What started as a simple search for some new rims and rubber for my MBX VW Beetle 4x4 quickly got out of control. My search lead me to my local rite aid where I purchased a spring loaded pull-back school bus with sole purpose of high-jacking the wheels and dropping the axles in my 4x4. With my purchase complete I scurried home and quickly dismantled the school bus. To my chagrin, the axle set in the spring loaded motor was proving to be a real beast, I could not get that sucker out of there! I needed a new plan... With a raised eyebrow and dremel in hand I quickly set about attacking the chassis of the Baja Bug. Sometime later, after the sacrifice of the Beetle's interior, this is what emerged.
As you can see the new shoes fit great and I find the overall appearance quite satisfying. The wheels are also narrower than the original MBX wheels adding a more realistic tone to the car. That being said, a quick peak through the windows and it is plain to see (or not see) the lack of seats in the car.
While I did my best to retain as much of the chassis's integrity as possible it still took quite a beating. The engine and chassis where adhered to the body with Duco Cement.
This Beetle is now the fastest car on the block! Not having done the maths, I will guess that the old VW now has about 2000 scale BHP and is ridiculously light. This unfortunately means that it has quite a bit of trouble holding a straight line... but before it plants itself firmly into the wall, it is really hauling!
My apparent success with the Beetle made me wonder if I couldn't be successful again. This time a HW Custom 1956 Chevy truck was my unsuspecting victim.
As the truck was quite sizable and had no interior I was certain it would be an improvement over the Beetle.
The Pick-up was joined with the wheels and motor from a HW micro monster truck.
Needless to say I was wrong. The chassis and "inner" parts of the truck required extensive cutting. I even had to go as far as cutting metal supports on the inside of the body. Parts of the bumpers needed to be removed to accept the enormous tires from the MMT and for the first time ever I actually broke the chassis while I was working on it. Sadly this meant that the whole truck would now need to be held together with way-too-much super glue.
The end result was rather disappointing. The MMT motor is underpowered. The '56 Pick-up is incredibly heavy. The super glue is super, frosty that is. All told... not the success I was hoping for. In the end, I have concluded that the amount of work required, teamed with the final product has not left me with the desire to ever make one of these monstrosities again. There is probably a better way, but I lack the will to pursue it.
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