[TMC1] 8081 SRT Tremor

[Thirdwigg]

We Americans do a lot of silly things. But one of my favorite silly American things is the sport pickup. Take a pickup, which is functional, heavy, slow, and inefficient, and then make some changes to make it less functional, more sporty (which is diametrically apposed to heavy), faster (again, heavy ), and even less efficient. You end up with a vehicle that is not sporty, but more sporty than a pickup. The result is heavy, has no steering feel, and has no traction at the driven rear wheels, but is unlike any other automotive option in the world (OK maybe the Sport Ute).

And yet, I love them.

The 90's and 2000's had some great ones. The Dakota RT, the SVT Lightning, the bonkers STR-10 Ram.

So I had to make one, and decided it could be designed as a MOD of 8081.

The first draft came out OK, but looked a little disproportional. 

 

Then I got distracted by the 110 Pickup design.

After this was taken apart I picked the Sport Pickup project back up. First the stance of 8081 is going to have to be changed significantly. From the first draft, I moved the cab forward a stud, and it will need a little more. 

I'll need to raise the beltline a little more, fix the rear overhang, and shape the cab and bumpers a little more. But I think I can make something work. I'll try to keep some visual connection to 8081, but I may need to do some significant reshaping of the fenders, doors, and hood, each of which I find significant visual connector to 8081. We'll see... but they whole time I will be asking myself, when is a build a MOD, and when is it a MOC.

Below is some idea of where I am heading.

I'll post more progress here. 

 

[Thirdwigg]

OK, a little update to the truck.

I moved the cap forward another stud, and lowered the fenders a stud as well. The proportions are a little better now. I'm not sure what to do about the hood yet, but we'll see what come to me in the next couple of days.

I tried some ideas for the front. I like the front bumper shape, so I'll clean up the mounting of it next. The SRT will need a bold grill, so a placeholder is on now. Not sure about the lights.

Since everything has moved a lot, I'll need to rebuild the chassis soon. Maybe next.

[johnnym]

2 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

 

The bed looks a little too short to me now. When checking the side picture of the real tremor the bed seems to be as long as 4/5 of front and cab. Did you change its length since the first post or did you move the rear axle?

2 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

I tried some ideas for the front. I like the front bumper shape, so I'll clean up the mounting of it next.

I like that, too.

2 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

The SRT will need a bold grill, so a placeholder is on now. Not sure about the lights.

Maybe recheck the lights, when the grill is ready. The parts @sirslayer is using for the headlights of his "Black Widow" truck could work in addition, or what is used in 42070.

 

[Thirdwigg]

20 hours ago, johnnym said:

The bed looks a little too short to me now. When checking the side picture of the real tremor the bed seems to be as long as 4/5 of front and cab. Did you change its length since the first post or did you move the rear axle? 

The Wheelbase has not changed, nor has the length of the bed, but both the bed and the cab have moved forward one stud. I have not yet moved the HOG axle which may give the impression that that the proportions are off. I'll move that next, and repost.

I'll keep playing with light ideas, so we'll see what comes.

 

[HorcikDesigns]

Keep it up, it looks super awesome!

[Thirdwigg]

The rolling chassis is now final. I have switched to a live rear axle with the new diff, and kept the old front suspension parts. The truck should come together pretty quickly now.

[1gor]

When you said "sports pickup" my first thought was this

but you decided to make more "modern" version. Chassis looks simple and functional which it is typical for your MOCs

[Thirdwigg]

@I_Igor Funny. I tend to enjoy newer aesthetics, but I may have to do a hot rod at some point. Thanks for the idea.

[andythenorth]

"You end up with a vehicle that is not sporty, but more sporty than a pickup."

We have Sport Transits.  

They're rad though :)

https://www.ms-rt.co.uk/new-model-ms-rt-transit-custom/

[1gor]

5 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

@I_Igor Funny. I tend to enjoy newer aesthetics, but I may have to do a hot rod at some point. Thanks for the idea.

I have always respect custom cars (based on 30s and 40s models) and hotrods made over the big pond.

[sirslayer]

The first sport truck I can recall is the 1991 GMC Syclone and its features  4.3 turbocharged V-6   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_Syclone   

0 by victormendoza_jr, on Flickr

[rm8]

Glad you are still active with this 8081 wave! I will be happy to join you soon, my first SUV version need only dashboard to finish)

[Thirdwigg]

21 hours ago, andythenorth said:

We have Sport Transits.  

They're rad though :)

https://www.ms-rt.co.uk/new-model-ms-rt-transit-custom/

I had no idea this was thing! This is peak automotive silly. The only thing more rad would be a Sport Unimog.

16 hours ago, sirslayer said:

The first sport truck I can recall is the 1991 GMC Syclone and its features  4.3 turbocharged V-6   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_Syclone   

Yep, that was the start. It was quick, but missed some of the brashness and obnoxiousness of the later trucks.

16 hours ago, rm8 said:

Glad you are still active with this 8081 wave! I will be happy to join you soon, my first SUV version need only dashboard to finish)

The wave is always there, just sometimes lacks some inspiration. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Thirdwigg

[andythenorth]

3 hours ago, Thirdwigg said:

The only thing more rad would be a Sport Unimog.

Or this? 

 

[Thirdwigg]

So I think I am ready to be done with this project. It's not perfect, but it's where I would like it to be. I'll do one more sweep and replace a couple of errant parts, but it's about there.

I'll make other changes as suggested, but I need that new diff out of this truck so I can do a TC18 project. I'll post more pictures and a video this weekend.

[rm8]

Hm-m. Is the front finished?

[Thirdwigg]

Well it was in my mind . But if I need to go back to the drawing board, I guess I can.

[rm8]

On 4/2/2020 at 5:02 PM, Thirdwigg said:

Well it was in my mind . But if I need to go back to the drawing board, I guess I can.

I think you can do better) Many holes and bumper without air intakes May be you can do front lights  in style of modern ford pickups?

btw, yesterday I came back to my model. Need a little more to do to finish

[Thirdwigg]

23 hours ago, rm8 said:

I think you can better) Many holes and bumper with air intakes May be you can do front lights  in style of modern ford pickups?

btw, yesterday I came back to my model. Need a little more to do to finish

You're right. I'll keep at it, but I may set it aside for a little bit. This whole TC18 is distracting me a lot right now.

Waiting for your SUV as well, so keep it up.

[Thirdwigg]

Many years later, I have finished instructions for this MOC. If you are interested, find the free instructions at Rebrickable.com.