Just another XJ
 

Earlier this month I was gifted a Raw Builder's Kit for my birthday. I didn't NEED another crawler, my G-Made CUCV works well for when I get out on the rocks every once in a while with friends, and I've got some shelf queens that have never seen dirt, but after a gift like that how can you not do something nice with it?

Was a fun (and expensive...) build. I'm still waiting for a couple of small parts and trying to decide whether or not I want to go with bigger tires, but I'm happy with how it came out.

PS: I learned not to use Tamiya plastic model paint and PS paints together. My interior found out the hard way.

https://i.imgur.com/5JKKEvY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/urdweZL.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YZLHnJs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/mXr1WBt.jpg

Re: Just another XJ
 

What a good looking Jeep. I like what you did with the hatch area.

Re: Just another XJ
 

I thought it looked good. Then I saw the rear hatch and thought it looked really good. Nice build!

Re: Just another XJ
 

looks great! what size tires?

Re: Just another XJ
 

Great looking truck! always loved the "every man challenge" homebuilt style KOH rigs. "thumbsup"

Re: Just another XJ
 

Thanks! I'm happy with the way it's coming out. I haven't had a chance to actually drive it yet since the tires aren't glued on, since I'm not positive I want to stay with them, but I'm thinking I will. I really like the stance. And yeah, that homebuilt KOH rig look is what I liked about it most. When I was looking for body ideas I saw that SBG did a similar build way back in the day and I thought "I need to do that..." once I found out the Honcho bed fits under the XJ body..

The tires are RC4WD Mud Thrashers. I picked them because they're not overly soft and are stiff enough to not deform under normal driving but can grab the rocks pretty good too. They're 3.85".

I'm using a 20-turn 550. I'm hoping to get a little bit of speed out of it as well as the low-end grunt. My G-Made CUCV has a 55-turn 540 in it and moves pretty good, but it's also got a 2-speed, so we'll have to see.

I'm looking for a front bumper now. And I have a pair of imbedded Rotopax mounts coming that'll replace the rear windows. Looking forward to those!

Re: Just another XJ
 

Out in the sun with my other XJ. One of the aforementioned shelf queens.. With the 1/1 in the background.

https://i.imgur.com/cR1IVaU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/f1lIHD9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vLLPZHd.jpg

Re: Just another XJ
 

Both looking jeeps. Nothing wrong with shelf queens. Eventually when I get some time I want to start a collection of self queens myself. But there's always so much to get and things I want lol

Re: Just another XJ
 

I've never been into scale stuff but built an SSD TK chassis and put a old-style Willys Jeep body on it just for fun. Took it out today at lunch for the first time to some small hills and rocks around Bracket Field which is close to where I live. I've been there before with my Capra and my Dlux-Bully but they aren't too scale looking.

There are always people starting their hikes or mountain bike rides there and I've never heard a peep from anyone until today. Lots of yelling from the crowd to, "Go Willys Go!" and such as they watched it scale a hill.

I had no idea that the scale aspect would have such an effect on people watching as they passed by. It was pretty cool!

Re: Just another XJ
 

Once the scale bug bites you it doesn't let go!

Re: Just another XJ
 

Both your tiny jeeps look amazing (don't care for the 1:1)

What chassis is the red jeep built on? It looks really good sitting that low.

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Re: Just another XJ
 

The red Jeep is on a SWB Gelande II. Leaf-sprung I'm the rear, coil-sprung in the front like the 1/1.

I used a chopped-up rear spring mount from the Boom Racing Defender and it worked out pretty good. I also had to trim some material off the bottom of the trans case and use a narrower driveshaft up front to keep the driveshaft from bottoming out on the trans case.

https://i.imgur.com/doTu1mC.jpg

Turned out pretty good!

https://i.imgur.com/mGspEku.jpg

Re: Just another XJ
 

As counterintuitive and backwards as it is to some people, I like how little articulation it has. Extreme suspension and huge tires make everything too easy.

I might have to build a similar chassis in the future. With a similar 1:1 suspension configuration.

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Re: Just another XJ
 

Yeah I agree completely. That's why I went for the "showroom stock" look with the red one. And at the end of the day it's actually rewarding when you pull it off. Trying to figure out how to make these chassis less capable than originally designed is part of the challenge! Haha.

Re: Just another XJ
 

Installed the new bumper. I'm a massive sucker for red recovery shackles.

https://i.imgur.com/ydAjKZQ.jpg

Also, lights. All the lights.

https://i.imgur.com/PA1CUe2.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3txzsHi.jpg

Lights are on an aux on/off switch so I can toggle them from the TX. Because high-tech and stuff.

Re: Just another XJ
 

Great looking Jeeps.
I must be getting old cause that Stock Red Jeep looks Really good. ;D

Re: Just another XJ
 

Hey now! Don't be throwing around words like "old"! I'm not even 30 and I think the "stock" jeep is beautiful. The racing style one is still nice though.

I've been eyeballing a CMAX XJ kit for the stock style suspension setup but I'm not a fan of the axles. I might have to figure out how to do a similar setup with Pro44 axles.

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Re: Just another XJ
 

The red Jeep is using RC4WD Yota II axles. I wish they were a little bit wider but otherwise they're fantastic.

Re: Just another XJ
 

I bit the bullet on KM3s.

I regret nothing.

https://i.imgur.com/nrJhulW.jpg

Re: Just another XJ
 

Crappy decals printed on a crappy inkjet on crappy decal paper and I love it.

https://i.imgur.com/0HQ68tL.jpg