johninderby
Newbie
Tamiya 1/12 Toyota Land Cruiser 40 pick-up (GF-01 Chassis) with a few mods.
Bought one of these recently and have just finished it and given it it's first run this afternoon. Please note that it's not completely stock as I've changed the motor and ESC and fitted proper shocks not to mention the Wild Willy 2 wheels and tyres.
Ran it for a half hour non stop mainly in the heavy grass in the back yard and couldn't be more pleased with it. Impressed with the chassis, very stable and handles really well and has a nice tight turning circle. Ideal for tight spaces. Yes it wheelies easily on hard surfaces, but is very controllable. Runs nice and straight. In the heavy grass while it would start to wheelie easily the little wheel at the back would catch in the grass and bring it back down right away. Corners flat out without tipping over, just drifts a bit wide. Running over something just half an inch high (edge of patio etc.) will get it a foot or more in the air but it lands flat nearly every time. Heaven knows what it would do over a ramp.
The 25t Torque Tuned motor the kit comes with isn't bad, but I decided to use an Etronix 27t Sport Tuned motor. A bit faster but still a fairly mild torquey motor and it is rebuildable. Also replaced the aluminium pinion with a steel one. Proper bearings fitted all-round of course. Very surprised at how much quieter it runs with the Etronix motor. Can't hear the motor and gearbox at all when the truck is running around. Makes a nice change from certain RC's I could mention.
Didn't care for the wheels and tyres that came with the kit,they just didn't look right and the rubber wasn't that soft. Sold them on eBay and picked up a set of Wild Willy 2 wheels and tyres for about the same price. They just seem to go better with the kit. Don't know why Tamiya didn't use them in the first place.
The stock friction shocks are 65mm. I had a set of Absima 62mm ones so I fitted them as they were close enough in length. They control the Wild Willy tyres really well. Did the drop test and the tyres didn't bounce at all. Fitting proper shocks is essential with this kit. You could fit 75mm shocks if you wanted as there is enough suspension travel but the angle of the drive-shafts is extreme and the increased height would make the truck less stable.
Before painting the body I looked around at pics of 1:1 Land Cruiser pickups and have copied the colour scheme of one I liked. Surprisingly a lot of the 1:1 pickups have body colour roofs and not white ones so I decided to go that way as it makes it a bit different. Also the rear wheel arches are body coloured not black as recommended in the kit. Also didn't use the black decal strips that fit between cab and the bed as it just looked awkward and overdone.
Finally replaced the hard plastic "wheelie wheel" at the back with a rubber one obtained from a model robot shop. Found when I had a Midnight Pumpkin that this change made it run straighter when wheelieing.
One reason I really like the 4WD GF-01 chassis compared to the Lunchbox / Midnight Pumpkin is it's ability to get through thick grass or soft surfaces that would bog down the LB / Pumpkin. Also handles soooooo much better. Wonder if Tamiya will do a longer wheelbase GF-01 Lunchbox. Now that would be popular.
Think this is going to be my all time favourite back yard basher it's just simply so much fun.
John
Bought one of these recently and have just finished it and given it it's first run this afternoon. Please note that it's not completely stock as I've changed the motor and ESC and fitted proper shocks not to mention the Wild Willy 2 wheels and tyres.
Ran it for a half hour non stop mainly in the heavy grass in the back yard and couldn't be more pleased with it. Impressed with the chassis, very stable and handles really well and has a nice tight turning circle. Ideal for tight spaces. Yes it wheelies easily on hard surfaces, but is very controllable. Runs nice and straight. In the heavy grass while it would start to wheelie easily the little wheel at the back would catch in the grass and bring it back down right away. Corners flat out without tipping over, just drifts a bit wide. Running over something just half an inch high (edge of patio etc.) will get it a foot or more in the air but it lands flat nearly every time. Heaven knows what it would do over a ramp.
The 25t Torque Tuned motor the kit comes with isn't bad, but I decided to use an Etronix 27t Sport Tuned motor. A bit faster but still a fairly mild torquey motor and it is rebuildable. Also replaced the aluminium pinion with a steel one. Proper bearings fitted all-round of course. Very surprised at how much quieter it runs with the Etronix motor. Can't hear the motor and gearbox at all when the truck is running around. Makes a nice change from certain RC's I could mention.
Didn't care for the wheels and tyres that came with the kit,they just didn't look right and the rubber wasn't that soft. Sold them on eBay and picked up a set of Wild Willy 2 wheels and tyres for about the same price. They just seem to go better with the kit. Don't know why Tamiya didn't use them in the first place.
The stock friction shocks are 65mm. I had a set of Absima 62mm ones so I fitted them as they were close enough in length. They control the Wild Willy tyres really well. Did the drop test and the tyres didn't bounce at all. Fitting proper shocks is essential with this kit. You could fit 75mm shocks if you wanted as there is enough suspension travel but the angle of the drive-shafts is extreme and the increased height would make the truck less stable.
Before painting the body I looked around at pics of 1:1 Land Cruiser pickups and have copied the colour scheme of one I liked. Surprisingly a lot of the 1:1 pickups have body colour roofs and not white ones so I decided to go that way as it makes it a bit different. Also the rear wheel arches are body coloured not black as recommended in the kit. Also didn't use the black decal strips that fit between cab and the bed as it just looked awkward and overdone.
Finally replaced the hard plastic "wheelie wheel" at the back with a rubber one obtained from a model robot shop. Found when I had a Midnight Pumpkin that this change made it run straighter when wheelieing.
One reason I really like the 4WD GF-01 chassis compared to the Lunchbox / Midnight Pumpkin is it's ability to get through thick grass or soft surfaces that would bog down the LB / Pumpkin. Also handles soooooo much better. Wonder if Tamiya will do a longer wheelbase GF-01 Lunchbox. Now that would be popular.
Think this is going to be my all time favourite back yard basher it's just simply so much fun.
John
