Start of a new Deadbolt project. Lets call it Project: Cheapbolt

[Prime]

I decided it was time for a new truck. I have always wanted a SCX just had never got my hands on one. After looking over the builds on here and the trucks on the Axial website I decided I wanted a Power Wagon. So off to my hobby shop to pick one up. Problem was that once I got there they had none in stock. But they did have this little green fellow on sell so home with me he came.

Here it is fresh out of the box.


Plans are to do a bunch of the free mods, swap the motor and receiver. Water proof the truck. Add lights and a few "scale" accessories. CMS and better links. Pretty much just make a decent little scalish type truck that I can take out trailing and just have fun with. At first I was disappointed they were out of stock on the Power Wagon but now I am glad they were. This little DeadBolt has really grown on me.
This will probably be a slowish build but please bear with me and I will do my best to update regularly.
Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

 

[Prime]

My first "mod"!
Ok so not really a mod but apparently from what I have read the four link holes in the front axle will let water into the axle.



Since I was changing my battery plug to a Deans I already had my liquid electrical tape out so I used it to cover the holes.
I didn't want to use anything permanent since I will probably be needing these holes in the future.



That's it for now. I still need to water proof the receiver so if it warms up enough I can go out and play in the snow.

 

[Prime]

I really do not like the helmet that comes on the Deadbolt out of the box. Luckily it came with a sweet motocross style helmet. Since there were no decals for it I decided to paint it. Luckily my wife had some green nail polish that looked to closely match the color of the body. So I painted and detailed it up and think it turned out pretty good.

The helmet painted up awaiting installation.


And installed in the truck. The color is not an exact match but is close enough for me.


While I was painting the helmet I decided to paint up a set of tow hooks for the front bumper. I used the stock plastic ones that came on the spare parts trees and just painted them yellow to give the some pop (and because I didn't have any red spray paint). Some day maybe I will replace them with a better hoops.


Next up is to install some lights. When I bought the truck they threw in this light kit for a discounted price so I went ahead and picked it up. Hopefully I will get it installed by tonight.


Over the weekend I also bought a rear bumper off a member on here and will get it installed as soon as it comes in.
Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

 

[Prime]

Let there be light! I got my light kit installed. It is a generic set up from a company called G.T. Power RC. It comes with a controller, 6 5mm whites, 2ea 3mm red, orange, and blue lights, some light mounting clips, and the worse instructions ever.

The controller.


The 5mm lights mounted in the stock Deadbolt buckets.


The wires wrapped.


And mounted.


The controller and all the lights mounted and secured. (And yes the only tape I had handy has skulls with bows. It was either that or Pink tape that says "princess" on it. The price for having a small girl in the house.)


Front marker lamp. In the same location as the stock decal ones were.


I painted the rear taillights black to simulate a panel like in the middle of the tailgate and mounted the light in the stock location.


The switch mounted on the dash.


And we have light!!!


And that's if for now. I think I have some old HPI Bronco decals around here somewhere, if I do I may add some of them to make it look more like a modded Bronco.

Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

 

[Bananaclip]

Flatwoods Wv?

 

[Majestic9C1]

lighting looks nice.. I just ordered a LED lightbar for mine just now.. "thumbsup"

 

[Prime]

@Bananaclip: Yup, Flatwoods WV.
@Majestic9C1: Thanks. Lights make them even cooler. "thumbsup"

 

[svt923]

The lights look good and I agree they make everything more fun. "thumbsup"

If you want to add headlights, the light buckets from the light bar are perfect.

You can also make the light bar throw more light by painting the insides of the buckets with some chrome paint to give them a reflector effect.

 

[Bananaclip]

I'm in Elkins "thumbsup"

 

[Prime]

If you want to add headlights, the light buckets from the light bar are perfect.

You can also make the light bar throw more light by painting the insides of the buckets with some chrome paint to give them a reflector effect.

Thanks for the tips. "thumbsup"I defiantly want to add headlights in the future and will look into picking up some buckets to do it with. 8)

I'm in Elkins "thumbsup"

Awesome! I hear that Xtreme Sports in Clarksburg are hoping to start doing some scale GTGs this summer.

 

[mizmike]

I wouldn't have filled those holes up on the axle. One the parts tree comes with 4 link mount, and building your own links isn't a hard thing to do. I do like that light kit and how you hid the wires.

 

[Prime]

The holes are note permanently filed, it is just liquid electrical tape covering them, will peel off when the time comes. 8) I think when the time comes I am going to go with a CMS and three link with panhard like Harley did in his $50 a week build.

I thought I posted these earlier today. I think I got distracted and closed the page before hitting post.

Since we can all agree that the Deadbolt body is a unlicensed 60's era Bronco I added a couple decals from an old HPI Savage Bronco decal sheet.

First up was the grill, a silver decal to cover the Axial logo in the middle and then the Ford lettering in the middle. I think this improved the look of the grill by 100%.


On the back went with a small Ford on the tailgate and Ford Bronco script on the quarters. The font on these looks perfect on this truck in my opinion.


For a little more flavor I added the old school "powered by Ford" to the hood.


These simple decals changed the look of the truck and have given the truck much more personality in my opinion.

Next up is moving the battery to the front, relocating the ESC and adding my Futaba receiver and a Traxxas receiver box.
Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

 

[z50king]

I have that same light set. It was 11 dollars on Amazon.

You can put the 5mm lights in the bumpers and the 3mm lights in the bumpers if you first put them in the holders they came with.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[Majestic9C1]

I put Vanquish shock Razors on the front axle where those holes are.. only to realize I got Vanquish links and would need to use the 4 link mount on the front and it wont fit with the razors on there...

I guess I'll get a different 4 link mount that doesnt use the axle tube holes

 

[Prime]

@z50king: Yeah it's a cheap little set but not bad for the price. I don't think I am going to add bumper lights, least not anytime soon but I do want to get another 5mm bulb and add a set of headlights.

@Majestic9C1: ouch, that sucks.

Good news on moving the battery, I got it moved upfront and made a plate to move the electronics to the back and give me the room I need to mount the Traxxas radio box.


I cut the posts down and angled the tray so it would set as low as possible, just enough room for the servo to barely clear the battery tray at full compression.


Thanks for looking. More to come. Going to finish mounting the electronics, add a winch, and if it works out right it will have a rear bumper soon.

 

[Prime]

I now have all my electronics and a winch mounted! I wanted my electronics on the sliders but the Traxxas receiver box was a bit too big to fit comfortable with how the wires come out of it. So this will have to do for now. In the future when I go with a CMS I will cross mount the battery.



Thanks for looking and stay tuned for more to come.

 

[woody131]

I have been looking around for light options and thought what you ordered and installed looked good and just ordered a pair my self. Your setup of it will help me out lots to install....

 

[ScGRaceR]

nice build!! lights are sick

 

[Prime]

Thanks guys. I love lights, all my trucks have to have some type of lighting.
Woody, it is a nice little cheap package of lights. The only thing I don't like are the two blue lights it comes with, only because I have no use for them. I will be swapping them out for a pair of 5mm whites once I get some headlight buckets. Just make sure you check them before finalizing the install. Reason being is they have some cool flashing modes and just want to have them plugged in in the right order. Completely useless on a crawler but still look cool when flashing in sequence.

 

[Prime]

Sorry for the delay. I had put aside my rig so I could work on my daughters truck. Her ESC decided to die in a cloud of smoke. (an old used 4th handed EVX with some butchered wiring). So I spent some time putting a new AE5 and the Deadbolt's radio gear into her truck since she had an older AM Futaba unit.

On to my truck.
I decided I need a rear bumper but did not want to spend a fortune on one. I found a member on here selling a set of Axial Jeep take off bumpers. So I bought them. I really wanted to use the rear bumper with the tire carrier on it but sadly it was too wide to look decent on the Deadbolt with it's pinched rear. Luckily the front bumper was the perfect width and with a little work I felt it would look good and would match the front bumper perfectly.

First thing up was to mount the "rear" bumper and see how it looked.



Other than the stinger it looked pretty good. So I cut off the stinger, trimmed it down level with the bumper and sanded it smooth.




I am quite happy with how it turned out. It matches the front bumper and will serve it's purpose. Best part is that I do not have a much money in it.
Next on the agenda is some scale items and to figure out a spare tire mount.
Thanks for looking
-Prime-