My Wedico Pete (project Money Hungry)

[Rogue]

I know , I know... i'm a lame a$$ for finally realizing that i haven't brought this truck over here yet. I've been a tad bit pre-occupied here the last month

So on that note, I'm going to be even more lame, and copy/paste from another forum.

This is a project I have been working on. The story starts about 4 years ago when i bought a Wedico Pete cab off Ebay Germany. Found a good price on a 732 Pro chassis from Germany also, and was off to a good start at what i thought was going to be my dream truck.

It only made it this far before other obligations put a halt to the project.




Having 2 others at the same time didn't help matters




I ended up selling it to a guy in Hawaii, and he toyed with it for a while. He didn't make it much further with it than I did. He ended up selling it to another guy in Ontario, Canada. He had big plans for it, and actually had made some progress with it. But in the end, he had to part with it as well.

Jumping forward to present time, I recently had the chance to buy it back. It was one of those "I can't really afford to buy it, but I can't afford not too" deals for me. Sentimental value may have played into it too. So the deal was struck, and a couple of months ago, it arrived on my doorstep. This truck's seen more of the world in the last couple years than i will in my life!!











And this is how the fun began.......

More in a bit.

[Rogue]

I tore into it full force, and stripped it all down, and gave it a good scrubbing. The seller was decent enough to work with me on a payment plan, and in the time it took me to pay it off, I had been gathering some things to have ready for when it arrived. Namely, some paint, and a wheelbarrow full of stainless allen heads.

I stripped the powdercoating off the fenders, and roof, then shot the frame , fenders, and roof in Parma Fascesent Purple. That was then clearcoated in 2 stage automotive polyurethane.








Before it started to go back together, i polished up the grille surround and replaced the hideous looking stock grille with some aluminum mesh.

Before



After

[Rogue]

Starting to look like a truck again


A little more progress


I've always been a sucker for the single round headlights, so these found their way onto the front.


This was the part I was dreading dealing with, and most Wedico owners agree. The stock ride height on these trucks is WAY out of proportion. i just removed and tweaked a few leafs from the spring packs.

Before


After

[Rogue]

I milled up some frame covers. Not sure if they will stay or not. I have some HIGH$$$ axles for it, and seems a shame to not be able to see them with these panels covering them up.






I hung an extra front axle and springs underneath to give me an idea what a lift axle will look like on it, but still undecided on it. I do have a Wedico lift axle for it now, but it even it leaves me scratching my head. I want a steerable lift, so hopefully after a few sketches, and a few beers, maybe i can come up with something.






Got the steering servo mounted up




And my 25:1 gearmotor. I swear by these little things, and won't use anything but.



As it looks from a side angle

[Rogue]

I dug through my scraps, and found some angle to make some battery cups. Clamped them in the mini mill, trimmed the sides down, the bent the corners.





This should be good for what... 6-7 hours of runtime?:

[Rogue]

Added some center caps to the polished wheels, and some Bare Metal Foil in a couple of much needed areas. This stuff ROCKS.





At which point (Nov2), the cab has been stripped, and is undergoing some drastic changes to the paint scheme. Stay tuned kids, this MAY just turn out cool !!

[Tamiya Cowboy]

Really looking good Rick! I like the new ride height much better.

[Bigrigger]

Very nice! That truck finding it's way back to you is actually kind of touching! Good progress!

[skl1cent]

go uncle rickie!!! truck is beautifulll!

[Espeefan]

I love the paint scheme, Rick. I was kind of hoping you'd keep the black and purple going, but I know you mentioned the orange peal of the black powder coat was bugging you! Guess I'll have to wait and see what the new color is. Maybe just a metallic black, with the same purple? I can't wait to see you get those high dollar axles under that chassis. It's killing me to wait!

[Claus]

Nice truck! Any updates?

[Rogue]

Thx guys,

At this point (Xmas night), the cab was repainted in a new scheme (same colors), but i didn't like it , and it's now being stripped yet again, frame included, and will be done in a whole new color.

[Bodyman]

what kind of gear reduction did you use. isnt 25:1 gonna move to slow?
i see on the threads guys use 4:1.
thanks
steve

[Claus]

Originally Posted by Bodyman

what kind of gear reduction did you use. isnt 25:1 gonna move to slow?
i see on the threads guys use 4:1.
thanks
steve

They guys using a 4:1 have a transmission in front of the gear reduction. Rick is using the 25:1 as his transmission.

[Rogue]

Originally Posted by Bodyman

what kind of gear reduction did you use. isnt 25:1 gonna move to slow?
i see on the threads guys use 4:1.
thanks
steve

Hi Steve, let me refer you to this thread, and you can be the judge.
http://rctruckandconstruction.com/showthread.php?t=318

[Rogue]

Originally Posted by Claus

Nice truck! Any updates?

You want a update Craig?... well here ya go...LOL This is the aftermath when you decide you want to do a color change !! It's also the one redeeming quality of owning a aluminum bodied truck. If you screw up your paint, you throw it in a bucket of lacquer thinner, come back 20 minutes later to bare parts, and start over again.

The chassis in the lower right will slide under the COE when it gets here.

[Espeefan]

Wow Rick, you were serious when you said one step forward, three back. Except I think you just took ten steps backwards, which is more then the typical Wedico building procedure requires! Inside joke, kind of.

[Rogue]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Wow Rick, you were serious when you said one step forward, three back. Except I think you just took ten steps backwards, which is more then the typical Wedico building procedure requires! Inside joke, kind of.

Oh Nathan.. you should know by now nothing I do is typical..

I went from having a truck that all i had to do was throw a Rec. and a battery in it, and have a runner...... to ... well...... a pile of crossmembers and a couple rails. Besides, i needed to slow WAY down in order to comply with the 4 year build time that you're at. Inside joke, kind of

[wedicotrucker]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Wow Rick, you were serious when you said one step forward, three back. Except I think you just took ten steps backwards, which is more then the typical Wedico building procedure requires! Inside joke, kind of.

Thats pritty much an accurate statement.

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by Rogue

Oh Nathan.. you should know by now nothing I do is typical..

I went from having a truck that all i had to do was throw a Rec. and a battery in it, and have a runner...... to ... well...... a pile of crossmembers and a couple rails. Besides, i needed to slow WAY down in order to comply with the 4 year build time that you're at. Inside joke, kind of

Oh man! Here I was hoping you'd get yours done sooner so you could tell me how these things actually drive. Seeings how mine has never turned a wheel under it's own power!