars in upstate NY ....this is spring time!