The Savage 5t chassis' motor mount area is almost as large as the normal Flux chassis mount area, which is sort of weird imo. They should have given the motor mount area way more space, since this is a 1/5 size chassis, and people might want to upgrade the motor as well.

It's identical. But yeah, they should have maybe moved it forward a bit, maybe not as forward as HPI did with the XL frames, but still. TCS really didn't do a great job of thinking everything through with it.

Plus it's a 5T conversion but there's nothing there for mounting a 5t body? I've always been one to build from scratch so it doesn't bother me but for someone who wants to do a bolt on upgrade, this ain't the kit.

I forgot that the top of the chassis plate needed trimmed more to allow the mounts for the 1717 to clear the chassis plate. Here's a few pictures before the chassis was trimmed for the motor mounts. I finished up the trimming today so now the motor can move front to back the whole length of the motor mount slots. I should have a 44t spur here next week.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_3704.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_3705.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_3706.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_3707.jpg

Front and rear 5SC assemblies are waiting to be fit on. Not sure what all I'll use from them.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1696.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1707.jpg

Roll cage is in! Almost..... The chassis plates are just a hair too tall to get the front of the roll cage to attach. No big deal, I'll make some spacers or use something like this.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC_0024.jpg

Not real happy with the current aluminum side mounts since I had to hack them up to get them to work but they do work. I'll probably remake them at some point but for now I'm sick of working on the middle of the truck......

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC_0022.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC_0021.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC_0019.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSC_0023.jpg

Here are a couple shots last night to show the new track width. Rear end is sagging lower than what ride height would be.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3770.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3769.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3771.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3772.jpg

FINALLY time to start tearing out the unneeded savage parts and getting these 5SC bumpers and body mounts mounted.

Finally some fun updates with good progress! 44t steel spur installed on the trans, 15 pinion installed on the 1717 and all meshes up well. Did some fitting with parts and came up with a game plan for the rear bumper assembly.

Couple new holes in the stock 5SC bottom plate.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3787.jpg

Pretty nice fit! I need to copy over the outside lines of the stock savage plate so that this plate will fit inside the hinge pin braces and need to trim the front of it so that it'll fit inside the TCS plates but it's actually a really nice fit. I'll have to figure out a few more mounting points too. These 2 holes are all I used now just to get it in place and see how things fit.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3788.jpg

Everything in place minus the stock savage tower. I'm going to try and modify the stock baja upper plate to tie into the TCS plates to stiffen it all up.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3789.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3792.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3790.jpg

FFRC cage extenders put up front. Looks like this will work out well. They're not the right diameter (since they're meant for the back of the cage) and a little long on the bottom but nothing that a dremel and a few minutes won't fix.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3791.jpg

Body on shots.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3794.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3793.jpg

I'm gong to work on copying over the outside edges of the stock savage plates today. Once I get that done I'll mount it up and move to the front since I know the back is where it needs to be. I need to try and get the body out to paint here soon so I can get it back in time for the 1st run!

Damn that was a good idea. Hadn't thought of that.

Otherwise looks good! Except maybe the junky Savage tranny. ;)

Don't think I haven't thought of that piece of the puzzle. It's just not a priority at this point.....

Got a little more done at lunch. Enough that I can now move on to the front and worry about details later.

Trimmed down the FFRC extensions and used a body clip. They work great now.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3799.jpg

Some notches on the baja bottom plate and cut the sides off to fit inside the TCS plates. This was a bit of a pain......

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3795.jpg

Set in place

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3796.jpg

Should be a nice strong and smooth bottom. I think I'll be able to use a stock baja skid too.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_3798.jpg

Today was a good day for the 5SC! Figured out the front end after scratching my head for the last week.

Used the stock savage skid with the 5SC front skid bolted to the underside of it. I used all the stock shock tower/body mount parts from the baja but oriented them a little differently. The shock tower supports that drop down behind the tower had the front cut off.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...l/IMG_3806.jpg

Here's the back side with the modified supports. The white plastic is a mock up panel for my servo plate which will also have the tower supports mounted to it.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...l/IMG_3807.jpg

Shock removed so you can see where I trimmed the support. If I really want to I could use a long bolt and fasten this to the savage shock tower.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...l/IMG_3810.jpg

How the body sits on it.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...l/IMG_3809.jpg

Bumper clearance.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...l/IMG_3808.jpg

Finally the body mounts are all in place and figured out. Now I just need to go back through the whole truck and complete it and do the finishing parts and pieces. Going to take a little while to do the shock mounting since the body mounts are in the way but it shouldn't be too bad. Most of exciting of all, the body is shipping out to be painted monday!

Thanks for the replies guys! Funny thing is.... I parted out the 5SC SS kit and it ALMOST paid for itself. I think I ended up paying about $150 for the body, wheels and tires and all the pieces and parts I kept. If I would have bought the parts individually I would have dropped probably $600+

Been a while since an update. Been working on it every day at lunch break but it's been all piddly stuff. Here's some new pics.

17lbs without motor, batteries or ESC. Still lighter than a 2WD Baja but heavy none the less!

Went ahead and drilled through the shock tower and tied the shock tower braces in. This made a HUGE difference in the front end.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0001.jpg

New setup for the rear end. Cut down the stock baja bottom plate and put the stock savage plate underneath. The savage plate fits like it should and has all the stock mounting spots so I know this will hold the truck together correctly. The baja plate has 4 matching holes that will be used to mount it plus the savage skid will go on top and have 2 more additional holes clamping it in place. Should be pretty solid.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0002.jpg

Made a steering link using 8-32 threaded rod and Revo rod ends. I'll probably sleeve it with something to dress it up a bit.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0003.jpg

Some over all shots of it sitting on it's own with complete 5SC dressings!

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0004.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0006.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSC_0007.jpg

yesterdays progress (documented by crappy cell pics)

Chassis braces attached to chassis plates just over the center drive shaft. You can also see the new mounting setup for the aluminum angle. Countersink from the inside so the batteries can slide in.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1839.jpg

Heat bent some ABS to make a basic tray.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1837.jpg

Tray sits in as so. I'll probably have a few different sets of holes in the tray so that the pack can be moved front to back for weight distribution. I have about 3" overall of room front to back.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1840.jpg

Overall shot showing batts in place. Just need to figure out a strap system over the top.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...y/IMG_1841.jpg

I would say two velcro straps should do it.


Looking good Nick...

Can't wait to see that thing run in y-town...

Looks really quite good. :)

its looking really good, i always love your builds

Mamba XL shipped out to Castle today for the recall. Hopefully the turn around is quick. Was actually hoping to log some data this weekend!

Rear end is buttoned up. Installed the integy HD hubs to get rid of the lockout links, added the sway bar and came up with a solution for supporting the top brace for the bumper brackets. I'll sleeve the threaded rod with some delrin or something to clean it up.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/IMG_3868.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/IMG_3869.jpg

Damn fine project so far. Makes me want to finish up the 1/5th Sav I'd been working on last year.