NEW Defender 90 Cab-top 1:10 scale lexan RC body

FYI, for all you RC fanatics (me included) HPI Racing, USA came out with an officially licensed Land Rover Defender lexan body:thumb-up:. Can be mounted on a monster truck or made on a scale off-road rig.

http://www.hpiracing.com/index2.htm

http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/pa...9/7199_01m.jpg



1:10 Scale RC build up of a Land Crusier just so you get the idea of what can be done...

http://z8.invisionfree.com/Scale_4x4...showtopic=4729

http://www.photoshopist.com/Images/r...fj40/done2.jpg



1:10 Scale RC build up of the HPI Land Rover Defender 90 Cab-top body
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51610

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/attac...6&d=1168225941

since you know RC cars. You guys still selling the RC Defender? If not, what would you recommend that a new person purchase just to terrorize the neighborhood kids and dogs?

Unfortunately, we are not selling the RC Defender anymore.

I am the do-it-yourself type RC kit builder, have been for years. I would recommend buying one of the super light weight HPI Defender lexan bodies, and an affordable proper scale kit solid axle RC rig to fit underneath, like the Tamiya TLT Rock Buster or Max Climber. Yes, put a 1:10 scale body on a 1:18 scale chassis. This way, you can terrorize your local dogs, have a good straight axle rock climber and keep the neighbors happy without the noise and or speed of a nitro rig. And, if you want you can modify this to no end. The kit building experience is worth this alone. Indoor cross-axle challenges are fun too! These Tamiya kits are the basis for creating a good rig because of the BEEFY straight axles and diff gears. The sky is the limit for mods and most just use the front and rear axles that come with the kit and build up the rest with customized chassis, suspension components, and using a gear driven transfer box referred to as a "pede" box (ie Traxxus Stampede).

There are other routes that you can go down with creating an RC rig, (nitro powered, electric monster trucks, etc...) but IMHO, this is the least expensive, and most "scale looking" approach (see Toyota FJ project in above post) as the supplied 1:18 scale kit bodies are too small looking. You also have a really nice set of straight axles to work with :thumb-up:.

HPI Defender Body - $28.00
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXPNC1&P=0


http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/prod.../gallery_5.jpg
Tamiya TLT-1 Rock Buster - $140.00
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...oduct-id=47201
or

http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/prod.../gallery_6.jpg
Tamiya TLT-1 Max Climber - $149.00
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...p?&I=LXHAS7&P=

You will also need the following (all of which can be purchased from Towerhobbies)
- 2 channel AM or FM Radio
- Batteries
- Charger
- Polycarbonate lexan paint
- Misc goodies


Tamiya Max Climber Build Notes
http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/fe...article-id=243

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/fe...article-id=135

I've built a Tamiya Max Climber solid axle rock climber for my daughter last year and it performs very well right out of the box. However, after building it up I should have performed these two important mods below BEFORE I finished it!!! as I needed to take it all apart again and rebuild...

- Replace the kit supplied ball-center diff with these parts and lock it up solid with a hot glue gun, otherwise it will not go very well, thrust me on this. Imagine not having a center diff lock on a Defender...

Replacement center diff parts with these
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...oduct-id=50602
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...oduct-id=50891


- Lock up the front diff solid with a hot glue gun too. This makes it a "three wheel drive" and performs quite well. Kinda like having an ARB locker always locked on in the front. Turning is still respectable.

I'll make a new thread with my Max Climber build-up, mods and new Defender body that is on it's way. Stay tuned.

HTH, Thompson

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spenser

since you know RC cars. You guys still selling the RC Defender? If not, what would you recommend that a new person purchase just to terrorize the neighborhood kids and dogs?

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The local shop was trying to sell me on a $500 Traxxas nitro truck. Seemed a little too much for what I was looking for. Appreciate your time and thoughts. Tower Hobbies it shall be.

Anything I can do to help :thumb-up:.

From Tamiya.com

Build a Rock Crawler So, we heard you want to go Rock Crawling, and you're looking for a way. Well first what is Rock Crawling anyway?

Rock Crawling: The goal of rock crawling is to overcome the largest, most difficult obstacles using any four wheeled vehicle. These obstacles can be anything from a collection of boulders to steep cliff faces. Vehicles can range from stock trucks right off the assembly line to custom hand made machines made specifically for off road terrain.
So in a Radio Control vehicle you can go box stock to highly modified to get you going. Below you will find some Tamiya items to help you start out with your new adventure.

• Great Resources:
• Tamiya USA TLT-1 Rock Crawler Conversion
• Tamiya Trucks A site devoted to Tamiya Trucks
• RCMT- Radio Control Monster Truck (Great info on off-road R/C/Crawling)
• Scale4X4 R/C- R/C off-road/Crawling information
• R/C Crawler- R/C Crawling site
• Wikipedia- R/C Crawling online encyclopedia