Tamiya RC Radio Control Car 1/10 Electric Wild Willy 2 Jeep Kit

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The second / front part of the chassis gets constructed next allowing the steering servo to get added and the rods pushed into place with ma big pliers. I also came across HPI Wheelie King rims and the tires on the net and they have the look I'm after. They look closer to the WW2 tires, but bigger. And I like the chevron look better as of the Traxxas ones. BTW, the rubber plug for the SWB resistor wiring is a 3-speed gearbox bung, now easily available with the Bruiser and Mountaineer re-releases. With the sturdy Wild Dagger gearbox within a ladder frame with even an indication of a V8 engine and the TL01 suspension arms and chromed Mad Bull wheels, Tamiya has a winner. Top this chassis with the Wild Willy body, and you have a future classic.

I don't own either of these so no photographs, but fundamentally the chassis are the same as the Willy's Wheeler but with different tyres, and an extended chassis tub and mechanism box lid. Neither have a wheelie bar.Let's start with the most obvious difference between the two: on what Tamiya call the "Arm Stay". The SWB version has a round hole, and the LWB parts are longer overall with a slot. Well it starts looking like a regular model kit. I guess the only difference is nuts and bolts and wires rather than glue and paint. Well for the first part anyway. Sorry if this is out of place but I love to share my builds and I hope you’ll indulge me as I’m planning on doing some sweet paint action on this beautiful beast. I can’t imagine it’ll take long to build and I hope if you do follow along you’ll find it interesting.

The rims will not work offcourse, but perhaps the tyres on either the WW2 rims or on other rims that will fit the WW2. I read somewhere that WW2 rims are 2.0" and from the Traxxas are 2.2". The trailing arm ball pivots and rear spring mounts were weak points which failed regularly, but both were moulded integrally with the chassis tub and the only repair was a new chassis rebuild. Did a few of those. The original 58035 Wild Willy came out in 1982 and was really unlike anything that had come before it. It had the large tires of the 58029 Blazing Blazer but with a short wheelbase and a high center of gravity mated to a new wheelie chassis. The name "Willy" comes from the fact that this is a model of the M38 made by Willys as the second generation of the original military "Jeep". The body is scale accurate but placed on a crazy high 2WD stunt chassis. May as well name the driver "Wild Willy" and give him a giant head and a lot of detail. Willy would go on to pilot other vehicles over the years including the 58039 Willy's Wheeler only a year later. The 58242 Wild Willy 2 came out in 1999 as a tribute more than a re-release. Although the newer model bears a superficial resemblance to the original, virtually everything has been changed. The original chassis is gone and replaced by a more modern WR-02 wheelie chassis with balloon tires and chrome wheels. At first glance the lovely hard shell body might appear original, but for reasons that are not exactly clear subtle details (including the grille) have been changed which make this now resemble the M151 made by Ford as a successor to the M38. Maybe it was a licensing thing, or maybe Wild Willy 2 is the successor to the original just like the M151. Willy is still there driving. Although this model is still for sale (as of 2019), it is now marketed as Wild Willy 2000. Then starts the body work - like Theo said, I never use primer for Olive drap color (see his explaination why) - I rather sand the body a bit to get better "grip" for the later to come paintOverall, the Willy is a better build (even though the gearbox comes assembled) and a more interesting chassis to tinker with, but the Lunchbox/Pumpkin is less frustrating to drive. The chassis is after all a direct 4WD conversion of the Wild Willy 2 chassis (WR.02), and from what I understand the kits comes with Wild Willy body mounts included. The Wild Willy 2 kit and The long rear arms - for the LWB version an ornamental hole is deleted, and the stabiliser bar mount points move forward. I had to chop the driver's feet just like BMT said. But it's worth noting that we both removed the 'lump' that protrudes on the underside of the body (the bit that fits around the switch on a Wild Willy M38). The driver's feet would be unscathed if the body was left standard, but the body would have to sit noticeably higher. Take a close look at the Wild Willy 2 chassis and you will find an all new design featuring a gear box neatly secured in a monocoque frame. Side support bars have been added to the frame to heighten the overall rigidity and enhance Willy's "stunt vehicle" realism. The gearbox comes pre-assembled, allowing the user to easily remove it for maintenance, without taking apart the frame. The running battery is positioned lengthwise toward the rear of the chassis, providing the ideal balance for outstanding wheelie action. The steering servo is mounted centrally on the chassis and holds two steering tie rods of equal length, which control the left/right steering, ensuring reliable handling. Four wheel independent suspension and oversize tires enable high traction and stability.

The original Wild Willy released in 1982 was purposely designed with its weight center in the rear. The motor was positioned behind the rear axle and the battery placed toward the rear of the chassis, giving rise to dynamic wheelie potential. The original Willy was equipped with an independent spring axle suspension on the front and a sturdy trailing link, coil spring on the rear. These mechanics allowed for highly effective off-road performance. The next steps get you sorting out the radio gear. It’s all digital these days compared to the old radio and crystals of the 80s. I think I'm missing out on the joke that's made, is wheel the wrong word for a rim with a tire? I'm not English, so I'm trying my best to translate everything the right way.LWB tub has slots for the antenna wire, resistor & battery leads (these correspond to slots in the Mechanism Box Lid); I like projects like this normally but was never 100% happy with my set-up. Looking at B.M.T's job though I am tempted to have another go.The alignment issue is minimal and easily solved. By reversing the front body post, you can fit the WW body straight out of the box. By adding 4 simple spacers, you can fine adjust the lateral alignment of the body. I'll design a set of these spacers now, it's a very very simple part to make,