Poor Guy's Wild One

[losiXXXman]

The Wild One is by far my favorite of the old tamiya buggies (isn't it everyones?), but it is way out of my budget to acquire one (especially to run and possibly need spares for). So, much like the Poor guy's Sand Scorchers that everyone built prior to the rere, I want to do a poor guy's wild one. I have a few ideas for this, but am looking for some support/input/ideas.

I have two ways to go:

1. Not my first idea, but base it on RC10. I have a lot of the parts laying around, parts would be abundantly available, and it would be pretty straightforward. Shorten the wheelbase, dye the parts black, get a repro body, and fab the roll cage. PRO's extremely good performance and durability, ease of maintenance and building. CON'S not true to the original by any stretch.


2. Grasshopper base. I like this idea better, as it stays true to Tamiya but it quickly gets complicated. I want a better rear end than the hopper offers, so I am thinking build an independent trailing arm setup and fix the tranny in place using hopper parts (difficult) OR try to splice a frog tranny and trailing arms onto the back of the ghopper chassis (Umm still difficult). I was also considering the use of a lunchbox chassis for wheelbase reasons, and just hacking it down to size and shape to get the wild one body on. PROS It's all Tamiya Baby! CON's Hmmm, will I need a machine shop???

Please share all ideas, I'm open to anything to have a Wild One to drive!!!!

Thanks

[shodog]

All the vehicle you speak of will end up looking cobbled together. I would just keep my eye out for a wild one that needs a bit of work. I have seen a few sub $100-$150 chassis's go on ePay so If your patient, you will find one for the right price.

[losiXXXman]

Kind of what I got off of TC too. Are there any durability concerns with the W1? Some of the parts are impossible to find, and others are available, but at a price! I'm a good driver, but things happen. I guess I'll think about it more before I commit to a project or to ponying up for the real thing. Thanks Shodog.

[Mr. ED]

home-made does not have to be gobbled:

[losiXXXman]

You are sooo right Mr. Ed. I have seen some of your creations, and they look like factory stuff! My fabrication skills are not the best, but I still may give this a go. Do you have a build thread on that creation? Honestly, I wish I could find a link to all of your builds, I'd like to look through them.

[Diggley]

[quote="Mr. ED"]home-made does not have to be gobbled:



That's a clean build,

It looks factory!

[Mr. ED]

Sorry to have mislead you guys; this is not one of my own.
It's a tamtech buggy champ based creation I saw at the achiru event in Japan.
I think the custom body's made with flat plastic material and modelers glue. Probably not suited to run: low impact resistance.

More pics I made at the event are here:
http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=6687

Thanks for the compliments

[jwscab]

if you use ABS sheet and good (not the orange based) plastic modelers glue, that makes a super bond. I wouldn't be afraid to run something glued well.

[N2Deep]

Mister Ed is absolutely right. Take a look in the background. He's a japanese dude ready to rock and roll. Very cool.

[losiXXXman]

Well after more research, I realize that most of the major items I need are all on the E tree of the W1. So guess what's on its way to me? A W1 E tree. Also got a secondhand hornet coming. So the project is officially launched. If anyone has any ideas about fabricating the cage, pass them on. By the way, I don't own a welder or have a friend who is one either. Has anyone tried to fab a cage out of plastic (polypropylene) rod by heating? I think I could also do brass and silver solder or braze it with a butane torch. I'd like it to be plastic though. Of course, If anyone has a wild one/fav cage and or chassis that they'd let go of , I would love that too!

[Mr. ED]

Mister Ed is absolutely right. Take a look in the background. He's a japanese dude ready to rock and roll. Very cool.

LOL that's Yaji, and he happens to go by an alias that goes something like 'happy rocking daddy' The FAV is not his either but he is allways trying to build inventive stuff and races a predator too.

[jwscab]

I'd use ABS rod, polypropylene I think is hard to glue.

should bend easily, and with heat, quite nicely....

[Mr. ED]

Maybe take a look at the ultima DB desert racer cage.

[losiXXXman]

First of all, thanks for the idea on the DB cage Mr. Ed. I think I may have to just fabricate the cage, but will keep an eye out.

I got my donor vehicle Hornet in the mail today. I'm not sure things are going to work for using it. I think the chassis is going to be too narrow under the wild one shell at the front, destroying much of the look. The shell needs to come down fairly seamless with the chassis sides. I haven't yet ordered the shell, so I cannot be for sure though. I think sectioning the hornet chassis is going to be a little much for my skill, and it will compromise the integrity of the chassis. Will have to see when I get the body. In the meantime, if someone has a wild one and can take some measurements off of the chassis for me I'd really appreciate it. I;m looking for the width of the pan at the front and rear corners, Height of pan at same, and length of pan down one side. If this is too much confusion, may be I'll draw a diagram and post it up. A photo with a ruler in it form front top side views would be helpful too/instead. While you are at it some dimensions on the cage would be great as well - If I;m not already asking too much!! Thanks!

[N2Deep]

I don't know my plastics too well but I can tell you that the roll cage used for dirt oval racing is quite durable on impact and could easily be purchased. The roll cage for CustomWorks dirt oval is by far the best one I've seen...and it assembles using screws to put them together. Take a look here: http://www.customworksrc.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=Older+Kit+Parts%3ADirect+Drive+Parts