china 2dr jeep body awesomeness !!! ?

[Rodamis]

Well I was very surprised this morning to hear the door bell . I had ordered this 2dr jeep body from rocky_models_hk seller on ebay on the 14th of august not expecting it until sometime in September. Wow this body is amazing I was also surprised that the roof rack that was in the picture on ebay actually came with it , its metal has 4 light buckets on it and also came with 4 led's . So the body with everything bolted to the body weighed in at a hefty 1 lb 15 oz's. After getting home from work I promptly started taking it all apart . Everything is screwed together and the detail is crisp and clean I pulled the roof off and the bumpers off . The doors open on this rig so pulled the door pin and took them off too as I will be doing tube doors for it . Roof ,doors and bumpers weighed in at 11.3 oz's so the body is 1 lb 3.7 oz's now. This body has a full formed tub, the seat bottoms are molded into the floor pan . Well here's some pictures to start it all off . I have some ideas where I want this build to go but nothing set in stone




















will be picking up some tubing tomorrow to start the cage work , I will be keeping the cage work low enough that the roof can still be used . Thanks for looking

[Rodamis]

Oh a few other things about the body .It is the same dimensions as the NB jk body minus its a 2 door. Wheel base is about 11 1/4 inchs . I think im going to keep it this colour . the body plastic is solid yellow and very thick .there is so much cross bracing and the inner tub keep the body very rigid. Plus is super scale to boot

[kakachille]

sweet ill b following this

[Bananaclip]

Originally Posted by kakachille

sweet ill b following this

Yes....X2

[Rodamis]

So chassis wise I really wanted to use the new gelande 2 for this build . But I have a dingo chassis from my blazer build that I lost interest in.the wheel base on the dingo is stock and its a 1/4 inch too long for this body I think the wheel base with a few quick measurements will be around 11 1/8 . I have never had a wheelbase this short before so performance wise im not sure how it will work.hopefully have some new pics to post later tonight for it

[Bananaclip]

Keep it light up top and it will do just fine. To much weight up high + short wheelbase = bad times.

[Rodamis]

Originally Posted by Bananaclip

Keep it light up top and it will do just fine. To much weight up high + short wheelbase = bad times.

Ya will be making the roll cage from brake line to keep weight down but the cool thing about the body is most of the weight In it is low down in the tub already since the floor pan is fairly thick . It definitely is a very detailed body I thought about cutting the rear seat out but there isnt much weight savings for doing it . Plus I really want that full scale interior its so clean and detailed just needs some detail painting to make it pop . I will be cutting the fenders off of it .have never been a big fan of the factory flares . I would like to keep the cage low enough to use the roof for it since it bolts to the body with 6 screws but at the same time the roof weighs 5 oz's and that will be pretty high up plus the cage up there too so guess ill just have to play it by ear .

[Rodamis]

A quick question for anyone who is reading this . Has anyone used the thread trick to cut a body like this .I would like to cut the hood out so I can have a battery location on the firewall would be a perfect spot for it with a little bracket . I have a dremel and a pretty thin saw . I just dont want to lose to much material from the cut is all as well I am keeping this colour so I need to keep scratches and damage to a minimum. Maybe I will just have to score the body repeatedly with a razor blade and get it out like that . Any suggestions would be appreciated . Thanks for looking

[Bananaclip]

sounds like a great game plan! If you cut the fenders........you could always do a comp cut rear. Then you could stretch the rear.

[Rodamis]

Originally Posted by Bananaclip

sounds like a great game plan! If you cut the fenders........you could always do a comp cut rear. Then you could stretch the rear.

Ya was thinking that as well it doesnt have the be a huge stretch I was going to use the flares just cut down to look more like the axial jk flares. I have seen people put them on the nb jk body but im pretty sure to make it look right that you need to add some material to fender wells so the front flares dont get In to the hood . I could cut the fenders the way I want and then add some square styrene to the edge to give it that axial flare look . I just dont care for the thin flare look to much .I am wiser this time I bought some painters masking tape so where ever I have to body work I can tape off what needs to stay un touched . I may even do some metal rear quarters with the tube upper sliders . So many ideas rollin through my noggin it will be hard to decide what I want in the end

[kakachille]

I use lexan scissors to cut my hard bodys works like a charm

[Rodamis]

Originally Posted by kakachille

I use lexan scissors to cut my hard bodys works like a charm

Really ?? I dont think that will really work on this body its a 16th of an inch thick . Kakachille just buy one already , you know you want too lol

[Rodamis]

Ok so I stripped off the blazer cage down to the chassis for some mock up pics a few things that will have to change are how the servo is on the chassis it will have to mount side ways that's an easy fix but the tranny plate will have to be moved farther forward to accommodate the battery on the firewall . Here are a few pics







In the last picture i had trimmed the rear shock towers flush with the top hoop and was able to drop the body a little farther down the rear shock towers are whaTs keeping the body from dropping another 1/4 inch . Will be making new shock towers for the rear and that will set the body a 1/16 of an inch above the t case. Thanks for looking cheers

[kakachille]

Originally Posted by Rodamis

Really ?? I dont think that will really work on this body its a 16th of an inch thick . Kakachille just buy one already , you know you want too lol

y must u taunt me lol i will get one though once my new bright jk is done

[Rodamis]

I sat and starred at the body sitting on the chassis and I kind of like the ride height its at. ill have to check it out tonight when I get home with out the rear shock towers on to see what it looks like then and then of course start making the chassis changes . Wish I had built a 4 dr jeep jk Instead of my my jk brute truggy . Who ever this company is that builds this body should build a 4dr version as well .I think this body will be the next big thing .

[kakachille]

yea I think this body will be the next big thing also once everyone starts build threads on them

[Rodamis]

Ok so masked the fenders off and started cutting the fenders off it










Cut off a fair bit from the front still have to trim the by the grill off cut the hood out

[Helicopter Len]

Looking pretty good, nice job on the fender cuts. That body looks like it just fits perfect.

Sent from a rotary wing whirlygig

[Helicopter Len]

Oh and here is a light weight cage idea, Mopar's Pork Chop







Was thinking about this style myself on my Losi MRC with a new bright TJ body

Just a thought....

Sent from a rotary wing whirlygig

[kakachille]

I like where this is going n just put some beef tubes in for more weight down below n add a roof rack lol