e-firestorm based buggy

[bjcaldwe]

For about 8 months I have planned and day dreamed about making a e-firestorm based buggy using some d4 parts etc. So, for the last month I have been working on it. I am pretty close to have it track ready.

My pics are a bit large, so here is a link to the album.

Project pics

I have comments posted on most pics.

What I have left to do...

1. Body
2. Proper servo brace since the blitz chassis and e-firestorm are different.
3. CVDs, D4's are 62mm and not long enough. Looking at the Team C, or Tamiya cvds
4. Motor guard
5. Electronics
6. Possibly the ECE Blitz ball diff down the road.

[BloodClod]

Very cool project. Looking forward to hearing how it runs!

Any particular reason why you chose a firestorm for your base?

[bjcaldwe]

Thanks.

Well, I run for HB here in the US, but we do not have a truck or 2wd, as everyone knows. It was getting old carrying a bunch of different brands of parts. I at least got my cars all metric so I could share, bearings, screws, shims and all that. So I began thinking, what if I took a firestorm and turned it into a buggy? I have d4 shocks, rear arms, hubs, hingepins, rear rims etc that I could use and would require me to carry less spares. Also, HB has some really good 2wd buggy tires. They work and wear very well on the indoor clay tracks here. After day dreaming about it for many months, I finally started on it, and here we are. I did try to use as many off the shelf parts as possible. If I did have to dremel something, I tried to do things that could easily and quickly be done in a bind if really tore up the car.

Now, I need to find a cvd bone that is about 65mm from the center of the coupling to the pin. The rest is pretty well sorted.

[bjcaldwe]

I have an esc figured out for this project. I would love to put an rs pro in it, but I don't have the extra cash right now. It appears the teamC buggy cvds will work nicely, just need to order them. Then comes the body. I think a b4 body will fit. I will need to cut out the back since the tower is pretty far forward. If this car works fairly well, I may try to put together a vacuum former.

I have attached the latest pic for those who don't want to go out to the album.

I am looking for ideas of a better way to do the tower and lower the rear wing.

[rcjunky]

could you find some longer wing mounts that move it farther back and make it sit lower? As for the shock tower, you might be able to find something else that will work, but I'd try it as is

[bjcaldwe]

I thought about mounting a piece of g10 or cf off the back of the tower, with some lower holes for the wing mounts. Right now they are spaced back about 10mm or more with some plastic standoffs.

One option, would be to get one of the aluminum rear towers for the blitz, and then cut it down, but leave enough to mount a cf tower to it.

I tried a b4 rear tower, since the front fit, but the holes did not line up to mount it. I could force it, but that would end up being a weak spot, and not look very well.

[BloodClod]

The rear tower does look a little far forward now that you mentioned it but I quickly googled a B4 chassis shot and the rear shock tower position doesn't look very much different from yours.

The only issue I think you might have with the body is that 2WD buggy shells typically fit to the shape of the car chassis and you need to find one that matches your custom chassis.

[bjcaldwe]

I will give the tower a go and see how it does. My next version of the car maybe be cf, if it seems worthwhile. I could then move some positions around.

I think a b4 body will fit. The shape was pretty similar to a losi body as well. I had my friends xxxcr at my house, so I did some loose measuring off of it. I do know after all the custom bodies I have seen on here and youtube, I would like to make a vaccum former this summer. Even if I only managed to make D4 under trays, it would be worth it lol.

[bjcaldwe]

I am waiting on parts to arrive, so nothing new going on with the car.

[bjcaldwe]

I tried the team c axles and they were too long.

The d4 rears are 62mm and tamiya rears are 64 and team c around 66. So, the tamiya's should be good to go. For now, I may just limit the droop so I can use the d4 rears and at least say it drove.

This project has been slowed down by helping get a club track ready to race locally and gathering up the needed items for a Ve8.

[cheapo]

Nice work, but I'm wondering if your cut and shut chassis will be strong enough. What material are those braces made from? It really needs to be several times stronger than the original chassis, in order to support the cut section.
If I was bracing a chassis I would try and get 1.5mm/2mm ally or fibreglass plate. The thinner ally would be ideal, as you can shape it. Maybe 'L' shaped ally or 'U' channel that you could cut down the centre to make you own 'L' shaped braces . How thick was that CF? A much thinner piece of the other two could run the entire length under the battery, and give loads of security.

I love making stuff and made myself a complete front wheel drive buggy chassis many years ago. Used a Kyosho Optima transmission, home made chassis and arms from 2.5 and 3mm ally respectively, GF top plate, Optima uprights, steering, shox, shafts. Some buggy shell or other, and got banned from the 2wd class at the local club. It could almost live with the 4x4s!

Good luck anyhoo.

[bjcaldwe]

Your project looked pretty cool. The braces with the screws and locknuts are made of 3mm or so g10 and then 2part epoxy over the top. The outside edges are braces with cf strips about 2mm long and epoxy. I velcro'd an rb5 body on it for now. I think a b4 or losi body would fit better.

[bjcaldwe]

I may get to try out the car this weekend. I am about to head to a charity race in Dallas, Tx. I realized last night if I reduced the droop I could use the d4 rear bones. It is not perfect but good enough to maybe get a few laps. I will have to borrow one from my d4, and an esc from my rt5.

Pics

[m_vice]

bjcaldwe, that buggy looks cool. nice work.
so you plan on racing at Mikes this weekend?
I may go for some race action, if i see you i woudl love to take a closer look at that car, I am really into the custom stuff.

good luck at the race.

[rcjunky]

looks short but cool, let us know how well it works.

[bjcaldwe]

The wheelbase is about the same as a losi. It looks different since the rear tower is so far forward. I had to make some driveshafts at the track. They held up enough that I could get about a pack on the car. It is really not bad at all. Probably the best I have driven a 2wd in a long time. My driveshafts are a bit brittle, so I will have to work on them some more.

[bjcaldwe]

Miguel? Did you race this weekend? I was pitted on the on-road side. You should have come by and said hi. I got to run the car a little bit Saturday night after the races, and a little on Sunday before we headed back home. I hope to have the cvd situation a bit better so I can maybe actually race it.

[Richard_Griffiths]

very nice,

I want one

[bjcaldwe]

Thanks. It is pretty rewarding to build something and it work half way decent. If I have time tonight, I am going to work on it a bit more. I need to clear up the wiring, work on the cvds etc.

[bjcaldwe]

Just a few more from the weekend.