Serpent 988e Taipan (my 2nd one), maybe a runner ;)

[Trass]

As mentioned some time ago, I acquired a second Serpent Taipan 988e

This last one should normally be my first 1/8 runner !!!

I still have to find a "soft" combo, because I am not a great driver to be able to drive at "la Spéciale de la Montluçonnaise" at the beginning of September.

Acquired from a anthousiast competitor from Paris at a good price, this chassis deserves to be refurb.

Most of the parts that I had from the restoration of the previous Taipan 988e that fits on the shelf will serve as a spare bank parts.

Indeed, this chassis suffered and visibly lacked regular maintenance;

- rusted bearings power 10000
- very dirty pulleys (amalgams of "fat" filling some teeth)
- parts mounted upside down
- parts mounted under stress
- broken carbon front lower part
- missing front friction shock absorbers
- some missing original parts


I don't have any photos of the disassembly or reassembly.

In order to not damage many fairly "new" parts, I replaced the chassis plate with the one from my first taipan which was well scratched, as well as the front bumper.

Cleaning all the parts freed all the axles and bearings (rear bearings changed). The axles also regained their freedom.

I will also have to get some tires ... what do i need to ride cool with this kind of machine?

Then, it will need a nice realistic body


The only photo when it arrived (with big sister)



Below are the only photos I took after its reassembly.









The famous broken carbon part, replaced by the one I had in reserve.




Jerome

[Trass]

I wrote this in the wrong post... Sorry.


This monster has found its heart, all that remains is to continue the quest




Next, I started thinking about the radio installation and the latter is more of the kind ... not made for guys with big fingers

So, a little 3D work was necessary.



This small part will also receive the antenna support and will be the "radio plate" with ON/OFF button that I find huge!!!

Here is the printed result and installed

[img]https://media.joomeo.c om/large/66ef376cdcca2.jpg[/img]




The only constraint relating to the installation of this "Radio plate" is to move the ball/rod assembly that articulates the chassis on the rear pod.

Now, I find myself with tons of lengths of wire to manage to fit in a space dedicated to ... NOTHING

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2nd Serpent 988e Taipan Runner



The space normally dedicated to installing the receiver is located on the lower chassis in front of the rear pod. This dedicated space is actually very poorly located because it is in flexion/movement almost permanently.

To better locate this space, I have circled it on the following photo;



Hence the option of creating a dedicated radio plate as mentioned previously.

The problem was to manage to place the wiring (very long cables) from the servo to the receiver, from ESC to the receiver and from this fudging ON/OFF button of the vario which is 10000000M².

The dedicated radio plate solution i did not suit me, so I opted for "packing" where it is possible

So, here is the solution used -------> Shoehorn the wiring ESC and the BIG BUTTON under the ESC plate!

And it fits





TheESC and servo cables are not under stress and my little finger just fits to press the BIG BUTTON!!!

So, I did a first ride and ...............








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... it's a very violent thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't expect that at all!!!

I don't body, I still went pretty cool driving and try big gas . IT'S VIOLENT and impossible to get everything on the ground, the car literally flies when you gas a little too much

In short, I limited all that and drove a little before stopping to see what I had mentioned above as well as other important things:

- Free the chassis well at the location originally intended for the receiver (T-Bar function)
- Provide a firm suspension at the front, it rubs constantly
- Wedge the Lipos correctly
- Have bigger diameter tires at the front
- Find a nice body
- Create a spur gear protection (because I lost the right rear wheel on the 3rd shot gas... incorrectly engaged)
- Use real double-sided tape
- See Frantz (Manobet) for aluminum pulleys

By the way, could someone tell me what the module of the primary gear is? (there's nothing in the manual)

This week, I looked at the front suspension which seems to be the subject of a lot of technical solutions via the various forums and FB groups dedicated to the Serpent 988e Taipan chassis.

I did what I could with what I had on hand while waiting to invest in other shock absorbers and review my technical solution

3 tests were necessary to find the right angle

At first, I wanted to limit the changes by keeping the original parts as much as possible, but it quickly became necessary to also review the lower anchor points of the shock absorbers to optimize my assembly while keeping an essential aspect which is that I will stick a realistic body on it.
Who says realistic bodywork, says very small space between the body and the chassis.
So, the shock absorbers must be as low as possible or at the lowest places of the chassis

Here is the current solution that I will test when the weather is nice ....






Jerome

[Trass]

Here is the work done on the protection of thespur gear

The modeling



The result:





Jerome

[Trass]

I'm on a design of a finned engine radiator

Here is the first assembled version where we can already guess the modular side of the object in order to adapt to a maximum of configurations:










Then the more elaborate version 2 which includes a fin on the fixed flange with the same modularity, the fins are a little larger and the holes (which look like eyes) may eventually evolve into a version that can accommodate a water cooling system










I'm waiting for Frantz's (Manobet) feedback on the aluminum production.




otherwise, here are the bodies considered for this magnificent chassis.



Lola T310



2nd UOP Shadow Dn4



Jerome

[Trass]

Here is a more accomplished version of the radiator.

We can clearly see the modular aspect and the "universal" side





Jerome

[Trass]

For the vintage event : La Montluçonnaise

I'm showing out this chassis and sharing some photos I've only posted on Facebook.


















[img]https://media.jo omeo.com/large/67f692ee0b1f0.jpg[/img]







Jerome