Ramination's FJ40 Buggy Build

[rocksteadily]

What do you think the chassis will weigh?

[Ramination]

Thanks guys!

I think it should come in around 2-2.5 pounds. I think I was at 1.40lbs before I'd started the front.

Tossed around some ideas for the front hoop. I think I am going to try to tie the tube front fenders in to the hoop. I think it will look cool, and support the hoop.



Chassis/tube in red, body/styrene in white. I omitted the fenders from the head on view because it was confusing to look at.

[Ramination]

I jumped into the bib and grill last night. Man, this tiny styrene work is tedious but surprisingly rewarding (when it finally works of course).





Usually I wouldn't be satisfied with these tolerances, but after a couple of hours you just have to call it good enough and move on. So I did.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for a front bumper, but after checking some clearances and fitment I went ahead and did a simple bumper for now, then added the hoop.












I am really torn on the damn hoop. It looks better on paper and in my head. I think it looks awkward from head on, but at any other angle I think it looks OK. I am thinking maybe it is too tall? Comments welcome (even if they suck).


Oh, and the chassis weighs in at 2.32lbs with the front bumper.

More this weekend!

[Ramination]

Anyone else tired of plastic bumpers? Here is how I make a bumper on the quick and cheap.

Take 1/2" square stock and color triangles onto it



Cut out triangles



Use a rock to smash it together (like in top pic), then weld edges and grind flat! Done!
(drill vent hole before sealing up the ends or the air will heat up inside the tube and blow away the shielding gas or possibly blow out the weld)





I built seen bumper in 10 minutes from the time I grabbed stock to welded it onto the chassis. I do not understand why there are so many daggum plastic bumpers on rigs!!!

Boom!

[MIKO]

Why not put a small bend at the top to give it a more aggressive look? I like the idea of fender tube tying into it

[Ramination]

Today I had to tackle getting a hood mount in place so I could do the fenders. I thought long and hard on this...like longer and harder than a woman in line at Panera and finally it hit me. I'll make it adjustable! Easy peasy!





All four corners are individually adjustable. The top plates (where the hood will rest) will be equipped with Velcro, eventually.






I think this will be a good setup. I suppose it really doesn't NEED to be adjustable, but this make it easy to build and install, no leveling it and all that junk plus should I ever build a new hood (likely), I can easily accommodate it.

With the hood dialed in I made some metal tube fenders



And so now it looks like this



And that makes me feel happy.

[boosted4lyf]

Makes my pants tight..

Bitchin work my man.

[n8welch]

Nice work Bo. I like tge adjustable mounts. If you ever scale it out with a big block, ya got a way to adjust for the blower.....just saying.

Popcorn for President!!!

[Ramination]

The KINGs are here.

[Bananaclip]

Fantastic frame design work brother. Hell of a rig

[n8welch]

I love my King shocks. They seem really well made.
Your rig is looking bad ass man.

Popcorn for President!!!

[n8welch]

Nice flex too. Might get ya to do some CAD design work for me one day if ya got time.

Popcorn for President!!!

[ROWDY RACING]

Cool build Bro!

[Ramination]

Here are some pics from this past weekend of building.

The good stuff that came in just in time on Saturday. Ordered Thursday night, received Saturday afternoon...RPP is King.



I pulled my hair out with the interior for many hours. All I have done so far is the floor pretty much. This chassis has enough room behind the driver I could do a rear seat, however I decided against it and am going to put the NO2 bottle there and maybe a cooler or something.



Almost like I built it for these shocks



Sitting sweet



Chassis final weight: 2.77lbs



I weighed it with axles, tires, battery, motor, etc pretty much ready to run and it was 8.5lbs.

Everything fits under the hood, but only barely. No room for a servo winch, going to have to get a Warn one or something for the front bumper. I did order new (shorter) batteries though, so I will have to see what it looks like when those get in.


This week I hope to be able to make and paint the side panels, paint the hood, finish the interior (seats, shifters, etc), then finish weld and lay paint on the chassis. I am stuck waiting for a new 3mm tap right now before I can really move forward with any of the big things. I hope to finish up this weekend, but its the details that are taking the longest of course.

[Perkolator]

wow that looks great! subscribed!

i'd definitely tie those fenders into the shock hoops though before you paint it. I have tube fenders on my honcho that were originally just welded on the ends like yours are currently...and the first trip out it got jacked up. If you look at a 1:1s tube fenders you'll see they always brace back to the frame or shock tower so they don't snap upon impact.


nice and simple bumper idea too! more people don't do it likely because they don't have the essential item...a welder

[Ramination]

That is a great point, thanks for the advice. I will tie them in to the shock hoop when I make the headlight mounts!

Now that it is mostly put together it is getting so hard to weld on...so many tight spots!

[Ramination]

Originally Posted by n8welch

I love my King shocks. They seem really well made.
Your rig is looking bad ass man.

Popcorn for President!!!

Thanks Nate! What shock oil did you use in yours, and did you do anything with the valving? These things are very springy! I am going to have to mess around with tuning them once I get this thing running, I assume, so I bought the spring pack to mess around with. Should be fun!

I really like the KINGs so far, but I do have two issues with them. First, I hate how they are identical in the fact that the word KING appears on only one side of the reservoirs and you can't make it so it points out on both sides. The other thing is that one of mine is kind of "sticky" and doesn't have as smooth of travel as the other side. I probably can fix that, though.

[Ramination]

Things are wrapping up, though I will not be done by tomorrow like I'd hoped.

Body panels and interior are primer'd now, and the chassis is in the "paint booth"



Still need to find some decals for the dash and build the seats. Hope to get the dash figured out today, and get the seats and paint finished up while watching Supercross tomorrow night.

She'll make her debut next weekend!!!

[n8welch]

I got a nice sheet of dash decals from Rpp. Check em out.

Popcorn for President!!!

[Ramination]

Originally Posted by n8welch

I got a nice sheet of dash decals from Rpp. Check em out.

Popcorn for President!!!

There has got to be a harder way to do this.

I'll probably pick them up with my next order. Thanks!