Willy's Rocker (Mad Gear Cliff/Pumpkin hybrid crawler)
Feb 2013: So this is the little project I've been working on recently... For a while now I've wanted to get a proper rock-crawler, as I just love the engineering that goes into the multi-link suspension systems, and the fun you can have driving a fully-locked transmission over extreme terrain!
A bit of research showed you can easily spend hundreds if not thousands building a pukka competition crawler, and that I'd really need to look outside the Tamiya catalogue if I was going to have something that really performed - although I do have a soft spot for the CR-01 chassis vehicles, even if they are pretty expensive...
Anyway, by chance I found a budget RTR crawler [a Mad-Gear RC Cliff] while on holiday in the USA last year, and impressed by the axle articulation it offered, together with the quality metal components, I bought myself one to bring home, and start modifying... Having a spare Wild Willy 2 bodyshell (as I'd used the chassis and driver for my STUMPkin project), I thought I'd try and mount the Jeep body onto the crawler chassis... Unfortunately, no matter what I tried (and how much I cut away), if I wanted to retain maximum articulation, the shell just wouldn't sit right on the boxy aluminium chassis - particularly not with the battery holder in the horizontal forward position which I thought was neat, so wanted to retain...
Having essentially chopped the shell into pieces, I rummaged through the spares box, and found the remains of my second Midnight Pumpkin shell that I'd bought to replace the original (See STUMPkin part 3), and a short session with the Dremel later, found the cab and hood fitted around the battery holder on the crawler chassis perfectly! Even more fortunately, while looking for a way to mount the shell, I inverted the original Midnight Pumpkin roll bar and loosened the rear stays so they lined up perfectly with the mounting holes inside the roof of the cab! (see photos), and I fabbed up a couple of mounting posts using the defunct rear diff guard from the crawler, to secure the cage to the the rear shock mounts... The final piece of the puzzle was to use a [shortened] front mounting post from the Brat/Frog chassis, while the half driver from the Wild Willy VW camper-van lined up perfectly with the existing holes on the chassis plate...
I've also added further details with a NOS bottle (painted in chrome spray) and a fire extinguisher from another back-burner project.... The eagle-eyed among you will notice that I've actually shortened the doors on the Pumpkin shell (covered with aluminium foil for an authentic metal look), and cut away the original window frames as that is more in keeping with the extreme rock-crawler style...
For now I consider it finished - certainly enough to start enjoying driving it - but future plans include incorporating four-wheel steering, perhaps a few more scale accessories, and some front and rear lights - probably from an Axial Wraith kit... it never ends! Jx
Impressive articulation from the Mad-Gear chassis Huge 5 inch wheels and masses of ground clearance Yes, that really is/was a Midnight Pumpkin shell! custom metal bead-locks replace original plastic Body had to be short so wheels wouldn't foul Interior details - love that chrome paint! Willy driver from VW camper Body hinges for access, front post from Brat kit Roll-bar is the original Pumpkin part, modified... Minimalist shell perfect for crawling!
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
Desmond [the 2.2] - Part 1
Comments
Grastens
Amazing attention to detail on such an absurdly-awesome chassis! I would have never guessed the shell's origins...
RallyeBaz
That looks awesome. Looking forward to seeing some outdoor crawling pics.
CASE1
what a fantastic custom build! Best looking crawler I've seen
SteveAdair
Great Job. You show amazing modelling skills on the 3 models you have just posted. Thanks for sharing.
JennyMo
Thanks guys - so glad you like it! There are a few more photos of the Mad-Gear chassis and articulation in the Runners section of my showroom - Messin' in the USA...
JennyMo
I'm planning on fitting rear lights in the spaces on the rear roll cage - not sure what to do with the front lights yet (the Axial kit comes with six lamps - 2 red rear, 4 white front - that plug directly into the spare 3rd channel on the receiver)... it would look cool to have the lamps on the front of the roof or a roofrack, but they would typically end up getting damaged in a roll over of course...
KEV THE REV
Excellent all round , fantastic work with the body / roll cage / interior set-up - love it !!
skywhelp
Well done on getting it all looking so good. the body really suits Willy, looks perfect.
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