66 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 - TRX4

[Browneye]

When the sport kit came out for well under $300 I decided I had to try out the platform. I already have 3 Vaterra Ascenders - 2 from kits - and a Axial SCX10II Chevy Blazer. I really like all of them, my start in the hobby/sport was with the Ascenders.

I'm really impressed with the design, materials, and performance of the TRX4. The portal axles are solid, the alloy shocks are excellent, and the overall design is super clean and just works.

When Proline introduced the FJ40 body I thought it was a nice diversion from my 'chevy trucks' and jeeps. Then I found out it was a long wheelbase for a TRX4 in 'Defender' length. It was kind of the impetus to go ahead and foray into the Traxxas segment of the crawling world. I went ahead and ordered the 'long wheelbase kit' to build my Sport kit with this new body.

Of course it fits like it was made for it, so not a lot of kit-bashing required to make it work. I got a SSD front bumper, turned the chassis mount upside down as some have suggested, and fit the Sport rear bumper to the Toyota body, removed the trailer hitch. It sits lower than I like, and has less departure angle than I prefer, but will work well enough for a more scale-looking rig.

The kit is really easy to build, done in a day. The shocks are already built, and the assembly manual is just super detailed and easy to follow.

I had the axles and transmission done in no time, and then just put all the chassis pieces together to get it running.






I had ordered a 550 can motor from HH but got two motors I didn't order, a Crawlmaster Expert 16T, and a Torquemaster Expert 27, neither of which was what I wanted for this chassis - not sure how that happened, but must have been an old cart or something cookied in there and when it hit my Paypal for payment it sent an old shopping cart through. I ended up keeping the Crawlmaster, sent the other back, and sourced a Trailmaster 550 in 21T.


First I installed the Crawlmaster with stock gearing. It actually worked better on 2S power, 3S was just too much. I run the HobbyWing 1080 controller in everything, and I had one on hand for this kit. I also had a DS3218 servo on hand and it seems to work well for this rig.

Natedog recommended I take advantage of the space available and run the 550 can motor, so I installed the Trailmaster I had, changed out the spur to a 45 tooth, and got a 15t pinion. Nice setup for sure, but still a bit too fast, so I had a 10t pinion and put that in. Good, but I think a 12t pinion is going to be ideal for 3S power, at least for me, for rock crawling out here in the west.

 

[Browneye]

Here's the rear Sport bumper fit to the Toyota body. I've since removed the hitch drop out, and added the shackles that come with the Sport kit.
The Sport running boards are going to work too, but I'm going to have to make some spacers and custom-mount them. This body sits up about 3/8" higher than the sides of the sport body. Good ground clearance! "thumbsup"



Once I got the chassis running I fit my old Wrangler body for some testing in the rocks. Whoa does this thing climb. I was able to make all the super-tough routes in our testing grounds out at CDM Rocks - AKA Corona Del Mar State Beach near Newport Beach here in southern California.




I also used the fake winch that comes with the Sport kit and adapted it to the SSD bumper for the FJ.



Here's a preview of the body colors along with the build in progress.



I decided to use my Proline KM3's off my Ascender-Silverado, and instead of the painted steel wheels I got for my Nukizer, I had some new SSD steelies on had which I thought represented a nice 'vintage' look for an upgraded 'old' FJ40 build for offroading.

Here's the final wheel and tire setup, with CI foams, SSD front portal weights, SSD wheel weights for the rear, and SSD hubs.

 

[Browneye]

This is my first try at a 'weathered' vintage looking paint finish. I've used automotive acrylic on lexan, but mostly Tamiya Polycarbonate standard paint finishes. This time I wanted something different, so I utilized some of the ideas that get floated around here for bodies.

The idea was for two-step paint, so that trail rash from running it would increasingly weather the paint job. So I started with duplicating the window masks so I could paint the inside as well as the outside. It makes for a little more work, but this way I can add an interior down the road here if we want.

Next was to paint the inside of the body with metallic copper. This is a great stock color to represent rust.



As soon as I sprayed on some external color I grabbed the wife's salt-grinder and hit it with ground salt granuals. Once the paint setup then I used a scotch-brite pad to wash out the salt and smooth the surface. The salt in the wet paint kept it from sticking in to the body which gives it that weathered paint look.



Next was to shoot the body color outside, Krylon Fusion this time. Same thing, once I got some paint on there I hit it with the salt grinder.



After I got some salt on there for my weathering then I gave the whole thing an over-all of body color. This is Krylon Fusion in flat Sage Green.



Once the paint setup I scrubbed it all down in the kitchen sink to wash the salt out and create some weathering affects with course steelwool. This also serves to smooth out the rough paint and any paint build up around the salt crystals. Any place that the outside paint of the body doesn't cover, looks like rust poking through. Once I was happy with the over all look and smoothness, I did an overall with Tamiya flat clear for polycarbonate/lexan. This also really firms up the Krylon Fusion paint as well.



I remembered to mask the head and tail lights, in and out...
More details coming...decals, scale bits, LED lights, maybe a roof rack, etc.
But it's ready to hit the trail for my weekend crawling fun.

 

[Browneye]

Reserved

 

[HumboldtEF]

Will you be pushing the front axle forward?

Proline got the axle placement wrong up front, it is not centered in the fender well like they've done but rather pushed forward. I think it'd be a 13"+ wheelbase at that point though.

Anyway enough nitpicking, paint looks good "thumbsup"

Any plans to do washes? I think that could really make it pop.
I take little water based paint samples from the hardware store to mix my own washes.

 

[soze]

Oh man, I can't wait to see this the next time out at CDM!

 

[Browneye]

Wash, weathering, chalk, grime, all good ideas. "thumbsup"

I may try to source a Dinky-RC interior, and join it to a flat load floor in the back for an interior. Open to suggestion...

 

[crazee horse]

So is this a straight fit for the defender?

 

[Browneye]

Sinus this a straight fit for the defender?

More or less...you might have to fuss with bumpers and running boards. ;-)

 

[Topher Builds]

Lookin good! I dig it. Glad to hear you’re enjoying the platform

 

[Browneye]

A few more details...decals. I think it's time to go test-run it. ;-)

 

[crazee horse]

What you done is so simple yet so effective, great work buddy ��

 

[crazee horse]

I've just ordered this body and some mustard tamiya paint not sure if I'll do magnets or body posts though. I wasn't to keen on the shell when I first saw it but in those colours it looks amazing. Shame the body has really thick lines for window rubber though.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

That is awesome! Nice job.

 

[crazee horse]

I'm just in the middle of doing mine now. Copper inside, then silver outside, which will be followed by mustard once my m1 screws turn up which I'm going to put in all the hinges for a bit of detailing before top coating and then lightly sanding. I was going to go over all the shut lines with an ultra thin sharpie but have seen elsewhere that a mechanical pencil is the best thing to use as the lines aren't as clear but you still get fine detail.

 

[HumboldtEF]

I was going to go over all the shut lines with an ultra thin sharpie but have seen elsewhere that a mechanical pencil is the best thing to use as the lines aren't as clear but you still get fine detail.

Thats a great idea the mechanical pencil.

 

[crazee horse]

I just realised you haven't don't the light surround white!!!! ��

 

[Levi]

Great looking paint job. Brave trying out the krylon paint. Curious how that paint will hold up over time. Love the old land cruiser body. I almost got that for my trx4 build, but went for the jeep instead.