After many mods and builds (and re-builds) and basically going all-out for speed and performance, all while stubbornly insisting on using as many (stock) tamiya/clodbuster parts as possible, I came up with this. It is an extended chassis dual-brushless build that I did in early 2012.
What follows is a bit of cut+paste from my original thread on clodtalk, and 20/20 hindsight mixed in.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, the start of a scratch-built extended stock chassis:
The idea is to use a backsaw and line up (on the side) the edge of the lower "fins" of the lower chassis with the "first" screw hole for the REAR of the upper plate (there are 8 holes, 2 at each corner). I start my cut over the edge of this hole and once started, come around to the side and line the saw up with the edge of the "fins" (down where the 4x4x4 sticker goes). I just kind-of eyeball-it freehand and get it as straight as I can. Then do the other side. This is all done with the chassis laying on it's side. Then put the chassis upright and drop the saw inside both cuts, and get the bottom.
NOTE: I am cutting the rear third off of BOTH chassis', so I will have dual battery slots.
It took a few tries, you will want at least 3 chassis' for this as you know your going to mess up at least once.....and I did. Then I got picky with the 2nd one, although it was usable, but it was kind-of cruddy (both the first 2 were), then chassis #3 and #4 were like new, and I wanted to use them since they looked nicer to begin with.
I then used a rough file and a belt sander to get the ends relatively square and even.
I used a piece of stock chassis bracing, in addition to the 2 braces seen here. It was handy, and already had 2 or the 4 holes needed. I did have to drill the holes bigger to get things to line up.
I had planned to put more bracing on the bottom, but it turned out, this was more than enough. For the side's I put a pair of braces made from stock clod bits. The pieces on the outside are cut-offs from stock steering linkage.
Upper bracing was done later on.
Stock side chassis re-inforcment brace makes a perfect tool for locating shock mount holes!
I drilled both holes for running longer or shorter shocks.
New chassis shown next to the old (beaten to death) original chassis. I went out of my way to use as many tamiya parts as possible when making this. I could have used ladder bars if I wanted to, but I already had a 4-link system I had been using for a while at the time.