Trx-1 - back to the track!

[woOdy]

Originally Posted by Lonestar

As promised, here's a little build report as well as a few pics...

Basically this car started as a pile-o-junk bought on a US forum... it was supposed to be a runner, but no proper modeller in their righ mind would have run this in that shape. Actually, the diff wasn't diffing any more, most of the tranny was shot, the shocks were stuck, there was a mix of screws, rust, TONS of slop, and so on so forth. The chassis had a couple of dings but was ok, the motor plate was straight, the tranny case so-so, the bellcrank was missing the posts, blah blah blah you get the picture. It slept in a box for a couple of years.

This winter, we run a vintage series locally, and I do fare quite well there, with a Fire Dragon (as amazing as it sounds). It isn't very competitive, but I'm an ok driver, so I can pretty much drive it a full heat and main without making mistakes, I don't run the fastest laps but I do win thanks to consistency. However, the occasional mechanical failure lets me down, as the FD is anything but a well thought-out racer... For the last round end of march, I thought it would be the perfect pretext to rebuild the TRX-1. That's when I pulled it apart and found out its true condition... I started scouting the web, and part after part, I came to having way too much money invested in parts stashed in a box labelled "Traxxas" But now, I can build the ultimate TRX-1, which should be as reliable as a modern racer, just a tad less performant I hope

Here are the pics. I will post new ones as I go.

Some of the parts:


Front end partially assembled, rear end basics bolted on chassis:


Front end almost done, still some stuff to fine-tune:


Front end completely done, top view:


Side View (with brand new period PS713):


A pic of the mess I work on (won't show you what the floor looks like... ):


And some eye candy... brand new Blue Eagle tranny (I have one of these to restore too):


More pics to come as the build goes on!

Comments welcome

Paul

PS: Thanks to all those who helped, especially Mark in the US if he reads this, who DONATED parts

I dont know why but why are your front wishbones different?

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by woOdy

I dont know why but why are your front wishbones different?

cuz they're black, maybe???

Seriously, they're 1931's, ie true TRX-1 front arms... I just went downstairs as you made me nervous, and compared them with the stock battered parts that are in the junk bin, as well as with the white parts from my shelfer, and they're one and the same but the color.

What a sharpened eye will see though is that both the front and rear knuckles aren't TRX1 parts!

Paul

[Dyna]

Errr actually i agree with Woody.... they are not original shaped TRX1 front arms. Forgetting the colour for the moment of course....

I've gone up to the loft and checked all three of my TRX1's, my TRX3 & TCP and there's no match for the arms you have - and i have a brand new pack of white TRX1 arms and yours are definitely different.

I thought they could have been the shorter TRX3 arms but not them either. I'm thinking early Bandit arms ? And i presume the F & R knuckles are Bandit parts also ?

Dosent really matter, as just seeing the pics of the new-build is cool

Hell, i might even have to get my runner going again

[BORMAC]

Originally Posted by Cobra

If any of you guy,s want a good repo body and undertray let me know

This isn't the first time ive seen you mention a repro TRX1 shell. Are these available yet? Do you have the repro undertay also?

Cheers- Jason.

[Cobra]

Yes both available now, pm me for details

[Northy]

Can I have details too?

G

[Cobra]

OK Northy send me a pm

[Lonestar]

Originally Posted by Dyna

Errr actually i agree with Woody.... they are not original shaped TRX1 front arms. Forgetting the colour for the moment of course....

I've gone up to the loft and checked all three of my TRX1's, my TRX3 & TCP and there's no match for the arms you have - and i have a brand new pack of white TRX1 arms and yours are definitely different.

I thought they could have been the shorter TRX3 arms but not them either. I'm thinking early Bandit arms ? And i presume the F & R knuckles are Bandit parts also ?

Dosent really matter, as just seeing the pics of the new-build is cool

Hell, i might even have to get my runner going again

OK. I'll take pics of both white and black arms next to each other... the part # is the same anyway, 1931. I am 99.9% sure they're the same...

I have a few learnings from the shock build, I'll try to update the thead soon. Plus I did some open-heart surgery on my 411P and woohoo it works a charm

Wilco

Paul

[Lonestar]

99.9% sure wasn't enough I guess as they ARE different in the end, as you guys pointed out... There is some additional plastic on the black ones at the front of the arms next to the shock mount screw axles... prolly some kind of reinforcement scheme. They DO have the same part number though, that seems to be a running change.

I am slowly progressing on the build but I am desperately lacking time to update the thread with pics... every step takes WAY longer than I had planned. For instance, it took me about an hour yesterday to finally get the optional metal idler gear fit on its axle... they do mention in the instructions that the fit is "tight" but heck it was more than this as mounting it involved a vice, an brand new axle that was shot and went straight to the bin, a hammer, and the kitchen oven at 250degC...

Will post pics at some point, prolly after the race weekend

Paul