OK TC - Defender 90 Truck-cab crawler - part 1
Although I love my Tamiyas (even those I've recently sold), I really wanted to have a go at building a more genuine 'scale' RC crawler, and for that I really needed to look outside the Tamiya catalogue.
I'd already started experimenting with a ladder chassis and Toyota HiLux body (See Desmond the 2.2 in the Builds section of the forum), and this model takes things one stage further and closer to realism.
There is a full build thread on the forum here, but in a nutshell - this vehicle is based on a [pattern] RC4WD Trailfinder style ladder chassis, an eBay [Galande copy] Land Rover Defender CSW shell cut down into a truck-cab, and a collection of running gear(including axles and wheels & tyres) and electronics from a Mad-Gear Cliff crawler, which originally was very capable, but not particularly scale.
While this new model does not have anything like the axle articulation the donor had previously, in practice it is still very capable, and far more realistic when running. I have chassis-mounted the steering servo - primarily to give enough room for the axle to articulate with the motor now mounted under the bonnet using a planetary gearbox and separate step-down transfer case. The four-link front and rear suspension arms are the original ones from the Mad-Gear chassis, with modified axle mounts for the revised geometry and wheelbase.
Upgrades to the original Mad-Gear running gear components include replacing the large diameter coil-over shocks with 100mm internally sprung 'damper' style shocks, replacing the original 70T motor with an RC4WD 35T version (as originally the new gearing was now far too low, although the torque was fantastic!) and replacing the plastic prop-shafts with metal ones which slide much more freely and are stronger.
Scale detailing on the body uses a combination of salt and layered paint/primer/rust (including a 'bare alloy' paint for the aluminium body panels), plus some dry brushing and powder weathering using the Tamiya powders/paint. The bodywork is painted in genuine Land Rover Arles Blue and Ivory for the roof.
The body kit came with a complete interior (which I cut down to fit the shortened cab), and I fabricated a pick-up bed and inner rear wheel-aches using plasti-card, together with inner wheel-arches and radiator grilles either side of the engine bay.
I've also added some scale accessories and detailing inside and out - a Proline welder and fuel can in the rear load bay together with a pair of sand-ladders that double as a battery compartment cover. There is also a towing shackle on the rear cross- member and a scratch-built latch for the cut-down tail-gate, plus a custom printed 'personal' numberplate and some lovely metal badges (again from eBay). The rear work-lamp is constructed from a Tamiya steering rod-end and ball joint, and a small Axial spot-lamp.
Inside the cab there is a folded map (of Wales), a can of Pepsi, and a fire extinguisher on the dash. The steering wheel/indicator stalks and gear levers, plus wing mirrors and lamp lenses, all come as part of the Defender body kit - and I added a pair of headlight grilles from some Axial spot-lamps. I have also wired the headlamps and tail lights with LEDs.
While the vehicle itself is now finished and running, I still need to build/modify a driver figure*. I'm thinking a Wild Willy character of course, although he's going to need some pretty extensive surgery to make him about an inch taller!
*edit. 27th Nov 2017 - Driver figure photos added!
Hope you like it!
Jenny x
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
OK TC - Defender 90 Truck-cab crawler - part 2
Comments
ECUpparilloT
Fantastic work - a pleasure to discover all these details & realism of your build, just love it!!
rjg1973
Amazing work, so impressive.
No Slack
Perfect. The weahtering is so real and the details are fantastic. The can and manual are small details that almost make you wonder: is this a 1/1 car?
casethejoint
Awesome.
Meakz1973
Nice! Paint job is amazing
Want to leave a comment?