Topher Builds a Sherpa - Rear Portal Class 2 comp truck

[soze]

Nice, more progress on this build!

 

[Topher Builds]

Thanks for compiling that "thumbsup". Seems like the only place to find instructions and detailed veiws is in facebook videos, which i can see in the background :mrgreen:

True story. That’s the video where he goes over flipping the OD. Glad it was so easy.

Nice, more progress on this build!

Yessir. But I’ve hit a stopping point again. Doh.


And with that segue, here’s where I’m stopping. I’ve either A) forgot to order universal axle shafts or B) lost them when I moved but regardless I can’t build the front axle yet.

I also forgot to get sliders. I had some gc4 sliders which are similar in shape but the holes are different so I’ll have to wait for a new set. Parts ordered so should be back at it towards the end of next week.

 

[Topher Builds]

More progress this week, getting close.

Sliders came in, these are from TGH, they resell them and I really like that they have a Velcro strap loop integrated into the design on the top side. Also got the universals so I was able to wrap up and hang the front axle.

Not too much left to do, just need to build and mount the front shocks. Front driveshaft. Get the motor and esc in and tuned. Then figure out the body and which wheels and tars will end up here.

 

[B-MOW71]

The Sherpa is looking great! This is a great looking chassis!

Looks like it went together fairly easy and looks like it’s going to be a great performer!

Looking forward to seeing the final steps of the build and hearing how it does on the rocks!


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[Topher Builds]

Thanks BMow! It was certainly an easy chassis to work on IMO. No issues, especially after building the tgh/gspeed v3 since they’re similar.

Made more progress last night and got it to a slider. I think the motor bullets I needed showed up in the mail yesterday so I’m going to try and knock out the electronics today and start some body work tomorrow.

 

[Topher Builds]

Yesterday I got the electronics in and moved all the wiring out of the way. Running the TGH low profile servo horn but I still had to space the servo up a tad with 3 shims to get full compression on the passenger side.

The servo horn is long and I’m not sure I’ll keep it as the length will take away torque and my end points are turned down quite a bit. May swap it for a VP horn in the coming weeks.

The wires on the snub nose revolver came out at such an angle that I had to mount it with them kicking out to the side but it worked out okay.

Need to figure out where to put the body mounts. The rear won’t be a problem but the front isn’t as straight forward due to the limited number of holes on the rails and all the stuff that’s going on up front with the FMM. The only hole the mount fits in up front has it rubbing against the spur gear which is a no go. May have a look at mounting them on the outside of the rail but not sure if the PWag will be wide enough to mount like that.

Otherwise once I figure out the body mounting, get it cut and painted, wheels and tires on here, then tuning the esc, I’ll be ready to rock.

 

[Robotboy]

This is turning out super "thumbsup" Another good one TB!

 

[Topher Builds]

Quick update here. I ended up spending more time yesterday on the steering. I realized that with the servo spaced up that the TGH horn would hit the chassis and prevent full throw to the left.

At this point I decided to ditch the long tgh horn and go for a SSD horn I had around. Once I swapped everything cleared and moved well. Still have as much steering as I can get out of the axle as it sits but had to turn the end points back up over 100 since I have the shorter horn.

This is turning out super "thumbsup" Another good one TB!

Thanks RB!

 

[twade984]

impatiently waiting for a run video...

 

[Topher Builds]

Got the body, well the cab anyway, all done and it’s ready for action. I haven’t entirely decided what to do with the back but I think I want to leave the rails/shock towers exposed. Will likely print a little flatbed to go between the rails.

Also tried something a little different to get the logos to look faded and not so new and crisp. Basically I sprayed some black before peeling the masks then sprayed gold before that black was completely dry. I think it worked out well enough, also matted it out as there’s only one shiny PWag I’ve seen that I really liked a lot (Bill’s). The name on the hood I left clean since the dots in the letters are so small and spacing is tight I didn’t think it’d be legible faded.

impatiently waiting for a run video...

Soon! "thumbsup"

 

[TK421]

I'm not generally a fan of Pwagon bodies, but this thing looks wicked! That stance though!!! Cant wait to see video!

Lou

 

[HumboldtEF]

Also tried something a little different to get the logos to look faded and not so new and crisp. Basically I sprayed some black before peeling the masks then sprayed gold before that black was completely dry. I think it worked out well enough, also matted it out

I was wondering what you did for those though I'm still a bit lost on the order and where you painted. Did you paint the sticker or the body, inside or outside?


Anyway that came out great "thumbsup"

 

[Topher Builds]

I was wondering what you did for those though I'm still a bit lost on the order and where you painted. Did you paint the sticker or the body, inside or outside?


Anyway that came out great "thumbsup"

Thanks Casey!

I do all the paint on the inside, except for the flat clear of course. Here’s what I went through, longer than I thought it’d be after typing it out.

This one I printed the vinyl sticker mask on the cricut joy. Reverse the image since I’m using it on the inside.
Then once the decals were down I sprayed a few coats of the black and let it dry pretty well.
Then I went back and sprayed black again where the masks were on the doors and the back and then removed the masking before the black was completely dry.
Then I hit it with the gold to paint where the vinyl was. The gold was laid on kind of thick for the first coat and that got it bleeding into the black for a faded look.
I let that dry, went back and pulled the mask from the name I have on the hood since I wanted that to be clean, sprayed more gold there. This time they didn’t bleed together since it was dry and it preserved the small dots in the letters and the definition between them since they’re close to together.
Then i pulled the window masks on the inside and hit the windows with a few light coats of smoke for a light tint
Then I cut the outter film layer around the windows to get ready for the flat clear.
I took another decal but this time printed the right direction since it’s on the outside and covered the name on the hood
Sprayed the flat clear
Let that dry
Then removed the window film and the decal on the hood and that left them name and windows shiny and everything else matte. Then went around with a chrome pen for a little bit of detailing on the door handles and hood vents.

I'm not generally a fan of Pwagon bodies, but this thing looks wicked! That stance though!!! Cant wait to see video!

Lou

Thanks Lou!

 

[Topher Builds]

Checking out the suspension with the different sized shocks. More than enough flex for me.

Changed the grill a bit too. Sticker wasn’t really doing it for me.

 

[Downfall]

That is looking sweet!

 

[dezfan]

Love it!

The paint effect turned out really well!

 

[Fricker08]

Great looking truck Topher! One of the better power wagon setups I’ve seen. But solid looking rig


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[B-MOW71]

Another outstanding build TB!"thumbsup"

Great choice in color! Looks cool with the faded logo! Love the flat paint look! I've been using the flat clear more and more these days!

Yeah, looks like plenty of flex to me. I'm sure with your setup it's going to crawl well no matter how much flex you have. I've been happy with 90mm length shocks or less. Crawls just as well and requires less body trimming.

I agree, a little flatbed in the rear between the rails would look good! Maybe a little wooden bed made out of Popsicle sticks made to look distressed and worn out. Just a thought!

Well, after seeing how good this chassis looks, I'm not sure if I want to build the Sherpa or the Gspeed chassis. Decisions, decisions! I'll wait to hear what you think of this chassis after you've had a chance to get some rock time on it!

 

[JSterrett]

Awesome truck as usual. Really liking the jacked up in the back look, reminds me of an older hot rod, which paired with the power wagon body reminds me of a kind of rat rod crawler.

On a side note, I think these pics are the first time I've seen one of my Coke machines in an actual scale garage setting... really need to finish my garage, lol

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[Topher Builds]

That is looking sweet!

Thank you!

Love it!

The paint effect turned out really well!

Thanks Dez!

Great looking truck Topher! One of the better power wagon setups I’ve seen. But solid looking rig


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I appreciate it "thumbsup"

Another outstanding build TB!"thumbsup"

Great choice in color! Looks cool with the faded logo! Love the flat paint look! I've been using the flat clear more and more these days!

Yeah, looks like plenty of flex to me. I'm sure with your setup it's going to crawl well no matter how much flex you have. I've been happy with 90mm length shocks or less. Crawls just as well and requires less body trimming.

I agree, a little flatbed in the rear between the rails would look good! Maybe a little wooden bed made out of Popsicle sticks made to look distressed and worn out. Just a thought!

Well, after seeing how good this chassis looks, I'm not sure if I want to build the Sherpa or the Gspeed chassis. Decisions, decisions! I'll wait to hear what you think of this chassis after you've had a chance to get some rock time on it!

Thanks BMow! I’ve been patiently hoping that we start seeing some more 85mm shock options as I think that could be a nice sweet spot for travel and ride height. Incision/VP could do it with a slightly longer shaft as they have more room in the shock body with the 80mm shock.

I’ve wanted to do a wood bed for a while but haven’t figured out how to get a good wood effect with lout vinyl, aging some popsicle sticks is a good idea. May need to give that a shot. I have some scale diamond plate that will most likely make its way onto a bed that ends up here.

Awesome truck as usual. Really liking the jacked up in the back look, reminds me of an older hot rod, which paired with the power wagon body reminds me of a kind of rat rod crawler.

On a side note, I think these pics are the first time I've seen one of my Coke machines in an actual scale garage setting... really need to finish my garage, lol

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Thanks Jeff! It definitely has a bit of a rod vibe that’s for sure.

Love the coke machine, I see you have a vendor star here now (thanks and congrats!) so I may go post a thread about it. I’m still wanting one of those snap on tool boxes and will be hollering at you once I get the garage expanded, I have a second sendero box to set up