The RS4 RB revisted...HPI Pro4B
 

For those of you that are too young to remember, Dabid came up with the revolutionary idea of turning a HPI RS4 rally into a freakish looking truggy thing, the RS4 Type "X". Then, Jack Myers refined the design by turning his RS4 MT into a true 1/10 scale 4wd buggy and creating the HPI RS4 RB. So, dabid used a slightly different design and turned his Type "X" into a RS4 MT with buggy wheels, body, wing, and a few graphite parts here and there and made his own version of the RB.

Dabid's RB and my T3 at Hot Rod Hobbies:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...anddabidRB.jpg

After the success of Dabid's RB, I decided to take it one step further by taking a MT and buying every graphite/carbon fiber/titanium part I could make fit on it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7..._rc/RS4rb2.jpg

Well, now Jack's RB is with decline1, dabid's is somewhere in Texas, and mine is somewhere between San Diego and Frankfurt. So, about 3 months ago, I traded my HPI MT2 for a Pro 4 and a few other things. It was fun (and really really fast), but onroad isn't for me. So, I got the idea to try the RB again.

Presenting, the HPI Pro4B:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03440.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03443.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03444.jpg

A few body-off pics:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03412.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03413.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03414.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03415.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03416.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03420.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...4/DSC03423.jpg

I'll post the details later.

cool I'm working on a similar project. I have a tc3-o, which is a touring car converted to a buggy. my plan is to convert it further and make it into a stadium truck

crazyjr, that may be, but no one's converted a Pro 4 into a buggy before, and he didn't even use a conversion kit!

I know, i wasn't putting it down. it is a great idea and a solid platform to attempt off of. If it works i might try it. The tc3-o I have was one of the prototypes before they actually started to produce kits and has a lot of problems to sort out but i like a challenge.

Back on topic. I hope it works and if it sounded like i was putting it down, that was far from the statement i wanted to make and i apoligize

nice!! it looks like it is pretty fast

It is pretty fast. The cool thing is, it drives just like a Pro 4! I wonder why? :D

Alright, so here's how I did it. I first had to find some arms that would work on it. So, I ordered B4 arms, but when I got them, they had to be cut down to size then I had to space them correctly. For CVD's I used MIP CVD bones for the B4 and installed them on the Pro4's stock axles...gotta love MIP. Next, I had to make the turnbuckles long enough to reach to the arms. To do this, I just used RPM long shank ball cups. The front shocks and shock tower were just the right size, but I changed the oil to 35wt and put on AE brown front buggy springs. The rear shocks needed to be longer, so I found a pair of Losi BK2 rear shocks on eBay for about 10 bucks, so I got those. With the longer shocks, I would need a larger shock tower. I was looking through my parts box and found a carbon fiber rear shock tower for the RS4. It had to be re-drilled and I spaced a 1/8" aluminum rectangle behind it to make the shocks line up with the back of the arms. When I first got the car, it had 3* camber built into the pivot blocks, but the B4 arms already have 1.5* camber built into them, so I had to get 0* pivot blocks to make it work right.

Next, I had to find a working body on it. I wasn't about to put a fugly XXX-4, so my choice was between the Kyosho Lazer ZX5 and the JConcepts BJ4. Naturally, I went with the BJ4 body and underbody to protect the precious carbon fiber. Now I had to come up with a way to mount it. I used the supplied screws for the underbody and use velcro to mount the main body to the underbody (just like I do on my B4). To mount the wing I "modified" a pair of B4 wing mounts with my trusty Dremel. Now, I didn't want the bare carbon fiber just sticking out in the front to be a bumber, so I got a RPM mini bumper for the B4 and flattend the bumps on it and re-drilled holes to make it fit.

Finally, with everything almost set to go, I needed to figure out what wheels and tires I was going to use. The wheels are discontinued Hot Bodies made for the Super RS4. I left the rear ones alone, but I had to narrow the front ones to accommodate the narrower front tires of a buggy. For tires, I went with Losi taper pins in the front and Lose BK bar's in the rear, which, as I've been told, is the ideal setup for Hot Rod's track.

cool you have a lot of time in that and it shows nice work

crazyjr, don't worry about it, I was just pointing it out for those that didn't know. I've always wanted a TC3 "O", the V2 is even sweeter and I wouldn't mind having one of those for sure.

Cool no problem. the one i have is the alumnium version without all the nice plastic and CF