Build a brushless buggy on a GT chassis?

[Sixtysixdeuce]

What do ya'll think? I was just glossing over the piles of spare parts, I have darn near enough to assemble a whole 'nother vehicle of some kind, so the wheels started turning. Should a build a long wheel base buggy with wide front arms on a blue GT flat chassis? If so, what combination of parts do you think should go on it? Should I drill the chassis for buggy front bulkhead and a modified buggy rear bulkhead with accompanying buggy shock towers, or should I use GT shock towers & bulk heads with the front buggy arms opened up to fit the GT bulkhead? Truck rear carriers, or buggy carriers? What else?

Opinions and ideas welcome!

[justinspeed79]

Sounds like a cool project to me.

I would keep the gt bulkhead and tower on front and do a worlds style front end. If you use the original buggy bulkheads it is going to leave the front end pretty narrow.

[teman]

I recall someone here did an mid electric conversion, the only issue IIRC was battery fitment?

[Sixtysixdeuce]

Well, it's gonna be an ugly critter. Lol. But I'll be curious to see how a long wheel base, mid-motor buggy drives.



Still have to decide what I'm using for steering parts, and I'm a little short on turnbuckles of the correct lengths. Also don't have a GT electric motor mount made yet, nor a spare GT slipper hub. Oh, no spare brushless combo lying about, either. Gonna have to buy that yet. So, it may be a little while before it's done. Then I have to figure out the body situation. Maybe a 1/8 cover?

I recall someone here did an mid electric conversion, the only issue IIRC was battery fitment?

That would definitely be an issue if using a tub chassis, but the blue flat chassis are much more flexible with mounting arrangements. I managed the footprint of an SG shaft .32 engine, an oversized Savox servo and a 150cc MGT fuel tank on one of my others.





And this one has a longitudinally mounted .32 (the wheelbase was extended 1-1/4", though):

[klavy69]

I'll be curious to see how a long wheel base, mid-motor buggy drives.

like a very stable buggy on an oval but wouldn't want to try to run in on a technical tight turn track

Todd

[justinspeed79]

Throw some paddle tires on there and you've got a sand rail. I think it looks pretty cool.

[discgolfer72]

should be easy I did a brushless truck conversion (it was stupid fast)
and a nitro buggy conversion should be a simple mix

brushless truck conversion
http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=30810
nitro buggy conversion
http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=30473

[Sixtysixdeuce]

should be easy I did a brushless truck conversion (it was stupid fast)
and a nitro buggy conversion should be a simple mix

Yeah, not really a question of difficulty so much as what parts arrangement might work out best. Making things fit and fabbing is no problem; I built an RC18T powered by an AE .15, so most of my other wacky builds have been easy by comparison. I fitted GT parts and an OS .18 CV-R into an A stamp gold pan, those GTs above have all kinds of custom steel and aluminum parts I milled.

As you can see, I opted for the lower profile of gold pan shock towers, but with GT front shocks on the rear. The challenge in this build is to not buy anything other than motor/ESC and receiver. I'm trying to put this together with nothing but the spare parts I have lying about. Steering rack is in it now (with both square and hex turnbuckles, black and white ball cups, both AE and RPM varieties).

Haven't decided if I'm going to bother with nose braces, since this thing is probably not going to be so much for technical and jumping as scooting across rough terrain at high speeds. The power combo is going to be a Reedy SL550 3,500KV can and an AE SC1200-BL speed controller, and we'll start with a 24T pinion to a 65T RRP steel spur and go from there. Oh, and it'll be on 4S LiPo.

Edit:

I checked out your buggy link, you basically ended up with the same wheelbase and suspension set-up as this build. I went a different route with my nitro gold pan:









Used an OFNA 20T mod 1 clutch bell, and modified a team durango 54T spur to fit the GT slipper hub. GT2 fuel tank, Thunder Tiger TS-4 header that was cut and TIG welded into a different configuration, and a shortened GT pipe. Also used Losi mini-8ight stainless turnbuckles. I'm going to tear it back down this week and bleach the white parts, and as I find them, I'll replace all the black GT parts with white. I have a narrow early GT fiberglass shock tower and white arm mounts already, but still need to track down a trans housing and brace. Don't know if I'll find a white mod 1 54 T spur gear anywhere, though.

And this is the RC18GT:



That build is a bit too much to describe here, but I can link to a thread on RCU where I did detail it if anyone is curious. It's a pissed off little truck, very difficult to control. Clocked 48 MPH with the 15T clutch bell. Haven't checked it with the 20T yet, but the math says it should hit 60.

[Sixtysixdeuce]

Well, sold one of the extra black tub GTs, so I used to proceeds to order a Reedy SL550 3,500 KV can and an Associated SC1200BL ESC. Scored both for $124 shipped! Also on the way is another slipper hub. Just need another LiPo and receiver. Already have a couple RRP steel spurs and 32P electric motor pinions.

[THEYTOOKMYTHUMB]

Here's a GT I converted back in '08. Kept it a truck, but there may be some helpful info in here. Looks like you're off to a good start.

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=7717

[wickedcrawler]

Damn 4s lipo! I think it will look pretty darn sweet! do some kind of rollcage!

[limestang]

Have you seen this conversion bracket on Ebay? I am going to try it on a future project.

-Limestang

[THEYTOOKMYTHUMB]

Have you seen this conversion bracket on Ebay?

I saw that. It's a nice piece. If I were ever going to run mine I'd definitely go that route. I know this buggy will be a runner and he'd be a lot better off with something strong and secure like that. Battery fitment should be much easier now too with all the lipo configurations available. I'll be interested in seeing the finale to this thread.

[Sixtysixdeuce]

It's a nice bracket, but I'll be milling my own. I have a vertical mill and a bunch of 6061-T651 plate stock.

The motor & ESC should be here today, as well as the outer slipper hub, so I'll likely be getting after the plate tonight. Haven't ordered another LiPo yet, but I can just steal the 3S out of my other buggy for now.

Speaking of which, the Associated SC1200BL ESC is technically rated as a 2S or 3S unit, but it's intended for 4WD SCT; does anyone here know if it can handle 4S in a lightweight vehicle?

[THEYTOOKMYTHUMB]

Speaking of which, the Associated SC1200BL ESC is technically rated as a 2S or 3S unit, but it's intended for 4WD SCT; does anyone here know if it can handle 4S in a lightweight vehicle?

I wouldn't risk it. That's considerably higher voltage. Just my 2¢.