Lixander

I`m back! Took a break due to my studies, but the hardest part is just starting - making the final thesis :/ Anyway, in the last 2 months, I managed to get the Porsche 962C built, but it needs a lot of modifications, and the Baja truck (mid scale) is pretty much finished, as I only need to make the instruction PDFs. The chassis of my new Baja truck was almost good from the start, as it only needed minor modifications, mainly regarding the suspension softness and the length of the model. But the bodywork needed a bit more work, as I redesigned most of the rear-end, split and added connections to the bonnet and to the front fenders. Now it looks like this:

Sooo......in the next month, I am planning to test a new model with about the same hobby-grade electronics (1x Geekservo, 1x SkyRC Leopard V2 3650 3.300KV brushless motor + 60A ESC, powered by a 2S 2.200mAh Li-Po) that I used in my past Skunkworks models (the fairly successful RC mod of Apachaihapachai`s Sprite retro buggy, the RC-E buggy, the RC-E REVii buggy and the Sprite EVO buggy). The new model uses the experience I had with the other Skunkworks models, as it is designed to have metal U-joints instead of the new CV-joints (that proved to be also weak for the brushless power) and to have a fairly large gear ratio without using the planetary wheel-hubs (which also proved to be a bad choice when used with a hobby-grade motor; anyway, the gear ratio is around 11:1 and it is made by 2x pairs of 12/40t gears). While it reuses most of the front-axle of the RC mod Sprite retro buggy and has about the same suspension arms as the Sprite EVO buggy, I went with a new approach for keeping the front suspension arms in place and also made a completely new rear-axle. As for the independent suspension and the weight, the model uses 2x hard 6.5L shocks for each axle (so 4x in total), but for the rear, the small shocks might be too soft for the 765 g / 1.7 lbs of the model (without the electronics). Also, for the aesthetics, I went with modified versions of the detachable bodywork and wing found in my RC-E EVO buggy. Moreover, if everything goes as intended, I might go for the power of a 3S 3.200mAh or 5.000 mAh Li-Po and switch the motor with a Robitronic Razer ten G2 3652 4.000KV motor + 60A ESC.

Speaking of old models and W.I.P.s..........the RC-E buggy is pretty good as it is, but I really thought that I could make it`s rear suspension better and maybe even make a PU L steered variant. Sooo, I started modifying it.......the rear suspension was easy to remake, but I think it will need more than 2x hard 6.5L shocks. On the other hand, installing the PU L motor needed a bit more work, as it it sits lower than the PF servo and so, it was colliding with the front drive-axle. For solving that, the model was lengthened by about 5 studs, something that also allowed the BuWizz 3.0 hub to be put on the chassis and the front drive-axle to use the new CV joints. Making the model longer also meant that the bodywork had to the modified, but I preferred to make a partially new retro one, lighter and simpler, that kept only the sides of the original. Also, the bodywork is wider by a total of 2x studs for eliminating the risk of damaging the wires of the buggy motors. Other than that, the RC-E buggy Retro EVO has the same features as the original RC-E buggy. Then, based on the new RC-E chassis I modeled a Dacia Sandrider bodywork: In order to keep the proportions of the original ”car” (basically a buggy), I had to further stretch the chassis. This allowed me to install another extra buggy motor, so now there are 4x motors in total for the 4x4 driveline. With that, it was necessary to install also a 2nd BuWizz hub. The main differences between the Dacia Sandride and the RC-E Retro EVO, are that the Sandrider has pin-holes for installing LEDs (for almost all the lights, front and rear; only the front-mid headlight cannot be lit) and has to use bigger wheels (I initially used the same wheels as the RC-E Retro EVO, but they were too small; so, I put over them the 94.3 x 38 mm R tires, in order to mimic the 1.55” RC tires that I want to use in the model). The Sandrider also needs some further modifications, as for example, the suspension stiffness, so it can hold the weight model (which is around 1kg 900g / about 4.19 lbs without the hubs) or the bodywork structural integrity.

Yup, of course.......I was referring to a clone-brand that made a similar connector with the PU, but they are not compatible.

Welp, from what I have seen, there might be 2x possible explanations: 1. As Aurorasaurus kind of mentioned, the wires of the adaptor wires are not soldered properly or in the right order. I bought a pack of 2x from China for a friend and the quality was surprisingly good, but they soldered the wires in the wrong order. 2. A bit more unlikely, but the connector might look like a Powered Up (PU) one, but has different specifications - for example, the CaDa ”crystal connector”, which seems to be similar with the PU one, but I don`t think it works with a PU port.

Don`t forget the wallet :/

I remembered the buggy bodywork that I made for the failed Flat baja-truck MAXX concept, in order to try to save some weight and finish the W.I.P............but, the design eventually ended in the trash bin. Inspired by that bodywork and wanting to make a more viable large-scale model than the 6M buggy, which was also a mess in my opinion, I started with a new chassis. So here is another ambitious W.I.P. - the MAXX buggy. As usually, the model has a detachable bodywork and wing, but it uses 4x of the new 9L shocks used in the large supercars and motorcycles for the fully independent suspension, 1x PU XL motor for steering, 8x buggy motors in total for the 4x4 driveline (4x for the front and 4x for the rear without any connection between them) coupled from the innermost output with the yellow differentials, the Audi RS Q e-tron wheel-hubs and the new CV joints and powered by 4x BuWizz 3.0 hubs (2x in the chassis and 2x on the bodywork). Lastly, as I do not own enough electronics, I am kindly asking for some help to test-build this. If you think you can test-build it, please let me know.

I have been fiddling with some concepts of small buggies for some weeks now, and I managed to finish a ”Small” and ”eXtra Small” buggy. Both are about the same size and have the same specs as the PU L steered version of the Retro style REViii and share the same idea - interchangeable gear ratios. So, both have 2x buggy motors but with 5x possible gear ratios this time and no differential, 1x PU L motor and 1x BuWizz 3.0, but unlike the REViii, the new buggies use the new CV joints instead of the (metal) U-joints. Moreover, the buggies have detachable bodywork and independent suspension on all arms , by 2x hard 6.5L shock in front for both and by 2x hard 6.5L at rear for the XS one and 2x hard 9.5L for the S. Then, the most important criteria...........the weight. The S buggy, is as heavy as the Retro style buggy, having around 940g / about 33oz without the hub, although everything is made from scratch, while the XS is lighter, at around 735g / about 25oz without the hub, but the latter has a more fragile and complex build and the bodywork is fairly basic. But anyway, here are the screenshots: Also, these are the possible gear ratios. While only 2x of them are used in the Retro style buggy REViii, the rest of them can also be used for it.

Thanks! I also like the wheel caps or aero discs, especially on buggies and vintage-themed vehicles :))

When I first saw this small Porsche 962C, I just had to make something similar. Soo, I got to it and........it looks like this. Thanks a lot to @Brick Shark for letting me share this! *in red - lifts; in blue - rotates

Thanks a lot! ;) I hope that I can say the same about their test-building phase

New W.I.P. buggy, based on the VW Beetle. The front chassis is a heavily modified version of a buggy on Rebrickable, but I lost the source :( Also. the bodywork is heavily based on the small Beetle made by HorcikDesigns around 2 years ago - https://www.instagram.com/p/CwsEyEpLvpd/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==, but it is upscaled. The model uses 2x PF L motors geared 1:1 (24-24t) or 1:1.4 (28-20t) and a new yellow differential for the driveline, 1x PU L motor for steering and it is powered by 1x BuWizz 3.0. Also, it has an independent suspension by 2x soft 6.5L shocks at front and a link type by 2x soft 9.5L shocks at rear. Here is the W.I.P..

Each time I see the bodywork of the old 4x4 crawler prototype (”Red Yeti”) I just want to, you know...... So, it was finally the time to remake it. Although the main purpose was to make a new bodywork, I also thought that the chassis can be improved........and so, I remade from scratch the axles, and, this time, there is an option for an axle without steering for the rear, rather than just copying the front axle and installing also at rear, and an axle with a PU L motor for steering. The model keeps the same overall characteristics, but it is lighter, more compact and hopefully, it is more aesthetic. The driveline uses the same 4x buggy motors from the outermost, slower output, but they are geared down by using the fairly new planetary wheel-hubs, connected through the new CV joints and powered by 2x BuWizz 3.0 hubs. It also uses the same 4x soft 9.5L shocks, but with new connections that, most likely, give the suspension a more independent behavior.

Welp, I intend to enter the TC 29 with this, but I am not 100% sure I will finish it........so I am just going to post the progress and see if I will make it and then change the name of the topic for the contest. The model is roughly based on the ”Major Payne” tank, a tracked rat-rod made for a monster truck tournament. If you want more information about the actual monster ”truck”, here are some build insights: https://info.jepistons.com/its-a-bird...its-a-plane...its-a-blown-alcohol-hot-rod-on-a-tank-chassis- And, something about my model: as most of my builds, it aims to be as close as possible to a hobby RC model. Soo: no interior, no gearbox or other functions; just a simple detachable bodywork and as much speed as it can have. The model uses 2x PF L motors geared up to 1:2.33 (28-12t) and 1x BuWizz 3.0 hub. Without the BuWizz unit, the model has a weight of 407 g /around 14.35 oz. Initially, I was thinking of installing some kind of suspension system and 2x buggy motors, but, due to the size constraints, I opted for 2x PF L motors and just some swinging bogies. Also, the model has a detachable bodywork and fake engine. I will start the build in a few weeks, but until then, here are some images of the digital W.I.P..

Great work! Bookmarked :))