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This really is a detailed Epic build...nice job!

Really nice build. I am starting my jj build tomorrow. Got a few hops ups such as motor plate,bearings for steering,hard slipper pads, tungsten balls, ribbed o rings, stabilizers & brushless motor spur.

Installed the AE antenna mount.. This was trickier to install than I thought it would be. The fibers in this chassis are very fine and was wanting to tear out and look ugly very quickly. I ended up running my RH drill bits in reverse to grind through the chassis, clean up with a conical stone on the Dremel tool and then sealed with some thin CA glue. The end result looks good with a 3x8mm titanium screw. This will all be covered up by the JJ Ultima chassis protector eventually but glad how it turned out.

Upgraded all (10) steel M3 nuts with aluminum Gunmetal ones.




A sway bar kit is available for these rere Ultimas but Joel Johnson didn’t use any on the 1987 buggy. His car did have the ball studs in the rear arms like it had been used at some point. The ball studs in the new kit are steel unlike the old brass ones, so I decided to use some extra Tamiya ones I have in the hardware stash. They look the part..

A few more upgrades available for the rere Ultimas..

Aluminum Gunmetal servo mounts which you see Akira use in the Kyosho JJ Ultima build video.


A 51t spur gear for brushless motors.

Since this will only be a shelfer/display build, I decided to get the hard compound tires…thinking they will be better for the long term. The difference between them is interesting though.. the fronts are rock hard with no foams and were a pain to put on the wheels..the rears are considerably softer with foams.

BattleTrak wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 4:52 pm Aluminum Gunmetal servo mounts which you see Akira use in the Kyosho JJ Ultima build video.

Your steering servo got the mount tabs clipped. What are these aluminum mounts going to be used for?

Frankentruck wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 6:02 pm

BattleTrak wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 4:52 pm Aluminum Gunmetal servo mounts which you see Akira use in the Kyosho JJ Ultima build video.

Your steering servo got the mount tabs clipped. What are these aluminum mounts going to be used for?

If you build this buggy strictly according to the instructions with a low profile servo…..you can use the aluminum servo mounts…like Akira did in the Kyosho build video. I am using old school electronics instead.. I am just presenting these other optional parts for others to consider.

Looking good are you going to keep the rear tires or get some of the square blocks? Marwan is close to releasing the square blocks. https://marwanrc.com/shop/ols/products/w5031-square-blocks

Thanks! Yeah, I’m planning on getting a set of those.

Have you painted the body yet?

Not yet.. it’s in the queue for when the weather gets warmer or if I get an indoor spray booth made.

Just put on a set of the Marwan reproduction W5031 square block tires.

BattleTrak wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 11:29 pm Just put on a set of the Marwan reproduction W5031 square block tires.

Love those Bridgestone block tires. I remember using them.