Montana Tough progess report

[TAT76]

Being my first build and wanting to do as much as I can from what I've learned from this site/ your builds. I decided to start my own progress report.

Thinking back to high school and the rigs we ran I thought it would be cool to build a Montana tough truck. The trucks I remember seeing in the woods at kegs or just outings seeing who could do what.

My goal is to complete my first kit, build and first comp with this truck.


SCX10 kit, FXR 35T combo with made mount for Hilux


Never working with styrene before I started my dash. Lots to learn and tricks to know. With it being my first try I ended up making one then finding after already adding bondo that when trying to add more to it, it just don't work as good. So I started over...
Making some changes and removing my electronics box, giving me more room I ended up with this.
Still need to add door panels and start on the rear wall of cab but it's getting there. Also need to paint and get my seats before I go to much further.


Since I'm at a point with the interior that I need to hand paint it before I go any further I thought I would start on the grill. Nothing special are to hard just a nice basic grill that I felt good about making..


Pic of how I mounted and the height I'm running. Mocked up with interior and grill in.





Next is to cut the front fenders and start work on the front bumper. Not sure how much of it I will do or if I will just make one for now and wait till I get a winch..

Well let's hear what you have to say. Tips and info for a first timer...

[rckid14]

were did you mount ur rear body posts in the beds, im having trouble were to put them a pic would help

[slither302]

nice work with the styrene

[TAT76]

Originally Posted by rckid14

were did you mount ur rear body posts in the beds, im having trouble were to put them a pic would help

I just taped both rear and front together and after setting the front where I liked it marking the posts from the underside. I did have to patch the hole in the bed to do so.. From the hole being there I could see enough to know where to drill..

Originally Posted by slither302

nice work with the styrene

Thanks alot. It's really alot harder then I thought it would be. But after a few test runs, I'm starting to get it.

[slobin3d]

Looks like you have a killer start

[TAT76]

Originally Posted by slobin3d

Looks like you have a killer start

Thanks alot.
Been working on the front bumper mounts and they seem to be giving me some issues.. On my 3rd set of mounts but am getting closer to having them. Could be from drinking all day but it seems I can't get the angles or size right..lol I'm pretty sure I read some where to always have a beer on hand during a build. Sometimes it works but other times it cuts your night short.. Hope to have an update on progress later but maybe in the morning..

[70duncan]

I love that laptop in the cab . Great job on the styrene.

[TAT76]

Originally Posted by 70duncan

I love that laptop in the cab . Great job on the styrene.

Thanks, the laptop actually turns so the passanger can use it aswell. I found a small pic of RPM, temp readings and put a clear plastic sheet over it. Worked out really good. The only thing I dont like is I was so happy over the mount working I forgot to sand the edges before mounting..

[Wild Snapper]

This is looking real nice man. Lots of time put into detail. What else do you have planned?

[TAT76]

Well right now I'm just planning on finishing the interior and getting the front grill and bumper done. I need to get some painted before I install the door panels and the rear of the cab. Install a winch on my bumper. I would like to work the front fenders out more but not sure how to so will have to wait and see once I get there.
Also am looking at dropping the bed but with my batt and the shock mounts I don't know how that will pan out.
Maybe a box in the bed to store elec to help with waterproofing. Run lights and rock lights in the wheel wells. Of course some scale items will be mounted to help with the look..lol

[TAT76]

Progress report..
My mount for the front bumper.



Mount mounted on the truck..


I mounted the bumper from the hilux bumper tree I received from my wife for christmas.


Doing my own bumper. Here's what I came up with.




Still have sanding and everything to do before there ready to paint and go on but feel I have a pretty good start. Props to all you styrene pro's that got me interested in this and making it look easy. Just wish it was that easy...lol
Well what do you guys think?

[TAT76]

Top part of my rear window. Will be adding more once I paint my interior. My plan is to mount the lower half to my interior so when I want to pull the interior out it will only be snugged up to the bottom of the top of the rear window..

[TAT76]

Been waiting for my seats and today I found them in the mail..
Love them. Great seats and the scale parts that come with are just fantastic..
After staging in my truck I see now that I will have to either make changes or redo the whole thing. The seats are wider then I thought and since the passanger seat actually hits the center counsel I'm thinking I can cut it and redo just that side. If not then I will end up building a new one. Good news to that is it will be my third and I get better and better ( I think) the more I do..lol

What do you guys think? Do you think they sit at an ok heigh or do they look alittle to high?

[yellorover]

Originally Posted by TAT76

Been waiting for my seats and today I found them in the mail..
Love them. Great seats and the scale parts that come with are just fantastic..
After staging in my truck I see now that I will have to either make changes or redo the whole thing. The seats are wider then I thought and since the passanger seat actually hits the center counsel I'm thinking I can cut it and redo just that side. If not then I will end up building a new one. Good news to that is it will be my third and I get better and better ( I think) the more I do..lol

What do you guys think? Do you think they sit at an ok heigh or do they look alittle to high?

Those seats look great. Where did you find them? I was going to make my own with styrene and foam but may have to go with these.

[team3six]

you can adjust the seats by how they sit by bending the folds and stuff. it aluminum so you should be fine. You can even fold in the wings a bit too. But why do they look so high. Its as if they are sitting on something because I can see the seat bottoms

[team3six]

Originally Posted by yellorover

Those seats look great. Where did you find them? I was going to make my own with styrene and foam but may have to go with these.

I make them.
http://www.team3sixrc.com/apps/webstore/

[TAT76]

Originally Posted by team3six

you can adjust the seats by how they sit by bending the folds and stuff. it aluminum so you should be fine. You can even fold in the wings a bit too. But why do they look so high. Its as if they are sitting on something because I can see the seat bottoms

They sit so high becouse I built my interior to high..lol This is my first build and scale truck so guessing as I go. Just glad I decided to hold off till I got your seats before I painted and finished the interior.
Today I will start an new interior and with the seats will be able to work them so that they sit down lower and have more room side to side.

[TAT76]

Ok, I'm not seeing how you can lower the floor of my interior to drop the seats down.I have the floor dropped to the top of the tran and motor. If I drop lower it's not wide ehough for the seats... :(
Anyone have any pics of there interior with seats that I can see how you did it?
Really need some help here.
Thanks

[team3six]

Do me a favor. Can you take a picture of the inside anyways without the seats in there and then with them in so I can see it? If worse comes to last I will have you send me those seats back and replace them with a smaller version of them or you can purchase a smaller version of them. I have the template available for builds like yours where it is a smaller cab shell. The norm as I have found over the past 8 months selling these are the seats that you have which is why i have stuck to that size. But before I used to sell a smaller version of them which I called a 1.9 size. They just were not in demand since the ones you have are a split between 1.9 and 2.2 versions.

[TAT76]

Hope these help..








Thanks for your help...