67 GTO build for my girlfriend

[Hwheeler73]

I'm starting this build thread because there wasn't a lot of info on the net, at least that I could find, about custom scale car builds. My girlfriends dream car is a '67 Pontiac GTO set up for the drag strip. I make decent money, but not enough to buy or build the real thing. Now keep in mind as well that's she's a Tomboy! So after seeing the work I've done on a couple of other custom RC builds, she's taken a real interest in RC's now. I started out with the HPI 67 GTO body that was made for the T or E-Maxx. I personally think it looks goofy on them, but to each his or her own. The hard part? Finding a chassis that had the right wheel width to fit under the body and could be stretched out to the right wheel base! After a lot of looking, I came across the 1/18th scale Duratrax Vendetta cars. The wheel width is perfect on the SC and Buggy! Even better, the HPI Vintage series wheels and tires work! So I'll start posting up pics and more info soon! I think it's going to come out pretty sweet! And I'm positive that she's going to love it!

[greenjk]

Sounds like a good project, I look forward to seeing some pics.

[Hwheeler73]

So this is what I started with. A Duratrax 1/18th scale buggy. I bought it used and broken, cheap from a member here on RCC. And I bought the HPI, GTO body off of the internet. Sense the weight of the car was going to be heavier than the original, I decided that it was best to hop up anything that could be replaced with aluminum. This was actually the most expensive part of this build! $300 worth of hop up parts! But it's not going to break! Duratrax stopped making these a while back but parts can still be found. I found everything I needed at an online hobby shop called OmniModels. I'm pretty sure that any 1/18th scale buggy or short course truck would work for a project like this. I did the wheel base measurements and headed over to see a friend that does water jetting. We sat down and drew out a plate to use for extending the wheelbase. I used .080 aluminum plate for this. If anyone would like to try a project like this, I had him save the program for it so I could have more made. PM me if your interested.

[Hwheeler73]

I used a hack saw and cut the original chassis in half. I'm not going to keep it as a 4wd, so I also cut the driveshaft off at the rear. I drilled holes through the original chassis and the aluminum plate in multiple places and mounted both halves down with counter sunk 3mm stainless hardware.

[Johnnysplits]

Looking good!!! Glad you're doing an r/c car for her and not the real thing otherwise I'd have to say man, you've lost your mind!! A while ago, I let my girlfriend at the time borrow my '69 camaro that I just owned for a month. Bitch put it around a tree!! I had to walk away before I just choked her to death on the spot. Definitely gonna follow this build...I have a cool body to make a drag truck out of.

[Hwheeler73]

One thing to keep in mind if any of you do something like this, you want to make sure that you keep your front and rear ends in line! This chassis has a channel down the center for extra support. I used a long screw driver insert as a guild, laid in that channel.

So sense this is for my girlfriend, I had this sticker made up to put on the rear window. We have to have some fun, right!?
And then sense it's for her, it has to have a female driver! I made the seats but "hard rocker" make the seat belts for me. I had to break her legs off though because there won't be enough room in the interior. Poor girl! Lol!

Then I started working on the roll cage. I made it out of 3/16 brass tubing. It's easy to bend, light weight and can be soldered instead of braised or welded. I looked up 67 GTO roll cage on the net and modeled it after a bolt in cage that is actually available for the real car.

So that's got things up to date for now. I will be working on a dashboard next along with getting the interior done. The dashboard will be made out of thin brass so it can be soldered to the roll cage for extra support. The floor will be made out of thin aluminum sheet so I can mold it the way I need to.

[Hwheeler73]

I got the body painted today! It came out really nice! Sent from the great unknown.

[4VRYNG]

Are the rear slicks off a Traxxas drag car ?

[Hwheeler73]

Originally Posted by 4VRYNG

Are the rear slicks off a Traxxas drag car ?

No. I got them off of eBay. I don't think they are as big as the Traxxas ones. The guy said they came off of some sort of model. I do know that they are pretty thick and fairly heavy compared to normal RC tires and they fit on 1.9 rims very well. Of course I had to glue them because the car would just spin the tires off of the rims!

[Hwheeler73]

I got busy on the dashboard today! Obviously, the first pic is of a real dashboard in a 67 GTO.

[desii3d]

That looks cool as hell. Your girlfriend reminds me of my wife: when we met I was driving a honda Element, her- a Mustang GT with frame on the license plate that said "I'd rather be drag racing". lol. now I'm in a 99 Yukon Denali and she's in a 2012 Camaro SS

[Bulldog]

Staying busy...That's a good thing! I like it, it looks tuff just standing still.

[Hwheeler73]

I'm done with the interior! Actually, I'm pretty much done with this build. I just have to tie up a few very small details and it's all hers! I'm happy with the way it came out. The dash was one of the hardest parts. I haven't messed with styrene all that much but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I guess the sky's the limit?! If you can dream it, you can build it!

I found out that HPI makes slicks that fit these wheels so I ordered a set along with a new set of wheels. I'm just not feeling it with that other set. They are just too big. If anyone is interest in them, send me a PM.

[gcm2006]

Just a suggestion but since you are trying to go with the drag car look you should see if you can find a narrower front rim and do a cut n shut on the front tires.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hwheeler73]

Originally Posted by gcm2006

Just a suggestion but since you are trying to go with the drag car look you should see if you can find a narrower front rim and do a cut n shut on the front tires. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I might look into doing something along thous lines. I do worry about how it will handle if I do that though.

[Hwheeler73]

Some good pics.

[Hwheeler73]

I was playing around a little bit with making a portable scale garage and snapped a few pics.


Sent from the great unknown.

[Hwheeler73]

And it's pretty much wrapped up. She loves it!

Sent from the great unknown!

[Johnnysplits]

Who painted the body for you? Awesome work!!

[Hwheeler73]

I painted it. :-)