Scratch building an 85 K5 RC

[jeffro2]

The last one I scratch built was my 72 Chevy 4x4 Pickup. Its a little bigger scale then my other RC trucks, its about 9th scale, or somewhere between 9th and 10th scale.

This one,




So I decided I wanted a Blazer in the same scale, so I would have one to run with the other and still look normal, instead of a giant compared to the others.

I did a rough drawing of what I wanted.



Its about 18 inches long



I transferred the drawing to a sheet of styrene and cut it out.



I made a grille, the one above is an original Tamiya Clod Buster grille in 10 scale.

















And this is where I am at.










Any thoughts, anyone, Am I headed in the right direction ?




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[manimal]

Man, you have some mad skills for that! How did you get the upper curve on the body? Heat and roll it over a piece of tubing?

[jeffro2]

Originally Posted by manimal

Man, you have some mad skills for that! How did you get the upper curve on the body? Heat and roll it over a piece of tubing?

Thank you manimal, I'll take those comments all day,

If I understand correctly, the upper curve that runs from the top of the headlight to the top of the taillight, the full length of the body, correct. ?
No, on a round pipe or object, but Yes, on using heat for curvature, but not there.

On that contour I had to slice the styrene cutout of the Blazer along the straight line below the contour and then cut strips of styrene from another sheet, about 1 1/4 inch wide and as long as the body is, about 18 inches, then you cement them offset to each other and the cutout Blazer sides, then fill in with Bondo or what's called Plastic Metal made by Bondo, and after enough sanding and maybe more plastic metal and hopefully it will look like a "curve" I hope that makes sense.

Originally Posted by TexasJeff

nother great build Jeffro that I will be watching closely.
You like right on track to me, one thing that I notice the sides might need a little more curve and the bottom, might be the camera angles but they look very straight up and down.

Thank you TexasJeff ! That's what I need to hear also, it keeps me on my toes. You are correct, I believe its one side more then the other, after giving it a good look over. Also after staring at it for awhile, I've also decided to add another layer of .40 styrene to the lower halves of the body, below the body length curve, but It will start from just back of the headlight almost above the front fenders, and then feather it out. I think it needs to gain a little girth on the body.

I will see about some better pics up this weekend if I get around to working on it, but I am kind of burnt out on body work, so I may switch to the chassis and drive train, and on that note, I went Ebay trolling and bought these neat little items.

2 speed trans



Axles



Transfer Case



And with any luck, I can get a chassis made this weekend.


Thank's again guys.

[TexasJeff]

Another great build Jeffro that I will be watching closely.
You like right on track to me, one thing that I notice the sides might need a little more curve and the bottom, might be the camera angles but they look very straight up and down.

[Ol Blue K20]

I missed the 72 build, I'm watching this one!

[jeffro2]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I missed the 72 build, I'm watching this one!

Thank you ! Glad to have you along.

I did a little more to body over the past weekend, then I got sick, so its at a standstill for a bit.

I did add some styrene to the sides and worked on getting the lower curve a little curvier. I also was able to start on the back shell. The body still needs more work. I'll put the vent windows in later, otherwise I will knock them out every time I work on it. Onto the pics.












Thank you for looking.




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[Ol Blue K20]

Looking good..amazing how you do that...I would have got mad and stepped on it by now..

[jeffro2]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looking good..amazing how you do that...I would have got mad and stepped on it by now..

Thank you Ol Blue K20 ! There was a time long ago I might have gotten aggravated and smashed it, but most days I've learned to walk away.

Originally Posted by inovermyhead

very cool... I'm in on this one!

Thank you ! Glad to have you along also.

No updates at the moment, I've still been under the weather a little this week, and I'm pretty sure nothing will get done this weekend.

My 2 grandsons are coming to stay the weekend, and I'm fairly certain we will be out at Salt Creek.

For some reason they just love to come see me.. or maybe its my Jeeps














Thanks for stopping by.




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[ERASER5]

WOW! You a very a talented little kid! Oh, that's not you?

I would/don't have any idea how to even start doing that kind of art work. I could thrash it OK, but I could never just dream it up. Where is that jelousy smilely...

[inovermyhead]

very cool... I'm in on this one!

[TexasJeff]

Jeffro the body side looks much better, the little curved added to the bottom was just the ticket, looks awesome. I think adding the body line around the wheel wells helped out a bunch too. Keep the photo's coming, and the awesome work I love watching the progress.

[rambler]

amazing work ! I would not have the patience...

[Ratedbforbeau]

wow man! have you ever heard of headquake137 on youtube? he does his out of wood and weighs them down for a scale look when trailing! wicked cool blazer man! im assuming you use Axial as a chassis?

[jeffro2]

Thank you guys, Its great to read your comments !

@ Ratedbforbeau, Yes, I know of Headquake, he used to visit my RC forum, but I haven't seen him around in a long time. He's good at building them and he has schooling in video making, because he has some decent vids of his little trucks.

I few small updates, I've been spending time sanding on the body and getting it shaped up. I also was able to get a frame bent up and sliced in half.

See what you think so far.

I've got the wheel base figured out and I'm trying to get the frame rails attached to the leaf springs



The body so far




I might do a rollbar, and I'm also wanting an interior, but that's later.



The back end of the topper and its shaping up also.






Thank you for looking ,and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving !




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[Ol Blue K20]

What do you make the frame out of??? Curious minds want to know...

[jeffro2]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

What do you make the frame out of??? Curious minds want to know...

I use 1\2 inch square iron tube ? I usually use Map gas, a vise and pliers and my super human brute strength to make my bends, Tee Hee

but this time I picked up a compact tube bender from Harbor Freight, and things were going well till I did the 2nd right angle and I over stressed it. I had to put a band aide of aluminum in the channel to strengthen the crack in the frame, and since its an RC its not a big deal on the cracked frame, my band aide will hold.


I'm trying to talk myself into stealing the axles of of this smaller Blazer, because they look more realistic in size.

[jeffro2]

I decided not to take the axles off of the other Blazer I showed in my last post. Long story.

Here are some new pictures of the frame build up.







You can see where I stressed it too much and had to make an aluminum patch.























Thank you for looking.



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[TexasJeff]

Coming along very nice, thanks for the update. I love the gig to space the axles out, what a great idea.

[Ol Blue K20]

Lookin' good

[jeffro2]

@ TexasJeff, Thank you very much !

@ Ol Blue K20, Thank you !

I've been a little slow at getting back to building, let alone standing or sitting comfortably, I had surgery last Friday, in a really tender spot

I've been on my back these last couple of weeks and I'm trying to get back in the saddle and its still a little painful, but anyway this is what I got done before I went down.

I cut the windows on the cap







This will be a simple interior, meaning it may not be exactly as a Blazer, but know one really can see it once I add the driver and anything else I may add to it.





Topper and tailgate














I'm getting closer to a paint scheme, bur not totally sure, but maybe Blue sandwiched by white...maybe.. any other ideas ??




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[dieseldawg142]

looking good! i know you always say 1/9 or 1/10 scale on your builds, for those of us that have never used that scale, roughly on average how long (big) are your trucks?
is that also automotive glazing & spot putty on your bodywork? it looks like the same stuff i use.

[jeffro2]

@ Ol Blue K20, Thank you

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

looking good! i know you always say 1/9 or 1/10 scale on your builds, for those of us that have never used that scale, roughly on average how long (big) are your trucks?
is that also automotive glazing & spot putty on your bodywork? it looks like the same stuff i use.

Thank you kind sir

The 72 4x4 is a little over 21 inches long (bumper to bumper)and 7 inches wide. The wheelbase is 13.5 inches.

The Blazer is about 18 inches long ( B to B) and 7 inches wide. The WB is about 10.75 inches

Normally they would be 18 inches long and about 6 inches wide on the truck and the Blazer would be about 16 or so on length and 6 inches wide.

And to answer your other question, yes.







I've got some pics but I need to put them up later, I've run out of time at the moment.

[Ol Blue K20]

It's lookin' more and more like a Blazer keep it up!!!

[jeffro2]

I finally got a little time. I've healed up but slowly getting some more work done to the Blazer.

1st off, I've decided on the colors I want. I like this one. Its clean looking.



My tailgate.



I think I have about 2 more sandings to get the body done or as done as I want to be.





Made some bumpers





And that's it for now. Thank you for looking.




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[jeffro2]

I haven't quit, just needed a break, from scratch building plus the weather went down to 15 below, which makes it impossible to paint. This weekend is warmer, but its really damp, so I may experiment with some paint to see what happens.

This is where she sits.






As for the break, WELL, I started something else, I had some Christmas money and had to add a little more, but I have wanted one of these for a long time.








Sometimes I just like to build a kit, I don't have to think as much, just follow the pictures, and build..





Would anyone be interested in a build thread for the Big Rig ?




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