Rock Charger
 

So my buddy is joining me again at the ECSC and since i got rid of the bronco he drive last year, he was going to need another ride.

Now this year he is only running the fun run which is good because my time is short. this prompted me to decide to build something quick and fun that doesn't necessarily fall in any class.

I was looking around my shop and got inspired8)

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psfa71ddda.jpg

Yep! i'm going to make a crawler out one of my crusher cars!

I started by making another frame this time a bit more curvy to match the car.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps307a11cf.jpg

then i used the technique on my last build where i added plates to the inside of the rails to make it easy to remove the SCX10 skid once the chassis was done.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps576481ab.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psfdef2d9b.jpg

then it was time to get the two to fit together.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps3e6e4ed8.jpg

The rear got hacked first

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psea1394a3.jpg

not too bad

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps6e6ac4cd.jpg

then i threw a spare axle on to see where to trim the fenders

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps94296aee.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc6eb4b85.jpg

not too bad

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps1d4a98e9.jpg

then it was time to make space up front. out came the scissors.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psd9395d7e.jpg

like a glove!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc403666f.jpg

I chucked an axle up front and Oh Yah! That's what i was looking for! "thumbsup"

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psfd32add2.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps9bca2048.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps60f8ccb7.jpg

Now to get it standing on it's own i went to my trusty shock hoop design.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc0463a24.jpg

then tacked them in the back

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps058be6c3.jpg

up front i added a mount for a 3 link set-up that was on the axle.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse6f67a8d.jpg

Then the hoops went in place

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc7da187f.jpg

and she's standing on her own!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps264331c3.jpg

a little more trimming and the body fits nicely

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psde761cb2.jpg

and for fun jammed the grill from the RC in place

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps27e3cdf4.jpg

there may even be room for a motor later

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc0b9c255.jpg

and of course the obligatory flex shot

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps88bc5e41.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps176d9739.jpg

I think it looks like a legitimate crawler/trail vehicle without looking gaudy.

And before any one asks... NO it will not be orange and NO it will not have 01 on the door! It' just a 69 Charger.

More later:mrgreen:

Re: Rock Charger
 

#golfclap

Re: Rock Charger
 

Very nice! cant wait to see it in PA

Re: Rock Charger
 

That's awesome. Can't wait to check it out.

Re: Rock Charger
 

Epic!

Re: Rock Charger
 

Damn buddy, even your 'tossed together' stuff looks great! "thumbsup"

Re: Rock Charger
 

That's awesome

Re: Rock Charger
 

I was look'n forward to seeing the general lee as a crawler...........yeeeee-haaaahhhhh. Just a good 'ol boys


Good thing I didn't ask

Re: Rock Charger
 

Thanks guys

You know me Walt, i just can't help it. it's a disease a guess.:lmao:


Sorry to disappoint. Don't get me wrong, I a big fan of the General and watched every episode as a kid but it's just overplayed.

I don’t have any pics but I did take it for a test drive after I threw in a tranny and electronics and it does pretty good.


I’m moving pretty quick on this so fit and finish won’t be the best and I’m not going to be a stickler on details.



On to the progress.


I didn’t have much black steel tube left and didn’t want to use the good stainless on this so I dug into my scrap pile and found the perfect material for the sliders, and old drive bar from a large dot matrix printer ( I don’t throw anything away)


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse8ea4ca0.jpg



Once cut to size I welded them together



http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psac82032a.jpg



Then attached them to the chassis


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psef7d8269.jpg


Looks good enough for me.



http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psdfc989d9.jpg


Now it was time to start the cage. I began with the rear hoop


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psa126ed06.jpg



Then welded it to the sliders.



http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps97001897.jpg


The fit was good. I thought about keeping the cage separate and bolting to the sliders with plates so I could retain the floor of the body but I just don’t have the time.


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psb032455d.jpg



Next was the halo bar


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps394a7cbf.jpg



http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psfbbb7350.jpg



Then came the front down bars


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps37b7e0ad.jpg


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps651036fc.jpg



The fit is pretty good


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc4ba6b68.jpg



Then some diagonal bars to help it take a hit. I might add more at a later time bot for now this is good enough.


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psb4a3bab0.jpg



It was now time for the final fit of the body. I hacked the rest of the floor out


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psce5924e8.jpg



Then I drilled and tapped some holes in the sliders


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse04e2718.jpg



Then did the same to the rear frame rails and made a battery mount for in the trunk


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps3ea94f37.jpg


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps21334a7d.jpg


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps71dc2e14.jpg



The last major bit of work was the front.



I used the winch left over from the bronco and stuck it on a plate I had from another project

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc839865c.jpg

Happy with the fit I proceeded to pie cut the chassis for more clearance and notched it for the tube.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps87490de9.jpg

then bent up the bumper

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps1349dee8.jpg

Tacked it in place

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psaeee36fd.jpg

Looks good to me

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps8c7aaf79.jpg

Time for a stinger

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps7d8d7d16.jpg

Then i had these left over from another project I decided not to use them on.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps4201f486.jpg

Amazingly they fit without modification!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps37751cc8.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps634a8672.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc79bfaed.jpg

That should do a good job of protecting the grill. I don't want to damage it as i have yet to make a mold of it.

Here is an overall shot.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse1b721ff.jpg

And a shot from the bottom.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps035479e5.jpg

The next update it will be done. "thumbsup"

Re: Rock Charger
 

what is that thing made of? it looks aluminum in some pics and duct tape in others lol.


edit* i think i just found your youtube video. very cool

Re: Rock Charger
 

Yes it's aluminum called Tooling Foil. it's bout the thickness of a disposable baking sheet.

Here is the last bit of progress.

The was a few things i needed to finish while i was doing the brazing. One was the addition of tubing between the frame rails in the rear to stiffen them up.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psed4e3a1e.jpg

then i added a tapped hole in the frame up front to serve as a mount for the radiator support.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psf1318755.jpg

then it was a quick cleaning. (i didn't media blast this one, it was late and the blasting Cabinet it at my parent's house.)

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psc219c8ea.jpg

Then paint

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps86a048db.jpg

and it was put together for good.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps4eecbb0a.jpg

next the body went on.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psf968f347.jpg

The hood pins were some old Tamiya mounts cut down with a pin above and below the radiator support. the trunk lid i left unattached so it could flop open and closed while wheeling:lolbeat:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pscf3eb2c8.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psfd6d7483.jpg

then i waterproofed the receiver and tucked it under the hood with the winch controller

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse6411125.jpg

the the ESC went into the back seat.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psa1c9174c.jpg

and it is done!

Poser shots!

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps91b5a7db.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps774fab60.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps97764b7c.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps591bb79c.jpg

Time for some carnage!

Re: Rock Charger
 

That is so awesome!

Re: Rock Charger
 

Very cool, we need video,"thumbsup""thumbsup"

Re: Rock Charger
 

Its something completely different and I like it

Re: Rock Charger
 

That is the best looking hunk of junk I've seen! Nice work, unique and no frills. I like it!. Is there more info on that body somewhere?

Re: Rock Charger
 

don't worry, you'll get one after the ECSC in 2 weeks. I did a quick test to make sure everything works but my buddy will take it for it's maiden run.

That's good to hear! I like different as well "thumbsup"

Thanks! that is what i was shooting for.

Here is the original build of the body:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/non-c...sher-cars.html

Re: Rock Charger
 

I didn't realize i never updated this thread.

with ECSC 15' just around the corner, my buddy decided to compete again and he liked the charger so much he wanted to run it this year as well. but before i jump into the rebuild, here is a little update of what it's been through the past year.

The truck did very well at last years ECSC. it handled everything My buddy threw at it, including fully submerging it, and came back in one piece but a showing a few new battle scars

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psyaqib1iu.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psizonk0if.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps5iwy23fb.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psprdt41vc.jpg

in short order i had the body straightened out and ready to play

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psiroxumnw.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps45y1qt1n.jpg

Shortly thereafter I ran it on my rock pile and creek on the property. It really wheels well and is pretty much a point and shoot car going nearly everywhere i wanted to which involved places it should not have been! :lmao:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psknwo5rrw.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psumnopoo7.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pseed8xiqn.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psrgx9ihiy.jpg

Again i straightened it and later took it to my local park for some real wheeling.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psaovdnkxd.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pspfb6ditj.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pskkpynoen.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psehasyaq2.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psbwdgctwo.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps6beoq4rh.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pscxvn1ihi.jpg

I started using standard sized 5000 Mah packs for more run time. unfortunately the strap was too short to hold them in place and i was too lazy to fix it so the loose battery started to take it's toll on the inside.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psxxudmf3r.jpg

Once again she was fixed up for some more bashing.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps4rrawxkt.jpg

Since then my kids (4 and 11) have been having a blast beating the tar out of it. "thumbsup"

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pslvibgwra.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psbsbhuco8.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psvurzgra1.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pssisr216a.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps7lnsw7nb.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psbt9skpwm.jpg

the loose battery eventually started coming through the body so drastic measures were taken to keep the fun going.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...pscruxqnfl.jpg

Finally it was fixed one last time

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps8ferlu5k.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...psf4my5skv.jpg

next is the rebuild.

incidentally, throughout all this past year of relentless beating the only issue i has was a set of brushes go bad in the motor. That's it! nothing broke! :shock:

I'm beginning to really like this truck!

Re: Rock Charger
 

This is a awesome build! Trail damage really sets it apart.

Re: Rock Charger
 

I know there is a fresh body on this as of last night... ;-)

Re: Rock Charger
 

Anxious to see what is next for this thing. The aluminum bodies are cool because they dent, but maybe they dent a little too easily.