snoop, i like what you are doing to that old e-maxx,
i to have a 3906 brushless project on the go, but i put mine in the project x for some reason, might have been under the influence at the time .
like the roll cage idea, i too made a welded steel roll cage around 4 years ago to sit under the hummer body (proline).
my son drove the truck at full speed into the rear axle on my transit and i must admit the cage was a write off but the internals were untouched.
thinking this time i may try a carbon fibre roll cage with c/f body panels, so its all one piece. hmmm ....