#11 Slash VXL 2WD HKS Toyota 4Runner build!

[Goro Majima]

First off, I'm gonna try and keep the posts tidy so I'll be posting a few more after this.

So I told myself I wouldn't buy the straight axle Vanquish Phoenix until I finish my other builds, and this is one of em. This needs a lot of time for me to modify and complete still but you read the title correctly. Just figured I'd post this now so I can actually post real updates.

For those less wary, this is a Traxxas Slash VXL 2WD with an Element Trailrunner body with extensive cutting to accept Proline Ford Ranger prerunner flares. This will be painted black (maybe add pearl), and the HKS livery will be added along with a ton of clear in attempts to protect the decals. Since the body has gotten a lot of rigidity taken away from it, I will also do the E6000/drywall tape reinforcement trick to prevent tears. In the end, this will also receive a POV setup as I'll have a monitor for the transmitter.

Extras that have been done (I'll list mods needing done later):
- Front windshield/front door windows/rear windshield have been cut out (window nets will be added on sides & rear)
- Element Gatekeeper caged interior
- Xtreme Racing F/R CF suspension towers
- ST Racing Concepts aluminum F/R control arms
- Proline extended body posts
- Removed rear Slash bumper
- China gold big bore shocks (gold shock body + white Traxxas springs = HKS style coilovers lol)
- Team Associated Fifteen52 Turbomac wheels (probably paint white)

So since this was a RTR Slash, of course I had to drive it and have fun with it a bit. Did the LCG conversion and also wanted to see how it'd look with the stock body and the different wheels. Looks pretty good.

[durok]

(Rubbing hands together in anticipation)

This is gonna be COOL!

[Goro Majima]

Here's the cut and flare progress. Front:







Rear:





Body sits wayyy to high from the LCG chassis, so currently it's on the stock chassis. But since taking this back off the shelf, I think I'm going to cut the wheel arches up higher and drop the body down more, also aligning the front Slash bumper with the headlights more. More on that later.




Windows cut out and Gatekeeper cage interior fitted and installed.




Before I even owned the Slash, I had bought Integy extended arms. They aren't going on due to the poor fitment of the wheels and flares, but I put one on for fun.



Next post will be where I'm at currently.

[Goro Majima]

And here's current progress (which is only swapping of the shocks lol). The 4runner Knight Customs half front end will be swapped on as soon as I get the body lowered more (Will talk about it in next post).





Showing the fitment of the wheel to flare flushness.



And extra pictures:

[Goro Majima]

So since I'm going to lower the body and cut the wheel arches up higher for clearance, that will allow the front Slash bumper to be more inline with the headlights. The wheel arches will be 1/2" higher, which the front flares have just enough room. As for the side below the doors, they will be left untouched.

Now since the body is going to be dropped, if my head is on correctly, that will allow me to run the LCG chassis and it wouldn't be exposed (or at least not as much). With that said, I am contemplating on running a completely different chassis. A Chuckworks Slice A8, which is a mid mounted motor setup. This would make this rig look 100x better without the motor sticking out the back! And of course change the handling characteristics. Link here:

http://www.chuckworksrc.com/shop-1/slice-a8



I've contacted them and they're currently getting material stocked so it'll be a few weeks til they do another run. In the meantime, I will still make the LCG chassis work and also begin paint and such. Here are the other parts to put on. I don't have a picture of the FPV setup I gathered together but it's only a budget setup.

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Dude, this is going to be badass. I love the look of tundras/Tacomas with prerunner fenders(there’s actually a tundra with flares by one of our customers house and it’s awesome) so I can only imagine what this’ll look like!

Definitely following this one

[high plains drifter]

Yep, count me in. This is awesome. Look fwd to watching this come together.

[durok]

It's coming together even better than I thought it would!

Hot DAMN...

[twade984]

Very cool man!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[B-MOW71]

Wow! Cool idea and great start on the build! Following along to see how it all comes together!

I just bought the Pro-Line Toyota Tundra body for my Slash Ultimate, but looks like I should have gone with a crawler body instead!

[701 Technique]

Definitely one of the most imaginative slash builds I have ever seen!

By chance are you looking to sell the traxxas LCG chassis?

[DirtMerchant]

I wondered at first how this was going to work; I love this idea. The body alone is looking incredible.

[Goro Majima]

I appreciate it y'all!

Originally Posted by 701 Technique

Definitely one of the most imaginative slash builds I have ever seen!



By chance are you looking to sell the traxxas LCG chassis?

I was but I don't believe I am now. I've started the process of the transfer of the parts and I've come to realize that I can build a 2nd Slash.

Here's a pic just to update with something lol.

[OSRC]

Very nice.... Love chuckworks stuff. It's heavy, but well designed and functional.

[Goro Majima]

Couldn't wait til I had more progress to share this picture. But once I rework the cage and get it installed, I'll give a real update.

[B-MOW71]

That stance looks mean! Can't wait to see more!

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Can already tell it’s gonna be awesome! The KC front clip really sets it off too.

[Goro Majima]

Been putting in an hour here and there on this thing. This might be kind of a long post? 2 part update lol.

First off, here's the new chassis setup with parts transferred over but other parts still to swap on and other electronics placement.




The cage that I trimmed to fit the stock chassis wasn't a satisfactory fit for the Chuckworks chassis. I want the cage to have actual structural integrity, but also didn't want to drill new holes into the Slice A8. So I started over with another cage and went from there.

Original cage fitment (and before raised flare arches):




If you look at the cage placement, it's lined up but it just sits too low. I used some nylon spacers to push the cage forward from it's rear mounting position (on the CF rear shock towers). So with it mounted, I got the measurement and made the cuts on the rear of the new cage.



Mounted to the outermost upper holes of the rear shock towers.



Here's the rest of the mounting spots.





With these 8 spots (2 front tower, 4 down on the floor, 2 rear tower), it's pretty solid but I filled the rear area over the motor with 2 more bars from the GK kit.






The bar behind the driver to the rear upper Proline body mount holes lined up pretty well and level (just needed shortening).



It'd be cool to mount the triangulated area to the chassis portion that curves over the motor, but that part is so thin I don't want to compromise it so they'll just remain as is. Still a nice addition I think.

[Goro Majima]

Continued from previous post. Here are pictures of the further modified flares and rear arches pushed rearward about 1/4 inch. My initial measurements and cuts on lining up the rear wheels to the center of the stock arches wasn't the best apparently and that's why the stock line shown is slightly off.



The front end also got chopped for the Knight Customs 4Runner piece.






The green line area I may trim that part off (since that area is now thinner), we'll see as I progress.



As for mounting the KC front, I'm thinking I'll put 2 mounting screws here on the hood and back it underneath with a piece of plastic and nylocks. I feel like E6000 won't be enough. Also once I've paint done, I may add some strips of lexan underneath the hood to give it some rigidity it lost from cutting the flares more.

[Goro Majima]

Ok triple post update. Turns out this thing looks pretty cool without the body (too). I'll paint the hardware I used to mount the cage black by the way. And the cage needs some more necessary trims and cleaning up as there are unused bars that are irrelevant.