Unpimping my Mercedes

[mash914]

Since I'm coming up on “done” for my Enduro / LC70 project (body mounting is taking a while) I've been tossing around a bunch of project ideas for my next truck. Both chassis and body options are all over the place – standard thoughts for both (TRX4, Trailking, toyota, jeep, etc.).

At the end of the day I really enjoy the extra little bit of silliness and fun that comes with switching gears and farting around with the diff locks in my Bronco, so I decided I'd go with one more TRX4 for now (SSD Trailking coming for my birthday hopefully anyway). The plan was to try to make something a little more capable than the Bronco – maybe a droop setup with a Powerwagon or “Hilux” body.

But I kind of also wanted something a little different. Maybe try to fix an ugly duckling. So I bought the G500 in all of its bright red and chrome glory. I have a bit personal history with the Gwagon. First, the owner of the Mercedes dealership I worked for in college had a grey market one that he let me drive (this was before they were "luxurious"). It was terrific with it's stick shift and full complement of levers for the various drivetrain machinery (he also had a 700HP Stillen 300ZX Turbo that I definitely didn't spin). Then later while I was doing an internship in Germany for Mercedes, we frame-off restored a G for a “wealthy Russian customer” that had been through some sort of....explosion? Again so much fun.

So last Tuesday with stimulus check in hand I did my patriotic duty and drove to my LHS and spent money.

The plan was something a bit older in feel – not any of the current AMG stuff – so all of that was going to come off. Plus those wheels weren't going to work for the new look. Here are some pictures of trying out different wheel and tire combos and with some of the extras removed:




as much as I love TE37's I immediately hated this for some reason

[mash914]

I didn't love the way the taller wheels and ride height make the whole thing look like a toy, so I thought I'd try some smaller wheels.
Here it is with some Gmade NR02s and MT1902s. Other than a bit of a wimpy offset (at least with these humongous flares) I was actually digging this.

[mash914]

Now comes the first round of lexan cutting and trying some bumper ideas out. I tried the factory kit bumpers from the TRX4 but they were huge - way too big. The Gmade bumper that I'm using for the Enduro works pretty well, but I didn't want to do the same thing as that. So I started looking around and took a chance and ordered something I've been wanting to try (pictures of that later).


How's that for improved approach angle?


I decided to lower the body as much as I could get away with both to lower weight and to lose some of the monster truck look. That means the stock sliders had to go for now. I also was kind of conflicted on the exhaust - I don't hate the way it looks, but it hangs in the way pretty good. Maybe I'll hang them on the Bronco or something.

[mash914]

Next comes paint. The red is beautiful in the sun and had actually started to grow on me, especially with the black trim and wheels. But I had a plan and stuck to my gun(metal). Tamiya PS63 to be exact. With flat black flares and roof and front end - one of my favorite looks on the older Gwagons from the 80's. First coats...



Yeah, I was pretty happy at this point.


How about now for these? Nope, still don't like them here for some reason (also notice the huge stock TRX4 bumper).


How about these painted NR02s? That's better.


But I still like these....decisions decisions

[mash914]

Which brings us to today. My Vanquish Origin bumpers showed up. After a bunch of measuring and estimating I was hopeful these would work a certain way, and they did - perfectly. I wanted something minimal that would tuck up tight to the body and otherwise not be there. So I stole the bumper mounts from the bronco and did some creative hacking of one of them (mounted backwards!) and was right where I wanted to be. I really like these with one caveat - the rear bumper has a bit of a bowed shape to it. I don't want to cut the body to follow a curve like that, but I also don't want a gap - I may try to heat and straighten it - not sure yet.


Yes, those are the Bronco sliders the body has popped out from. This truck Hennessey'd my poor Bronco and now I have to order more stuff.



What's left? These are in fact glamour shots because I don't have a battery with a traxxas connector, so I have to wait for the weather to cooperate so I can solder an XT60 on. Also I have a set of slightly softer Traxxas springs coming to lower the ride height just a bit more - I have the collars wound all the way up here.

I'm undecided on the flares - part of me wants to cut them back a bit because they really are huge. But I'm worried about losing that outer edge and them getting flimsy. Plus the wheels already stick out. Maybe I'll leave them for now.

Also, I'm still not sure if these are the wheels I want - I really really want a set of the Boomracing probuilds or maybe SSD Prospects in bronze. And I've been dying to put a set of the class 1 proline KM3's on something - they're just so cool looking.

But for now I kind of like the budget aspect of it - the truck was $400, the bumpers were 13, the wheels and tires were 45 (although I already had them), bumper mounts were 7 (to replace on Bronco), and another 7 for stolen sliders puts me right around 470 bucks for a truck that I really like.

[Robotboy]

It looks so much better now. Good job, liking the color and bumpers on it.

[durok]

^^^ Agreed - the color change and black grille/bumpers MAKES the truck.

Now it looks ready for true offroad adventuring, not mall crawling!

[Zukiiholic]

Dang, Makes it look like the older ones.
Great job.

[twade984]

I like this! I’ve been eyeing these for a while as a good value to get into a fully optioned trx4. I envisioned a lot more lexan cutting, but I think this will turn out great. Good idea!

[mash914]

Thanks everybody

Any thoughts on wheel choice? Either of the ones I mentioned? I also considered something a bit more military in style like the Locked up RC command kit.

Originally Posted by twade984

I like this! I’ve been eyeing these for a while as a good value to get into a fully optioned trx4. I envisioned a lot more lexan cutting, but I think this will turn out great. Good idea!

Exactly! I kept seeing folks recommend this kit as the cheap way to to get into a TRX4, but always negative comments about the body, which seems a shame because in real life these can be terrific.

The one other unresolved thing I need to figure out is the removal of the weird roof spoiler left a couple of holes in the roof. I was trying to think of a creative way to use them for the possible roof rack I'm considering. Or I may just plug them.

[durok]

Originally Posted by mash914

Thanks everybody

Any thoughts on wheel choice? Either of the ones I mentioned? I also considered something a bit more military in style like the Locked up RC command kit.

I picked up a set of these - and swapped the hardware on the hub for black bolts - great price, similar to the RC4WD Tango Down wheel:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-9-Beadloc...YAAOSwHbdgD-X~

(Although, I do also have the Command rings/wheel covers from LURC...)

[mash914]

Originally Posted by durok

I picked up a set of these - and swapped the hardware on the hub for black bolts - great price, similar to the RC4WD Tango Down wheel:


(Although, I do also have the Command rings/wheel covers from LURC...)

I was actually looking at those. I'm curious what they'll look like with different hardware - I wasn't a fan of the shiny bits. That said, my current favorite wheels just popped up for sale at RPP, so i ordered them and my tires. Nothing like spending 40% of the price of the truck in wheels and tires These may bump the Mall Crawler needle a bit in the wrong direction, but I'm ok with that.

What base wheels do you use for the Command rings - I may still get a set.

[mash914]

Got a little time to put the new connector on so I grabbed some quick videos with my son driving the Bronco. The G has its battery in the back - as soon as I have another strap I'll move it up front like the Ford.

https://imgur.com/pBjLyZK
A bit of trailing (we both had the same "off" where we had to walk around my wife's car and couldn't see where we going)

https://imgur.com/CRYkldh
Can't get embedded video working...here are some links for now

[twade984]

I know you already ordered some, but boom racing pro builds with the mag10 faceplate would have looked sweet on this.

[mash914]

Originally Posted by twade984

I know you already ordered some, but boom racing pro builds with the mag10 faceplate would have looked sweet on this.

That's the one I wanted!!! Black with bronze faceplate. But despite the really cool configurator, the shipping cost and rumors of a month wait for delivery kept getting in the way of me pulling the trigger. Then they came out with the SS5 and I couldn't decide which I like better.
This morning I noticed RCCrawler Country had a fully built set like this with free fast shipping?!?!?. I couldn't resist. Plus now for not much money I can buy the mag10 and swap.

These

[durok]

Originally Posted by mash914

I was actually looking at those. I'm curious what they'll look like with different hardware - I wasn't a fan of the shiny bits. That said, my current favorite wheels just popped up for sale at RPP, so i ordered them and my tires. Nothing like spending 40% of the price of the truck in wheels and tires These may bump the Mall Crawler needle a bit in the wrong direction, but I'm ok with that.

What base wheels do you use for the Command rings - I may still get a set.

Curious to see what you ordered!

(BTW - I also have a set of ProBuilds, not yet mounted up though.)

Top pic is a LURC "TrailReady HD 8L" wheel, widening ring, "Command" beadlock ring, LURC scale hex bolts & acorn lugnuts...

I chose the "8L" style of LURC wheels partly because they require no hubs - they are a one piece wheel/hex hub.

Bottom pic is the Injora wheel with RC4WD Interco Thornbirds, silver hardware swapped for black oxide:

[mash914]

Originally Posted by durok

Curious to see what you ordered!

(BTW - I also have a set of ProBuilds, not yet mounted up though.)

Top pic is a LURC "TrailReady HD 8L" wheel, widening ring, "Command" beadlock ring, LURC scale hex bolts & acorn lugnuts...

I chose the "8L" style of LURC wheels partly because they require no hubs - they are a one piece wheel/hex hub.

Bottom pic is the Injora wheel with RC4WD Interco Thornbirds, silver hardware swapped for black oxide:

Oh man those Command wheels look fantastic. I may still get a set. The Injoras really cleaned up with the black hardware too. And I'm still on the fence on the thornbirds. I just need more money

I can't for my Probuilds to show up. I'll have to start doing some wrist exercises for putting them together though

[mash914]

Just noticed the acorn lugnuts - they're so cool

[mash914]

Wheels showed up this afternoon - man RCCrawler Country is fast. The wheels are fantastic. The tires are smaller than I'm used to visually, but otherwise they look terrific. One thing I didn't like about the tires was the foams that came with them were too bulky, so the truck was basically riding in the middle section of the tread, almost like those huge round airplane tires. So I grabbed some other foams, although these are maybe too far the other way. I figure I'll drive it this way for a while and decide.

One other thing - despite the huge number of screws, they were some of the easiest to assemble wheels. And the included hardware and extra tools were flawless. Money well spent.


Turns out the Mercedes center caps from the original wheels thread right on to the bit of axle that sticks out - looks pretty cool I think

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Man, that’s looks awesome! Bronze on grey is a good combo


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79 F150 SCX10 ii
TRXWalker