Be vewwy vewwy quiet...

[markbt73]

...I'm building a Wabbit.



No box-art here; I'm going for a standard-ish US-spec late 70s Rabbit, complete with 5 mph bumpers and side marker lights. In yellow or light blue or brown or some other typical Rabbit color.

[GoMachV]

You pick that up from Tammies? I was just there and saw it on the shelf. Gotta love the Tamiya body detail

[markbt73]

Yep, had a little bonus money in my pocket and went looking for a toy yesterday. This was the first thing that caught my eye. Out the door with full bearings for under $150.

[integra22t]

nice i got a m05 a ball diff is a big + if your going to run it and a set of bbs would look nice on it

did you get the plastic fake shocks with yours ? if so if you add some thick diff lube to the inside of the shock bodys and they will feel like oil filled

[markbt73]

Yeah, and they aren't even the "friction shocks" that the old M-chassis used to come with. Somewhere in my parts stash I have an old TA03 ball diff that should fit, and a set of HPI touring car shocks. I'm thinking I might go with stiff springs in the back so it lifts the inside rear wheel in hard corners, like the real thing. (at least for long enough to snap a couple photos, anyway)

[RC104ever]

How are all you guys finding this VW stuff? Can you get me one?? Seriously! I want!

[THE H.P FREAK]

HI!... Cool! I'm currently restoring a original Tamiya Golf G2 right now. Uses the same body.

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=34965

[terry.sc]

How are all you guys finding this VW stuff? Can you get me one?? Seriously! I want!

It's a current Tamiya kit http://www.tamiyausa.com/items/radio-control-kits-30/m-chassis-cars-36350/rc-volkswagen-golf-mk-1-grp-2-84316

[RC104ever]

Awesome thx!

[SVOC]

This will be a really cool build, I used to have a Brown/copper colored 1980 Rabbit waaaaaay back in the day.

[markbt73]

I meant to take some photos along the way, but I got into "zen building mode" while watching Cosmos and it just sort of popped together:





Bone-stock, pogo sticks and all, except for full bearings. I also packed some extra grease into the diff housing to slow it down a bit. I have a Tamiya ball diff that I was going to use, but it's a bit too crunchy for my taste, so I just stuck with the gear diff. And once I find those HPI shocks I'll swap them out for the pogo sticks. Electronics are going in tonight, and then I start on the body.

This is the first modern Tamiya design I've built since the Wild Dagger, and I gotta say, I'm impressed. Not nearly as much slop in the steering and suspension parts as there was in the M01/M02, at least not new. I guess we'll see how it holds up after a few runs.

I'm leaning towards yellow for the body color, because I already have yellow paint. And I don't currently have any yellow cars.

[integra22t]

here are the colours for the 78 vw's maybe something in there will catch your eye ... im thinking Panama Brown

http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up_paint/Volkswagen/1978-Volkswagen-Rabbit.html

[markbt73]

here are the colours for the 78 vw's maybe something in there will catch your eye ... im thinking Panama Brown

http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up_paint/Volkswagen/1978-Volkswagen-Rabbit.html

Thanks, I was going to search for a chart like that! That Panama Brown, if it's the color I remember, was actually sort of a burnt orange... definitely fitting for the era.

[SFC K]

Nice build! I like the layout of the chassis being Front wheel drive and all. HPI RS4 shocks mounted up easily on my TL-01 build. Should do the trick for you once you find some.

Sunbrite Yellow would be a nice color choice or the silk green with those wheels.

[markbt73]

I looked at a bunch of photos of Rabbits online, and I'm kinda digging the Mexico Beige, actually...