Lovell Racing Inspired Ultra 4 rig
 

If i could own any 1:1, it would be the lovell's, but GM LSX powered of course. I've wanted to build this rig for years and years it seems but I never quite knew where to start. I originally thought i'd build it around the artin ranger and make it 1/6 scale, but that idea was obviously going no where and i don't really care for the larger scale stuff. So i got a crazy idea and decided i don't need the body to replicate the truck :ror:. I started drawing the wheels/tires and scaling it from there, figured that was my best bet to keep everything proportional.

Tech:
I'll add more to this when i know what i'll be using.
-1.9 Mayhem/1.9 Trepadors
-RC4WD Black Widow Axles
-RC4wd 100mm KING Shocks
-3 Link front w/ panhard. 4 rear
-Axial trans w/ HR steel gears, 32p 60T spur, 12T 32 p novak 5mm pinion.
-RC4wd hammer t-case
-MMP/Pro4 3300kv
-Hitec 7955tg servo
-1/8" steel rod (it's lighter than 3/16" brakeline fyi, looks skinnier but goes well with this build)
-Shaved axial wraith seats
-MIP scx drivelines
-Gearhead TORCH lightbar


Body:
Fenders/bedsides from tamiya tundra the rest styrene.


First off, love for the 1:1
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-E...83_n.jpg?gl=US
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s...12/3.jpg?gl=US
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...3-XL.jpg?gl=US
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f...x425.jpg?gl=US


I drew the overall rig to scale from a side view a couple times then decided which one resembled it the closest. For complex brazing like this, if i want to keep it straight, and come close to resembling what i'm aiming for, i must draw it to scale.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-w...1984.jpg?gl=US
Mock up, make sure it doesn't look completely out of proportion. This roller was a tundra that i started out into a koh rig but didn't like where it was going so it sat for 6 months and i chopped it all off to start this.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d...1983.jpg?gl=US
Once you have the sideview and top view drawn out, things go very fast and smooth. This is as far as i had it before yesterday.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-P...1981.jpg?gl=US

Cut a few pieces out at work, got home and did work.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...1986.jpg?gl=US
Rear cab braces in:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X...1988.jpg?gl=US

Front clip mount bar in as well as A pillar supports.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-U...1990.jpg?gl=US
Oh.. I couldn't have built it any larger, or i would not have been able to make this bend for the hood section :mrgreen:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-m...1992.jpg?gl=US
Making sure the hood bend is where it needs to be, if you pull the chassis out at this point to check it, it will be tough to get the bends symmetrical after re installing it in the vice.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m...1993.jpg?gl=US
This is always the hardest part for me building tubers, and i figured out a way this time to make it easier. Starting off getting everything cut out.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j...1994.jpg?gl=US
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-p...1996.jpg?gl=US
This is the hard part for me, and the tape was a new idea, which helped out a lot.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-K...1999.jpg?gl=US
Add a peice to the backside, and they aren't going anywhere.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K...2002.jpg?gl=US

Stand up on it's own, and is super easy to make sure everythings straight, especially with the drawing underneith it ;-)
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...2004.jpg?gl=US

And this is where i got to after yesterdays work. As you can see, it will look like a major hack job running an interior with the ax10 trans. I'm either going to go with the hpi dt-1 trophy truck interior to have only a gimmick interior or spend extra coin for the r3/hammer t-case and try to fit it around that. Oh yeah, there will be no usage of the scx chassis. Maybe the skid plate, but that would be it.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d...2010.jpg?gl=US

Thanks for looking,

-Dirk

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Nice tube work! I've always had a soft spot for that rig.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Awesome work. I like the way you drew it first and went from there.

The Lovell boys live a block from my house, I get to see this rig everyday on my way home from work

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Awesome work.
Can't wait to see it finished.
Great job.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Nice! You are way too smart with all the drawings! I'm going to steal the tape idea! I use magnets, and they have a mind of their own. One suggestion on the interior...throw the motor and tranny up front (gcm or custom) and use a transfer case on the skid to get a proper interior in there. More work, more money, but more cool. I'll be watching. Keep it up!8)

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Thank you, me too me too

Thanks, it adds time to an already time consuming project but it definitely pays off. I also enjoy drawing so it's a win-win.

Dang that's awesome! how would it be to have a drive home from work that never gets old :mrgreen:

Thanks "thumbsup"

Thank you! Yep, I agree. I try to not use magnets anymore other than holding down stuff to the anvil which is my brazin station. I also decided to do it right, no scx frame rails, and the rc4wd r3 trans and hammer t-case are scheduled to arrive today. I haven't used either yet, so i'm up for a surprise there. But i did manage to get some more done yesterday 8)

Progress!

The start of the frame rails
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5...0/IMG_2037.jpg

A little trick i use to center the plate to the 1/8" rod, also use that square cut out in the anvil for your first braze, then slide it off the edge to get the rest. It goes by much quicker with air underneith what you're brazing.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...0/IMG_2038.jpg

The brazin' station, i use a mapp/oxy set up, and flux coated brazing rod. I know most people use the silver solder and flux paste but i prefer my method and it's much cheaper. Don't buy the pre-coated brazing rod at lowes/homedepot that stuff sucks major, go to your local welding supply store and get their stuff. The sticks should be about 3ft long, that's what i'm using.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-J...0/IMG_2039.jpg

Phew its straight and even gaps between the frame rails/rocker rails. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q...0/IMG_2041.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j...0/IMG_2043.jpg

Got the skid holes drilled, hopefully i can figure out how to mount the hammer t-case to this :ror:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z...0/IMG_2047.jpg

Almost standing on it's own!https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r...0/IMG_2046.jpg

And that's as far as i got

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

I picked up a mapp/oxy setup and couldn't get it to work. It had a flame, but it seemed to blacken everything and I couldn't get my silver to stick (safty silv 45 and 56) Any tips? My normal mapp setup seemed to work much better. I've also heard that using the oxy gets really expensive as well. Any tips?:roll:

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

very nice tubing work. I love the Lovell racing trucks as well

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Hmm odd, assuming you're using flux? I knew nothing about this setup when i got one from an ex gf's dad a couple xmas's ago so i'll tell you what i've learned. You want to start out with the mapp only, burning a 5-7" flame, then feed it oxygen until the center turns into a blueish white pencil flame about .5" long. You'll find the sweet spot after doing it a few times. Too short and it can actually melt/burn through the metal. For some reason every oxygen bottle feeds out oxygen at a different amount of turns on the knob. With the mapp off, and no flame, turn the oxygen knob until you hear it coming out. Take note of the amount of turns. For instance, this bottle i'm using starts feeding out oxygen at 2 turns exactly, it's generally somewhere around 1.5 turns to 2. Sometime's odd inbetweens. So spark up the mapp, with a tiny flame so you don't cover your whole garage in black ash from that 6" mapp flame burning, turn your oxygen knob so it only needs a 1/4 turn until it starts releasing. Turn the mapp flame up to that 5-7" mark, slowly turn the oxygen on until you get that nice pencil flame and you're in the money.
Now the pro's and con's. It is a lot quicker using oxygen, especially on the thicker stuff but yes it can get expensive. This is my 2nd bottle on this build, 1st one i was using i had used on previous projects so it ran out. This one should last me the rest of the build though. Yes at $12.xx after tax they can get expensive but it's much easier and less stressful for me doing it this way vs. mapp only, main reason being the burn is much more localized and it doesn't have to heat up the metal as long, and everything else around it. I was going to ask my local welding supply store if they made a refillable oxygen bottle for this size of torch, but i'm not sure if they do & i forgot last time i was in there. Kaetwo/brett was using a refillable set up but his was a bit larger than this. I've probably gone through 10 oxygen bottle's over the course of this torch, so $120 roughly over 2+ years, not bad considering most chassis makers charge $300 for a chassis. Those are my thoughts on the subject. Just keep practicing, when i first got the torch i didn't like using it over just the mapp, but now i love it. Oh yeah, if i remember right i think an oxygen bottle lasts around 25 minutes of burn time, i could be wrong though.

Thank you, hopefully i don't dissapoint with the end result.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Looking very good. Can't wait to see this thing done. Can't wait to get mine done.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Thanks D, I'll spend some more time with it. I might have an issue with one of my valves. My oxygen goes from nothing to blowout in less than a 1/12 turn. I'll play with it this weekend. Also, I don't know if I mentioned, but your JK is one of my favorite rigs. Thanks again for the advice. "thumbsup"

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

You're welcome, oh and the JK i sold off a couple months back. She was a beaut though.


I have updates.

I received the R3 transmission and well, it is huge so bag that idea. Tonight I got the shock mounts and panhard mount done. I went for a more simple route after hours of staring and not coming up with a way to use tube. I also thought it would be nice to have multiple shock mounting options, so the easy route went into action. I still need to do bracing, trans mount, servo mount, and nuts for the panels. Getting closer!
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/D1Rk379/4.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/D1Rk379/3.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/D1Rk379/5.jpg

The body panels are coming along but still have a ways to go. I ended up cutting apart a tamiya tundra cab/bed i had in the parts bin. I mocked up the rear half and thought it looked mean so i'm going with it.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...1Rk379/2-1.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/D1Rk379/1.jpg

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Well she's getting there, all i have left to braze are the body panel nuts/tabs, and the front bumper, oh and the light bar mount. Well it feels like im getting close anways :ror:. Altough the front bumper can't be fabbed up until i get the hood/grille all squared away. I'm taking a break from body work at the moment so i thought i'd throw out an update. I also drove it around out back for a few minutes, it does really well i am excited to get it on the rocks.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/c.jpg
I'm quite happy with how the servo and transmission mounts came out! It's a tight fit but everything clears with ease. I didn't really want the servo to lay flat, but it had to be. I might have to move it down a position and throw a spacer under the link at the knuckle if the angle becomes a problem.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/b.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/d.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/a.jpg
With the curvature of the body, it shortened up the center panel quite a bit. I guestimated the length of the original and it came out short. Start over, this time, plenty of length.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/f.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/e.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...20Racing/g.jpg

Thanks for lookin'

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

wow i really like the looks of that body your making fit. very nice work all around!"thumbsup"

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Thank you for the nice words, for winging the body going into the build i'm quite pleased with how it's turning out. Another small update.

I managed to get the grille and headlights chopped up to fit in there so that means the front bumper will be knocked out after work. Hoods still an eye sore, so don't mind that.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...0Racing/01.jpg

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Very nice proportions. Rig looks great.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Ugh, perfection! I love those Lovell Ranger buggies.

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

now we need a pic of that light bar in action in the dark

Re: Project Lovell Racing
 

Great build. "thumbsup" I'll be watching. I scored a RCP Bastard Jr chassis today. I want to build a similar rig.