Knight Customs Sand Rail Conversion For Tamiya Wild One
6 min read
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Quickly after somebody will get their first RC automobile, they shortly uncover that it may be extremely modified. Inherently, all kinds of RC automobiles might be reworked to be quicker, extra sturdy, and even have its look fully altered. Customizing automobiles is the side that retains us hooked and excited on this superior pastime. Some folks might solely improve their experience barely whereas others create extremely personalized automobiles that look and carry out very totally different from its inventory beginnings. One person who has been doing this for years is James Knight of Knight Customs. Now he has an organization the place he has made accessible some particular merchandise so others can improve their automobiles identical to he has. Certainly one of James’ newest mission builds is the improbable Knight Customs Sand Rail Conversion for Tamiya Wild One.
OVERVIEW
The Knight Customs Sand Rail Conversion mission construct is predicated on the Tamiya Wild One initially launched all the best way again in 1985 (equipment #58050). The Wild One and its predecessor of the identical chassis, the Tamiya Quick Assault Automobile (#58046), have been each primarily based on the true life Chenowth dune buggies from the 80’s. Chenowth Racing Merchandise Inc. constructed some of the iconic 2-seater sand rails of that period using easy tube work and using simply accessible Volkswagen beetle suspension and air cooled engines. In actual life Chenowth buggies have been additionally transformed to be used within the US army for its mild strike automobiles in addition to a preferred selection for these seeking to rip up the dunes on the weekend.
THE STOCK TAMIYA WILD ONE
The dimensions realism of the Tamiya Wild One is tough to disclaim. It’s one nice trying 2WD buggy full with a roll cage, headlights, cockpit and driver determine. The usual ribbed entrance tires present directional management whereas the rear tires with block tread sample provide excessive grip which is right for off-road working. A sturdy and light-weight ABS bathtub chassis is the spine to the Wild One the place the battery sits transverse underneath the motive force. Oil-filled shocks matched to four-wheel unbiased suspension and trailing arms makes this buggy nice to drive. The 2WD gearbox is enclosed with a dependable gear differential spinning inside. To guard the driveline, rubber boots cowl the dogbone-type joints.
SPECS
- Scale: 1/10
- Size: 16.73 in. (425mm)
- Top: 5.51 in. (140mm)
- Width: 8.86 in. (225mm)
- Wheelbase: 10.04 in. (255mm)
ABOUT THE KNIGHT CUSTOMS CONVERSION KIT
James Knight particularly designed the elements on this equipment in order that you can convert the Tamiya Wild One or the Tamiya Quick Assault into the sick-looking Sand Rail highlighted right here. The Knight Customs conversion equipment is obtainable as particular person elements 3D printed for you by Shapeways in New York or as a set of 3D information that you may obtain from MyMiniFactory.com.
Among the key parts that James integrated into this construct to make the Sand Rail look as practical as potential is the faux engine cowl and micro electronics he chosen. The extremely detailed fake engine seems to be good mounted on the rear of the buggy and properly conceals the brushed 540 motor beneath. To energy his creation, a mini LiPo battery pack is hidden underneath the motive force seat to keep up the size seems to be.
CHASSIS
The Decrease chassis body rails are designed to be printed in Nylon. When it’s mixed with the inventory Tamiya Wild One rear roll cage and ground plan it varieties a chassis sturdy for scale working. It must be stated that in case you are searching for a mannequin to run a potent brushless motor system on one thing like 3S LiPos, this may not be the equipment for you. Consider this Sand Rail as a scale mannequin that’s distant managed and never as a hardcore basher or racer.
James setup his buggy with a mini 3300mAh LiPo battery pack that’s tucked underneath the motive force’s seat and hidden from view. For a light setup he mixed a 27-turn brushed motor with a confirmed Tekin FXR digital pace management. This setup affords sufficient energy to make wheeling the Sand Rail enjoyable whereas additionally offering a great deal of run time. The FXR with its 1.1×0.80×0.40 dimensions makes for a pleasant compact element that may be simply tucked away underneath the faux gas tank within the compartment that was used for the receiver battery pack on the 1985 model of the Tamiya Wild One.
DRIVER
With the intention to get a correctly proportioned driver for the Knight Customs Sand Rail, James exploited 3D printing tech as soon as once more. The motive force in these photographs was 3D printed in colour utilizing a sand stone print course of. In the event you don’t wish to go that route, the seat is designed to additionally match a Tamiya Wild Willy driver for a extra comical strategy to your construct. A really good contact to the 3D printed driver are the blue seat belt restraints that James sourced from a 1/8 Pocher scale set accessible individually.
SUSPENSION
Good scale trying shocks are key to creating a extremely scale trying reproduction, particularly on a automobile the place the shocks are seen like on a Chenowth dune buggy. RC4WD has a variety of scale shocks accessible and their 70mm scale aluminum shocks have been used up entrance. Within the rear one other RC4WD scale 70mm shock was utilized in mixture with a entrance shock from the re-released Tamiya Wild One.
WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheels and tires actually set the tone for a mission and the Wild One got here with low profile wheels and tires that have been meant for efficiency. James took a unique route and sourced the 1.7-inch entrance wheels from a Tamiya Quick Assault Automobile that have been fitted with machined aftermarket aluminum covers. The entrance tires are a 1.55 Tamiya Sand Tires Limitless from the Tamiya Grasshopper, modified to suit the wheels. This was executed to get a barely decrease profile entrance as an alternative of what a inventory tire on a 1.55 wheel would appear to be. On the rear, James stayed with the Grasshopper for the rear wheels and the Tamiya Sand Tires Limitless paddles. You’ll discover that the paddle tires aren’t inventory anymore and have been modified with each different paddle eliminated with snips. This provides a way more open paddle look over the inventory tire. An aftermarket rear aluminum cowl helps match with the entrance to tie all of it collectively.
ON THE BENCH
You’ll be able to see the 3D printed elements used on this construct in white. All printed in high-quality Nylon from Shapeways. The chrome end engine and suspension elements on this construct got here from the Tamiya Blockhead Wild One (#58695)…good for a extra scale look over the unique black Wild One and Quick Assault engine elements.
OTHER KNIGHT CUSTOMS’ WILD ONE BASED BUILDS
Tamiya created an iconic platform with the Wild One and Quick Assault Automobile. It’s a highly regarded chassis within the Knight Customs scale storage with quite a few distinctive customized builds through the years together with those proven right here. The Navy SEALs Desert Patrol Automobile (left) and a extra scale model of the unique Tamiya Wild One (proper).
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN
Knight Customs Sand Rail Conversion for the Tamiya Wild One 3D file set $29.99:
https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-knight-customs-sand-rail-conversion-set-193616
Sand Rail Conversion for the Tamiya Wild One elements printed by Shapeways Worth varies:
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/knightcustoms?section=Tamiya+Wild+One+Sand+Rail+conversion&s=0
For extra details about Tamiya merchandise, go to: TAMIYA
For extra details about Knight Customs merchandise, go to: KNIGHT CUSTOMS
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