Well thank you and everything looks great imo. I'd guess that those first trail-pinstripes ( aka scratches) are going to sting a bit lol. Always has been that way for me whether full size or scale. But breaking in a new vehicle with some dings and dirt is what having a capable trail-rig or crawler is all about anyway.
I like the tire-carrier too... looks legit and as long as it doesn't create too much off-balance weight, I'd run it... especially on an expedition themed rig. Nice work on everything.
I agree, and glad to know you like it. I dropped a tire in there as a test and instead of looking 'goofier', it fits the theme perfectly. You can still peek inside (there are two lights in the bed that I put, so it's illuminated inside) and see the various accessories etc., this will be cool and it's very easy to remove, need be, and sits high enough to not be a pain for departure angles (and then, who cares, it's how it should be
).
Well said on the 'trail stripes', growing older some of my OCD traits got worse (I am still very functional, but those are OCD traits for sure
) and I tend to over-focus on details, as I would probably on the 'no longer mint' factor, when hitting the trails. But there's a difference... for example: if I have to drill two holes at the sides of the front bumper and I see them slightly asymmetrical, I cringe
even if I know that they'll be impossible to spot, knowing they're off feels horrible
but if I get a new body through its signs of life and wear, it's kinda OK, because it's actually improving its looks. I hate shiny high-saturation-glossy-mint shelf-focused scale items, for example. They need to be worn in. Same for tires.
But if I make a stupid mistake and - say - break an LED strip I made because of a rollover, well, in that case I MIGHT have saved it, so it's about: was I a complete dumba**? If yes, I get some OCD damage
otherwise I am like: meh, it was fun. I remind myself it's about the fun and living the moment.
This is one of the many reasons I love buying used RC rigs: first, I help someone who needs the money for something else, second, it's worn in already, so a scratch more or less won't make any difference. It helps me break free from my overthinking.
This Gladiator is definitely the rig I have done the most custom work on and the most 'scale-detailed' thing, as it's also the first and only rig I have that is closest to its 1:1, the others are 'inspired' but are not licensed etc. - I guess this 1:1 resemblance is also forcing my eye to "it has to be like THAT" in my head...
