Radio control holiday

 

With only me in the car, I decided that there would be space to take a couple of RC vehicles on holiday. 

Firstly, the Sand Scorcher. I live as far from a beach as possible, so this was about the only chance it would have to scorch some real sand. On the day I arrived, I decided to spend the evening giving it a run. The nearest beach was Castletown, which isn't really sandy, but I had a good time anyway. 

 

The car likes a reasonably firm surface. Too much power on softer stuff sees it dig a hole for the back wheels. There were a few rocks I managed to hit too - which rolled the car. I haven't got around to refitting the wing mirror, which was probably a good thing. 

What I was able to do was get the car up to top speed, and turn reasonably gently keeping the momentum up. Spitting tiny stones everywhere, it really looked great. 

I'd planned to try a sandier beach later, but the weather was so nice, all the ones I visited were full of people. Another day perhaps. 

Another idea, was to join the Manx Model Boat club for a sailing session. They sail at Silverdale Glen, a couple of miles from my hotel. Parking is very limited, but it's a lovely pond, usually used for a couple of pedalos. 

One problem was that the club sail on Sunday, and Sunday's are for Groudle, followed in this instance, by the tour of the steam railway shed. Between us was the Southern Agricultural show, which promised to provide traffic issues that weekend, so I sailed one evening instead. Sadly, solo, but at least the boat made the water. 

 

As I say, it's a lovely lake, and I did my best not to disturb the ducks. The pond is pretty much the same size at the one we have at Knightcote, albeit a different shape with some fencing around the edge. Although you could reach through and pick up a boat this size easily enough. 

And if you take the kids to Silverdale, there is a water-powered roundabout for them! 

I can't be the only person who takes models on holiday, am I?  

Back to buggin'

 

With everything tightened up, it was time for more charging around in the car park. This time, I took my DSLR, and stuck it on Sport mode. Driving and taking photos isn't easy, but these seem to have come out OK. 

 

 

 

I will say that while it's great fun to drive on a loose surface, those front wheels have no grip, and it's easy to spin out by trying to turn too tightly, with more power than is advisable. I'm only at the bottom of the learning curve driving this thing!

And yes, I did manage to turn it over. I should have read the comment about putting some Fablon on the body to protect it. Not that this would have helped the wing mirror, which also needs to be fixed back on...

First bug run

 

If this were an episode of Friends, it would have the subtitle, "The one where the wheels fell off" 

For the first run of my Sand Scorcher, I arrived early at the railway club, and made use of the rough gravel car park area near the model boat club. I reasoned that with a mix of loose stone and lumpy grass available, I could get an idea of what the beast was like, with hardly anyone else around. 

First up, take some nice posed shots with attractive backgrounds. 

Then switch everything on, and GO RACING!

I started by ragging it (as da kidz would say) around the stone car park. For a few minutes, all went well. We even took a trip on the grass, but I panicked a little as the car headed towards the water. Clouting a bench wasn't clever, and dislodged the driver, but we stayed away from the wet stuff. This thing is fast. And I am old, and slow. 

Then things went wrong. 

One of the rear wheels shot off. Looking at it, the stub axles had come out of the universal joint. Fortunatly, I had the appropriate Allen key in my pocket, it's the same one used to open up the waterproof box the electrics live in. 

Back on the "track" and started whizzing around again. but after a white realised the car turned better in one direction than the other. Investigating, the other end of the UJ had lost contact with the drive shaft, and the car was one-wheel drive.  More Allen key work, and we were back to normal. 

Things progressed well for another few minutes, until the other rear wheel shot off. This time, the retaining nut had come off the end. Try as I might, I couldn't find it, so the Bug went back in the car, to be fixed at home. 

Conclusion - this is great fun, but a little bit more fragile that I'd hoped.  

Sand Scorcher - Finished

 

Job done. A dream kit build is finally completed. 

This is every bit as good-looking as I hoped it would be. Choosing a paint scheme different from the one Tamiya suggests was a bit brave, but I think has paid off. OK, it's not perfect, but are the real cars? More to the point, if I wish to rag this around as I'm supposed to, who wants to be terrified of damaging the paintwork? 

I remember reading an article in a VW magazine by someone who restored their car, and initially was terrified to use it for fear of damage. Eventually, he had a good word with himself and remembered this was a car. It would get scuffed, and the odd ding, but he needed to get out and enjoy his vehicle. 

As far as the build goes, there were a few moments along the way where I had to engage my brain, but with a bit of logical thinking, it all went together. Sometimes I had to backtrack, the clear plastic electronic container is now screwed down properly once I worked out I'd mis-read the exploded diargam, but that's part of the fun. I didn't want a shake the box kit, for this money, I wanted to be involved, and that's what I was. 

I'm very happy with the end result, and yes, I'd build another Tamiya kit again. There are a couple of tempting ones out there, and people I've chatted to who have been watching my build have confirmed they make excellent projects. Perhaps for another day though - I need to try this car out first! #

 

Finishing touches

 

Why did Tamiya fit the Sand Scorcher with a sunroof? It's not even a proper VW one - those are a lot longer and fabric. This is a horrid aftermarket version. 

At least they give you a blanking plate, it's not the greatest fit, being a slightly different curve than the roof, but it fills a hole. 

And finally, the VW badge. Supplied chromed,I painted it black, and wiped the surface to look more like the real thing, a lot better than the current VW badge too!

So there we are. A pleasant build - I've really enjoyed it. Finished photo tomorrow.  

Beetle back and front

 

Around the back of the Sand Scorcher, we have a nice kit for a stinger exhaust. Not back boxes or provision for heat exchangers on these bad boys, the exhaust gases are vented straight out - efficient, but noisy!

While I'm not weathering the model, after spraying this black, I dry-brushed a little grey and rust on the pipe, because it looked a little too clean otherwise. 

One thing I'm not adding, is one of the many 3D printed engines available. I know quite a bit about VW bugs, and one thing I'm sure of, is the engine lives where the motor is on the model. Those aftermarket details hang out the back, in to my eye, in a very inconvincing way. Remember, before the Baja conversion, the back end of the car would cocoon its engine. You can't do that it the flat-four is hanging out of its arse!

At the front, I've taken the advice from the blog, and made up a set of PH 1L numberplates by printing them out on paper, and UHU'ing this to the plastic moulding. Several coats of varnish will hopefully protect them in use. 
 

Wipers and tail lights

 

I'm impressed that the Sand Scorcher comes with windscreen wipers. I'd be even more impressed if they fitted properly! A good dollop of plastic cement, and some Glue'n'Glaze under the wiper blades has them in place, and looking good. 

Around the back, we have tail lights. Earlier ones than I'd prefer, I love the elephants foot version, but  never mind. You'll notice I painted the orange light a different shade to the orange bodywork - attention to detail!

Oddly, there is a lovely set of clear covers, which would give these a smashing, realistic look. But according to the instructions, you don't use them, and they don't fit over the lights. I wonder why they are there? 

And before anyone says, it - I'm sure both wipers and lights could be made to work, but not this time. I just want to build this and have some fun.  

Stickers on

 

Now we are at the really fun stuff. Well, mostly. Putting the decorative stickers on the car. Making it come alive!

First up were the wings. I bought a couple of sheets of Becc vinyl checkered flag. Two, just in case things went wrong. My plan was to make a card template for the wing, then transfer this to the vinyl. Peel the back off, and stick it on. Simple. 

Not simple. The card guide didn't take into account the subtle shape changes, and also the non-straight edge against the body. There are millimetres in it, but enough to be annoying. I also managed to cut mirror images of what I wanted a couple of times, because I am an idiot. 

After a little struggle, I remembered that heating the vinyl with a hair dryer would make it more pliable - it does. Changing the sheet from flexible, to the consistency of bubble gum, or cling film. Yes, it bends better, but pull too hard and you distort things. I have a feeling experimentation with lower heat would bring results, but in the end, just before I ran out of vinyl, I finished the job.

It's a long way from perfect, but id I really wanted, I could get more sheet, peel what I have off, and have another go. On the other hand, this is a rough-and-ready car, not a show queen. It's possible, the vinyl will get damaged anyway, so I'll have another go then. In the meantime, it looks the part from a modest distance. 

Advertising stickers came with the kit, but I've augmented these with more Becc material, as I really want my car to be personal. The BP is a tribute to my Dad Brian, who has been enjoying seeing my efforts with this build. 

Finally, the numbers I had to hand, but these may get replaced, if I can find something I like better. A round, white background would help them stand out a bit. 9 is my racing number, so this is non-negotiable.  

Anyway, it's looking pretty. Time for the finishing touches.  

Painting the driver

 

Sometimes, several of these posts are generated in a single modelling session. But not this one. 

Painting the driver took place over a series of evenings. Nice little, fun jobs that  I was able to keep working on, even after a busy day in front of a screen. 

His head is separate, and supplied in two halves. I used my usual trick of painting his skin with Humbrol flesh, and the dry-brushing with Revell's version.At this scale, picking out his eyes wasn't hard, he's even got pupils from a 0.3mm Rotaring pen. 

The helmet was painted white, masked, and then painted Signal red. I should have used narrower tape, as the masking wasn't perfect. Some narrow Trimline tape hid the worst niggles though, and a generous coat of matt varnish will hold it all in place.  

Clipping the body down

 

The Sand Scorcher body is supported on a single pin, with a clip, at the front, and with this clip at the back. To remove it, you reach in through the unglazed rear window, and pull the metal clip up. It seems to work, which shouldn't be a surprise, but is. 

The clip is supported on a couple of tubes. I had them in the pot, but when I came to fit it, only one was still there. Hmmm. Anyway, I have some styrene tube about the right size, so made a couple out of that, which seems to work OK. I've also run out of the correct washers for the top of the roof, but found some nice wide ones to use instead. These should be fitted underneath I think, according to the instructions, but the washers there show threadlock around them, so we'll leave well alone. 

Glazing is screwed in place, and by now I'd only got two of the three proper bolts, but plenty of some 2mm longer. No idea how this has happened, but some cutters quickly removed the extra couple of mm, and in the clear item went.  

Nose detail

 

Well, this was a simple. The chromed headlight bezels drop into the nose, and are fixed with a bolt screwed in from behind. The lenses simply clip into place. Indicators are glued in from behind. I used Contacta plastic cement, then some solvent, and still unsure how strong they would be, superglue run around the edge. I'd have added a belt and braces too if there had been space. 

All this attaches to the front of the bug with a big self-tapping screw, and a couple of bolts on the side. 

Not sure what to do about the numberplate. The supplied version says "Baja bug", appropriate, but I fancy something unique. Suggestions please.  

The future, is orange

 

I've spent a lot of time pondering my Sand Scorcher's final colour. The only thing I was certain of, was that I wouldn't be using the colourscheme on the box lid. For a start, it's very common, but more importantly, I race in orange. And I like orange cars. 

After much perusing through Instagram, I found the photo above. This is a good-looking paint job. Lots of life, and very much not the same as Tamiya's box art. 

Unlike more modern Tamiya kits, the Sand Scorcher body, is a single-piece massive moulding, in white plastic. So, unlike those made in clear plastic (lexican?) you paint it the same way as any other plastic kit. None of this working inside out. 

On RMweb, several people have discovered that Halford's has changed their paint supplier, and the new cans are a bit rubbish. They also found that the original range, had moved to The Range shops - so that's where I headed for paint. 

After much deliberation, I've gone for Ford Carnival Red (913A). A strong, deep orange colour that on the model, looks great. It sprays really well too. Wings have been masked to keep them white - I'll apply some vinyls later, and I don't want the orange, showing through. I have used most of the 150ml can on this job, and the shop only had one of them, so let's hope I finish all the ancileries too!

Time to fit the wheels

 

Fitting the Sand Scorcher wheels should be simple. Put them on the stub axle, do up a retaining nut, and job done. 

At the back, that's how things works. Yes, you have to juggle a metal hub in place, but this doesn't quite require three hands. 

At the front, on when the first wheel, and when I spun it, it was catching. 

Investigation revealed that I'd used the wrong bolts when assembling the wheels, and the once I'd fitted were just long enough to stick out of the back of the hub, and catch on the steering arms. No problem, just a bit of grumbling at my own stupidity, and these were changed for fractionally shorter ones, that don't quite reach the end of the nut now. 

But this still didn't solve the problem entirely. Something was still catching. Running the wheel inside out (wheel front facing into the car) fixed it, but that would just look odd. Moving the wheel around a little, allowing a little slack on the axle sorted it, but that's not an engineering solution. A 2mm thick plastic washer is though, in my mind at least, so I made some up, and not everything is tightened up as it should be. 

Obviously, I'm worried I've done something wrong. Tamiya don't make this sort of mistake, do they? 

Anyway, the car is now up on its wheels, and has been test run up and down our hall. Happy days! 

Wheeling out the worst job on the car

 

On a real car, the jobs that take ages, are usually the ones you expect to be done really quickly. And so it turns out, is the case with a radio-controlled car. 

Putting the wheels together should be simple. The hubs are in three parts, and the tyres surround these. 

The trouble is, the middle part of the hub has to go inside the wheel. In through a hole that is much smaller than the plastic piece. The instructions just tell you to do it. Not how it might be done. 

After quite a bit of straining and swearing, I resorted to the internet for advice. Watching this video (the best, and shortest I found) helped a bit, but it mentions another hint - drop the tyre into some nice hot water, to make the rubber more pliable.  

Doing this certainly helps a bit. As does using one of the lumps on the side of the hub to aid leverage. Eventually, I managed it, but it's still a challenge. 

Then I realised that the tyres are handed. Despite thinking I've been clever and spotted this, I still had to spin one hub around within the tyre so the scoop-shaped ribs are facing in the same way on both sides of the car! 

It's alive!

 

Of course, with the car wired up, I'm, going to give it a bit of a test. Even sitting on a box, it's a bit exciting, and of course, useful, to check things are working. 

Keeping the dirt out

 

We need to keep the electronics clean and dry, not easy when the car is running off-road. Fortunately, Tamiya pack these delicate parts in a waterproof, clear plastic box on their kits. 

First up, the servo is fitted, and the arm pokes out of the case covered with a rubber bellows unit. Persuading this through the clear wall is a little fiddly, but it must fit properly, or things won't be sealed. 

Everything else follows, and it's here that the kit shows its age, For a start, the battery pack looks nothing like the drawing in the instructions. It certainly won't fit in the foam battery guard either. In fact, there is so little space, I can't see the battery moving around much, so I'll ignore that part. 

Moving to 2.4 control, the receiver is tiny, and won't need any of the space that is provided by a clear, plastic nose to be bolted onto the front of the clear casing. And the aerial wire won't be going to the back of the car, where there is a super long aerial. 

I might still fit that anyway though. With a fake fox tail on the top!

One question. Should the clear box be fixed down in some way? At present, it rests on rubber supports, but if I forget and pick the car up by it, something easy to do, obviously, it separates from the chassis. The instructions don't show anything, but I'm not convinced.  

Buggy wiring

 

Time to wire up the Sand Scorcher. A speed control is included in the box, and I bought a battery pack at the same time. Digging in the model boat stuff, I pulled out a servo, and a receiver. 

Plugging it all in wasn't hard, other than the usual guesswork trying to put the right connection into the receiver. I've learnt this is trial and error, but now don't get wound up by my inability to remember things. I do know that unlike the Planet system, you don't need to put the power in the bottom connection.  

The biggest surprise was three wires coming out of the speed control. It seems that this clever bit of kit will run both brushed and brushless motors. Who knew that such a piece of witchcraft existed? 

As it is, the orange wire just hangs around unused, but I won't cut it off in case I decide to upgrade the motor in the future. You never know, I might get good at driving this thing! 

Four axles on my Volkswagen

 

Now, this is starting to look like a car. The front suspension is bolted to the chassis, and a great big aluminium spindle is fitted. This will hold the body to the chassis, and also holds something called a "servo saver". 

This appears to be a metal ring that absorbs some of the movement between the servo and steering. According to stuff I've read online, this should stop me stripping the gears in the servo with either excessive steering input, or bump steering when the car hits a lump. 

To be honest, I'm still a little fuzzy about the details, but I followed the assembly instructions, another three-handed job, and will have a look at it in operation. I'm sure it will make sense then.

Front suspension

 

Back to the Baja, and a job that really needs at least three hands - assembling the front suspension. 

It actually looks a lot like the real car - I remember lugging a front beam for my campervan across a field many years ago, and being glad I did when the one on the van broke!

The tricky bit of the job here is working out what goes where. There aren't that many parts, but they are handed. The question is, when something is marked "left upper", does it mean left sitting in the car, or from the front? 

After a bit of puzzling over the diagrams, which impressively show some very odd-shaped parts in perspective,  I managed to get it all together. Logically, the curved projections on the arms should hit the round bit in the middle, but making that happen took a while, and was the point where I needed three hands to juggle the pieces!

One mystery, how long does it take for the thread locker to work? I managed to fit the dampers the wrong way up initially, or the right way as the instructions tell you, but was able to take things apart within a few minutes. 

Putting a damper on it

 

Time for an interesting job on the Sand Scorcher - making up the dampers. 

Each tube is filled, to a step made in the inside, with special oil, and the piston (made up earlier) shoved in, with excess oil wiped away. 

I'll be honest, I'm not convinced by all this. I did it twice to ensure that the dampers ended up as two identical pairs, but with no experience, how much damping should they do? 

I've done a little research, and these are considered old-fashioned, so long term I might find out what the current state of the art is, and replace them. 

As usual, everything bolts into place perfectly. Another tip I read while digging around, was to mount the dampers upside down, to stop the oil dripping out. Does this make sense (I ask, because I know there are people with experience of this sort of thing reading these words)? If I'm wrong, swapping them over won't take very long at least.