TOPIC:

Having swapped out or isolated everything electric in turn (servo, battery, sound module wiring, sound module itself, motor, RX, TX) it looks like the problem was the ESC. Irritating because although it was a new one that worked fine on the bench, it's failed after I've cut the OE plug off & no doubt voided the warranty

I've got a lot of parts swapbackery to do (& some soldering), but at least I've got to the bottom of it.

I never use the on/off switch it is a source of matter.
Maybe that with all the cables, the magnetic champ scratches your esc?

New ESC wired in, so I guess that's it done


Some comparison shots with the Matchbox diecast:








And some jsut because they came out ok, rather than adding anything :

... and some of the DIY loading arms & optional speaker cover:

Should have added that the all up weight is a shade under 4.2kg - pretty porky considering I was really trying to make it lighter thatn previous builds

top work the comparison with the toy is very fun.

Very nice work JR The little extra details really finish it off, Door decals / stuffed toy / roof lights and of course your interior Most excellent

I still want to build some sort of 8x8 behemoth at some point, but my anticipated start point of two Super Clod kits rules it out on cost grounds for the present. My next build will have to be a much cheaper one - so no sound module (although I may well fit or at least make provision for a speaker), electrics/electronics will have to be from the spares box, paint with what I've already got, kit wheels, use a driver figure I've got already - you get the idea.

That said, it shouldn't be too many compromises, my failed Pumpkin Lowride project will donate a lot of parts, although I'll still need a chassis. The CC-01 has flaws, but it's still the cheapeast way to a reasonably capable, robust, well supported 4WD chassis.

First step, choosing a vehicle - my primary source this time has been a 1975 set of "Cross Country Vehicle" Top Trumps.






Once I'd discounted all the Landys, Unimogs, and ex-WWII machinery, there were a few standouts - the Amphicat for the bizarre "photo" (I'm guessing the inevitable feathers on that Tyrolean hat were cropped out), and the Dornier Delta II for basically being the lower half of a corrugated iron shed with a wheel at each corner.





Plausible projects were the Steyr-Puch Halflinger (which I thought was a small, Tyrolean horse - I'm no expert but they look like what would happen if you took an Arabian & poked it with an ugly stick - or mated one with an ugly pony ) - or what I decided on, the Volvo Laplander.





The internet has quite a few better photos, I'm thinking the orange paint & roof rack of this second one, with the white stripe of the first:






Not much in the way of plans out there though - so I'll draw up my own

I've already done a lot of work on the plans - starting with reworking photos of a 1:59 Majorette Explorateur:















As you can see they're not ideal, being quite toylike & having a canvas back rather than the hardtop I want, so a lot of redrawing later, I have something I'll be able to start a card mock up with:

This photo got out of sequence, it's two Majorette diecasts with a 1:32 papercraft Valp - an earlier, military version. To be honest it was obvious very early on that it wasn't going to be any help, which is why I haven't done any finishing work on it





Cheapest new CC-01 kit turned out to be a Pajero Rally Sport (a little under 108 GBP from Fusion Hobbies - without ESC but with discount & a full bearing set), hopefully I'll be able to get something back from the body set in the future.





Wheels look nothing like the pressed steel rims on the Laplander so will require some work; I was going to strip the finish of before I started, but realised it could be quite a useful depth gauge - the wheels are dished which will complicate machining off the details & I really don't want to take too much off the centre where the wheelnut bears down on...