Phoenix Zip build pics

ibjamn · Post by **ibjamn** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:49 pm

Here are some pics of the build up. If you haven't noticed already, I try to make these 1/64th cars as scale as I can.

stinkin' Easy Off. The result of my first Cal-Look body for the "goin' topless"-contest

body repaired, then hacked, and trying the ride height

I was only going to extend the rear a little, then figured why stop there? so I cut the chassis up to get higher center clearance

I used scrap plastic for the wide off road fenders. I had it primered and sanded, then Dad suggested to do a oil cooler on it. So I then had to fill in the roof, I was going to leave it open, otherwise. Little did he know, at that time, that he was helping me with his own car.

I used styrene rod for the nerf bars and such. And you can see what I did for the front suspension stiffening. It was a return to center steering spring from a ZZMT. I bent the ends downward 90* and trimmed the ends to where they were 2-3 mm long. They fit into tiny holes I made in the top of the knuckle. So the tips don't actually rest on the edges, rather they poke into the bottom of the hole. Any other way they caused the steering to hang up. I used a screw from a ZZSE to go thru the center of the spring, then a plastic spacer, and into a hole drilled into the plastic.

The tires came off of a mini machines dune buggy (it had the spare too

), and i cut them then glued them to make narrow and wide tires. The wheels came from 2 different diecasts, the front tires I had to bore out to fit, and I used a dremel to cut away the inner portions of the wheels.
The music spring suspension can be seen. Stupid me, I didn't take pics while doing it- I was in the zone so to speak

I am doing another offroad Zip similar to this- just better, so I'll post on that later.
I was able to still use the original battery tabs.

Pics of it before it left Slam'n'Jam's shop. The clear coat hadn't even cured yet. But I had to get some outside pics.

House window screen was pefect for the window netting, and I robbed the light bar from my poor Offroad-bit build. Stick-on foam on the inner sides of the body old the body on tight.

I always hated that the front wheels on these things seemed to be bottomed out all the time, but not this one.

When dad saw it, he had made some suggestions. So we added music string for the antenna, and put a flag on it. Then electrical taped the circuit board down. You can see the gained center clearance here.

I handed it over to good ole' pops. I swore that I owed him a Herbie ZZ. But he says I didn't.

I want to change a few things on it, like remove the side bars and put some on the body. Then the body will sit lower. I really wasn't happy with the height in the rear. I still need to finish the matching controller. Plus I want to make a vid of it, but now I don't think he'll let it out of his sight for that long

crazydave · Post by **crazydave** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:21 am

That is awesome, especially considering where you started at.

I think you're right about the nerf bars. They should be coming out of the body.

... and you gotta make a vid. You just hafta.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:15 am

definately up there in my top 5 favourite custom bits ever!

you really nailed both form and function man, must be a blast to drive!

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:50 pm

that's great work! I love the ideaf of the music wire suspension just one question does it bounce a lot? just thinking because it looks a lot like the early (think 1910-1917) speedway cars suspension which was spring steel it was bent so that any modern person would assume, unless they looked closley, that it was a leaf spring. They had a real bouncing problem because the shock hadn't been invented, so what racers did to control the bouncyness (ok that might not be a real word) was to attach two peices of oiled leather so that they would rub together and dampen the movment. that's where the idea for our modern shocks came from. Oh well I guess it's just the old car geek in me that made me wonder. anyway super job!

TheMechanic54 · Post by **TheMechanic54** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:41 pm

Yeah, I guess I'll hand it back over to Slam'n'Jam Customs

for some follow up ideas and maybe do a vid then. Had a few more ideas that I need to run by IBJ

DarkTari · Post by **DarkTari** » Tue May 22, 2007 8:08 pm

Yeah IBJ, that is one nasty badazz Baja ! It didn't have to grow on me, I liked it the instant
I laid my eyes on it, just like your Aston Martin Vert! Just fuckin "IT" !!!

It's cool the way you & pops flow on things, reminds me of these 2 without all the arguing... LOL

ibjamn · Post by **ibjamn** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:41 pm

Thanks guys.
Yeah, more ideas came about with this one. It was by far the quickest build I've done. Not that I've done a lot

It's cool the way you & pops flow on things, reminds me of these 2 without all the arguing... LOL

that's funny. We won't be sell outs though.

Of course, now they have insane amounts of money, to be coming from just starting at a welding shop.

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Wed May 30, 2007 11:58 am

*droooooooooooooooooooooooooooool*

I'm really liking the fuck out of that Baja!!! Very very nicely done!

ibjamn · Post by **ibjamn** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:34 pm

thanks...
I hope to finish up on it soon. When I finished it, I didn't realize it wasn't finished

Pork_Hunt · Post by **Pork_Hunt** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:20 pm

Unreal IBJ, when I saw it on the homepage, I thought "for sure, thats an Xmod or mini-z" and then BAM, ZZ. Awesome!

ibjamn · Post by **ibjamn** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:35 pm

Thanks. I keep forgetting to get with dad about a few details on it.
We've been kinda planning and working on another vehicle every once in a while.

PUBE JOOLZ · Post by **PUBE JOOLZ** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:31 pm

Superb worksmanship dude! Sweet ride!