Lockdown Lunchbox
Discussion
One of my goals for 2020 was to rebuild my Tamiya MX-5, which I did a few months ago - I have a thread on that. It is a good little model, but I do not have anywhere to use it - especially during lockdown. It did get me back interested in RC cars and I had been toying with the idea of getting another model that could be used offroad.
Fast forward to the coronavirus lockdown, and all of the #ModelCitizen tweets were the final push I needed to buy one. Especially with the money I would have usually spent on petrol/diesel burning a hole in my pocket. My first idea was to buy the racing truggy that I dreamed of as a twelve year old in the nineties, however there does not seem to be many available these days, nor are they suitable to drive in a small garden. So the search moved on to monster trucks, which I knew my three year old son would be excited by - he is obsessed with them! The Tamiya Lunchbox seems to have universal adoration and being based on a van body was another plus point for me, as I have recently purchased a VW Transporter. Fortunately it was one of the few Tamiya models still in stock on Modelsport!
Unboxing by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
A few days later, a large box arrived - I was like a kid at Christmas! My first impression was that Tamiya had gone for the wow factor when you open the box - I certainly did not remember that from my MX-5 model! Alongside the kit I bought a bearing set (which I feel is an essential buy alongside Tamiya kits), metallic blue paint for the body, an extra battery and new 2.4GHz radio gear, as I did not have a spare receiver for my old Acoms kit - at some point I will have to buy another 2.4GHz receiver for the MX-5 model, so I can use the same controller.
Fast forward to the coronavirus lockdown, and all of the #ModelCitizen tweets were the final push I needed to buy one. Especially with the money I would have usually spent on petrol/diesel burning a hole in my pocket. My first idea was to buy the racing truggy that I dreamed of as a twelve year old in the nineties, however there does not seem to be many available these days, nor are they suitable to drive in a small garden. So the search moved on to monster trucks, which I knew my three year old son would be excited by - he is obsessed with them! The Tamiya Lunchbox seems to have universal adoration and being based on a van body was another plus point for me, as I have recently purchased a VW Transporter. Fortunately it was one of the few Tamiya models still in stock on Modelsport!
Unboxing by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
A few days later, a large box arrived - I was like a kid at Christmas! My first impression was that Tamiya had gone for the wow factor when you open the box - I certainly did not remember that from my MX-5 model! Alongside the kit I bought a bearing set (which I feel is an essential buy alongside Tamiya kits), metallic blue paint for the body, an extra battery and new 2.4GHz radio gear, as I did not have a spare receiver for my old Acoms kit - at some point I will have to buy another 2.4GHz receiver for the MX-5 model, so I can use the same controller.
Edited by Craikeybaby on Thursday 23 April 23:10
This thread is a couple of days behind, so updates may not match the actual time scales...
One of the benefits of working from home is that you can take some time to do other important jobs, such as starting to build the model kit you just received…
I had my three year old son “helping” me, he loves monster trucks, and the idea of building things, but unfortunately he doesn’t quite have the strength or dexterity to do much on a Tamiya kit - he did a good job of passing my the bits though. We got the servo (including steering arms), speed controller and receiver fitted into the chassis - I ignored the manual and swapped positions for the speed controller and receiver, to get them fitting better with my kit.
Starting the build by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
After my apprentice had gone to bed I made a start on the gearbox. After a busy day of working from home, whilst wrangling two small boys, it was a relaxing way to spend the evening. I ended up staying up later than planned because I figured it was worth getting the gearbox mounted to the chassis too, which meant attaching the motor and building the rear suspension.
Starting on the gearbox by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
One of the benefits of working from home is that you can take some time to do other important jobs, such as starting to build the model kit you just received…
I had my three year old son “helping” me, he loves monster trucks, and the idea of building things, but unfortunately he doesn’t quite have the strength or dexterity to do much on a Tamiya kit - he did a good job of passing my the bits though. We got the servo (including steering arms), speed controller and receiver fitted into the chassis - I ignored the manual and swapped positions for the speed controller and receiver, to get them fitting better with my kit.
Starting the build by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
After my apprentice had gone to bed I made a start on the gearbox. After a busy day of working from home, whilst wrangling two small boys, it was a relaxing way to spend the evening. I ended up staying up later than planned because I figured it was worth getting the gearbox mounted to the chassis too, which meant attaching the motor and building the rear suspension.
Starting on the gearbox by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
I should have added this to the previous update:
Motor, gearbox and rear suspension on by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
When my son woke up the next morning, the first thing he said to me was “Can I help you build you van monster truck Daddy?”! Unfortunately I had to work, but took a long lunch break and we built the front suspension and put the tyres on the wheels together. I also prepped the body for painting and gave it the first few coats of paint - I chose a metallic blue, to match my VW Transporter.
First coat of paint by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
The colour didn't seem too far off:
Van by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
My son’s favourite part of any build is putting the wheels on, so once he had gone to bed I got all of the bits ready needed for this ready for the next morning. Then I tidied up the wiring, set up the speed controller and radio gear, so it would be ready for a shakedown in the morning, once the wheels had been fitted. I enjoy sorting out all the details and making sure everything is tidy, but I appreciate that seems boring to a three year old, who just wants to see the van doing stunts...
This is how I left it:
Ready for the wheels to go on by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Motor, gearbox and rear suspension on by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
When my son woke up the next morning, the first thing he said to me was “Can I help you build you van monster truck Daddy?”! Unfortunately I had to work, but took a long lunch break and we built the front suspension and put the tyres on the wheels together. I also prepped the body for painting and gave it the first few coats of paint - I chose a metallic blue, to match my VW Transporter.
First coat of paint by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
The colour didn't seem too far off:
Van by Lewis Craik, on FlickrMy son’s favourite part of any build is putting the wheels on, so once he had gone to bed I got all of the bits ready needed for this ready for the next morning. Then I tidied up the wiring, set up the speed controller and radio gear, so it would be ready for a shakedown in the morning, once the wheels had been fitted. I enjoy sorting out all the details and making sure everything is tidy, but I appreciate that seems boring to a three year old, who just wants to see the van doing stunts...
This is how I left it:
Ready for the wheels to go on by Lewis Craik, on FlickrVery cool. 
Dynamically these are dreadful, but somehow still rather entertaining.
Here's mine:
Best mods I've done to mine where inverting the wheelie bar and fitting one of these:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/G72GAY3NL/w01002...
Dynamically these are dreadful, but somehow still rather entertaining.
Here's mine:
Best mods I've done to mine where inverting the wheelie bar and fitting one of these:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/G72GAY3NL/w01002...
Edited by 300bhp/ton on Friday 1st May 23:04
Fitting the wheels went smoothly, so with the baby asleep and wife on a conference call we were free to give the Lunchbox chases a quick shakedown. The test drive quickly progressed from up and down the hallway to mega wheelies and skids in the garden - my son had a go at driving it too!
Untitled by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
We then started to get a bit cocky, jumping it down the garden stem and making a small ramp out of a wedge of wood. It passed the step test with flying (literally) colours, but did not like the ramp - one of the front wheels was pointing in the wrong direction. I hoped that it would just be the case that the steering arm had popped off, but it turned out to be slightly more serious.
Spot the problem by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Fortunately it was a quick fix and it was tearing up the garden again in no time!
Untitled by Lewis Craik, on FlickrWe then started to get a bit cocky, jumping it down the garden stem and making a small ramp out of a wedge of wood. It passed the step test with flying (literally) colours, but did not like the ramp - one of the front wheels was pointing in the wrong direction. I hoped that it would just be the case that the steering arm had popped off, but it turned out to be slightly more serious.
Spot the problem by Lewis Craik, on FlickrFortunately it was a quick fix and it was tearing up the garden again in no time!
Good to see you've gone for the sealed bearing hop-ups!
Don't know if the shocks are oil filled on these or not but they can be got from Ebay for very little money. If you're impatient buy from a UK seller or you'll be waiting a few weeks. Really makes a big difference to the handling.
Don't know if the shocks are oil filled on these or not but they can be got from Ebay for very little money. If you're impatient buy from a UK seller or you'll be waiting a few weeks. Really makes a big difference to the handling.
shalmaneser said:
Good to see you've gone for the sealed bearing hop-ups!
Don't know if the shocks are oil filled on these or not but they can be got from Ebay for very little money. If you're impatient buy from a UK seller or you'll be waiting a few weeks. Really makes a big difference to the handling.
It seems like Lunchbox oil filled shocks are a rare commodity at the moment = but I will get a set at some point!Don't know if the shocks are oil filled on these or not but they can be got from Ebay for very little money. If you're impatient buy from a UK seller or you'll be waiting a few weeks. Really makes a big difference to the handling.
Things went from bad to worse when I sprayed the next coat of paint, I did the front, back, roof and one side perfectly, then somehow managed to start spraying too close on the final side and had a horrible run. Hopefully it will sand out! Although give Miniman's experience maybe I should not be so fussy...
Paint run by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
The other side is looking good though:
Paint after three coats by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
This brings us back to real time - I've got a few other projects on the go, so had to take a few days off the Lunchbox.
Paint run by Lewis Craik, on FlickrThe other side is looking good though:
Paint after three coats by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
This brings us back to real time - I've got a few other projects on the go, so had to take a few days off the Lunchbox.
Built one of these a year or so ago based on nostalgia, and still haven't painted it based in impatience! Post build I then realise that I should have bought some bearings at the same time so may do so soon. Anyone have any links for replacement shocks? I feel like treating it a bit and may even do a motor swap...
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