I will be making my second Chariot an R/C unit.:thumbsup: This is a great two
motor transmission that will fit with some reworking to the chassis and a modified track. But it looks like it will work very well. It's size is just right for
this kit with some modification, (cutting of the axle and shortening of the drive hubs). I will post as soon as I can get to it... If you do your own please post pictures.....:wave:

YES!!!! :woohoo:

Do keep us informed!!

What drive system is that??

YES!!!! :woohoo:

Do keep us informed!!

What drive system is that??

Hi Fluke, here you go.....

Tamiya Twin Motor Gearbox, TAM-004-000 for about $10.75-$12.50.;)
Update.... hobbylinc.com has it for $8.09, can't beat that......

Looks like it's gonna be cool! I assume the dual-motor system is made for model tanks, so you'll be able to steer the model just like the real thing, by differentially controlling the track speed?

Looks like it's gonna be cool! I assume the dual-motor system is made for model tanks, so you'll be able to steer the model just like the real thing, by differentially controlling the track speed?

You are right and that is why I will be making each wheel spin independently
and making a new track to handle the torque.

I've got a cheap old Radio Shack RC tank, with this type of drive. The beauty is, it only needs a simple 2 channel on-off control. The steering is just like the real thing, although my controller uses an actual spring-return steering wheel. Just one thing: the toy doesn't have any reverse capability.

...Tamiya Twin Motor Gearbox, TAM-004-000...hobbylinc.com has it for $8.09...
You're right. That's dirt cheap, for that nice drive unit!

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/2/l_84ffb593fd0f444a95cf8c195435eb5f.jpg

Well at least I can have an R/C Chariot till I figure out the best way to make the body for my Kyosho Snowcat Chariot:thumbsup:

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/2/l_84ffb593fd0f444a95cf8c195435eb5f.jpg

Well at least I can have an R/C Chariot till I figure out the best way to make the body for my Kyosho Snowcat Chariot:thumbsup:

Nice work so far, I can't believe how much old Snowcats are going for on eBay, when they do show up and they are never in good shape. I could kick myself, many years ago I saw them for sale new in my local hobby shop and never got one, my lose....:( I did see the scratch built Chariot someone did many years ago on a Kyosho Snowcat chassis, it is a very fine piece of art.....:thumbsup: For now I'll be happy with one at 1/24th scale.:thumbsup:

I got a little more work done today, my Seaview hates me right now....:rolleyes: But this needs to get done, if only to prove that
it will work.....;) The battery I will be using is a small Lithium Polymer (15C)
at 7.2volts, 900mAh and should give me about 20min per charge. I hope to fit the electronics in the body of the scanner. now comes the new undercarriage.
I will use thick plastic sheets (about .060") or thicker to glue small bearings into for the new axle shafts. I will still use the front part of the old undercarriage so it looks right.

I'm gonna follow this as I'd really like to RC the Cooper Sandcrawler. Recreating track on that moel would is the key to whether it is possible or not in the first place. But an RC model kicks ass otherwise!

I'm gonna follow this as I'd really like to RC the Cooper Sandcrawler. Recreating track on that moel would is the key to whether it is possible or not in the first place. But an RC model kicks ass otherwise!

I think I have someone with a great idea for a new track....:woohoo: It looks
so cool so I believe it will work and very well.....:wave: Stay tuned....

Loooooking Gooood!!!!!!

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/2/l_84ffb593fd0f444a95cf8c195435eb5f.jpg

Well at least I can have an R/C Chariot till I figure out the best way to make the body for my Kyosho Snowcat Chariot:thumbsup:

Vac forming should be the way to go with this.alex

Vac forming should be the way to go with this.alex


Since I read this thread, I have been getting the itch to get started again on this project. I may cut the wood pattern into sections just so I can get a good vacuform pull on the body.

Well, I got a little further on my upgrade.....:thumbsup: I had been looking on EBay for a small tank to use the r/f and motor controller circuit for my build.
After a few tanks that where just too big, I found one that was just right.....:woohoo: My goal is to have everything fit in the new undercarriage and this is the one. I also found some small bearing for $0.69 ea. and got some 0.60" plastic sheets from Evergreen for the box and 4-40 standoffs with threaded rod for the new axle mounts. It looks like my poor Seaview will be on hold again....:rolleyes: Now, I know it's not as eloquent as what some from a tread of the same name will be doing to make their Chariot move, "Kicking it, Bottlerockets and just pushing it, Vrrooommm Vrrrooommmm." But what can I say, I'm just not that creative....:wave:

P.S. I did order two more tanks for spares.

^I don't know how you can go wrong with that radio...but, which eye does what?

^I don't know how you can go wrong with that radio...but, which eye does what?

????????

^...Your Jack-O-Lantern transmitter with "handsome appearance". What will happen when you twiddle the "eyes"?

COOL! progress! :thumbsup:
It looks as if those eyes are toggle style controls is that correct?

^...Your Jack-O-Lantern transmitter with "handsome appearance". What will happen when you twiddle the "eyes"?

The radio's appearance is not important, it's the fact that the receiver/motor drive circuity from this tank fit in a very small space in the new undercarriage and works, which it does. It's the Chariot that is the focus of my attention. By the way, what radio are you going use????

COOL! progress! :thumbsup:
It looks as if those eyes are toggle style controls is that correct?

Thank you fluke...:wave: Yes they are toggle switches and the nice thing about this circuit is that the left toggle turns on both motors in the forward
and backward direction and the right toggle turns on the motors in opposite
directon so you can spin the Chariot with one switch. The two bottons on the top will let me turn on the headlights and maybe the robot to speak, not sure yet. I know the radio is a joke but it works and that is all I care about.:rolleyes:

Well, here is a thread that needed to be dusted off....... I made myself a New Years resolution, stop everything and go back and work on all my unfinished models.......:o I got the Tricorder done, the computer wall in my Seaview is having it's software generated as we speak and now it's on to the Chariot.....:rolleyes:
This was more work then I first thought, the space in the chassis is sooooo limited and the thought of putting ball bearings in each wheel, then where does
all the electronics go......:freak: Got that all figured out, so here is where I'm at right now and I'm doing two at the same time. I had hoped to have a video of it moving but the big question is how best to isolate the drive hubs from the vinyl treads so they don't melt.
Foil, like I did on the wheel hubs would not look good and since the sidewalls of the drive hubs also touch the tread it needs to be completely encapsulated, so, HELP........ What did you all do to keep the tread from melting the drive hub without growing the diameter ????? I'd hate to have to make something custom out of metal, so I would appreciate any and all suggestions, thank you.......:wave:

You might see if someone can machine you two metal drive sprockets. They are fairly simple. You could add some bolt detail to the face yourself. Likewise you could find perhaps some RC Car pinion gears with a big pitch and few teeth. The kit sprockets are not exactly like the real ones anyway. Nice work so far!!

Check out this moving Chariot! It's the rarest of Japanese Collectibles.....Or one of....

YouTube - Lost in Space " Space Tank 2010" Revival of Marusan model kit マルサン(1967)

Check out this moving Chariot! It's the rarest of Japanese Collectibles.....Or one of....

YouTube - Lost in Space " Space Tank 2010" Revival of Marusan model kit マルサン(1967) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFitlVlAdYE)

He did a very nice job improving a toy that kinda looks like the Chariot. I like the challenge of make a more accurate depiction of my favorite space minivan and other then the small box I had to add to the interior to conceal the motors, there will be little showing of the mods.....;) Plus it's wireless......:thumbsup:

That is awesome. Wireless.

Someone did a post a few months ago with a moving Chariot. Anyone have that thread link? (HT, I think)

Someone did a post a few months ago with a moving Chariot. Anyone have that thread link? (HT, I think)

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=285760

Here you go, it was from 03/12/2010 and it was j2man......:thumbsup:

Yeah it was me. The bad cameraman. LOL........I can't wait for the 1/35th. All though the treads aren't going to roll, I'm going to find something that will. he he he.

I'm not completely satisfied with the way my treads turned out. I need a fresh pair to mess up. Anybody got some extra's they don't need? LOL

I'm not completely satisfied with the way my treads turned out. I need a fresh pair to mess up. Anybody got some extra's they don't need? LOL

The treads are the only weak part of a beautiful model and though I will use them at first, I bought some 1/16 brass square rod and hope to have the time to make new treads......:freak: Here are some old reposted pictures of some earlier work and the last one is of the receiver/motor driver board cut in half. I had to do this to get it to fit, it's going in the center console. I will be cutting out the floor under it so as to have the height from the bottom of the chassis to the top of the console. As I mentioned before, the Chariot is a tough build if you're going to put alot of electronics into her and don't want it to show, not much room at all........ Everything for the robot will be in his torso and his base, only three wires will come out, +5volts, ground and the lead to make him speak. The rechargeable batteries will be in the two bench seats and everything else will be in the chassis.......:o
I still could use some help from the group on how you all kept the drive sprocket for melting the treads, help......:wave:

A few more pictures of the robot, I will be using white SMD LEDs for two large lights in his chest, the LEDs on the board are just for testing, and paint them red and green. I only use white LEDs for my builds so all the loads are the same and just paint with Tamiya clear color Acrylics, the color I need, that's just me......;) His voice will come from the B9 key-chain that came out in the 1997. The 12 smaller lights will be done with four 3mm flashing LEDs and O/F. All must fit in him and his base.......
I got a little carried away making the alternating blinky light circuit, I'll use them in other builds......:rolleyes:

Try covering the drive hubs with aluminum foil tape. I had suggested this to Peter for his build and he was quite happy with the results. Aluminum tape forms nicely to the teeth and has a pretty tenatious grip so it shouldn't let go. Peter also used it to isolate the tires from the rims. I think it's a better solution then relying on just paint.
You can get the tape at Home Depot or most hardware stores. There's several brands. We used "322 Aluminum Foil Tape" made by Nashua.

I thought the melting issue was narrowed down to the silver pigment added to the plastic and that subsequent gray plastic issues did not have the problem. Get a couple of grey sprockets?

I thought the melting issue was narrowed down to the silver pigment added to the plastic and that subsequent gray plastic issues did not have the problem. Get a couple of grey sprockets?

Can anyone confirm that, it would make my life so much easier.....:) Frank, could you please answer this one for me???????:o And could I buy 4 sprockets,
I'm so leery about putting on the treads. I have foil tape on the wheels but it
won't work well on the sprockets. Even as thin as the foil I used it would close the gap between the teeth and under power the tread would skip.

Call me paranoid but I just couldn't think of any way to coat the drive sprockets that would not rub off after running the chariot for even a short amount of time and having the tread melt to the sprocket........:drunk: If this was a static build it would not be a problem but friction is my enemy. So I felt better if I made my own drive sprockets around the ones from the kit. If I don't get stuck having to work at my "9 to 5" next weekend, I hope to get enough painting done on the Chassis and the body bottom to get the tread on. Wish me luck......;)

P.S. They are not finished yet. The ends of the 1/16" square rods need to be filled.....

...So I felt better if I made my own drive sprockets around the ones from the kit.

Well I'm impressed!:thumbsup:

Well I'm impressed!:thumbsup:

Thank you very much......:wave: Now comes the part I hate, painting. especially that darn canopy, but I do have Lou's great mask to make it a little less a pain........;)

Those drive sprockets look great and pleanty strong. The only question I my mind is whether the "factory" treads will hold up!?

Those drive sprockets look great and pleanty strong. The only question I my mind is whether the "factory" treads will hold up!?

Thank you Dave.....:wave: I hope that with each wheel having ball bearings that the drag will be low enough not to tear the treads apart......

I can't wait to see the movie of this puppy driving around! It's looking super.

I can't wait to see the movie of this puppy driving around! It's looking super.

Thank you Paul, your encouragement means alot and I hope to get more done this weekend, my 9 to 5 keeps getting in the way......:(

Hi Teslabe

As always, we could not expect anything but the best, coming from you. :thumbsup:

By the way, if I'm not mistaken, your other works on the moebius J2 are scattered in different threads. What do you think of opening a thread for each subject, e.g.: astrogator, tape reels, the main control radar scanners, etc? :rolleyes:

The moderator could help you on this issue, couldn't he? :D

Hi Teslabe

As always, we could not expect anything but the best, coming from you. :thumbsup:

By the way, if I'm not mistaken, your other works on the moebius J2 are scattered in different threads. What do you think of opening a thread for each subject, e.g.: astrogator, tape reels, the main control radar scanners, etc? :rolleyes:

The moderator could help you on this issue, couldn't he? :D

Hi Fernando......:wave: WoW, how does one reply to a comment like that.....:o I think you give me more credit then I deserve, but thank you very much.....:wave: I've stopped all my other builds for now and went back to the early kits that got started then stopped because Moebius kept putting out something new.......;) After I'm done with the two Chariots I will be finishing the Seaview then the Flying Sub, so the J-2 is way down the list. Most of the pictures have been removed to make room for new ones on other subjects, I wish we could get more room for posting photos.....:p

A little more work got done even though my job thinks I have nothing better to do then work overtime......:rolleyes: I got the front of the body bottom cut out for the receiver and the floor cut and test fitted. Also got the battery holders in place under the long interior bench seats. But the one thing I got done that made me very happy are the spot lights. I was never happy with the one's I made and took a long hard look at the one's that come with the kit. Well, I took the plunge and got some very small LEDs installed. I'm glad I'm building two kits at the same time because I never want to do all this again......:drunk: I also got some wire shelves from Target this week, only $34.99 for a 72"x36"x18". My toy room has room now.......:thumbsup:

Here are the new shelves......:thumbsup:

Teslabe, Great work Sir:thumbsup:

Teslabe, Great work Sir:thumbsup:



I whole heartedly second this...........................really sweet, Teslabe! :thumbsup:

Teslabe, Great work Sir:thumbsup:

Thank you very much BP, it's been fun so far.......:wave: