Mad Gear Cliff/Jeep body hybrid crawler
October 2012: I know it's not a Tamiya, but I thought you might be interested in this little customisation project...
I built (well, helped build) this crawler Jeep while visiting my friend Lisa in the USA... As this was her first RC model, rather than throw a load of money at a fancy Axial Wraith or something, we decided to start out with a cheap and cheerful RTR MadGear-RC Cliff crawler - that as it turned out has some particularly impressive articulation and underpinnings, despite being fitted with a rather sad looking and ill-proportioned (for the chassis) Beetle shell...
$100 later and a few hours sanding and painting (and repositioning electronics and drilling wheels to improve the tire grip), and the result is a very capable crawler chassis, topped off with this fantastically detailed [for a lexan shell] Proline Jeep Rubicon body...
There is more detailed build info on the TC forum: 'Messin' in the USA' (in the General Discussions section).
I hope you like it - I certainly do! In fact I can see another one of these chassis finding their way back to the UK for my own crawler project shortly!
Update Feb 2013: I did bring one of these chassis home, and have finally built my own crawler - see the link to 'Willy's Rocker' at the bottom of this page! Jx
Excellent RTR chassis and new Proline body
Out of the box...
Transformed!
Stock chassis (with a few simple mods)...
Impressive bare-chassis articulation...
...only slightly restricted by body shell.
Wish it came like this out of the box!
Alternative 'crawler' body
on the steps
twistin'
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
Uncle Willy^s Cage Crawler
Comments
Toykid
Great looking first time crawler. A much better improvement on the original body set.
Percymon
Nice crawler kit - In actually quite like the stock body , which with your few simple mods makes a great first time crawler, with plenty of scope for various bodies and the option of 4WS.
Percymon
There's also quite a good running review at URC.. [Click here]
BeetleOne
Very nice job, looks great with the Jeep Rubicon body !!
JennyMo
Hi Percymon - yes! thanks for posting the link - that is the review/thread I've been looking at, lots of good info and tips there! I agree with a bit of messing around, the stock body could work well - I've seen one with the fender flares cut-off, and I reckon lower it a bit on the chassis and it would transform the looks?
Crash Cramer
I think you have certainly improved the looks of this machine 100% with that Jeep body, no offense to beetles, but when is the last time we saw one of them climbing rocks???
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