Lincoln’s low-fidelity Capra-build ramblings

[LincolnofDeath]

“I remember it as if it were a meal ago...”
A couple of weeks ago now, I finally ponied-down for some legit rubber, then bass-akwards, went ahead with the wheels first and shoe-horned a wee bit’O lead into the front end of these perfectly good plastic front wheels. I wouldn’t tell anyone but you all this, I walked around the day with each of them in my jacket pockets, like to quietly enjoy the tactile suppleness of fine thin rubber throughout the day. These are, you see, my first set of quality rubber tires...and after five sets of Choodoo try outs, yeah, it’s all sort of coming together in my mind.


“Quality or Quantity, a choice you have to make”—-Bad Religion

[LincolnofDeath]

During the next week, life happened...off to Phoenix with my lady to spend a couple-five days with my step-mom while she got and endured the worst part of a third-ish knee replacement. I didn’t bring the Box-O-Capra, but I did bring a bag-O-heads and the interior. So not to get heavy, but my dad died a couple back and I dug around in his tool boxes, as one will, and happened upon a box of olde Testor’s paints. Like, what are these, at least fifteen years old? But a little thinner or acetone in there might bring them back:

[LincolnofDeath]

So check it out, my dad raced boats in the 60’s (C and D runabouts and hydros) and he (or maybe all those dudes, it was the 60’s) always rocked a pre-Kevlar white jumpsuit and an orange half-face Bell. I found those kind of colors in the kit and rallyed this out:

[Panther6834]

Luv the helmets...nice job.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[LincolnofDeath]

Thanks, Panther. I have a couple of snowtroopers sitting here. Was tempted to pop their heads off, but this won out in the end ; )

[Brake Weight]

There’s some half open faced helmets available. It’s got a skull face though.


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F333397705337

[Panther6834]

Originally Posted by LincolnofDeath

Thanks, Panther. I have a couple of snowtroopers sitting here. Was tempted to pop their heads off, but this won out in the end ; )

Trying to copy my Imperial Capra...lol (just kidding). I am in the (very) early stages of planning another 1-2 Star Wars themed vehicles.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[LincolnofDeath]

“About that battery, mate”

[LincolnofDeath]

“I kissed a girl and I liked it”

Thanks for the chapstick tip and should pass that on here as there’s A LOT of screwing in half and quarter turns here. As someone who just had a bicep tendonisis (the bi attaches in a fun new location) and picked up that DeWalt gyro screwdriver, Chapstick is your friend for handscrewing in hard plastic. Sh*t you mostly already know but it bears repeating for us new guys.

[LincolnofDeath]

Here’s a couple choices that are probably about like choosing between the twin Parvati sisters. 880 let’s this be 4S friendly, but probably start with a 1080 because battery size and wheelspeed/ pinion size unknowns.

Mates to 13T Holmes Expert. Pro-tip for uncles and dads: If the Harry Potter Funco Advent Calendar comes on sale it’ll make a great gift for Christmas next year.

[LincolnofDeath]

Quick back-track, because we’re up and running now, with some minor self-inflicted damage at a rear portal because I don’t know how to screw screws. No, further back, to the penultimate of the penultimate steps: Wiring Debacle Edition

It’s not really that crazy, but I can see why there was a thread or two as regards “wiring solutions” or “where did you put your on/off switch, bro?” because there is a moment here before you put body panels on and you still don’t have a great idea if any of the batteries you have on hand will fit, and I guess generally the sense of “am I doing this right?” is gonna try and stroke out anyone with a severe left-brain, follow-all-the-rules-or-die mentality. But have faith, if you bought a Capra kit and made it this far from that perfectly functional pre-fab Bronco RTR, it’s...gonna. Work. Out. Fine.

[LincolnofDeath]

It all squares together nicely, although in my case there was a panic moment. I shot up the distress flare in another thread here, said “It’s catching somewhere in the drivetrain? every 2 wheel revolutions.” Thanks for jumping in to help me troubleshoot—-those were smart observations and starting “wheels off, at the portal” WT nailed it on the first wheel popped off. The evidence here shows I was exaggerating my symptoms and it was dragging a little material off with every revolution. And that’s because “my mechanic” hadn’t tightened down one or three of the screws that could catch on the portal cover like you’d see if you weren’t trying to bring that Hawaiian girl into focus. TBC’d, but right now me and Sailor Jerry and the Hawaiian gal have a rendezvous to make.

I suppose I’ll be looking into a replacement and upgraded portal cover, perhaps the Vivatron or something with Tungsten slugs. I don’t think this machine will get many other mods, except an ESC that supports 4S for high speed trailing versatility with a simple battery swap, but that’s a ways down the road. Wheelspeed with this motor/stock pinion is already maybe passed the threshold of low speed control on 3S

First ten minute run in the dark tonight. Crawls like a spider and I am much relieved to have that problem sorted out.

[LincolnofDeath]

Here we are on a Friday, in the deep, dark December of our souls, and it’s time to paint this baby. I’m gonna brush it. If there was a hobby store within an hour of here I woulda grabbed a rattle can of anything. There’s some John Deere Green, Husky Orange and Troy-Bilt Red Rustoleum in the shed but let’s just try these air-brush Faskolors with an actual brush and see if a couple of coats backed with something clever doesn’t git er done.

At the bare minimum it’s great to have a tiny bit of this DuraTrax Black for a pin stripe. Pin stripes don’t like to brush.

[LincolnofDeath]

This thread, it’s about as interesting as watching paint dry...not sure how many coats, but still mad brushstrokes on the second. Maybe one more tomorrow...then back it with white. Hasta manana.

[LincolnofDeath]

All done! It feels so good when those decals cover some of my painting insecurities. “If it t’were done when ‘tis done, then it were well.” And it’s pretty solid with just maybe ten minutes on it driving now.

In the end, I don’t hate the colors. Not sure if I’ll invest in the dig servo, and those UMG10 wheels won’t likely stay on it forever. Probably underdrive the rear and gear down at some point, but I’m usually pretty content to run things as is, and let the 2/3/4S variation for power be enough variety. Might head over to Mormon Rocks in the morning if the rain doesn’t come in too soon. This was a fun build.

I also wanna thanks the Axial folks for sending out a part I think I was missing. I really looked everywhere for it and am pretty sure it wasn’t there, but you can never truly rule out an error on my part for losing it. The point is, they sent out everything to get going again lickity-split. I know that sort of thing really eats in to profits per unit sold, and I’m gonna remember how cool they were about my issue and wanna throw sincere gratitude for that in here at the end.

Thanks for sharing your builds for a new guy to think about and learn from. I’ma little sad it’s all done, but there’s always the next truck...

[LincolnofDeath]

Lincoln’s kit build with RIP Edgar Lincoln Peters in the pilot’s seat.

_________Lo-Fi purchase notes_____

Wheels: UMG10 or ProLine KM3 Mud Terrains ($40 found on EBay) both with 60g scooter lead in each front tire. OEM plastic beadlocks.
Power: Holmes Crawlmaster Expert 13T 540 with HW1080. Will probably switch to HW880 with appropriate gear down to switch up from 2/3S to 4S, or not.
Servo: DS3225 25 Kg, no dig servo.
Tx/Rx: Flysky GT3B
Paint: Brushed Faskolor Fasflourescent Green, Duratrax Polycarb Teal, backed with Krylon semi-floss white.

All in expense: $500 if using your old transmitter, the Amazon DS servo du jour, a $12 Flysky receiver and scavenged paint. Batteries not included.

The list for a kit version is $449+tax of say $30...so pretty much exactly the same price if you Ebayed some Traxxas Canyon take-offs and a dig servo for a kit build.

I really like the Hobbywing brushed ESC combo’d with a Holmes motor. Pretty hard to beat on a budget, though no doubt the Axial RTR electronics and motor are also good options.

[braytonia]

I love the paint scheme!! Those colors go really well together!!!

[LincolnofDeath]

Thanks, Bray. That green brushed-on looked crap at first. Looks fun now, though.

Originally Posted by braytonia

I love the paint scheme!! Those colors go really well together!!!