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I've got some trial and error (and error and error and error) tweaks to make, but I think this concept will work.
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Next iteration. This one will be a keeper for trying out rear shock positions. Right now it looks like it needs a 3" rear shock uncompressed length.
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Some rear shock mockup work to determine the chassis mount height and location.
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Very clever tool you have made! Also, I hadn't noticed the X brace to replace the nose tubes. Again, very clever!

I intended to make the X brace out of aluminum tube but my bending skills weren't good enough. Fiberglass is a good alternative and it gave me a place to put a shorty front body mount.

Rear suspension is nice and smooth.
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I decided the angled mounting of the steering servo probably needed an extra bellcrank to change direction. Just enough clearance to the shock and the mount hardware, and everything moves nicely. It ended up working really well. Over the full steering and shock compression range everything slips by each other with a whisker of clearance.
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https://youtu.be/P2wQ91pKHOI?feature=shared
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This front end setup is now ready to install on a nice nose plate and chassis. The only detail left to figure out is how to make the pockets in the back of the chassis for the trailing arm mount plate tabs without scarring up the chassis. Right now, Dremel cutting wheel and patience are my option. This chassis will be the test subject before trying on the good one.
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Frankentruck wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:06 pm Over the full steering and shock compression range everything slips by each other with a whisker of clearance.

Just like the real Top Cat!

I did have one other detail to take of. The trailing arms I'm using had been bored out to fit Ultima metric bearings. I modified them back to RC10 bearing size. It ended up being as simple as X, Y, sleeve.
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I hand twisted the X drill bit through, cutting out a shallow amount, repeated with the Y, power spun the Y with a drill for some cleanup, polished the bores with some fine 500 grit sandpaper for more cleanup, cut some brass tube to 0.340" lengths, oiled the surface a little, pushed the sleeve in as far as I could using a counter top (), then finished drawing in the sleeve with a screw, washer, and nut.
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I tried making a slot with a cutoff wheel. I have a small worn disc that I thought would work, but it's still too big. I'm not sure If I can true it down small enough without destroying the disc. I really don't want to have to drill these pockets out.
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The slot is too short to do with a cutoff wheel, so it has to be drilled out and cleaned up with a file. The test went ok.
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I thought this would be a perfect project for using one of the new old stock gold chassis that AE was selling off last year, but the light color is very different from my nose plate, motor plate, shocks, and custom adapter plate. It's not a good look together, but luckily AE got some silver RC10cc sets back in stock.
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No looking back now...
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definitely the least fun part of the C1 kit, but the end result is worth it

I agree the end results are worth it. Just a bit nerve wracking to modify a tub.
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The nose plate rear cleats are working as intended.
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