"a GI's Best Friend"
 

Been trying to get my hands on a prebuilt large scale for some time and someone pointed out that the Wraith I was willing to trade for it had everything I needed but the skills to put it together.

Well I decided to go ahead and give it a go so here's what I have to work with now I just need skills. More than likely this build will be a longy so bear with me on it. My first order of business is to figure how to take indoor photos better.

Tomorrow hopefully I will have a unboxing video of the base for this build if I can figure out how to do videos in a timely fashion"thumbsup"

Here's what I have so far:

Some Wraith kit axles, a .75:1 RC4WD Disruptor, a Supershafty, and some MIPs:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps51b94d8f.jpg

A Tekin 17.5, a MMPro, 7955TG, Spektrum 3C, and a modified CC Bec to isolate the servo power:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc44d4096.jpg


Also have a set of Gearhead 2.2s that will need to be painted (possibly) and RC4WDs Swampers along with a set of Gmade shocks:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psa508c093.jpg

I have plenty of scotch tape and nails so this should go together easily.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Cool, maybe we can wheel together when your finished!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Sounds good to me"thumbsup"

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

What is River City Crawlers?

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

An old club I was with now defunct :(

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Short unboxing video I kinda promised

Hasbro Willys unboxing - YouTube

I don't know how or if I can embed video in the post so theres a link to my youtube.

Here's a pic after unboxing, can't wait to get started "thumbsup"

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps24ecc351.jpg

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

That box kicked your ass. :ror:

Done yet? :mrgreen:

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Getting there...this frame seems kinda flimsy I may have to rethink this whole thing and get serious with it, haven't decided yet. May have to go to a custom frame..anyway I did get the hood cut off now it's time for some Pizza Hut:mrgreen:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psba72ce0d.jpg

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Some people fill the inside of the plastic chassis with metal to stiffen things up.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

DUUUUDE ! Don't paint those 2.2 Gearheads!!! They are beautiful wheels ! Hell, I'm looking for a set of those for a SB build that's up next... I'll trade you something for them instead of seeing you paint those beauts !!!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

I was actually just checking the width of the Wraith axles and thought hm these wheels don't look too bad so I guess I'll leave em be:oops:

The width turned out acceptable but the ride height will be a bit lower than the normal 'canned corn' standard.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps2f802d83.jpg


Is SB Short Bus? That would be cool.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

nice man. another one!

move that front axle out. at least to the end of the grill. then you will have a longer wheel base and it doesnt look bad. i did that on mine. if you keep the stock wheel base it will like to get tippy on uphills.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Right on. I was seeing what it would look like with a scaled down 80" wb but like you said it probably won't perform well, thanks!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

I decided to try out the stock frame before ditching it without even giving it a go so I started with tackling the transfer case. The plastic is pretty stout and gave my dremel a workout plus once bolted to the body is not as flimsy as by itself, the sum of all parts rule applys to this frame. I will however have to do something creative to the front rails they will not work as is and will also need to raise or make a new front bumper.

On to the pics:

Started by removing all the stock 'axle parts'

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...pscf785d08.jpg

Then dremeled the areas smooth:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc396db21.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps6982bc8a.jpg

What was left after shaving all the junk off:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...pscbf926c1.jpg

Shaved to accept the Disruptor:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps814596b9.jpg

Used some spacers and bolts (don't forget the thread lock):

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...pse85d59c1.jpg

Installed in place:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps3eea12cb.jpg

Frame mocked back into the body, perfect fit"thumbsup"

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps79b3096a.jpg

Next I'll try to get the transmission in place, thanks for watching.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Man - that looks badass with that wheel/tire combo !!!

SB = Southern Buggy

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

I like it too, thanks!

I started on the hood mod and it took some figuring but after reading around it's already been covered so I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Dremeled out some hinge reliefs:


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps55c13d50.jpg

Decided to go with an A-B Epoxy rather than drilling holes in the hood, I tested some of this stuff and it bonds like mad I don't know about long term but we will see:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps2a5dcefa.jpg

Taped it in position best I could before removing:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps7d33d1b7.jpg

Sanded the area down and glued em in place, you get about 5 minutes to work with this stuff. I actually dropped the whole deal on the floor with my fumblefingers and it held together right after what I thought would still be "wet time". It didn't budge:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps52d9ff2e.jpg


I will sand this down after the recommended 24 hour cure time but for now me likey:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps5809111e.jpg

Open:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps4e950fe0.jpg


More soon!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Started some of the fun stuff which ended up being a chore.

The trans has 6mm outputs and an extended one to clear the spur gear which I had two choices, cut off the output or clearance the grill...I opted to clearance the grill because I had to anyway for the spur gear slipper adjuster. Oh well on the bright side the MIP AX10 length driveshaft was a perfect fit.

Another step complete"thumbsup"

Clearanced grill:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc877651b.jpg

Bolted in with zero tolerance on the MIP:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psec5e0b09.jpg

Motor and transmission shoehorned in:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psf51a3d83.jpg

More to come!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Doing a great job!

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Thanks. Slow I know but it's fun.

Decided to get the front end ready for axle placement so I cut off the frame thingy:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps1964c358.jpg

Smoothed it out:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps70cf76dd.jpg

Added a set screw to the radiator to keep it in place (it just sits there in a pocket) and elongated the slots the bumper slides into to raise it about a quarter inch:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps87fbe374.jpg

Screwd it together with the leftover hinges from the pack for the hood, hey they were leftover! Anyway a little touchup paint and they will look fine plus its solid as steel. This whole mod leaves lots of room for the front axle:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps4e6bb969.jpg

More soon.

Re: "a GI's Best Friend"
 

Be carefull if the front bumper sticks out too far past the front tires it will kill your approach angle.