Cheers for the replies chaps!
It'll be running on very short grass and dead flat surfaces like staging, maybe having to negotiate its way over the odd bit of cabling. The suspension conversion kit is the proper HPI one for the savvy http://www.hpieurope.com/piw.php?lang=en&partNo=87245 which'll make things a bit less likely to break and slightly more stable, I hope! We'll be bolting the 'cloud' straight onto the TVP's, using a frame made from welded 20x20x3mm mild steel angle bar, which should be plenty strong enough.
Savage + loads of extra weight + lots of speed + drunken fools at festivals = very bad things!!
Changing the gearing and fiddling with the curves on the ESC should help things speed wise, and gear the motor so it's under less strain with the bigger load to carry about.
Yep, servo and spring are a coming, got an Ace 1015, hadn't thought about replacing the bushing though, will have a look through the parts box for a suitable bearing
Have been thinking about the shocks thing, and the fact that they'll be bottoming out, or incredibly stiff, so likely to bend shafts.. Can't fit 4 on the front with the suspension conversion kit on, unless I attempt a mod to get the second set mounted onto a different position on the lower arm...
Will put some pics up when the shell is ready - just now the mold is still being finished, should be within the week.
Well, it needs to be reliable, strong and have enough power/size to easily manage the big load, plus I love savvy's and know how to pull them apart quickly, so it was the obvious choice!! I'm going to be using it for my own purposes as well, so there was no decision really.