The $50 Clod Buster

[markbt73]

I've been on a Craigslist streak recently; I've found 3 or 4 good vehicles in the past couple months. Here's my latest, a tired old Clod Buster that I picked up for the princely sum of $50:





Rust never sleeps:


Out of curiosity, I stuck a crystal in the radio and a battery in the chassis and fired it up, exactly as it was, rust, cobwebs, dust, and all. Whaddaya know! It runs!



It has about a ten foot turning circle, and the speed control glitches like crazy, but it goes and stops and turns and goes backward, and doesn't make any funny noises other than the tires rubbing on the suspension links because the plastic bushings are so very worn out.

I'll probably tear it down and fix it up eventually, but for right now it's staying just how it is.

[Lowgear]

Nice, and you can't beat the price.

[vwjuice]

I was going to look at that, but the guy said I was about an hour late. Nice grab.

[markbt73]

I was going to look at that, but the guy said I was about an hour late. Nice grab.

I was actually surprised no one snagged it before I got there...

[rhino1]

What a steal!

[MelvinsArmy]

Nice score! It's probably got a standard steering servo in it, giving it the 10 foot steering circle. A high torque servo should give you some really tight steering with the stock 4ws set up.

[orangemazda]

Very nice find! I've always wondered if a person could fit clodbuster wheels and tires onto a Tamiya Lunchbox. Anyone know?

[markbt73]

Nice score! It's probably got a standard steering servo in it, giving it the 10 foot steering circle. A high torque servo should give you some really tight steering with the stock 4ws set up.

The 10 degrees of play in each bellcrank probably has something to do with it, too. It's reeealy loose and floppy. But yeah, definitely needs a stronger servo; if it's the same as the throttle servo it's just a 3003. I think I have a Futaba 3305 somewhere that should help.

[MelvinsArmy]

The bellcranks have a spring in them, they could be loose. Crank down on the nut/screw and see if that tightens things up. I'd bet
the steering servo is a standard servo.

[Lowgear]

Very nice find! I've always wondered if a person could fit clodbuster wheels and tires onto a Tamiya Lunchbox. Anyone know?

With the right parts anythings possible. Although I've found that when you put large tires on something thats 2wd, the fronts tend to 'hang-up' on obstacles since they aren't being driven.

[GoMachV]

Lol, i saw it on tge portland cl and figured it would be gone by the time i got there. Great deal!

[GoMachV]

Bru-line and others made conversions to put clod tires on other cars and trucks.i specifically remember them on a box, there was very little room to turn!

[orangemazda]

OK, thanks. I'll check Ebay for the parts. I think that if I added the wheels to a box, It would be more of a show truck then a runner.

Bru-line and others made conversions to put clod tires on other cars and trucks.i specifically remember them on a box, there was very little room to turn!

[vwjuice]

If you really want to keep the clod stock but get a bettertirnong radius; then get a heavy duty steering link kit and a stock steering bellcrank kit. That will be a huge improvement. That and trim off the bumpstops on the knuckles. A better servo is always a good idea, but with the stock steering the parts just flex too much.

[slim_chance]

Heck of a steal on that clod. I have always wanted one but bever managed to get one