smogs Elements

[Doom!]

I really like the bobbed bed. I whole heartedly agree with SteveB1, really enjoying your build, and watching you work through the snags and coming up with solutions.

[smog]

Thanks guys, appreciate the props!

Haven't been going to hard on the building as of late, but did get around to caging up the bed that hollowed out. While I was at it I made a made some simple front and rear tube bumpers.

Unfortunately along the way I realized with the bed bobbed as short as it was I wouldn't be able to keep the Traxxas tail buckets I had mounted into the body way back when. The tires were hitting the buckets when the shocks were at full compression, so I removed them. I replaced them with some odd light pods that I managed to fit in the hole, but not sure yet whether i will keep them. I guess it depends if I can come up with a different idea.

The cage itself I originally designed around the inclusion of the Traxxas tail lights, so it kinda sucked that I miscalculated my space. Anyway, I just pushed on and ended up with what you see here. She's definitely unrefined in some spots, but i am embracing the ugly








Here we have the tailgate reattached with E6000 and the odd light pods fastened to fill a hole. Again I may redo the rear, we shall see. Also see the bumpers bumpers cleaned up, but not yet painted







Being painted, same can I used on the JP-1 cage for the other Enduro. I like the color and had it on hand. Its ultra-metallic!



Some outdoor pics all painted and mounted back on the chassis









Next I need to make a battery tray and get some electrics in there Thanks for checkin in out!

[durok]

Lookin' good, man!

Wish I had the time, space, tools, and (most importantly) the patience to learn brazing/welding!

[smog]

Originally Posted by durok

Lookin' good, man!

Wish I had the time, space, tools, and (most importantly) the patience to learn brazing/welding!

Thanks durok. Always appreciate your comments. I suspect you would enjoy brazing. While quite time consuming, it is certainly enjoyable. I have only really basic tools that I use. It does significantly limit the options for me, but I plan to see how far I can refine things using what I have.

[durok]

I'm working on a plan to be in a better living space (hopefully) soon.

I'm so sick and tired of apartment living, need to not have any shared walls, and be on the ground floor - I've been living 3rd floor to keep the noise of neighbors down.

At my age, I'm too much of a cranky ol' bastard to live all squished together - might even go for a doublewide on some undesirable patch of weeds somewhere.

Since it seems like teleworking will continue to be the thing at my job, I'm hoping to find something within reasonable driving range of the occasional meeting.

If I can pull it off, some less basic tools are in my plans... and obviously much more crawlin', hopefully right outside my door!

[smog]

Originally Posted by durok

I'm working on a plan to be in a better living space (hopefully) soon.

I'm so sick and tired of apartment living, need to not have any shared walls, and be on the ground floor - I've been living 3rd floor to keep the noise of neighbors down.

At my age, I'm too much of a cranky ol' bastard to live all squished together - might even go for a doublewide on some undesirable patch of weeds somewhere.

Since it seems like teleworking will continue to be the thing at my job, I'm hoping to find something within reasonable driving range of the occasional meeting.

If I can pull it off, some less basic tools are in my plans... and obviously much more crawlin', hopefully right outside my door!

Having space is certainly premium. Less house, more land usually the best ratio. Whenever I come across videos of guys open air workshops down in the southern climates I always think about how great that must be. No need for ventilation with all that fresh air. Apartment living has its charm, but I completely get what you are saying. I can get my fill of social interaction without sharing walls. I don't find people considerate enough for that lifestyle anymore. I hope you manage to find a spot, sounds like the work conditions may afford you the opportunity to escape the urban madness.

[JimInMiami]

Hey Smog, can you detail how you achieved such a straight, clean cut on the bobbed bed back in post #76?

[smog]

Originally Posted by JimInMiami

Hey Smog, can you detail how you achieved such a straight, clean cut on the bobbed bed back in post #76?

Hey Jim, what I did was use a hobby knife and ruler to score a line. Then I snapped the lexan along that line by working it slowly back and forth. Not much to it, but it requires patience and a stable hand.

[JimInMiami]

Originally Posted by smog

Hey Jim, what I did was use a hobby knife and ruler to score a line. Then I snapped the lexan along that line by working it slowly back and forth. Not much to it, but it requires patience and a stable hand.

Thanks, you must have very steady hands, the cut looks machine-made, congrats!

[smog]

Originally Posted by JimInMiami

Thanks, you must have very steady hands, the cut looks machine-made, congrats!

The key is to make sure you score the line perfectly vertical. Hold the ruler steady and score! Snapping the lexan is the same technique as many use to trim out a new body. Its the technique that yields the cleanest lines

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Had a lot of catch-up to do on this thread, man did I miss a lot!

Well done on the cage, looks great with the bobbed bed (which by the way is very clean-I can never get a clean lexan bob or pinch ) I like how all the cage work is in the bed and there's no roll-bar. Slight but important detail.

I like the paint scheme too! Them KM3 wrapped steelies match perfectly

Overall a great lookin rig smog

[smog]

Thanks SLN, much appreciated. It's coming slow but have been enjoying the process of getting this one done.

Wanted to reuse an old home made battery tray so bent up some aluminum to make a mount for it. I like full size battery's, this one allows for that.




Clears the front drive shaft nicely



Next an electrics box. Ideally water resistant

[B-MOW71]

Man smog, I've missed a few episodes of your smogs Elements!

Lovin' how the GSpeed Trailwalker is coming out! Great job on the Bob-Job!

Rear cage area looks great and love the metallic color you added to it!

Can't wait to see what else you have planned for it!

[smog]

Thanks B, appreciate the props. It's been a fun process.

Finally got to finishing this thing to the point of running. There has been a couple of hiccups that slowed things down. Main one being a defective esc that had me running thorough diagnostics on the electronics before I could pin point the issue. Glad to have that behind me. Picked up a replacement at the local hobby shop while I wait for the factory replacement.

The second issue was a significant rubbing issue on the tail light buckets and bucket mounts. Had to deal with that so I pulled them off and filled in the ugly gap with some lexan




Took a different route with the tail lights





As I mentioned earlier, where the back end of this thing is concerned, I have decided to embrace the ugliness. It's got some character.



The stock esc had to go, wasn't enjoying it. Best budget power system I have come across right here
HW Quicrun 1080
Stock Reedy 5-slot Brushed. I like this motor.
DS3218 best cheap servo going. It just keeps doing what I need it to do, and then does it some more.
3s, of course



Took it out for a test run on the backyard course














Shot and edited up a quick run video clip of the test run




*The suspension is in need of significant tuning, especially in the rear. Gonna get some thicker silicone in the coil overs for starters

[smog]

Another short video on my back yard crawler course that is slowly but surely evolving and transforming.

[smog]

I built yet another Element chassis kit, wtf really?

Decided I wanted an Ecto. I already had a V1 builders kit collecting dust so I built it up with a some aluminum shock towers, chubs and brass knuckles. Picked up an ecto body to hack it up and then cut some steel floor boards to fit it.



Anyone who has seen my threads knows I am pretty much building cages for all of my rigs these days...you know, practice, practice













Obviously there is much more to come. More for the cage, sliders, bumper, paint, wheels/tires, power all yet to be determined...

So far I am very pleased with the progress, things are lining up and sitting straight. Thanks for popping in!

[JimInMiami]

Nice Smog, that cage fits so snug in the body that it's a shame to paint it over!!

[twade984]

Very cool smog!

Scale tube work is high on my list of things to try


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[durok]

Extremely cool, smog!

Yep, tube work is a future goal of mine as well...

[B-MOW71]

Hey, hey, great to see another build in the smog garage!

Cage looks great and fits inside the Ecto nicely! Looks like the cage is going to hinge in the back. Cool!

I really need to follow your lead and get my cage building skills perfected! Well I need to start first!