1/10 Scale VX RC-Crawler

[ZEUS]

HAHA! It's still sitting in the back yard - I did clean up the area tho so the whole thing is usable again!

[ZEUS]

Look what I just found:
COOL!

[nfpgasmask]

Look what I just found:
COOL!

Yeah, I post on my blog some of those model pics a few months back. That is cool, maybe you can use it somehow?

Bart

[ZEUS]

I could buy it & put it into my render scenes at work! That would be cool! Other than that, test paint job ideas... I wonder if they have an S-10 Blazer...

[nfpgasmask]

I just wish there was more than a Micro Machine of a 1st gen Trooper. World renowned SUV with ZERO model kits EVER made for it. Weird.

Bart

[ZEUS]

We can tackle that next, Bart! Making a Trooper would be cake!! The Rodeo that guy made is almost there! Haha really tho, it would be easy. I'd say choose the axles & wheels you want & scale the body off of the width they give you. There are 1.55, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2 size wheels & the tire sizes range from 2.6 to 6 - inches. You could probably even make the body from lexan because of how the Trooper is shaped.

You ever seen this one before? Tamiya
It's so expensive because it's so rare - I think it's the rarest of the CC-01 chassis kit varieties. Next time you go to Japan, look for it!

[nfpgasmask]

We can tackle that next, Bart! Making a Trooper would be cake!!

Yeah, one of the Indonesian Trooper guys made this recently:
http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewto...model&start=25

It's a pretty good effort. The basic shape is correct.

You ever seen this one before? Tamiya
It's so expensive because it's so rare - I think it's the rarest of the CC-01 chassis kit varieties. Next time you go to Japan, look for it!

Yeah, I have seen it before. They also make a regular Mu model kit just like that. I went into several huge model shops in Tokyo and Osaka looking for a 1st gen Trooper kit, and all I could find was the Mu, the usual VX kit, and this 2nd gen Bighorn kit.

http://www.noppin.com/portal_ya_deta...n%2Fk135118090

I even muddled through a conversation with the shop keeper, and he confirmed no such kit was ever made. Anyway, I was thinking the 2nd gen Bighorn kit could be sanded down and shaped into a 1st gen. You would just have to use a lot of filler, square it off and shape the rockers and you could get it pretty damn close.

Bart

[ZEUS]

I just stumbled onto that Trooper thread myself! The shape is a little off but not too bad at all. I love all the details in it! Go Mittens!

[nfpgasmask]

I just stumbled onto that Trooper thread myself! The shape is a little off but not too bad at all. I love all the details in it! Go Mittens!

Yeah, its pretty damn close. The pillars need a little tightening up to be right, but it is definitely the best I have seen yet. What is he making it out of? Looks like some sort of polystyrene? Is it some sort of specific modelling stuff?

Bart

[ZEUS]

It is styrene - evidently hobby shops carry sheets of it. I read .040" - .060" is what gets used the most in this type of stuff. Here is a great thread on how to work with the glues & other info when modding bodies.

I contacted Smooth-On today - just waiting to hear back about what product recommendations they have for what I hope to do. I'll keep you posted.

[ZEUS]

Btw, Bart, check out the new kid on the block - Deadbolt
It's kinda Trooper-esque - more than the Wraith anyway.

[nfpgasmask]

Cool, can't wait to see what you do! I've been slammed at work with a huge upgrade project, which should ultimately yield some overtime. I'm seriously thinking about ordering a crawler soon. Its just one of those things I need to do. Plus, it will be fun to have for the winter months.

Bart

PS - Your link to the Deadbolt didn't work.

[ZEUS]

Not sure... if I did, I would probly try to make my own Thule/Zeus style one. The utilitarian baskets on the market are too big or too small for the VX roof but something could be made out of brass rod easily enough. The 37" TIRE BARELY FITS ON THE ROOF WITHOUT A BASKET - oops didn't mean to yell. To me, a VX with a giant basket full of tire looks like a British woman with one of those goofy hats! Haha

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, well, up top looks better than bolted to the tailgate!

Bart

[ZEUS]

Made some more progress this week. In one night (Wednesday) I had three issues develop. I was filling & sanding the roof rails & started noticing hairline fractures in each of them. Added some CA glue in between the cracks & some more filler & seem to be back on track. Then while I was using brake fluid on the body to remove the paint (read it was a viable option) I broke the rear spoiler in two. Glue & sanding was making the spoiler look great... and then it cracked in another spot! More glue, more sanding... it looks good again. Then because the brake fluid yielded poor results, I gave the body a good washing & tried using the graffiti remover that's for my vinyl fence. I think the brake fluid made the spoiler brittle & the graffiti remover made the body soft. I found a few spots where it looks like the plastic started to bubble! AGH! I gave it a good washing again really fast. So... instead I made the decision to sand the entire body... so far, it has taken several hours over three days... I'm using 80, 100, 120, 180, 220, & 320 grit sanding sponges & small hobby files.

This weeks progress:

Several passes of filler & sanding looks like this midway:


After another round of sanding, they look like this:



The body now looks like a VehiGHOST or VehiTRON - I have started using filler on the roof:


So here is how everything is for now:


I picked up some styrene & could start cutting out pieces in order to reshape portions of the body this week... but I am still adjusting some of the seam lines here & there too... I have a tough decision to make on that & will explain that in more detail later.