Jeepster Commando needs some refresher help

[DaveFL]

Okay all been away a while too much to do with too little time to do it.

But I am taking on a scale build of my new rig that I am building. This came along out of the blue as for my Birthday my mother found and gave me an antique Tonka Jeepster (which I realy hate to cut up but oh well )

this pic is after final resto prior to lift


This pic is during resto of interior and rewring.

and for the heck of it heres one of the finshihed engine bay

And one more cause I love to brag about it but


Above is my partialy finished rig. I say partially finished as the interior is now brought back to modified stock, stock seats but upgraded dash complete new wiring. Engine is still the Buick 225 but bored/ported/polished etc....

Next phase is lift with the new axles just awaiting time for me to get to it.

Now the Tonka Jeepster I have has the larger tires on it, apparently Tonka made the Jeepster in a few different ways, one being snall tire like you see now, the other is a sub frame attached to the bottom of the body that has much larger tires on it (tire measure 3" diameter) while I have a width of 8" which I must keep. to make this build work.

I have 3 sets of WK axles but If memory serves me Im not gonna get 8" width using the WK axles. I thought about Axial axles but not sure on width for them or mini Losi axles. regardless Im gonna also need to use leaf springs on this which should be easy as the subframe that comes of the tonka will work for a PERFECT frame to work with.

Anyone know the width of the axial or mini Losi axles? Im thinking 1.9 on the tires to make it fit, I have to unpack all my prior WK and other 2.2 stuff and see how it lines up but Im also gonna end up with a WB of 11" max to work with.

Just looking for some refresher info So I can start the build list

Thanks
Dave

[bcrofts]

Nice looking Jeepster!!

[Tommy R]

Great looking Commando! But that Gator's got to go.

[DaveFL]

Originally Posted by Tommy R

Great looking Commando! But that Gator's got to go.

Don't be a hater

The Gator comes and goes for games, since Im a big Gator Fball fan this rig makes it to all the games now.

I mean its Gator Orange

I could really fk it up and paint all the Chrome Gator blue j/k

going to a 58" WMS axle 44 Front and rear, and SOA set up with The Jeepster. Will end up doing some fender triming but will take care of the cover up on that with Bushwhacker Cutouts. Also rockers getting the snip and rewelding a rocker guard in the place of the body Rocker. I need this thing to do some fun wheeling trips ut remain streetable.

[Tommy R]

LOL! I can respect that. After all my Jeep's not "yellow", it's "LSU gold".

SEC!

[DaveFL]

Tommy one things for sure SEC all the way, In my book I will always route for an SEC team over any other conference. We get down played too much I thinkl its because no one respects or believes our speed.

Now back on topic.

I took a look at you scale build on the Yellow Jeep. Looked like you used a lot of Axial stuff there. Axial axles as well? Pics can be deciving, but im wondering what wheel width you ended up with. I take it it was all 2.2 stuff?

Thanks

Dave

[dezfan]

Awesome, I owned a 71 Commando w/ the Buick V6, Turbo 350, and a Ford 9 inch rear end.

Wish I still owned it.

[Tommy R]

Originally Posted by DaveFL

Tommy one things for sure SEC all the way, In my book I will always route for an SEC team over any other conference. We get down played too much I thinkl its because no one respects or believes our speed.

Now back on topic.

I took a look at you scale build on the Yellow Jeep. Looked like you used a lot of Axial stuff there. Axial axles as well? Pics can be deciving, but im wondering what wheel width you ended up with. I take it it was all 2.2 stuff?

Thanks

Dave

For me, the pecking order is LSU > SEC > anyone else > Notre Dame/USC.

Yeah, the Jeep used pretty much all Axial stuff, but it was on 1.9s or 1.55s, depending on what pics you may have seen. I've never run it on 2.2's...

[DaveFL]

Okay I need to get some pics up but cameraless at the moment thanks to some very gusty beach winds last week. My Sons Red Ryder off road wagon (ya know the ones with real inflatable tires) a 6 foot diameter Chinese Kite tied to the end of the Wagon handle. Cannon 7d with lenes sitting in wagon wraped in a shirt to protect them from blowing sand and then a VERY strong North gust 30 knots or so. Needless to say the wagon had 1 foot of salt water in it before I got the camera out.

But back to basics.

So out came the grinder and dremel. Frame is cut off the Tonka Jeepster, Inside is pulled out hoping to slavage as much as possible while making room for motor and tranny.

Axle shopping had me by a Losi Mini RC. The mini RC axles fit perfect to the body for what I am doing.

I need new shocks, the shocks that come on the Mini RC won't hold the weight of a steel Tonka Body, son looking at some new shocks that will fit the Mini Loci Carriers but offer the ability to support the weight.

I really need pics so I can show how this thing is going to work out but I am excitied about it. Since the Jeepster litteraly set on a frame Im using that frame as a frame with some mods. while cutting out section that can interfere. I was going to use leaf sprigs to be true to form with my Jeepster, and maybe down the road I will look into if but right now I have good plans to work with the exhisting body and shocks.

With luck I will have som emore work done by this weekend and I can get some pics up.

I need to double check on 1.55 tire size, is the hex fit on 1.55 the same as 1.9 like the mini losi? 1.9 are large but the fit say if I was running 38"s or so.

Dave

[scorpian owner]

Nice mine is going to be lifted with Dana 60's and at least 40's with minimal lift. You have very clean Jeepster