Finally got a clod! Need ideas for project.

[Crashmaxx]

Hello,
New to this forum, but not to RC, more like local expert. Anyway, I have wanted a clod for about 5 years now, and I got one just recently. I never got one because I never had anywhere to run it, and with a limited budget. It was not reasonable to have a crawler or even race clod, considering the cost, and that cheaper trucks were much better for bashing and racing.

Well, a little while ago my acquaintance told me he had a clod for sale, when I asked how much and he said $20! Guess he doesn't know the market. Anyway, I though it would be a POS, but it is like a barely worn complete, stock clod with a radio and everything! Even some spare parts. Not modified at all, but there is some wear (mostly the body). The radio was a busted attack, which I can throw in my sailboat.

So now I need to decide what chassis to use. I would like to make a custom setup, but I am not sure how if I do. I could use aluminum side plates but I am not sure how nice that would look and it seems too easy and likely I would rush and make it poorly. Lexan might look cool, especially with some paint and lights. Carbon fiber would be sweet, but it is pricey and hard to work with. And the best would be a tube frame, but that is a lot of room for error and just a lot of work. It sounds awsome really, but I don't want a lopsided truck. And then there is a scale frame, but I can't weld and I think the crawling abilities would be limited.

There is also chassis I can buy, but they are a lot of money, even though money isn't really an issue. I don't know if it would be much of a project. I really like the gecko 2 chassis and some others. It would make a nice show piece.

The stock body is in ok condition so I may restore it for a show body. It has headlights already, but I would throw on a lot more lights. I will use a lexan shell for bashing and crawling.

What do you all think? I would like something that could climb really well. If it could climb stairs then that would be sweet since I have little else to climb. Jumping would be cool, but not critical, 1/8 scale buggy is great with that. Other bashing would be cool too. The climbing is most important, since I want it to take anything I can find. The top priority though, is to look nice on a shelf. :P Scale appearance is another direction I could go, but I don't want to kill performance.

Just wanted to introduce myself and start brainstorming. Won't get to this stuff for a while. School work and work at the hobby shop eat up most of my time. And I have about 10 more important projects first. But eventually I will have a sweet clod. With the obstacle of spending $100-$200 for axels gone, I am a lot closer then I have ever been.

And if you actually took the time to read all that, thanks.

[RandyatBBY]

I think You should think about it for a while. Figure out your objectives, abilitys and realy what you want to do. Look at all the projects going on on this board and pick what will challange and inspire you.
I bought a set of clod axels and had some one that new how to rebuild them do that part. I like to work with metal, paint and design. I first built a Monster e/t maxx to get my feet weet. Then did a sweet simi scale (my avatar) clod truck. Have fun
Randy
BBY