Readers Rides – April 2024

ADVENTURE JEEP
Joseph Rocha « Adelanto, CA
Scale and trail builds allow RC enthusiasts to combine their love for drivable RC vehicles with model-building prowess and loads of creativity. We’re digging the realism that this scale Jeep XJ brings to any camping trip or crawler driving session. Joseph tells us about his award-winning creation: “I built this rig for Axialfest 2023 where it took first place in the Adventurist class. Overall, it is my most scale build to date, and it was a fun experience to build.” Great work, Joseph, we really like the scale looks and mind-blowing details!

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: Axial SCX10.II builder’s kit
– Body: Axial Jeep XJ
– Motor: Spektrum Firma crawler combo
– Speed Control: Spektrum Firma crawler combo
– Battery: Gens Ace Adventure
– Wheels & Tires: Boom Racing wheels wrapped in Pro-Line Class 1 BFGoodrich tires
– Shocks: Pro-Line Big Bore Scaler
– Axles: Vanquish Currie D44
– Paint: Pro-Line Mil-Spec Green
– Lighting: My Trick RC HB-2 kit and Axial rock light system
– Radio System: Spektrum DX5 Rugged
– Other Options: Mix of Knights Customs and Scale by Chris scale accessories

Evo X Paul Walker Tribute
Israel Guajardo « Richardson, TX
This stunning car started out as a Tamiya TT-02 but got converted into a drift car along the way. Not only is it a cool-looking car, it’s built as a tribute to our “Fast and Furious” hero, Paul Walker. Israel tells us about his tribute build: “I started building this tried-and-true good old chassis as it came from the box, then got the drifting bug and started buying Yeah Racing parts to modify it as RWD. It has been a journey for sure. I realized all the differences and adjustments that actually make a difference between a regular ‘on-road’ car. The learning curve has been steep, at least for me, but very entertaining.

“Not saying that I am an expert, but chasing other variants of this hobby is where it gets better in terms of learning new things every day. The tinkering, the testing and the rewarding changes in performance of any car you work on is what this hobby is all about, and it is even better when shared with other people that share this common denominator.

“Regarding the body… this one came after my being a fan of the Fast/Furious movies. So many models to choose from! But finally I decided on the Evo X. I can hear the perfectionists yelling at this page saying this is not the correct car for Brian, but I wanted to give it a twist just like the movies do. This is my tribute to the late Paul Walker (RIP), actor and car-lover.” You did a great job, Israel! We’re confident Mr. Walker would have enjoyed seeing it in action.

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis:Tamiya TT-02
– Body: Tamiya Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
– Motor: Hobbystar 13T sensored brushless
– Speed Control: Hobbywing Quicrun 10BL60 sensored brushless
– Battery: Various Ovonic 2S 6200mAh 50c
– Wheels & Tires: RC Art SSR Professor SPX 5-split-spoke drift wheels (6mm offset) and MST CS-R drift tires
– Shocks: Yeah Racing drift-spec Shock-Gear 50mm dampers
– Axles: Yeah Racing Tamiya TT-02 aluminum RWD drift conversion kit
– Paint: Tamiya Color PS in Candy Line green, yellow, gold, silver
– Graphics: Custom-made
– Radio System: Traxxas TQi 2.4GHz 4-channel radio system w/Link Wireless, TSM and micro receiver
– Other Options: AGF-RC gyro, V3Jix servo, custom-made 3D body magnet supports

Black Friday Special
Jeromy Haroldson « Sioux City, IA
This clean and classic Chevy Blazer was submitted by Jeromy Haroldson. “This is a Black Friday budget build,” he tells us. “I knew I wanted to build a leaf-sprung Blazer. When RC4WD held an incredible Black Friday sale on the K5 Blazer body, I knew it was time. Shortly after that came the RC4WD Days of Christmas event and the Trail Finder 2 truck kit also went on sale. It was meant to be. Sourcing all my electronics from my local hobby shop and ordering the wheels and tires from Element RC gave me everything I needed to build my first rig. Want to see this rig in action? Visit my YouTube channel.” Thanks for sharing your ride with us, Jeromy! Budget RC builds are our favorite kinds of projects.

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: RC4WD Trail Finder 2 truck kit
– Body: RC4WD K5 Blazer
– Motor: Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Sport
– Speed Control: Hobbywing 1080
– Battery: Spektrum Smart 2S 4000mAh
– Wheels & Tires: Element RC plastic beadlocks with General Grabber tires
– Shocks: RC4WD Superlift 80mm
– Lighting: RC4WD K5 Blazer LED light set
– Radio System: Spektrum DX3

MEGA MUD TRUCK
DUSTIN OLSON « Texas
Flying high at the top of last month’s Readers Rides, here’s yet another build from Dustin Olson. Of his latest creation, he says: “This rig was built to the theme of 1:1-scale mud racing trucks. It’s a sport seen in more of the southern states, with high horsepower, big lifts and thin, knobby tractor tires. They are built to race. The name of the game here is racing your way through swampy, sticky mud pits the fastest. In the 1:1 trucks, top-load axles such as Rock Well style axles are popular. RC4WD Blackwell axles look much like Rock Well axles, which is what I used. Drop transmissions (transfer cases) are also used in this type of application in the 1:1 world, so I used RC4WD’s SCS drop transmission to simulate the real thing. These with a few other details really help to bring this scale truck to life. The more you look, the more you see!” Thanks for sharing your build, Dustin, it looks fantastic!

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS
– Chassis: Under Ground Chassis Works
– Body: Pro-Line 1966 Ford F-100
– Motor: Castle Creations Mamba X
– Speed Control: Castle Creations Mamba X
– Wheels & Tires: CRCC Custom Crush Lock 2.6 wheels with JConcepts 2.6 Fling King tires
– Shocks: HPI Savage XL
– Axles: RC4WD Blackwell
– Paint: Rustoleum
– Radio System: Fly Sky GT5
– Other Options: RC4WD SCS drop transmission, RC4WD scale V8 with all the optional accessories, Scale Metal Suppy tabs and mounts, Axial EXO Griffin radiator, ASA Scale Products 3D fuel cell receiver box, HR limit straps, CEN Racing KAOS links for the CEN F-450 front and rear, Axial Wild Boar driveshafts, JX 46KG coreless motor servo, RC4WD Baja Designs Squadron Pro LED pod lights