My 1:5.5 Buggy Build...

[willyswanter]

After coming across an X-Factor I decided to build a 1:5.5 scale version of my up and coming 1:1 buggy... I basically took the plans for my big one and scaled it down and then I'm building off of those, so here goes...

Specs:

-Pede trans with 55t lathe motor
-Super Rooster ESC
-1/4 scale servos for front/rear steer
-Homebrew rear axle disconnect and brake for front digs
-8.5" Imex Swamps
-X-Factor Axles
-Combination of X-Factor and Revo driveshafts
-Dual 7 cell packs
-5/16" brakeline
-My normal 6 channel stick radio that I use on all my crawlers
-Wheelbase is rouhgly 27" :lol:

Pics:

R/C Crawler Kit from Kragen:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3738-2/IMG_0027.jpg

Plans, you know it's big when it takes 4 13x19 sheets of paper to make one print...

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3726-2/IMG_0026.jpg

Pieces I bent last night around 11ish, only had an hour or so to work on it:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3729-2/IMG_0028.jpg

Welded those pieces up today:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3741-2/IMG_0030.jpg

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3744-2/IMG_0031.jpg

I don't get much time to work on it but hope to have a roller by Tomorrow evening. My ballends won't be here till next week though, thats basically all I'm waiting on.

[smokinubyrc]

DUDE its crazy BIG

narrow the tires and rims to about 2 inches wide and they would scale with the whole build 8)

[Got Rocks?]

thats lookin really good! you should definitly narrow the tires like these8)
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73675

[ksully]

that thing looks sick. any pics off your 1:1 scale buggy?

[bigtiresrbetter]

wow sweet build! What shocks do you plan on running? Ditto on the 1:1 pics...

[willyswanter]

Yeah I already plan on narrowing like that, just haven't gotten around to it, tires came in Thursday.

The 1:1 isn't built yet, I'm building a new shop and it's just now getting the concrete poured so it will be a bit till I have the room to build the real one, I have renderings though lol:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/878-2/render2_001.jpg

New shop won't be done for another 4-5 months so it's a ways off. Currently I wheel this:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/79-2/2006_1007Image0150.jpg

It's being rebuilt at the moment as well... Cut the roof off w/new cage and putting my U419 mog axles under it.

[willyswanter]

wow sweet build! What shocks do you plan on running? Ditto on the 1:1 pics...


Going to try some savage shocks first and then adjust springs from there. The rear will be a cantilever system like my 1:1 will have so the stock springs may work, front will have to be worked with though.

[obijuan]

THATS YOURS!! i love that truck!! i have seen that on ck5 and **** its sweet

[boggercrawler]

sweet build so far, that thing is fawkin huge. Plans for the 1:1 rig is also pretty sick

[willyswanter]

Tonights 8:30-9pm progress...

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3747-2/IMG_0032.jpg

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3750-2/IMG_0033.jpg

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3753-2/IMG_0034.jpg

Can't do much else till the rod ends get here... Supposed to be in on Tuesday. Got some big 10mm stuff, there beefy.

[obijuan]

ya gonna big block it?

[willyswanter]

Der? Big Block it? If your speaking of the r/c I have no idea what you mean lol. If your talking about the 1:1, then yeah, it will get the same injected 496 that I've got goin in the chevy.

[toy4crawlin]

HOLY COW That CAD program drawing is BADDAss !!"thumbsup"

What is it ? I need it !

SWEET *** RC CRawler too !!"thumbsup"

Awesome Build

Here's my 1:1 (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/toy4crawlin/album/576460762337384208)

[willyswanter]

Sweet 1:1. Have fun on the con? I'm going back this August... Can't wait!

http://www.industrialoffroad.com/gallery/albums/album21/DSCN1306.sized.jpg

[ksully]

that 1:1 scale looks sick. the crawler looks just as awsome. are you going to do body panels for it also.

[willyswanter]

Yeah just like the ones in the cad drawing. Probably either thin aluminum or lexan, not sure yet.

[dieselfuel]

damn i remember when that thing was a white crew cab longbed, when the hitch got stolen, when an old guy in a cadillac (i think) rear ended it and relocated the rear axle, and when the bed cage was built. its come a long way. "thumbsup" "thumbsup"

(im an old CK5 member ;-))

[jays68yak]

Your taking your rig to the con in august? Can I come? :-P Are we bring the crawlers if they survive blazerfest?

[willyswanter]

Definately bringing r/c's to the con so I have something to do when my crossmembers fall out :razz:

Heres a size reference:

http://www.thesocalbigdawgs.com/vb/gallery2/main.php/d/3756-2/IMG_0036.jpg

[obijuan]

aww cute little tlt, i was talking abotu big blocking the RC you should put like a 1/4 scale motor in there. that would be pretty cool.

[ksully]

that is truely one beast of a crawler.

[Bronco]

holy crap thats awesome! sounds like to me that ur building a replaca of an RC!

[H3RESQ]

"thumbsup"

[STANG KILLA SS]

VERY cool

[clod booster]

looks wicked. i dont think the pede trans is gonna do it though, you should try a txt or emaxx tranny, other than that cant wait to see more"thumbsup"

[willyswanter]

looks wicked. i dont think the pede trans is gonna do it though, you should try a txt or emaxx tranny, other than that cant wait to see more"thumbsup"

You don't think it's strong enough or what? I don't have alot of shafty experience, mostly clod stuff and 2.2 shafty stuff... I can buy something else though, just curious to know whats wrong with the pede trans. I have a stealth as well but I'd think it would be way to small although tons of people love them.

No progress till the rod ends come :(

[smokinubyrc]

You don't think it's strong enough or what? I don't have alot of shafty experience, mostly clod stuff and 2.2 shafty stuff... I can buy something else though, just curious to know whats wrong with the pede trans. I have a stealth as well but I'd think it would be way to small although tons of people love them.

No progress till the rod ends come :(

the pede is just so small for something that big also i would go with txt or emaxx tranny with dual lathes "thumbsup" BEEFCAKE:lol:

[blue-beard]

Awsome build! For a rig that big I think you should go with a Hyperion z3025-08 and a mamba max. These are supposed to put out something like 2 horse power. :shock: I would suggest running something like a txt tranny or twin force tranny to put the power to the axles. That should give you the power to smoke your big tires like the 496 going in your 1:1 rig. 8)


http://holmeshobbies.com/files/d_19.jpg

[clod booster]

yeah the pede is small, and kinda week even in a 2.2, the losi xxx or b/t trannies are damn near bullet proof the way there built, but still shouldnt go on something this big. the emaxx, txt, or twinforce tranny would be your best bet. then you can either run twin brushed motors or go brushless and be sure you werent going to break anything.

i would suggest the combo said earlier.

cant wait to see more.

[RCholic]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Man.. your one LUCKY fella!!!

After this 1/5 scale... all you need to build to "FINISH" your line up is a 1/2 scale... 8) :-P ;-)

GREAT Design and Skills you have!!! :!: :!: :!:

[Kranberry]

Awsome build! For a rig that big I think you should go with a Hyperion z3025-08 and a mamba max. These are supposed to put out something like 2 horse power. :shock: I would suggest running something like a txt tranny or twin force tranny to put the power to the axles. That should give you the power to smoke your big tires like the 496 going in your 1:1 rig. 8)


http://holmeshobbies.com/files/d_19.jpg
daum thats go more hp then my garage door opener(1/2 hp):shock: :shock:

[toy4crawlin]

Your taking your rig to the con in august? Can I come? :-P Are we bring the crawlers if they survive blazerfest?

I'm down for a Con in August !
I vote for late Aug. "thumbsup"

[jays68yak]

I'm down for a Con in August !

I vote for late Aug. "thumbsup"

We already have a trip planned for the 1:1s."thumbsup"

[toy4crawlin]

Awsome build! For a rig that big I think you should go with a Hyperion z3025-08 and a mamba max. These are supposed to put out something like 2 horse power. :shock: I would suggest running something like a txt tranny or twin force tranny to put the power to the axles. That should give you the power to smoke your big tires like the 496 going in your 1:1 rig. 8)


http://holmeshobbies.com/files/d_19.jpg


Where are you finding this motor?:?:

I found this http://holmeshobbies.com/product.php?productid=95&cat=3&page=1

[blue-beard]

Where are you finding this motor?:?:

I found this http://holmeshobbies.com/product.php?productid=95&cat=3&page=1

Here you go.
http://holmeshobbies.com/product.php?productid=29&cat=3&page=2

Raptorman57 runs one in his twinforce super and seems to be quite pleased with it.

[toy4crawlin]

We already have a trip planned for the 1:1s."thumbsup"

well , ok then
just lookin for toyota folks, tired of wheeling with slow broken jeeps

[willyswanter]

Lol he didn't say you weren't allowed to come... Were going 8/25-8/27ish

Can I get some support for that big brushless setup? I'll buy it right now if you guys think it will work great... Don't want to spend $200 and not be happy lol.

[ThinkTank]

Lol he didn't say you weren't allowed to come... Were going 8/25-8/27ish

Can I get some support for that big brushless setup? I'll buy it right now if you guys think it will work great... Don't want to spend $200 and not be happy lol.


Respect the Hyperion.. wait while your at it, fear the Hyperion z3025.;-)
I'd be more worried about the tranny than the motor.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55034

[willyswanter]

I talked to a friend of mine who is big into brushless and he thinks the Novak HV 6.5 would work better??? I have no idea... Which is better?

So right now it's either the Novak HV-Maxx 6.5 Brushless Motor System

-or-

The Hyperion with the mamba max

[rc4x4nut]

The HV maxx is for speed and not crawling. I'd stick with the hyperion.

[willyswanter]

Small update.

My g-made 10mm ballends came in finally today from South Korea lol. Went to the bolt shop and got all the m4 and m5 socket head capscrews I needed to finish the thing. Also got the 3/8" aluminum rod for the links.

So, tomorrow is suspension links and servo mounts. Going to mill out a one piece mount that comes off the axles and holds the 1/4 scale servos then has the upper link mount on top of that...

Probably going to throw the peded trans with the 55t motor in there for now just to test the suspension and all that, still deciding on brushless or not...

[blue-beard]

Small update.

My g-made 10mm ballends came in finally today from South Korea lol. Went to the bolt shop and got all the m4 and m5 socket head capscrews I needed to finish the thing. Also got the 3/8" aluminum rod for the links.

So, tomorrow is suspension links and servo mounts. Going to mill out a one piece mount that comes off the axles and holds the 1/4 scale servos then has the upper link mount on top of that...

Probably going to throw the peded trans with the 55t motor in there for now just to test the suspension and all that, still deciding on brushless or not...
Can't wait to see some more pics. "thumbsup"
I'd say PM raptorman57 if you have questions about the Hyperion z3025-08 and a mamba max.

[smokinubyrc]

updates?

[willyswanter]

Still waiting on the block of delrin to show up so I can mill my upper link/servo mounts... I'm kind of at a standstill until I get them made :(

Working on my 1:1 truck trying to rebuild it in 3 weeks for a trip currently.

[Ruggen]

Keep it up, nice rig "thumbsup"

[xr100]

If anyone on here ever starts a thread tittled biggest rig on rcc, you got my vote my freind.

and btw if i may ask, how much did the breakline cost for that rc? jw

[ati2de22]

here is my tuber that im designing its 35" long with a wheel base of 27"

not shure what to use for tubing or tranny. everything else is figured out.
im using TF axles widened to 16" hex to hex

ya im going to use the swamp kongs
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa285/ati2de22/chasisISO-1.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa285/ati2de22/chasisISO.jpg

[Rudukai13]

Have you thought about using a 4-stroke engine?

http://www.osengines.com/engines/osmg2091.html

[willyswanter]

Me? No, crawlers are electric, I'm not a fan of gas crawlers unless it's the size of a sammi... lol

My little scale trophy truck will be gas though. I have a small engine that came from a target drone plane from the military... Has two cylinders in line and supposedly puts out about 15 hp lol.

Updates coming on my build possibly tonight...

[obijuan]

seems like your busy with your mog axle swap huh?

[willyswanter]

Lol yeah a little bit... I have to be on the Rubicon in 22 days... Feelin the pressure now... I have all the parts for the damn R/C just haven't had a change to get to it. I want to have it on the con with me though so we'll see.

[H3RESQ]

so..back to that cad design. Tell me more about the rear shock location.
Am I seeing it correctly?, looks like there's a seperate 4link and then some pretty hefty links for the shocks to mount to.

[Stallion1967]

NICE!!! if it looks anything like those drawings it'll be insane! did you think about using a emax tranny? that would let you have twice the power for these beast. You might need it.:lol:"thumbsup"

[willyswanter]

so..back to that cad design. Tell me more about the rear shock location.
Am I seeing it correctly?, looks like there's a seperate 4link and then some pretty hefty links for the shocks to mount to.

Think of the upper links as trailing arms on a trophy truck. Shocks are mounted up the arm a bit to multiply the shock travel and get a little more load on the shock to aid in valve tuning. But, instead of having a trailing arm down low I did a regular 4 link with the trailing arms up high out of harms way not cutting into the ground clearance.

[toy4crawlin]

Where is " G made" ?:?:

I'm looking for rod ends

thanks

[julie]

wow that thing is crazy. i used to think my 2.2 scaler was pretty big, but damn

[ThinkTank]

Where is " G made" ?:?:

I'm looking for rod ends

thanks


http://www.junfac.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_12&products_id=39

[bajabomber87]

jason (willyswanter) passed away this past week during a trip to the rubicon. he was swimming across a lake to a small island and drowned. i new of him through 4 wheeling websites like pavementsucks.com and pirate4x4.com. he was into building everything and is one of the best fabricators i have ever seen. If you want more info on jason (willyswanter) go to pirate4x4 and you'll find info and a thread on it. this is not a joke and im am serious. rip jason:-(

[rc4x4nut]

Oh wow...I dont know what to say. I've been watching this thread for a while to see some updates. My prayer goes out to his family and friends. RIP.

[trickedoutTLT06]

Oh wow...I dont know what to say. I've been watching this thread for a while to see some updates. My prayer goes out to his family and friends. RIP.X2 poor guy..I guess no one knows how delicate life is :shock:

[eric113]

RIP Jason....:-(

[obijuan]

aww man, poor jason. he was always so cool when it came to anyone with fourwheelin, big, and i mean BIG scale or little. he left such an awesome impression on me even though i never met him. he will be remembered by myself and countless others, our prayers to everyone.

[bnoland]

jason (willyswanter) passed away this past week during a trip to the rubicon. he was swimming across a lake to a small island and drowned. i new of him through 4 wheeling websites like pavementsucks.com and pirate4x4.com. he was into building everything and is one of the best fabricators i have ever seen. If you want more info on jason (willyswanter) go to pirate4x4 and you'll find info and a thread on it. this is not a joke and im am serious. rip jason:-(


What topic forum is it under? I haven't found it and the is no search function that I have found on the site.

[bnoland]

I found one of the artical that has several link on it. Several have started a fund to give a donation in his name it looks like. I didn't know the guy at all but it always hurts to see anyone go, even more so when they still had so much life left ahead of them.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=608076&page=1

[Blind4454]

Wow, thats awsome. Cant wait to see the finished thing.

[bajabomber87]

Wow, thats awsome. Cant wait to see the finished thing.

You tard didnt u read the entire thread?

[Blind4454]

Oh... I guess I didnt... Sorry...

[CCFBERG]

Yet another totaly awsome rig!!! Great work cant wait to see it complete"thumbsup"

[CCFBERG]

OH ****............. Im so so sorry! I didnt read everything! My appologies! Lesson learned!

[al3x_34]

oh that is so sad i feel for the family. i think it would beenn a good truck and i though i would be a good idea if someone would finish it off as a memorial to him and keep it some where were people would remember him by. :-(

[bnoland]

While you did make the mistaken in saying you want to see him finish it may not end up unfinished still. I know there are people planning to finish his dream rig in his memory and may do the same for his scale one as well.

[al3x_34]

sorry i didnt meen him to finish it i meant as a memory to him and for someone els to finish it

[xr100]

sorry i didnt meen him to finish it i meant as a memory to him and for someone els to finish it

that would be cool if someone could finish it for him. Never knew the guy, but he sounded like a cool person. Sad to hear the news

[Bronco]

omg, thats terrable! RIP buddy!

[CCFBERG]

I would say that would be a great thing to do, however maybe we should give it a year or too before anyone chomps at the bit to get thier hands on his unfinnished project to finnish it. I mean for the family to greav and stuff, maybe not? I didnt know him but from what I read .......seems he was a great guy and being a fellow fab guy myself his work is total quality!! Seems like someone I would have liked to have known and maybe learned from. If someone does finnish his work it should be well planned and executed and of total quality just as he would have done! Just my 2 cents. R.I.P. Jason wish we could have met or had some conversation!

[toy4crawlin]

:?:
Does the family know how to login or even know he has this build going on this site ?

We could donate a few things to help the build, I have a few parts

Once it's built it could be given to a speacial member of the family or It could be Auctioned off to help the family pay for stuff

:?:

poor guy
probaply got a muscle spazm from the cold water

[y5mgisi]

Been a while sence it happened but its crazy that this one person is so widely known accros the internet. What a heck of a person. He most have thousands of people around the world that cant wait till they get to the pearly gaits just to see him. I mean go to youtube and search jason payne and there he is, Marlincrawler, CK5, pirate, here. He was an inspiration for people everywhere. RIP

[obijuan]

he was wuite the exceptional man. heres something his parents wrote to tell all of Jasons fans and wheeler buddies:

As Jason’s father, I felt I needed to tell everyone more about our Jason. So many of you talk about how much you loved and respected him and his work even though you had never met him in person. I must say, everyone that never met him really missed something truly special in life.

Miracle Child: I have to be careful how I tell this or Jason will say, “That’s a little too much information”. When I married Jason’s mom, we were so in love and so happy we decided we wanted a child of our own. We decided to go to Santa Barbara for me to have a reversal, which I did. With Jason’s permission I must tell that while leaving the hospital after surgery and as required, being wheeled out to my car, the wheel chair hit something and I was thrown out onto the parking lot where I did a little “Crawling”. We went back a second time because the first surgery didn’t work, the doctor said my “crawling” was most likely the problem. Afterwards we were told that because of the scar tissue from my “Crawling”, the surgery did not come close to being considered successful. Needless to say, awhile later Debbie became pregnant with our miracle child. Then once our Jason was born on 8/2/82, for the first six months of his life, he threw up everything he ate. His mom looking extremely exhausted from feeding him 24 hours a day just as fast as he vomited just to keep nutrition in him. Being not very strong, at 6 months he went into the hospital with severe dehydration from all the vomiting and the doctors were not very positive. While his mom stayed next to him holding his hand 24 hours a day (refusing to leave), I would work and then spend the rest of my time with them and we did a lot of holding each other, praying and crying. But then he started getting stronger and was released and he started eating and he wanted to make up for any food he had missed.

Later in life at; I’m guessing, around two or three my fondest memory is of him coming in our bedroom while we were asleep and coming to my side of the bed each morning and just standing there waiting for my eyes to open. I would have a feeling someone was looking at me, and I would open my eyes and all I could see was these two blue eyes staring at me, and the top of his head - and he would say in a very deep voice for his age “Feed Me!”. It had started, his love to eat and it never ended as did his ability to eat large quantities of food.

I’ll skip over the years of broken bones, cuts etc. that he seemed to do regularly. But I must tell one story. One normal trip to the ER and Jason was being X-rayed; I was in the hallway and a nurse walked by, looked at me and said, “Is Jason in here again?” When he came out I told him it’s getting pretty bad when they’re starting to know you by your first name. He was later nicknamed by many, including hospital staff, the “Tool Man” from the actor in the Tim Allen show, who was always hurting himself.

When he was ten he took an AutoCAD class at the local college (I had to sign up so they would let him come with me) and by the second night, everyone in the class including the instructor would just stand around Jason and watch him work (he had read the entire book and mastered all the “beginning” skills in one week).

At thirteen Jason formed his first company called Sound Technologies. He was doing custom stereo systems as well as alarms; in our driveway. He would have me purchase HDF wood so he could use the table saw and cut custom base boxes that he designed in AutoCAD while calculating the exact cubic feet of air to make sure it was exactly right for the speakers. His older brother had one of these boxes in his car and he went to a local stereo shop and they all wanted to know who had built his box and he told them his brother. They said they want to hire him and he told them he was only 13 and they said, who cares we want him. I remember coming home one day and in our driveway was a one week old Corvette and the seats, console and dash were out of it and lying on our grass. I walked inside and asked his mom if she had seen what I saw and she said, I talked to Jason and he said not to worry, he knows how to put it back together. Needless to say it went together perfect and the owner was ecstatic, even though I thought he was a little crazy for trusting a 13 year old with his car. For the next couple of years it was my job to take Jason to Vegas for the Consumer’s Electronic Show. The first year while still 13, he just knew they would throw him out because the minimum age was 18, but I told him so what, let them throw us out if they want. And just like Jason, we got there and he had his itinerary all prepared and he only had about 6 sites he wanted to visit. We arrived at the first site, Memphis Car Audio where he walked in and started looking at all the amps and speakers. Then one of the reps came over and looked at Jason’s nametag to see where he was from. That rep went and got the regional sales rep that covered California walked over to Jason and read Jason’s nametag that said; Jason Payne, President, Sound Technologies. Then came Jason’s biggest fear, the dreaded question, “Jason, how old are you?” and by the time we finished that booth, Jason was surrounded by the reps and they were discussing stereo ideas that I truly could not understand a thing Jason was saying. Many of these large prestigious companies made this 13 year old their regional distributor and listed Sound Technologies on their websites after that.

[obijuan]

At fourteen he started high school and I have just one short story. His older brother had gone to a private school called Garces Memorial and Jason wanted to follow his brother (he really idolized his brother). Well it was time for freshmen to sign up for school all over the city and Jason’s mom called Garces about signing him up and was informed they required all incoming students to pass an entrance exam and they had already given the test, we were too late. Needless to say Jason was devastated and his mom and I felt extremely stupid. Well, I called his brother to tell him what had happened and he was kind enough to agree with my assessment of my intelligence. Well, unknown to anyone, Jason’s brother went to the President of the school, who new him well, both good and bad but mostly good through his outgoing personality. That day I got a phone call from Ken, my oldest son, telling me to call the President. I said what did you do and he said, “I told him what happened and that they needed to give Jason a chance because he is the smart, good one and not like me”. I called the President and he said that they always keep a couple of spots open for last minute “exceptional” children that decide they want to go to Garces, but he would have to score an 80% on their two hour entrance exam and not the normal 70%. Needless to say, Jason took the test and a few days later I received a call from the President and he said, Mr. Payne, we are pleased to let you know Jason will be a freshman at Garces in the class of 2000. I was freaking out but had to ask how he did on the test and the President said; Kenny (Jason’s Brother) was right about Jason, he scored a 98%.

When he was fourteen it was time for me to purchase a new truck for work and he knew his brother had received my 2 year old truck at 16 and he was planning ahead on that. We went to Three Way Chevrolet and looked at what was available. He wanted me to look for a black 4 wheel drive extended cab and I told him I did not ever need a 4 wheel drive truck and in Bakersfield, I would be crazy to purchase anything in black. Two weeks later I picked him up and we drove to Three Way because my new truck was in. We walked up to the fleet area and he stopped and said, “Look, that is what I wanted you to buy” and I told him, but Jason, it’s not 4 wheel drive. We went inside and I finally got my keys and they said they would be right out with my truck. We went outside and Jason was drooling over this black truck and I said, Jason, look at the registration in the window and see who the lucky owner is and he looked then turned and said “It’s mine”. Two years and over 100,000 miles later, it was his. During those two years it was washed and waxed almost every weekend by you guessed it, Jason.

Then sometime around 15 he started losing interest in wood and started liking metal and 4 wheeling, I don’t know exactly why and when, I just all of a sudden noticed it. [He later told me that he remembered how when he was about 8 I would to take him and his brother four wheeling in my S-10 Jimmy and that was some of the best times of his life.] I asked him why the change (because I had purchased all the woodworking equipment he would ever need to continue with his dream) and he just said, “To much liability”. As usual, his mom and I did whatever we could to encourage him to pursue his dreams which meant we now had a Sear’s arc welder and a son that played all day with it in our garage. And you guessed it, he and I were now going to the SEMA show under Industrial Off Road to look at the after market truck areas. OK; another short story about our first year at SEMA. Jason pre-registered both of us (he was president and I was CFO) and we drove to Vegas for the show. When we got to the desk to get our passes they asked for proof in the form of business cards. I was sure I had just driven there for nothing, but not Jason. He said, find me a Kinko’s and we set out to find one. Needless to say, we found a Kinko’s and it took Jason about 2 hours to design and produce 10 business cards for each of us. We went back to the show, went once again to get our nametags and passes and this time they never asked for any kind of verification.

After he graduated from high school (Garces Memorial class of 2000); with his school picture taken with his Fab Tech lifted “2 wheel drive” black truck and no smile just his famous smirk, he started college, majoring in Automated Industrial Technology and Quality Control Systems. He took the required class plus he took every class in AutoCAD, welding, automotive and machining they offered and his mom and I would get notes and calls from his instructors about how much they loved having Jason in their classes. The term “unbelievable work ethic” was always included in their comments. He completed every requirement to receive 5 different degrees except a required speech class that he tried several times and just couldn’t handle it. He would always say, why do I need a degree, I can do more than any of those graduates. After leaving college the head of the department called me and asked what Jason was doing and wanted to tell me how honored all the instructors always felt having Jason in their classes. Then they started calling him and us about wanting Jason to come back and finish his one class so he could become an instructor at the college. Jason always told them that he just couldn’t do it plus he had expensive habits that required him to work. Then the college changed their instructor requirements for only the industrial arts department so Jason could immediately qualify and they started asking again, but he told them thank you for the offer but I just couldn’t put up with the students and their laziness and poor work ethics. After that they gave up and Jason just kept learning and growing on his own. Oh, I forgot to mention that while in college on 10/09/2001 he received his general and electrical contractor’s licenses.

At the same time I had retired and he and I started purchasing old fixer-up homes and we had a great partnership. I provided the money to buy the house and material and Jason did “everything” else, except painting, “I hate painting”, he would say. Oh I forgot, I was the cleanup crew, Jason didn’t like that either, it was a waste of his time and someone else could do that. As Jason and I sold the houses he worked on, our garage started growing tools and machinery. It was at this time he purchased from a farmer a perfectly good 4 wheel drive one ton white double cab truck that had to have only single wheels on the back. Unknown to me, he had many plans for this truck as you all know.

A new period in his life started when he was rear ended one day while driving home. He was not hurt but his beloved truck was messed up pretty badly. We had it towed home and I asked him what he was going to do and he said “I have plans”. After collecting a small settlement he went to work. I came home and he had removed everything behind the cab except the frame. I asked him what he was doing and he gave me his standard answer, “stuff”. After that I had the privilege to go with Jason to Off Road Unlimited (which later offered Jason jobs several times) and we picked up his solid axle conversion. That was the start to many “conversions” up until his death, it was his baby, and it was HIM.

From that point on most of you have followed his work on his beloved monster and his Dodge dually tow rig. With that I will end this with a few notes about his last few years. A couple of years ago he went to work for Martin and Patty Croad (who became his second parents) as an electrician and shortly afterwards they called and asked our permission to offer to give the company to Jason when they retired in a few years. We just said it’s up to Jason, so they met with him and made the offer. He came home in his typical calm way and said, the Croads just told me they want me to have their company when they retire in a few years and I asked, well what did you say. And with his usual smirk he said “I said sure” and he walked out. Over the short time Jason has worked at Croad Electric they have accumulated numerous letters from clients showing their appreciation for Jason’s ability and work ethic. Jason would regularly come home and say, “Well they got another letter about me, I’m just so loved” and with a smirk he would walk out. Recently we were talking about an Industrial Park that MS Walker & Associates is just starting and I told him I was going to get a lot and building instead of my commission so he could have his Industrial Off Road shop and he said he wanted the shop but not a business. I asked him why and he said, “A friend of mine up north has a shop and he told me that when you have a business like that it stops being a hobby and starts being a job and I don’t want that”.

On Jason’s 25th birthday recently I went to get him a small normal birthday gift, a tool of some kind. While walking through Lowes I kept looking at the cordless reciprocating saws and I kept thinking Jason would love one of those but all they had were low quality brands in stock. So I asked the sells person what was the best one they carried and he said DeWalt and I said well that’s just a Black and Decker with different colors (Jason told me that) and he said “well I guess your right”. I asked, what about Milwaukee and he said we could look at the catalog. He turned a few pages and there it was, the biggest, badest, most powerful cordless anywhere, a 28 volt cordless Sawzall and came in a kit with a hammer drill. I thought; man this must be way over budget so I left without buying anything. A few days later I went back to see just how much it would cost for the saw only and I was told it was to new and they had no pricing so I asked them to find out. Again several days past and I had not heard anything so I went back and again they said they were having trouble getting a price. So this time I went to a friend in of all departments, Kitchen Cabinets and asked her to get me a price. The next morning she called and left a message that my order was ready in the computer and to just stop by and pay for it. Again, no price! I went by there that night and told them I had an order to pay for and they brought it up and told me how much and I swallowed real hard but I kept thinking I need to buy this now and not wait for Christmas or something, so I ordered it. It came in the day after Jason’s birthday and I called him at work and asked him to pick something up at Lowes for me and he said OK, what is it? I told him it was his birthday gift. That night he never mentioned if he went to Lowes or not and the next day when he got home from work he just went straight out and started working on his truck. I walked out side where he was working on his lathe and I asked, did you get by Lowes and he stopped and walked over and said yes, yesterday. I asked, well does it work and he said he had used it all day and it really worked well and I said good and walked away knowing Jason has a very hard time saying thank you without getting embarrassed. As I did he said; “It’s the best gift I ever got, thank you”. I smiled back at him and kept walking; knowing if I went back it would have embarrassed him.

[obijuan]

Parting Thoughts:

When Jason was around one he was always getting into my dirty old PVC sprinkler fittings so his mom had me cut both ¾” and 1” schedule 40 PVC pipe in various lengths and sand the edges so they were rounded and then I purchased an assortment of new slip fittings. She would keep this assortment of “Jason Toys” in a box and each morning she would dump it out on the family room floor and Jason would build things with them all day. Each evening my wife would take them all apart so they were ready for the next day.
Later in life while other boys were playing with Lincoln Logs, Jason had several different Erector sets, both with and without motors. He alone or he and his brother would build some really crazy creations but never by the plans provided. There was one that was supposed to be a moon rover and thinking back, what was made looked more like an off-road buggy.
From age five Jason never wanted toys for his birthday or Christmas, he always wanted tools and even at age five he didn’t want play tools, he wanted ones just like my tools. I believe it was around five when we gave him a finish carpenters hammer and an electrician’s tool belt. He would put this big belt on and hang his hammer from the loop and I would bring home 4X6 header stock cut-offs around 12 “ long and I would start about 20 nails and leave and he would pound on those nails until they were all driven in.
Jason always liked to dig, give him a shovel and he was entertained for hours. When he would go to a jobsite with me he loved playing in the utility trenches. He was always digging remote control off-road tracks from a young age. One time he went with his mom to her horse lesson and she got him a shovel and he started digging. In the middle of her lesson she started hearing “Mom, Mom, Mom” each time a little louder. When she went to him he said, “I’m stuck!”. He had dug this deep hole and was down in it with his knees bent all the way back and dirt around him and could not get out. My wife was telling me how she was supposed to be taking a lesson but instead she was digging Jason out of a hole.
We were at the coast one time in the motorhome and in the night Jason fell over the steps in the dark and there was a moment of silence and we heard real quietly “That’s going to leave a mark”. His mom and I laughed for at least an hour.
Recently Jason was waiting for me in my home office and when I walked in he was typing just as fast as he could and asked him what he was up to. He said there was a site where they were having a contest to see who could type 150 WPM without mistakes first and he was trying. I asked how he was doing and he said he was stuck in the low 140’s and all I could think was 140 compared to my 4 WPM.
Jason was truly on a high in his life during August of ’07; first he called his mom and told her he had just met the “governator”! When asked what was said, Jason said he introduced himself and said “If you keep carrying all those tools (his electrical tool belt), before long you will be as big as me” and that was about it. Next, Martin and Patti Croad’s told Jason that they were going to send Jason and a friend for one week in Australia and one week in New Zealand where Martin is from. Then came Patti telling Jason that she and Martin were going to purchase Jason a new personal vehicle; a 2008 one ton Dodge 4X4 Mega Cab Diesel and Jason was going to convert it to a long bed, the longest truck I’ve ever seen, I think about 200’ long. And lastly, he was going to have the floor for his shop finally on the 28th and framing would start by the first part of September.

[toy4crawlin]

Jason was a very gifted child had a wonderful loving mother and father.

Thank you for sharing
just tears

deepest sympathy and prayers for the Paynes

[scatterbrains]

My condolences to his family and friends.

[bggrnchvy]

I hadn't been on RCC for months until I suddenly got my bug to finish my scaler and work on the tow rig this evening. In looking for threads I found this one from Jason I didn't know he had.

I just had to read, like always. It's been a long month and half since the accident on the Con for us and I've been missing finding new posts from my buddy. It's great there are still some out there that offer insight I had yet to read. It's like being able to listen to him talk again in a way.

Miss you Jason.

[76lcforty]

RIP Jason

[MaxxCrawler02]

Man that is so sad:( RIP Jason

[bggrnchvy]

I just thought I'd post an update as some had mentioned previously.

I've been working with Jason's parents to try and finish his fullsize rig along with others as well as some other projects he left behind so that his dreams can be more than just piles of parts. One of those projects is this RC, Ken asked that I try and finish it like Jason would have wanted. I haven't gotten any progress other than moving it and a lot of his spare parts to my house so I can work on them and starting thinking about what will be required to complete it.

I'll update his thread as major work is completed.

[CCFBERG]

I just thought I'd post an update as some had mentioned previously.

I've been working with Jason's parents to try and finish his fullsize rig along with others as well as some other projects he left behind so that his dreams can be more than just piles of parts. One of those projects is this RC, Ken asked that I try and finish it like Jason would have wanted. I haven't gotten any progress other than moving it and a lot of his spare parts to my house so I can work on them and starting thinking about what will be required to complete it.

I'll update his thread as major work is completed.

Your a good friend in my book!! I would be honored to finnish his work as I am sure you are! Take your time! Although everyone would like to see this thing completed Im sure everyone will hang around to see it.

[RedNeck Rc]

Dude, that is a truly sad story.I remember this and never put two and two together. He would have wanted it finished, you are a good man and I give you kudos.

RIP Jason

[jays68yak]

Kyle, again if you need anything for this build let me know. Help, cutting stuff on the table. Whatever."thumbsup"

[run2jeepn]

I remember hearing about this, never knew he was on here. :(


I hope the his Family is doing well and his dreams do get finished.

[crashfab]

wow--I didn't put 2 and 2 together---I remember when this happened over on PBB-----truely sad.........