SPECIAL PROJECT: MINI-ME 80 – TrailBuds RC’s Ground-Up, Custom-Built Land Cruiser 80 Series

RC enthusiasts often strive for realism, seeking to replicate their vehicles’ full-sized counterparts by placing attention to detail at the forefront. Johnny Lum, a passionate RC hobbyist and off-road enthusiast, embarked on a journey to re-create his beloved Toyota Land Cruiser Land Cruiser 80 Series (LC80) in miniature form. Dubbed the RC80, this custom-built crawler is a near-exact replica of Johnny’s real-life off-roading machine, both in appearance and performance.

AN AUTOMOTIVE BACKGROUND
Johnny’s RC journey began in the 1990s, when he initially delved into RC racing with buggies. He took a 20-year hiatus from RC to explore the world of real-life souped-up Hondas and Toyotas, and he discovered his passion for off-roading in 2015, inspired by a friend’s modified Lexus LX470. This sparked Johnny’s off-roading adventures, leading him to acquire a 2014 LX570 for his own off-road excursions.

However, it was witnessing the capabilities of a fully locked Wrangler Rubicon that ignited Johnny’s quest for a more capable off-road vehicle. (We’re still talking real trucks.) Discovering the locking differentials of the 80 Series Land Cruiser, he embarked on a search, eventually finding his own 80 Series gem.

BACK IN THE RC SADDLE

In 2017, Johnny bought his son the Traxxas TRX-4 Defender. It’s known as the gateway RC crawler for a good reason as evidenced by Johnny’s rekindled love for RC. He cites the TRX-4 as the reason he got back into RC because it was so much like a full-size truck.
RC is a slippery slope, as we know, and the TRX-4 led him to pick up a bootleg Tamiya Bruiser, which in turn reignited his passion for RC modding as he discovered he could fit authentic Tamiya parts onto it. Later, he acquired an Axial SCX10 II Jeep JKU Rubicon, which served as the base for his Mini Land Cruiser project.

CREATING THE RC80

The RC80 project started with a SuperScale 2020 suspension kit, which Johnny stumbled upon in a Scale Builders Guild video. This led to a meticulous process of customizing mounts using supplied parts and aluminum bits from Home Depot. Not content with the initial result, Johnny purchased a 3D printer in 2023 to refine and re-create parts with cleaner prints, aiming for greater accuracy in replicating his full-sized 80 Series.

The RC80 is based on an Axial 1/10 2017 CRC Edition Jeep Wrangler RTR. It features 3D-printed reproductions of AlphaEquipt xCommander beadlocks and Pro-Line 1.9 4.19” BFG KM3 Predator Compound tires.

PACKED WITH DETAILS

The body is an RCRun LC80 ABS plastic hardbody meticulously detailed to match Johnny’s real-life Land Cruiser. The truck boasts a plethora of custom-made and 3D-printed components, including bumpers, sliders, light pods, and even a functioning winch shackle and fairlead.
Johnny’s dedication to detail extends to the interior, adapted from a Knight Customs interior for the Element Knight Runner and custom decals created on printable vinyl sheets. The result is an accurate replica that not only looks the part but also performs admirably on the trails, embodying Johnny’s passion for both off-roading and RC customization.

FINAL WORD

The RC80 is a testament to Johnny Lum’s creativity, craftsmanship and love for off-roading, showcasing the endless possibilities of customization in the world of RC vehicles. This isn’t his only creation; check out more of his builds on Instagram by following him by his RC moniker,
@trailbuds_RC.

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Text and Images by Jerry Tsai