First time on the rocks - unexpected outcome!

[Andy-Roo]

Thanks for the kind words guys!  Liz loves the new paint job, but thinks the truck needs different wheels - black or silver ones.  It never ends 😂

[Andy-Roo]

I actually got a bit more done on this today - I had an idea about rear body mounts but that didn’t pan out, so back to the drawing board I went.  After a mug of tea and a bit of head scratching, another idea popped into my head.  
 

I cut down two body posts, the angled kind. Drilled four small holes in the chassis (two either side) and using four small self tapping screws, fixed the two body posts to the frame rails, facing toward the rear.  Then two holes were reamed into the rear of the cab and the job was a good ‘un! 



 

Then I moved onto the extra braces and where I would place them..

Been thinking about this for a couple of days now, and this evening I finally made up my mind.  This is just mocked up but is ready for brazing (ran out of time, again)...but you can see where I’m going with it.. 

 

 

The wheel clears the brace at full articulation..

 

 

Once I’ve got these fitted, I think the next job will be making a bed floor out of some sheet aluminium I have. I’m also considering making a front bumper, with a stinger... 🤔 

[Badcrumble]

Just caught up with this thread. 
I like your yellow cab - I wanted a yellow JK and somehow managed to end up with a green one! 
Ingenious shell mounting solution too!

[Andy-Roo]

Thanks for the kind words!  
Cant you paint your JK? You can make it your own, then. 

[stimpy]

Not to add any confusion here! But the side rails would ‘normally’ carry to where your roll hoop horizontal brace goes - but so long as your idea clears your wheels when full twist on and don’t get caught up easy then go for it!

 

My only other point - that you may well already be aware of!- is to strengthen that main roll hoop you will need a diagonal. Or a cross.... 

 

Keep up the good work!!! 

[Andy-Roo]

5 hours ago, stimpy said:

Not to add any confusion here! But the side rails would ‘normally’ carry to where your roll hoop horizontal brace goes - but so long as your idea clears your wheels when full twist on and don’t get caught up easy then go for it!

 

My only other point - that you may well already be aware of!- is to strengthen that main roll hoop you will need a diagonal. Or a cross.... 

 

Keep up the good work!!! 

The only way I can take the brace to the crossbar is with a good bend in it - without the bend it either fouls the tyre or covers the top shock mount.  At first I thought a bend in it would look okay, but it didn’t.  I also considered picking up the shock top mount with a tab on the brace - it would definitely look good but not sure I could make a good enough job of it..ha! 

I have also been looking at adding a cross in the main hoop, but I want to avoid adding too much weight, especially up high. I could make a cross/diagonal out of brake pipe though, that would help keep the weight down.  
 

Trying to make it all looking nice and square is the hardest part, its a bit of a head banger 🤪 

[stimpy]

I guess if the main hoop feels strong enough then leave the diagonal? 
 

Just wouldn’t want it to take its first tumble and bend!.. Perhaps your suggestion of brake pipe may work....

 

Either way looking good mate, but yes, always worth considering weight if you want to maximise performance. 

[Andy-Roo]

1 hour ago, stimpy said:

I guess if the main hoop feels strong enough then leave the diagonal? 
 

Just wouldn’t want it to take its first tumble and bend!.. Perhaps your suggestion of brake pipe may work....

 

Either way looking good mate, but yes, always worth considering weight if you want to maximise performance. 

It feels plenty strong enough, but I think it looks like it needs a bit more...something, if you know what I mean? And if you do, can you let me know because I’m clueless! 😂

 

 

[stimpy]

So, a cage on a 1:1 would have a lot more to it. It would have the link from front to rear usually horizontal to pick up as you said shock tower , for strength and also usually to form protection and possibly an upper bed section . 
 

Then they also usually have bracing. 
 

If you want to give it ‘something’ don’t forget that you can put accessories on it such as a jack, strops, fire extinguisher etc. Some folk also run a spare wheel on the back.... 

[Andy-Roo]

I think I’m gonna try making a bed out of some sheet aluminium I have, and maybe add a fuel tank of some description.  And adding some scale items is a good idea 👍

 

As for a spare wheel; I could use a 1/10 buggy wheel and paint it to look like a space saver! 😂

 

And It definitely needs more bracing, for looks rather then strength, it’s just the extra weight that’s putting me off.  Lightweight tubing could be the answer., 

[Andy-Roo]

I managed to escape to the garage this afternoon and got a bit more done..
So I took onboard @stimpy ‘s advice to add some more 1:1 style braces plus a diagonal in the main hoop - which I made out of brake pipe to keep the weight down. 
 

 

So far so good.. 

 

The wonky body makes the cage look twisted, but it’s actually where the previous owner put the body post holes in wrong.  My OCD will make me change this body for a new one at some point.. 

 

 

I think the cage is pretty much there now, and next I’ll be moving onto making a bed and then some scale bits and bobs.  Oh, and some new (to me) wheels that’ll be keeping with the beaten up look.  Then another body..that sits on the frame straight! 
 

 

[stimpy]

That looks much better mate!... 

 

Can you not just make that body sit straight?? 

[CarlC]

Nice work

[Andy-Roo]

37 minutes ago, stimpy said:

That looks much better mate!... 

 

Can you not just make that body sit straight?? 

I could glue some lexan or styrene sheet under the bonnet and then re-drill the holes in the right place, but my OCD would rather I start afresh and paint a new one 😁

[stimpy]

2 hours ago, Andy-Roo said:

I could glue some lexan or styrene sheet under the bonnet and then re-drill the holes in the right place, but my OCD would rather I start afresh and paint a new one 😁

Understand the OCD man!!

 

But can’t you make some offset body mounts? That way no filling / lexan / messing around, all looks cool from top but different underside...

 

Same but difference Sergei!! Shimples.... 

[Andy-Roo]

I could do that, Sergei 😂

[stimpy]

More bubbles Sergei!!!! 😂😂😂

 

Love that add!! 

[CarlC]

@Andy-Roo If you can get a design for the body mounts done, I am happy to print it for you.

[stimpy]

Iirc he said about 5 mm max - could probably just heat and bend some regular posts over possibly.... 

[rob bark]

It's looking good dude is this all solid bar or dude you use the tube?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

[jjh23]

This build is looking really good, 

 

was just looking at the pictures,

as the frame is solid mounted to the chassis how about making the shock mounts part of the cage with more pipe?

then do away with the original ones,

 

just an idea that popped in me head while looking, 

probably look good.

[stimpy]

52 minutes ago, jjh23 said:

This build is looking really good, 

 

was just looking at the pictures,

as the frame is solid mounted to the chassis how about making the shock mounts part of the cage with more pipe?

then do away with the original ones,

 

just an idea that popped in me head while looking, 

probably look good.

 

We been telling him this but he just won't listen!!😜🤣. 

 

I think also if he were to do that then that would be the point to cut off the SCX chassis from cab back and grab all those scale points on a C2 truck 👍

[Andy-Roo]

8 hours ago, CarlC said:

@Andy-Roo If you can get a design for the body mounts done, I am happy to print it for you.

Thanks for the very kind offer Carl, but I’m happy to leave as is for now. And I get to weather another body, which I really enjoyed doing. Plus, with Liz at the controls the yellow one won’t last long anyhow.

(Please don’t tell her I said that!) 😂

 

 

7 hours ago, rob bark said:

It's looking good dude is this all solid bar or dude you use the tube?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
 

It’s all in solid bar, Rob, apart from the diagonal in the main hoop, which is brake pipe to keep the weight down. 

[Andy-Roo]

5 hours ago, jjh23 said:

This build is looking really good, 

 

was just looking at the pictures,

as the frame is solid mounted to the chassis how about making the shock mounts part of the cage with more pipe?

then do away with the original ones,

 

just an idea that popped in me head while looking, 

probably look good.

I did mention doing exactly that a few posts back, but I’m not sure I could do a good enough job of it. Maybe a future build though.. 

[jjh23]

3 hours ago, Andy-Roo said:

I did mention doing exactly that a few posts back, but I’m not sure I could do a good enough job of it. Maybe a future build though.. 

ah my bad 

I missed that sorry