The Chop Shop '85 Chevy Lowrider

[Hoosierdady]

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So I've been wanting a lowrider for some time now. I like chrome, bright colors and low ground clearance. Pretty much your typical low rider. I'm planning on a Clod based hardbody for it which will eventually include windows and a interior. I picked up this Redcat Lightning drifter on Ebay for $115 shipped and I have to say that it really surprised me. Nice quality, nothing mind blowing but it's nice. I'll eventually swap out the phillips head screws for some nice metric ones, but thats down the road. I'm looking to build this for myself and also to show at the RC4WD East Coast scale comp "Show & Shine" in PA in August so I can showcase my painting skills (or lack there of, lol).

So here's what I started with...
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The chassis seems pretty stout. The only thing that bugs the sh!t out of me is the purple alloy parts. Those will be stripped back to raw alloy I believe.
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I'm thinking about the wheels I want now, and also the theme. Part of me wants to do Star Spangled blue with Pearl white and Lime Ice green ghost flames. Then some 2.2 wheels to keep with the lowrider theme. The drift wheels fit the look, but I want to go with a over sized wheel like I run on my 1:1s. I use to have several 85 Chevy trucks, all of them lowered, some ratrods, some were slammed with 22s and just slick clean and simple paint. Something about that body style grabs my attention. So I"m looking for some advice/input on wheels.

The wheels:
These are my style. Im open to you guys choosing one of these or pointing out something else. I do not want to spend alot of money on wheels, so I'm limiting them to under $60
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If I do the HPI vintage wheels I will use the wider ones in the back and try to tuck them in for a tubbed look, but that may not work. The HPIs would look better in a Hotrod/Ratrod themed truck IMO. But I like them so I figured I'd throw them in the mix. I LOVE the spokes, but those may be a little to Gangsta for me. Either way, if you want to just let me know which ones you like. "thumbsup"

 

[ped453]

looking forward to it. I say first set of wheel. It's a classic.

 

[PCHILNSF]

I say the spokes.

 

[1tonscout]

If you decide to go with the pegasus chrome spoke wheels RPM makes 2 and 3 spoke knock offs that look gangster. I have both the pegasus wheels and knock offs for my HPI sprint

 

[JDCrawler27]

im curious as to if you have to modify the wheel base or not, or are you going to make the body fit the current wheel base? also is the width about the same?? can you post some side by side pictures and what not??

i vote those speedline wheels on the bottom pic

 

[littletoyboy]

I really like the speedline wheels also.

 

[STANG KILLA SS]

hellz yeah! love this. definatly the spokes!
cant wait to see this thing!

 

[boosted4lyf]

Odelay, gonna be a nice rig homes.

 

[Hoosierdady]

looking forward to it. I say first set of wheel. It's a classic.

I am too. I've wanted to build one for a while. X2 on the spokes

I say the spokes.

x3

im curious as to if you have to modify the wheel base or not, or are you going to make the body fit the current wheel base? also is the width about the same?? can you post some side by side pictures and what not??

i vote those speedline wheels on the bottom pic

I still have to order the body. But I have 3/4 of a Clod cab in my parts bin along with a Clod bed and the track width and wheel base seem to line up perfectly with no modification needed. But we'll see how it goes once I have the body in my hands.

hellz yeah! love this. definatly the spokes!
cant wait to see this thing!

Thanks. I think the paint is going to be slick. I hope I can pull off the image in my head. x4 on the spokes

Odelay, gonna be a nice rig homes.

Fa sho foo 8)

 

[JBailey]

Yep definitely the spokes. Can't wait to see how this turns out!

 

[Hoosierdady]

Yep definitely the spokes. Can't wait to see how this turns out!

So I have a set of Pegasus wheels/tires and knockoffs headed my compliments of 17Dean (thanks bro "thumbsup"). I also have ordered the body and tail gate. I figured a set of chrome wipers would fit in so I grabbed a set of those too. Pair with a Dinky Yota interior and some chrome bumpers I think I'm about ready to start. I just have to find some Bronco mirrors now.

 

[Hoosierdady]

The body showed up today along with the tailgate. I glued the front and rear pieces on to help keep things true while I modify the body.


Nice view from the rear. Ive got some chrome bumpers coming, but I'm thinking about try in use the body and make the front and rear look like a roll pan. I know what I'd like for them to look like, but finding a 1/10 scale K5 rear bumper is impossible. I could make one, but it wouldn't be chrome so there's no sense in it.


And finally, here's the fun part. I have to shorten the wheelbase by about 3/4" or less. So I'll cut the bed from the cab, and then trim the need to get the w.b. back on track. Then I'll just glue the bed back to the cab.

 

[JBailey]

I think it will look even better as a short box, and the track width looks about perfect. In my opinion a roll pan on the rear with some Corvette style taillights would look killer. I look forward to the next update!

 

[Hoosierdady]

I think it will look even better as a short box, and the track width looks about perfect. In my opinion a roll pan on the rear with some Corvette style taillights would look killer. I look forward to the next update!

I have something in store for the tail lights :twisted:. My dad customized his 79 swb stepside Chevy with Cadillac taillights in the fenders. So I'll sand the stock taillights off and then make some long thin Cadillac-ish taillights. I'll use some red styrene and back light them with LEDs too. Man I hope I have time for all of this. I've got two other custom builds going right now too, on top of a "honey do" list a mile long. There aren't enough hours in the day :roll:

 

[17dean]

I have something in store for the tail lights :twisted:. My dad customized his 79 swb stepside Chevy with Cadillac taillights in the fenders. So I'll sand the stock taillights off and then make some long thin Cadillac-ish taillights. I'll use some red styrene and back light them with LEDs too. Man I hope I have time for all of this. I've got two other custom builds going right now too, on top of a "honey do" list a mile long. There aren't enough hours in the day :roll:

Can't wait to see the rims and tires on this project!"thumbsup" As for the Honey do list ....believe I know...We are @ the last stage of the process of getting the keys to the new home and I can't wait so , most of my free time lately is all packing. Hell I haven't even started to pack up the Washroom Fab and Garage Shop stuff yet either which should be this weeks job! But once everything is done , I am doing a dropped Burbon with a HPI onroad chassis! Glad to be a help to you bro!"thumbsup""thumbsup""thumbsup"

 

[Hoosierdady]

Can't wait to see the rims and tires on this project!"thumbsup" As for the Honey do list ....believe I know...We are @ the last stage of the process of getting the keys to the new home and I can't wait so , most of my free time lately is all packing. Hell I haven't even started to pack up the Washroom Fab and Garage Shop stuff yet either which should be this weeks job! But once everything is done , I am doing a dropped Burbon with a HPI onroad chassis! Glad to be a help to you bro!"thumbsup""thumbsup""thumbsup"

I can't wait either. But I have other projects that take priority. I work on this in between waiting for filler and glue to dry. Good luck on the move man. "thumbsup"

So like I said, I got to work on it a little bit. Luckily for me, I work fairly quick.:mrgreen:

I stuck on a cowl hood...


The bed has been shortened by around a 1/2 inch to fit the wheelbase.


I want to keep the sunroof, but the lip around it looked like crap so I sanded it off.


I sanded off and filled the taillights in preperation for the custom Cadillac-ish tail lights.


And here it is setting on the chassis.


I hate how these wheels stick out. Hopefully the wires aren't any worse. I've got some work to do to get the track width narrowed some. I'd like to narrow it by 1/2" but I don't see that happening.

 

[nascarkeith]

You should be able to shave down the hexes. A 1/4 off each side ain't that much.

 

[Hoosierdady]

You should be able to shave down the hexes. A 1/4 off each side ain't that much.

Im going to look into that and also wether or not I have any more adjustment on the a-arms to bring in the Hubs. The alignment is way off on it anyways. I've got a decent brushless setup ordered from HK. It should be in today. I also got my TF2 chrome wipers and mirrors in from RC4WD yesterday too. I just don't have enough hours in the day to get it all done.

 

[smokediver]

This should be a great runner when you get it finished. Can't wait to see the body work.

The mountains

 

[Hoosierdady]

This should be a great runner when you get it finished. Can't wait to see the body work.

The mountains

Thank you sir. "thumbsup"

This body will be a show piece. It won't get ran except for at very low speeds. Other than that, it'll live it's life inside of a plastic bag on my shelf. I have a lexan Clod body coming that I'll paint up in black w/ chrome ghost flames that'll be the runner.