62 replies to this topic

[ReggieC]

Well for ages now i have wanted a 1/18 buggy, so i bought a losi mini lst and it was poor which is currently is in bits under my bed after breaking after a 30 second run. So i thought rather than get a whole new car, why not adapt!

I started off with a donor car, being my Thunder Tiger DX which i got ages ago and it never really found it's place
With a lot of help from Martin (pieman5) i found out that his car (ftx blaze) is the same width as the average touring car but a lot shorter. So a new chassis is in order!

I did a few measurements and drew a little plan on paper then put the front and rear ends of the donor car to see how it fits

Looked pretty good!
(the battery is a 3s lipo from my rascal conversion and the motor from the mini lst)

So I then was stuck with what shell to get. I was reccomended (Martin again ) to look at the phat bodies shells and one caught my eye, so i ordered that one!

It arrived on friday and i loved it! which one did i order i here you ask? well i decided to get this one

It's a mini shortcourse shell!!!

However it turned out that the shell is 10mm shorter than i anticipated so that means i had to take 10mm off the chassis for it to fit.
And because of this my 3s lipo won't fit so i will be needing smaller ones.

I then thought all good projects need a model/template so i got about making one with a sheet of aluminium, then offered the parts of the car up to it.


i think it turned out alright, and because now i have a basic mock up, i can see if the shell fits, which it did!



Next step will be fabricating the proper chassis and also a centre driveshaft (need 4wd for powar!!!)

What do you guys think?

Edited by ReggieC, 01 January 2012 - 09:18 PM.

[ReggieC]

Also can anyone suggest what material to make the chassis out of? carbon fibre is too expensive so need an alternative that is lightweight and strong!

[leongordon234]

Looks good mate , looking forward to see how it plans out

[Mike1970]

ReggieC, on 20 November 2011 - 07:56 PM, said:

Also can anyone suggest what material to make the chassis out of? carbon fibre is too expensive so need an alternative that is lightweight and strong!

Most of the MARDAVE clubs will have a little shop trackside - I know Urmston does. A sheet of GRP will do you fine and it's pennies.

[ReggieC]

Got bored last night so downloaded a free 2d design package and set about drawing the chassis.
I got this

[TiM!]

Sam used polycarbonate on his rustler chassis I think. It did break in the end but well, so would everything else too

[ReggieC]

sam's polycarbonate was 6mm thick as well

[ReggieC]

I might go for some 2mm GRP sheet, it is very cheap and with a top deck and short length i don't think flex will be much of an issue. i think it should be strong enoughh as well, if they make mardaves out of it, it must be!

[ReggieC]

Fail post

Edited by ReggieC, 27 November 2011 - 09:04 PM.

[ReggieC]

I have ordered the 2mm GDP tonight so I can get the car ready asap, the plan is to get it running for my tc clubs Christmas oval meeting. I am going to see if I can use the schools laser cutter to cut out an acrylic prototype, which will be used to get everything mounted in the right place instead of wasting grp!

I also need to fabricate or shorten the current driveshaft still, which will be a challenge!

[ReggieC]

I managed to get use of my schools laser cutter and after a bit of a chat with the schools technician ( who turns out to be into rc cars as well!) I cut out the chassis.
Pics to follow when I get home!

[ReggieC]

i couldn't get on the puter yesterday so here are the pics!!!

The chassis itself


and with the front and rear on, as well as the motor mount and electrics (the servo is one from my mini lst, it won't be being used )



unfortunately i made is 10mm too long so will have to leave that much space to get an idea of the real thing!

AND!!!! today the GRP turned up!


That is all

[RooBoonix]

looks great mate! Love the idea of the mini sc, wonder how quick this thing will go!! oh and good luck on shortening the driveshaft, tell us how you do it!!!

[ReggieC]

if it isn't fast on that motor, i should have the ability to use a 540can motor so lot's of potential!

[Colicab]

Mini sc is nice idea

Cant wait to see this build develop.