F350 from minging to blinging

[northernerbill]

Am in no rush with this one. Its going to be an F350 blinged up shelf queen tow truck.
I picked up a TF2 chassis on ebay so just waiting for that to land from the states.
I've got 1.9 tires from china.
I picked up the shell 2 weeks ago and started work on the other day. Its a used one, painted- well it was painted in a fugly purple bleeding into black. Its going to have my company logo on it too once I get them made.

Heres how the shell arrived



A few evenings work and some new chrome from ebay and here it is now




I'll be back once the chassis arrives

[northernerbill]

Actually theres been a big change in direction

My TF2 chassis arrived, basic chassis with leafs and bumpers etc basically everything minus, transmission shocks axles and shell.
Then mentioning this on another forum was offered in a straight swap a brand new tamiya hi lift chassis complete. So I took the offer. I've got a TF2 already, this new F350 is only for show and towing now and again so it seemed like a belting idea.
The shell cost £40, the new chrome £28, the trail finder chassis with import tax and postage about £140. So for a total of £208 I've got a brand new tamiya F350 RESULTA!

[northernerbill]

The chassis trade took place and I received my complete Tamiya hilux chassis yesterday afternoon, and I began work immediately.

First job was to remove the gash red shock sox, remove the nice battery tray as its visible. Then confirming what I already knew the leaf springs are as unyielding as I thought so fortunately already having RC4WD derlin leafs I swapped them out, also removed the lower plastic leaf mounts and replaced with the slimmer RC4WD ones.

All the unwanted bits


The derlin leafs


So now it articulates, its sitting slightly lower but not low enough for my more day to day look I wanted to achieve. Rather than strap the cab to the normal body mounts I made new ones which allowed me to drop the shell as far as it would go, just under 20mm I think. Any lower and the motor would touch the windscreen


Leafs just clear the bumper


The new design cab bracket, just needs priming and painting


Obviously had to lower the side steps too


So it articulates, the body is at the height I want it, the cabs bolted on. Next job is the hinged rear bed. As I said its a hilux chassis so the hinges weren't included but wouldn't have worked now anyway being lower.



And the articulation shot. Its got more travel but thats shown at the point before a rear wheel lifts

[northernerbill]

BIT MORE DONE THIS EVENING. GOT THE REAR BED ATTACHED. I DON'T HAVE THE STOCK HINGES OR BODY POSTS SO HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING.
MANAGED TO MAKE MY OWN BODY POSTS BY DRILLING THE SHELL OUT A BIT, THEN SCREWING THEM IN FROM BELOW.

NEXT UP WAS THE REAR ATTACHMENT, HAD A GO AT HINGES BUT ITS TOO TIGHT TO GET IN AND OFFER BITS UP. I INSTEAD USED L SHAPED PLASTIC LENGTHS, THEY ACT AS 3 THINGS, BRACKET USING VELCRO ALSO BLANK OFF THE GAP SO YOU CAN'T SEE THROUGH AND LASTLY A NEW HOME FOR THE LIPO TO SLIDE INTO.

[Chevytrucks]

What u doin with ur shock boots and springs ?

[northernerbill]

Chucked em in my spares box mate.

[northernerbill]

Desperately trying to source wing mirrors now.

[93 FORD BRONCO]

Don't know if u plan on using the stock tamiya mirrors but to keep them
From breaking I've seen people cut them in the middle and them use realllly small shrink tubing to hold them back together. Works great and you wont have to worry about breaking your mirrors off on the rocks.

[northernerbill]

Yeh thats a good call, and I think I've sourced some broken ones so can do that mod once here.

Finally got hold of an rx so installed this evening. Not sure if the fusion esc is the stock one but its quite nice. Its not a crawler esc as such with drag brake but in all gears you can really just creep along or wheelspin. Gear change took a bit of setting up as the servo horn was in the wrong position but once spotted it soon was changing smoothly.
Steering is not very good but with an operational diff find that helps alot. Trying to decide whether to lock out the diffs, going to leave for now but will probably lock one day as obviously its pants once a wheel starts to lift.
Detailed the grill, hardest bit of masking I've had to do but its come out ok, and managed to stick the exhaust pipes on too.

[northernerbill]

Bit more done. Managed to get some broken mirrors and did a rebuild of them.





Then got some white RC4WD wheels 1.9's with mud thrashers on.





Got 2 light kits coming, so it'll have full and main beam, brake lights and indicators. Once those have been fitted I'll do a last update and it'll be finished.

[Bulldog]

I love the thrashers on there! If I did another ford build I'd go with 1.55s and reasonable tires. Beautiful work on the paint!