SCAM SCORCHER I (AFTER / part I)
I GOT THE BAJA BUG!
Baja Bug/Scam Scorcher project completed, and what a fun and challenging project it was. After seeing so many others put SS bodies on different chassis' I wanted to have a go too. Also I had been looking at Baja vehicles and it made me admire Tamiya's SS even more. I thought the best suitable chassis would be the Frog/Brat chassis as its wheel base and track width are just about right. Was going to use a Grasshopper or Hornet chassis but I wanted something that would perform better in terms of handling.
OBJECTIVE:
Finally got all the components together that almost fitted within my objective; no SS components allowed (oops! apart from driver and tires, well there's just no alternative in my eyes). Now to create an SS looking Baja Buggy with a few scale/custom touches for realism.
CHASSIS WORK: Chassis was already to go with grease and bearings when I got it so that was good. Kitted chassis out with all new Tamiya 101 ESC, servo and Sport Tuned motor using the highest gearing (3 gears available with The Frog) for top end speed. Changed rear springs for weaker ones so there is a little sag now when you place vehicle on the ground. Don't know what it is about Tamiya but they seem to be in the habit of putting too strong a springs in their shocks; thus no sag which makes for terrible traction, a bumpy ride and very bad handling. Removed Frog body mounts and fitted a custom mounting bar for the original 1986 Blitzer Beetle body set I had. Made a fixture so I could attach a Durax engine to the chassis to stick out the back, like a real Baja Bug. Replaced the wheel nuts for blue ones to match body.
BODY WORK: Made holes to attach some custom roof bars I made from aluminium tubing, 4 spot light bar, spare wheel and a spring loaded aerial on the rear left side arch. Repaired a few stress cracks, reinforced wheel arches and body sides and then proceeded to give it an SS box-art paint job using correct Tamiya paints and yes I primed it too. Stencilled and painted in the front blinker/repeaters as the BB nose has no recesses for them. Attached to the interior of the body some fluffy dice, roll cage, netting and driver. Also cut up the Blitzer glass and configured it so it looks like the window is partially rolled down so you can see the driver that I panted up with a handle-bar-moustache-to-beard and apple green helmet. Fitted glass screen a stickered up sun visor too. Not keen on the SS style wing mirrors as I think circler ones are more retro; couldn't find any circler ones for love nor money though. Eventually I worked out how to make some from scratch using washers and mirrored sticky back. Made nerf bars and step plates for the side of the body too and created some black-outs so when body is on chassis you can't see straight through. Once body was ready to attach to chassis it was sticker time, and yes that took ages as I'm so fussy about sticker placement. Just like paint colours, they can make or break a fantastic car. Kept to box-art a little but added quite a few more like on the bonnet; also added custom Scam Scorcher stickers to both front and rear registration plates. Finally I attached a couple of spots to the front bumper with KC lens protectors, a VW badge and some wipers to the bonnet/screen, painted door hinges and handles silver and made front and rear mud-flaps with VW and dirt-540-racing stickers, and the very last thing (which was fiddly and awkward) was putting gaskets on the wheel arches where they meet the body.
HONESTLY: This was one of my most enjoyable fun projects as I didn't get too hung up on getting everything just perfect, it has lots of flaws. For a start there's areas of the body I didn't filler, like there's a large chip on the bonnet by the mounting post. Reason for not correcting that is then I would have had to correct all the imperfections of the body. I didn't want to go down that road, I just wanted to have fun, create and get on with the build. Also when I started to painting over the primer, stress marks started to show through in a few places, they never showed through the primer alone, only when I started painting it. It gutted me but there wasn't much I could do about it so I just made the most of it and rolled on. Now it's finished you can hardly see any of those imperfections at all. But hey, that's just me being honest, this Bug still delivers an SS buzz with me through the sum of all its parts, and it has been possibly my most enjoyable project so far.
THANX: To the SS fraternity and Baja enthusiasts out there, and all you TC members who have faked it before me.
CHEERS all and comments welcome.
44
42
32
37
42
51
54
37
39
44
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
SCAM SCORCHER I (AFTER / part 2)
Comments
Steffen
Luvly!
ModMax
Awesome!!!
Skottoman
Wow, quite a looker! Tons of details!!! TONS!
sunnyjai
Enjoyable build you say? I must agree from what I see it's an ingenious way you incorporated the Brat chassis with the SS. Tamiya should have released it as SS II back in the 80's and would have been a welcome addition to the Brat family and sales would have been good!
gozone
Looks fantastic!!..
Eleck_Rider
Really cool, I love the rear end. Now give it a good thrashing!
Dirt-540
Thanks guys. @sunnyjai: Yes Tamiya would have sold many SSII brat chassis Sand Scorchers.
Grumpy pants
What a fantastically well turned out Bug.
Amazing detailing.
Singleseven
This looks really good, so much detail. I can see why you enjoyed the build so much. Great job
Blockaderunner
Beautiful work !
pastimesteve
Wow! VERY impressive!
Crash Cramer
That is a great looking baja buggy and probably on a better budget than the SS. I don't know anybody else that put the 2mm nuts on the outside of the wheel covers before.
MAD-BEE
SUPERB!!!!!!
Southern Cross Bug
Great detailing, the mud flaps insignia are the best!
Fernado Alonso
Awaysome project
It looks ACE
Very nice!
mongoose1983
Very interesting & creative work there!
SB_Aust
Job Well Done!
Wandy
Great looking Scorcher. Love the mudflaps!
RallyeBaz
That's a stunner. Love the roof detailing
ModifiedMan
Love what you have done with this, looks awesome!!!!
Dirt-540
Big thanx yet again for all your inspiring comments, makes me want to do even more custom projects. @Crash Cramer: I like the wheel nuts on the outside as it adds a touch of scale detail. @RallyeBez: I've gone a bit mad on roof bars since learning how to bend tubing. @Wandy & Southern Cross Bug: Glad you like the mudflaps, you can use heatshrink or innertube, just cut them out with scalpal and fasten them with some industrial strength superglue. @Everyone else: Thanx for your kind comments.
biggamehunter
lovely !! gorgeous !! great job!!!
Want to leave a comment?