Leo's Willy!

[Metal Masher]

Very interesting, looks great so far!

I have about 13 Wild Willy MK1 from Tamiya, and have been playing with the idea of making one with a scale chassis. Your project is a whole different ball park, and league!

Have you seen the 2.2 Willy that Crawlcanada.com member Zukamini did for a scale comp recently? Not a metal body, but still might be interesting. Link.

Can't wait to see how this full metal willy evolves.

No I haven't seen that. That is an amazing build! Thanks for sharing.

Yeah well in the begining of the post it looks like the side panels were brazed and I missed were it said glue, to busy starring at all the pretty pictures

Um yah, that and you can't braze with a TIG!

More progress

I put the side panels on finally

Then on went the rear panel

Yep this ones got the logo as well

then I mocked up the cowl and firewall. I'll need to cut to make room for the tranny tunnel later, so they'll stay loose for now.

Then I moved back to the chassis.

I cut a cross member for above the rear axle

I was careful to make the fit as tight as possible since I'm trying my hand at brazing for this frame

Here it is all brazed up

and mocked into position on the cab

And here is a side view

It's finally starting to look like something!

I should have more tomorrow.

 

[DORK VADER]

Ok wrong term, but you can join very thin metal with a TIG with out using fill rod, right?? can't remember the exact term..

Anyways, this is a cool build..

 

[madhatter]

Ok wrong term, but you can join very thin metal with a TIG with out using fill rod, right?? can't remember the exact term..

Anyways, this is a cool build..

You can fuse metal together with a tig , but aluminum....and that thin....That I'm not sure.

And as well Cool build. "thumbsup"

 

[simensays]

I use alutite for my alu welds, but this build may be to delicate and complicated for that?

 

[leroy94]

what kind of clue

 

[joe16]

"thumbsup"Oh! My god.

 

[O.C.D.]

I must have missed the first one? That is some incredible work you have done there. SI that aluminum going to be strong enough though? Seems really thin but I don't know.

 

[Metal Masher]

Ok wrong term, but you can join very thin metal with a TIG with out using fill rod, right?? can't remember the exact term..

Anyways, this is a cool build..

I know. I was just bustin on ya

Yes aluminum can be TIG'd but to do something this thin would take a very specialized machine and someone with years of experience to pull it off. the temp range at which aluminum gets pliableand melts is very narrow and it doesn't take much for it to get too hot and just fall apart.

I use alutite for my alu welds, but this build may be to delicate and complicated for that?

Where can I get that stuff? I looked all over the websight and couldn't find a place to order it. I've been looking for something like that. I want to do an aluminum tube chassis to replace the one in my comp truck.

I must have missed the first one? That is some incredible work you have done there. SI that aluminum going to be strong enough though? Seems really thin but I don't know.

Here is the first one i did:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82901

It's on it's second body already but i'm pretty relentless with it and beat it hard!

As far as durability, I'm looking for realism. think about it, take you're real truck and roll it off a rock 4 times it's size whats going to happen? So far, to me, this metal provides the most realistic damage. I don't want to roll down a 4 foot rock face and come out unscathed, I want damage!

and finally,

what kind of clue

Just for you"thumbsup"

 

[Metal Masher]

More progress

I started on the front cross member to support the radiator.

I started with some square tube and cut slots in the ends to fit the frame rails,

I didn't like how the ends stuck out past the top of the frame, so I cut a wedge in the slot

then hammered it down

now the ends have a nice clean look

I'll attach it later once I get the final position of the grill

Next I moved onto the front fenders. Leo wanted tube fenders to reduce damage so I set out to replicate the originals

I started by bending some tube to the shape I wanted and cut some sheet metal for the top

then off to the brake to bend it up

then I TIG'd it up

and ground it smooth

Then I welded on the bottom tube and smoothed it all out

that's it for now.

 

[jpcrawler87]

updates?

 

[r32drifter]

crazy nice welding job, rather hard getting things that small that well.

 

[Metal Masher]

crazy nice welding job, rather hard getting things that small that well.

Thanks. I don't think I'm that good yet but I'm practicing.

More progress

I started working on the sliders. I wanted square ones so I got a piece of 1/4 x 1/4 bar stock. I wasn't really happy with how it looked with the edges being so sharp so I ground them down to give it a more realistic look

Then I cut and bent some pieces for the sliders

This is how they will fit

I am not having much luck brazing and it's taking to long to play with so I went back to my TIG and welded some support bars on

then I tacked them onto the frame

and test fit the body

Then I made more supports for the front and welded it all up

My welds are getting better and it's much more fun8)

Next I moved onto the front fenders

I positioned them and tacked them into place

then I made the grill hoop and welded it to the fenders and brazed the bottom to the frame

I defiantly do NOT got the hang of brazing yet:roll:

well here it is all test fitted

Finally I started working on the rest of the exo. I started with 3/16" tube and bent the opening for the wheel well.

Then I realized I was planning on using 1/4" for the rest of the cage since it is more correct for the scale of the truck so I made another one using 1/4"

Now I'm unsure which I like. The 1/4" seems big but if I use 3/16" on the rest of the cage it'll look dinky.

I'm too tired to think about it now. I'll mull it over tomorrow.

Night!

 

[DORK VADER]

Skillz, skillz, and more skillz :shock::shock::shock:.

 

[51WillysJeep]

Man- This thing is turning out SICK..!!! :shock::shock: I WANT ONE..!!! ( NO really- I DO..) I've always admired your work, but you seem to top each last build with the next one you create..! 100% incredible job man..- My hats off to you..!!!! "thumbsup""thumbsup" ( SO...when are you starting on MINE... :mrgreen

 

[ljk]

man it is looking totally killer looking i am dieing to have it done lol 8)8)"thumbsup""thumbsup"

 

[Mad Scientist]

Too cool, man! Very nice work "thumbsup"

 

[DeaDShorT]

Scale artwork right there.....8) Not much else to say but WOW"thumbsup"

 

[AlmstEvil665]

Blake,
I hope you leave time to build something amazing for Motorama... ;-)[

This is amazing simply amazing. Are you going to have a booth at Motorama if so I would love to meet you and see some of your work. I would seriously love to have you build me one of these a 2A just cuz I like the split window better than the solid window. I started making a 1/4 scale model of my 81 Scrambled my sienor year of high school out of cardboard for art class. I never completed it though but I went about it the same way your doing this model from the frame rails up. I'm thinking about doing a project like this one day so hopefully I get to meet you at Motorama. Anyway keep up the good work and let me know where you'll be located if you do have a booth at Motorama.

 

[Rckcrwlr]

Blake,
I hope you leave time to build something amazing for Motorama... ;-)[

Are you going to have a booth at Motorama if so I would love to meet you and see some of your work. Anyway keep up the good work and let me know where you'll be located if you do have a booth at Motorama.

MM will be there. His stuff will be at the Rockcrawling Area...He may be putting on a little show ;-), if I can get it approved...

 

[Metal Masher]

I won't have a booth or anything. I'll be competing in the 2.2 class and I will have my scale trucks there though so you will be able to see my other creations. and like Rckcrwlr said i may have some real fun stuff to show!;-)8)