My collection so far...

[percymon]

In a departure from the Hilux rejuvenation, I found an hour (remember the chassis was built up by September 2014 !) and finally sorted out the body post position, and the magnetic holders, on the Unimog parts build. Nineteen months to cut, paint, decal and mount a lexan body





will try to get some photos of this and the FJ40 together over the next few days

[percymon]

little Hilux update..



Almost ready for the final grey primer, top coat and lacquer now.

Whilst its not 100% perfect I'd say about 80% of the issues have been resolved, there's not much you can do about certain areas on a 30 year old body. I'll be glad to see some colour on this, its been through three sessions of filler application, filler primer, grey primer, top coat and then more wet sanding to get is somewhere near.

It didn't look too bad in its original black paint, but it was so thick it hid most of the issues beneath - sometimes its easier to just sand lightly and overpaint, rather than stripping right back


Gearbox has been stripped, some worn bushings replaced, regreased and reassembled with new rubber plugs..





There's some gear wear in there, but nothing you might not expect on a model thats been used. Longer term I will probably have to overhaul / replace some gears but it should be good for 20 or so battery packs as it is.

[percymon]

Top coat and first lot of clear coat on - waiting for it to harden before sanding back for further clearcoats.

Coming together now, test fit of body and mechanism box..

[percymon]

Progressing.. just the finishing details to do now (which always take a disproportionate amount of time for what they are )

[SFC K]

Isn't that the truth! Looking terrific!

[percymon]

Thanks Jeff - yes I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. From a distance its probably doesn't look hugely different to when it arrived, but there was so much wrong with it back then when you started to look at the details (and worse still with the paint stripped off !)

Tried some alternative tires yesterday (RC4WD clones) to see whether 100mm O.D. would fit on full suspension compression (ok at front as not much travel, but would just about rub the fender lip if you could ever get to full compression in a running scenario (highly unlikely). The tires are far too soft for running purposes without a proper beadlock rim, but i wanted to see how they compared being a little bigger. I think they are too big, not helped by the square edge to the outer tread blocks, and I think theyruin the classic look the model should really retain..






Comparison - originals ca 87mm, Tamiya Rock Block (same as Rock Cruiser M/T without the logos) 93mm and the RC4wd clones fitted at 100mm..



Rear end now finished with Toyota plaque, rear light bar - just waiting on a new antenna post and it'll be done



Also bought my first Li-Fe battery pack - solely to keep the voltage down on the vintage transmission (thought 2S lipo was asking for trouble ) - as it'll be used with vintage Acoms TX with no end point adjustments.

[percymon]

and in other news my 959 shell has been cut, prepped and 95% painted over the weekend thanks to some nice warm UK weather. Another project nearing completions

which is good news 'cos I have two basket cases inbound, both of which i think will be parted out .

[SFC K]

I kind of like the look of the clone tires. The truck looks better as the stock tires always seemed to wide for me on this model. Your call though.

I always thought the switch in the back was mounted underneath the body so just the switch portion was sticking out, but then again, I have never had one of these or looked at the manual.


The tail end looks really nice with the added details, but are you going to paint the Toyota letters in?

[percymon]

Thanks Jeff - i'm sort of growing on the bigger tires the more i look at the photos, although it starts to make the model look a bit like every other trailfinder / new Hilux ou there.

The switch is located under the cover, but that section of the cover is a raised block about the rest of the mechansim box - once the battery pack is in place there is no room above it, forcing Tamiya to create the bump to house the switch. With three servos, period RX (brick like!), and the 4xAA battery pack there's not a lot of room - Tamiyas own 4000mAh, 6V battery filled the rest of the space ..






.. the alternative smaller hump pack did leave some space under the switch area though - the screw in the base of the mechanism box is to retain that smaller pack to the right/rear of the box.

Battery technology has come on somewhat since this brick ..



The rear logo options in the manual are black or white lettering - i thought about yellow to match the yellow/orange decal stripes - but for now i'm keeping the body plain and simple; the decals can then be used at a later date / refresh / revised look. Plus my hand eye co-ordination isn't good enough to make a half decent job of the letters

[SFC K]

I see what you mean now. Their is no room at all. Thanks!


As for the lettering, it looks good either way. My eye sight is going too so I can relate.

[percymon]

will try to get some photos of this and the FJ40 together over the next few days

Not exactly an 'action shot' (understatement !) but I snapped this photo to help a forum member out..





In other news, Kumamon Tractor is complete (painted Tamiya PS-22 Racing Green, box-art black is hardly the color of a 1:1 tractor)..



The front wheels are on back to front, but they will be coming off to box it up to go to its new owner anyway. I had intended using a Wild Willy torso figure, or 4x4 driver figure, the silly Kumamon figure just wasn't going to work for me. In the end the whole thing doesn't fit with my collection or running models.


This has been built from my collection of NIP M chassis spares, plus relevant MF-01X chassis sections..



just needs a few details painting in and the cockpit, mirrors and roof lights adding - pretty pleased with this one


And because I don't seem to be able to stop bidding on ePay, I'm now the owner of a cut n shut TL-01 shortened to 210mm wheelbase ..



and will be stripped for the internals to make another MF-01X chassis, this time with a Skoda Fabia WRC shell.


Oh and another dirty dusty Manta Ray chassis has arrived ..



.. my challenge for this on is to rebuild it as a runner for under $30, using parts bin items. I've already had to buy a E parts sprue and tyres so $20 of the budget has gone already !

[percymon]

Not been here for far too long, and not a lot has happened in all honesty - the Manta Ray has been waiting for a shell for (ahem) 6 months - i thought about putting a used top force item on and selling it pre Xmas but i wasn't happy with the mounting of the top force shell (its not long enough to reach the MantaRay body clip post between the front shocks), and would have to rely on velcro/tap to hold the front portion which didn;t seem the way to go. New shell has arrived, waiting on some decals from MCI Racing to finish it off - job for Xmas holidays hopefully.

I've not bought anything, so thats a god send given my previous buying rate, and I've sold a NIB DT-03 Fighter Buggy - my collection is too big, needs slimming down but each model seems to hold a story, or a potential plan, so it's difficult to know what goes and what stays.

I really need to find a few hours a week to get back on the RC job list

[SFC K]

Welcome back bud! I too have to many RCs and it is hard to let any of them go. I have been trying to sell a Kyosho Slingshot for some time now and still no bites. I will end up keeping it. Everything else will stay in my arsenal, like you have some sentimental value me.

Hope to some new projects from you soon!

[percymon]

cheers Jeff

I'm not sure finishing the Manta will get my RC mojo back, but it will get it off the work desk ready for sale and hopefully one less in the collection soon

I've been waiting 7 months for an original Traxxas Bandit rear wing - pretty much given up on that ever being supplied, so need to think of an alternative (silly money for a repro one from Canada with shipping costs). I'll use the Xmas period to put down the new decals on the shell fit the new front tires though.

[percymon]

I see what you mean now. Their is no room at all. Thanks!


As for the lettering, it looks good either way. My eye sight is going too so I can relate.

Having a bit of a sort out currently, came across a box I'd forgotten about (it was stuff the wife cleared out of a set of drawers 6 months ago) - amongst various bits of junk (belonging to son !) I re-dsicovered my battery charger, several lipo's , a Tamiya hump back 7.2V pack and a Tamiya 6V 5cell brick that is the smaller option for the Hilux That really made me think about the last time i charged a battery, never mind actually run a model.

On other news Hilux, I see there are repro (and 95% good repros at that) versions of the Blazing Blazer / Willy 38 tyres and the Hilux tyres - prices not too bad in fairness on eBay.


The small sort out has resulted in..

> selling the brushless Hotshot - pity I never ran it more than the test 50 yards in the 5 years since resurrecting it from the heap of junk i bought off eBay
> selling both my NIB RC10 re-re's (RC10 Classic and Worlds)
> selling off some spare Tamiya CVAs , M chassis wheels, various motors etc

I'll probably sell the SWB Optima Mid and the Kyosho Gallop Mk1 too in the next few months

Plans..

cut, paint and decal a new Manta Ray shell so that rebuilt buggy can be sold
cut, paint and decal a new Vanquish shell so that buggy can be sold too
paint and decal a new shell for the vintage Optima
and have a good few weeks selling off excess parts


Fear not,even after the above, that still leaves over 40 models in my possession. Not sure when i'll find time for those but I'm not dead yet, so there's some hope lol