NickDanger's '86 Yellow Blazer build

[NickDanger]

I'm not great at taking pictures throughout the build, but here is the final product more or less. Grille still isn't on and the passenger side doesn't have all the decals yet, but it looks good from the drivers side!

Going to be running it as a C1 comp rig. Only thing I haven't really addressed yet is the winch set up but the funds are kind of tapped for the moment.

Stats:

1.55 Pitbull Growlers
1.7 RC4WD Mickey Thompson Beadlocks
JCAD Battery Tray
JCAD RULRs
SSD Sliders
Holmes 35T
Sidewinder SV3 ESC
Spektrum 6230 Servo
Castle BEC @ 6.0v
Flysky RX/TX
Team KNK stainless hardware for entire build

[Itali83]

Always like seeing new ascenders being built. Looks like you could drop the body another hole or two with the 1.55 tires. Get the cog down just a bit more to help out at the comps. Let us know how it does too!
Ben

[NickDanger]

I thought about that, mostly a looks vs. performance thing for me. I like the lifted look it has right now and being able to see the sliders. If it proves too top heavy at this spot though I definitely have room to bring it down a bit.

[svt923]

Have you thought about putting some limiters in the shocks to lower ride height? Lowering these trucks doesn't harm performance at all (in fact the increased stability makes them perform better) and would tuck the tires into the wheel well for a more scale look.

[NickDanger]

Not really, I'm going to see how it performs where it's at now just because I like the way it looks mostly. Like I said, if its cog is way too high or something I'll try and bring it down a bit.

[Natedog]

Looks great, love the C1 setup. Try it how you have it, but lowering it a bit as suggested really helps and the tires will tuck nicely.

[NickDanger]

Yeah, after initial testing yesterday I think I will definitely lower it down a bit. Not super impressed with the shocks either... might try to fine tune those with some lighter oil and drilling.

Also, I had trimmed the stock Pitbull Komp foams in my front tires a bit to make them softer then the rears. I clearly trimmed too much, tire foldage galore on the front. Gonna order up some 1.55 CI dual stages for it...... just not looking forward to taking these wheels apart again, was a pain in the ass to get them together haha.

[NickDanger]

Dropped it down two notches in the front and one in the rear. Grille on, everything complete on the outside for the time being. Paint is a little thinner then I wanted but I'm going to back it up from the inside at some point so when it gets scratched it's not just clear through.



Electronics look clean, JCAD tray really sets it off.

Complete for now. Going to add some paint details and such as time goes on, and the DinkyRC interior. But, it's driveable! Definitely going to remove the decals and brush paint the silver details when I get bored but it looks good.

[NickDanger]

Picked up a HeyOK servo winch last night at my local shop KTM HOBBY (shameless plug, but the guy is awesome, deals only in Crawler stuff and really takes care of his customers.)

Gonna get that wired up today hopefully and run it through a dummy RC4WD winch that I'll mount on the stock bumper for now. Between that and the CI foams that should be here tomorrow this thing should be pretty comp ready.

[NickDanger]

Pics of the winch set up.

Took it out for a test run yesterday too at The Skook in Tenino, WA. Unfortunately, left my phone in the car though so no pics. This thing performs killer though even with the crap foams. Ran a few C3 lines I really wish I would have got videos of haha.

[Sammy J.]

Thanks for showing your winch installation. Pretty cool how you used that rod end as a winch line guide.

I need to install a winch before I compete with my Ascender.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[NickDanger]

Thanks Sammy! I can't take all the credit for that though. Got the idea from my LHS owner Pat Kinney at KTM Hobbys.

But yeah, it worked out really well and looks nice and clean.

[NickDanger]

Got my 1.55 Lil' Nova CI Foams in yesterday. Went with medium outer on the fronts and firm on the rears. Got both my front tires done last night. Probably gonna run it later after work as long as the weather somewhat holds up today. Calling for rain here so we'll see. Should have no problems getting my rears done before this beasts first comp outting come Sunday.

Amazing how much difference foams can make though, I'm excited.

Outside of getting that DinkyRC interior done sometime in the near future and some more paint details though, this truck is pretty much done.... almost $900 total value invest, yeesh adds up quick (luckily not all money spent by me, a lot of wheeling and dealing was done in getting this truck together )

[NickDanger]

Got a little trail time in yesterday even though the weather sucked. We explored a new trail we'd never been too. It's a huge BMX/RC track but really had nothing in the way of crawling outside of a few decent hill climbs.

Oh well, nice to get out at least. Gonna have to bring the short course trucks out or Yeti's next time to make that spot worthwhile.

[Natedog]

How did your new foams do? Always nice to get out in the woods and play with RC, it's great relaxation! When's the Dinky interior start?

[NickDanger]

Was literally ZERO rocks or decent crawl terrain, all just packed dirt track type stuff and a few slick tree roots. They seemed to do well from what little I could tell but the real test will have to wait till Sunday.

Dinky interior might wait for a few, I started the ToyZuki process on my SCX10 today so I can build on that a little now. I'm in the wheeling/dealing stage now to get more RC parts flowing haha. Sold my Tundra hard body with metal sliders/bumpers to a friend to get my ToyZuki money going. Then Dinky interior for this is next on the docket.

[NickDanger]

Stretched the legs out a bit at my buddies indoor crawl spot. Literally has converted his entire living room area over to a crawl course. It's pretty amazing, I'll have to get pictures of the course itself next time I'm there for you guys.




That tire tuck though!

[Sammy J.]

Originally Posted by NickDanger

Stretched the legs out a bit at my buddies indoor crawl spot. Literally has converted his entire living room area over to a crawl course. It's pretty amazing.

I'll have to ask my wife about turning our living room into a crawl spot!

[NickDanger]

Couple of pics from a TTR style comp we had at Owens Beach, Tacoma, WA this weekend. Gorgeous day out for crawling and the Ascender performed nearly flawlessly. Ran some pretty crazy lines with this beast. The C1 makes it quite challenging sometimes with the smaller tires and crazy overhang of the body and bumper. I feel like this rig would be unstoppable as a C2, but where's the fun in that haha.

Our team ended up with a DNF unfortunately as we ended up losing a rig down about a 50 foot hill at gate 47/50 and he had some definite breakage haha

[NickDanger]

Snapped the rear HD driveshaft last night out at a BBQ/Crawl. Right at the pinion. Just going to replace with another stock for now since I have a comp on Saturday and I'm not going to overnight MIPs haha, but those will clearly be a needed upgrade in the future.

To be a fair though, I won't blame it all on the driveline, I was bound up pretty good and trying to romp my way through it.