Another scale Sami build, with a few kinks...

[89redranger]

The pure stupid simplicity of this thing has made me wander about the future of the Sami. I had all the elaborate scale ideas for the build, then I get this thing. It's a total contradiction to the way I like to do builds (heavy, ugly, sloppy construction), yet I've never had so much fun. After thinking about it, the Sami may end up a tube chassis'd rig with Speed Way Pal skins over it. In the meantime, I'm gonna keep beating the tar outta this little guy...

 

[89redranger]

Well, the tuber has prompted ANOTHER build based on an MRC. This scale Sami build is still happening, just slower.

Should I start another build thread for this rig, or turn this into a tandem build? Stocker and tuber at once?


Found this on a foreign site the other day. Looks like Australian cars in the background? I can't find the owner of this rig, but two HUGE thumbs up on this rig. This is the inspiration for my tube rig. So far I have the tube bent (1/8" solid rod with 3/32" music wire triangulation), running gear laid out and ready to go, and I'm on the hunt for electronics. The Speed Way Pal and Tamiya Samurai bodies use a hood that is too wide. I'll have to vacuum mold this one myself. It'll be based off a bondo coated balsa positive plug.

So, start a new thread, or turn this into a tandem build???

 

[89redranger]

BTW, I'm actually building 3 of these chassis. One for my daughter, one for the painter (he doesn't know yet), and MINE! Hahaha.... I've gone Samurai psycho! :twisted:

 

[89redranger]

First round of bending. Chassis ended up 1/8" shorter on each end than the drawing. The longer chassis made it look too stretched out. Not pictured, a few cross members, some triangulation, and tabs for body panels, electronics mounts, and shocks. There are quite a few small parts I still have to fab, but I need a torch to braze these up before I progress. I don't want to waste materials making parts that don't work.

 

[89redranger]

Quick question, where are all you guys finding your scale seats? I need a race style bucket a little smaller than a Wraith seat for this rig, and can't find much More specifically, I need HALF a scale seat. For that matter, half a steering wheel as well. This rig is getting a half interior because of trans placement, but I ought to be able to pull off a nice scale look.

 

[Crawllife]

I've got to say, it's a cool feeling to have such good friends on here! Here is where my 1.9 situation gets interesting. I'd LOVE to do a build around this chassis! However it would mean that I no longer have any 1.9 stuff for sale. The wife just informed me that since the one I was going to keep was going to the comp side, she wanted one as well. That means my third would be for this. I'd be totally into it though!

 

[89redranger]

Crawllife- I can always find more MRCs buddy. I'd honestly rather see them get used than stripped to axles, a trans, and skid being prepped for one of my reincarnations. Keep watching this thread for progress. Like I said, this is also going to be a drawn out build, but quicker than the full scale rig. My RC OCD prevents me from building my scale rig as fast as I'd like, and I'm hoping this rig gets me on the rocks this Summer. Your chassis will be built alongside the other two. When you see a roller, check your mail! For now, I've got a lot of rod to bend (sadly, probably still less than most full bodied Axial type scale builds)!

Also, played around with the torch and brazing rods today... No luck there! I'm thinking these chassis' will be MIG'd together to keep things simple. The heat from brazing turns this smaller 1/8" rod into a warped pile. Luckily I didn't practice with the pieces I have ready for the first chassis. I'm really hoping some of you guys with experience on this small stuff will chime in here...

 

[89redranger]

BTW, This rig will be centered around RTR dimensions and geometry. 8 1/4-8 1/2" wheelbase, 2 1/2" wide skid, and should accept the stock 3 link or a home brew 4 link. Also necessary for the build will be a set of RC4WD's ultimate scale shocks with internal springs. My daughter and I will be runningg 1.9s, but this chassis will look more appropriate on 1.55s. The 1.9s will look like the 1:1 rig above, on 44s. I personally don't mind a little bit of an exaggerated looking rig. Just makes them look meaner...

 

[Crawllife]

Well then it looks like we have a plan! I have a lot of reading to do here but it appears that Crawllife is doing a scale build. I'm excited! I'm a super slow builder so no need to explain that part of the thread . This will give me the chance to comp as a couple with the boss and build my " over the winter" scaler I was really hoping for! I'll be watching closely and I can't thank you enough! This plan makes me much happier than trying to put a price tag on my feelings for this hobby!!

 

[89redranger]

Like I said, it still isn't really a full scale build, and the chassis won't really fall into an existing scale class. I guess you could compete in class 3 with these, but the small size means that they wouldn't be competitive. Absolutely not legal for classes 1 or 2. I figured you could put this one together, run on trail runs and stuff, and if you like the scale stuff, you can build a true scale rig. I still have plans to build my scale Samurai (or maybe even something NOT MRC based), but this rig will be the bridge between a comp rig and the scale world. Actually, even with the scale cage and details, this rig should still be competitive in the 1.9 comps. That is, if you can even find a 1.9 comp any more...

 

[Crawllife]

Comping it wouldn't be my priority. I just wanted to do something scale for me. I will have plenty of classes to comp in this coming season. 2.2p, 2.2s, 1.9p, and maybe class2 on the scale side. This project would be for fun for me. Hope you enjoyed your 4th!

 

[89redranger]

Comping it wouldn't be my priority. I just wanted to do something scale for me. I will have plenty of classes to comp in this coming season. 2.2p, 2.2s, 1.9p, and maybe class2 on the scale side. This project would be for fun for me. Hope you enjoyed your 4th!

This would be the perfect rig for you then! Like I said, it's the bridge I needed between a full scale build, and the comp rigs I know and love. Hopefully I didn't scare you by saying I was parting ways with my stuff. I should have clarified, I'm keeping this project, but almost everything else I have is going. Progress will continue on this, but I'm not asking for any more help. For now, it'll go on the back burner till I can buy more tools and get my bills straightened out.

 

[pixelnate]

Don't abandon the scale Sammy. You este making such good progress. That panhard bracket is genius. Do you have any pictures of it before you mounted it up?

Tappin' it.

 

[89redranger]

I don't have any pics of it not mounted, but I will get you a few tonight. BTW, I didn't give up on either Sami project. I am REALLY anal about my builds, and there are things that I want to do with them that I can't even wrap my own brain around yet. It's a matter of making my ideas come together into a working product. The panhard bracket alone was 3 weeks of thought, cutting, and filing. I've even had a few requests to reproduce it. Problem is, it takes around 10 hours to cut one by hand, start to finish. Even at $10/hour I'd have to charge $100 to build one. Definitely gives a little perspective as to how much cheaper CNC machines are in the end. Don't gripe about that $50 set of knuckles you just bought, you could have had to pay some guy to cut them by hand...

BTW, Thanks for the compliments. A little feedback goes a long way...

 

[89redranger]

More progress. Not a lot, just more...

Pics of the tube chassis being mockep up, the track bar mount on the axle (not the axle going under the tube chassis, and the track bar mount off the axle.