WPL C14 - Old Project Back From the Storage Bin

Welcome to RCTalk

Come join other RC enthusiasts! You'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

WickedFog

Starter of too many projects
Supporter
Excellence Award
Hospitality Award
Rig of the Month Winner
Build Thread Contributor
Messages
14,303
Reaction score
19,848
Location
Terre Haute, IN
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
  2. Crawling
  3. Scale Builder
I started a really modded C14 awhile back and was just getting frustrated because every part I bought for it was chit. I had this idea that I wanted to 3d print a new electronics tray, cut the hood open and design some hinges for that. Then I designed and 3d printed a rear cage with a spare tire mount. No problems. Then I painted it all up, which turned out better than I had hoped for...
FB_IMG_1624906528359.jpg

20210722_152907.jpg

Things were moving along great! I have not clearcoated the body yet because I have to fix some blems, and I might have to cut some clearance areas.

I also 3d printed some wheels and grabbed some nice RC4WD rubber for it.
20210722_151246.jpg


To get a bit wider stance, I went with MN D90 metal axles, which are almost 15mm wider. Yes this is a rear axle sitting there. Just showing the track width.
20210722_152156.jpg


Going with these axles created one problem after another. The link truss is wider on these, so I had to order new ones. Because if this, I also had to order MN D90 links, because the WPL stuff was all binding up due to the increased angles.

The thing that has been pissing me off the most though is every threaded hole, every driveshaft, every motor/gearbox I have bought for it has been complete junk, and required tons of work to make it right. Just utter garbage.

These MN axles have 2.5mm screws holding the link braces on. A 2.5mm screw wouldn't begin to start. The 2mm screws they supplied with it fall right through the threaded holes. So I tried running a 2.5mm tap through. Not happening because guess what? The holes in the top halves of the housing don't match up with the holes in the bottom halves. Frustrated, in a box it all went.

Almost 2 years later, I decide to drag it back out. Inspired by the SCX24 I just got I think. So after 2 hours of tedious (please tap, don't break) work, I finally got one axle finished. And God willing, I am going to get through this POS! It just may take me another 2 years to do it.
20210722_151347.jpg
 
Last edited:
I bet you dont buy any more WPL models after that lol

Love the green and blue paint together tho. especially that green color. What brand color name is that green?
 
I bet you dont buy any more WPL models after that lol

Love the green and blue paint together tho. especially that green color. What brand color name is that green?
Those are all Faskolor Faspearls. Green, blue, white. They look a lot better when they aren't covered by 2 year's worth of dust. I still have 3 other WPL rigs. One is a 1/14 semi with a 3d printed flatbed trailer, printed rear fenders, dually wheels, and 5th wheel. It will be the hauler for this eventually maybe 😉

These pics show the original wheels and the single wheel fenders. Trailer frame is 100% 3d printed.
FB_IMG_1626989261729.jpg

FB_IMG_1626989269005.jpg

FB_IMG_1626989654116.jpg


Maybe I can talk @Doom! Into doing me up some racing number decals for it. It needs a big 33 with a yellow or orange outline on the hood and doors 🤗
 
Last edited:
Well, I got the front axle done. It went a bit more smoothly thank gawd! I ordered a new set of links which will be here tomorrow - UPS next day from Amazon. No idea how 12.95/month pays for that, but OK.

So finally tomorrow it will be time to get the gearbox in the frame rails and get the axles and links in. This will be my greatest pain in the arse. The holes in the chassis are huge, to work with stock plastic parts. So it ends up being a pain. I printed some flange bushings, but they never print well. I should have just printed new rails to fix the holes. Pics coming tomorrow. I'm beat!
 
WFog - do you own a 3D printer? I was going to have four little tent clips made once at a 3D printer shop and they wanted stupid money for them, heck I coulda bought a new tent for what they wanted for what four zip-ties could do.
 
WFog - do you own a 3D printer? I was going to have four little tent clips made once at a 3D printer shop and they wanted stupid money for them, heck I coulda bought a new tent for what they wanted for what four zip-ties could do.
Yeah, I have a flock of them. Show me what you need in a PM.
 
Sweet - I'll have to find it again. I will surely pay you, ain't trying to whine or beg, what they wanted was just worth more than the tent. I was just surprised with how casual you were with "3D Printing"
 
Sweet - I'll have to find it again. I will surely pay you, ain't trying to whine or beg, what they wanted was just worth more than the tent. I was just surprised with how casual you were with "3D Printing"
Been doing it for around 6 years now. Everybody should have a 3d printer. It is something everyone finds a use for after they get it.

And I don't charge for 3d printing stuff people need. It's just a hobby and I enjoy it brother. Filament is dirt cheap, and modeling up the part gives me chit to do. No worries.
 
Been doing it for around 6 years now. Everybody should have a 3d printer. It is something everyone finds a use for after they get it.

And I don't charge for 3d printing stuff people need. It's just a hobby and I enjoy it brother. Filament is dirt cheap, and modeling up the part gives me chit to do. No worries.
That don't mean I couldn't send you a gift card to a restaurant!
 
Links came in and for once I am THRILLED something goes right on this build. I was dreading having to use 3d printed bushings in the frame holes because they don't print well due to their small size. But these links I ordered came with nice shiny aluminum ones. Aluminium for any non Mericans.
20210723_140714.jpg


Got the links and shocks on the axles so later on today when I get to feeling better I should be able to get the chassis sprung.
20210723_140115.jpg


I don't like the way the roll cage and main part of the body is all blue. I don't want to paint the cage green or white, but it needs to be different I think to stand out a bit. Kinda break things up. I think I want to add a black pinstripe between the colors and paint the cage and rear floor black as well. What do you guys think?
FB_IMG_1624906528359.jpg
 
Last edited:
That C14 is looking so sweet already!

Man, you may just influence me to start messing with my C24 again.
 
That C14 is looking so sweet already!

Man, you may just influence me to start messing with my C24 again.
Don't! Just take it to a dumpster, but before throwing it in, jump up and down on it with big heavy boots on. Make sure every single part is broken into at least 3 pieces. Then throw it in there with violent intentions. Do it for me if nothing else.

As it turns out, the flat faces of the balls in these links are smaller than the holes. So without adding a washer in between the link and the frame, the arms just flops around in the hole. Flipping the bushings to the inside won't work. And if I add a washer, my screws are just a couple threads shy of seating comfortably into the lock nuts. The next size screw I have on hand is way too long. I wanted to wad the hole frame up into a little ball and throw it in the trash can, but I paused, said goosfraba a few times, and got up and walked away.
14fd4b7023247bf9f8d9915714835c7c.jpg


So after all the work smoothing these frame rails, knocking the burs off the edges, and painting, they are definitely going in the trash. I am just going to 3d print some frame rails with proper sized holes. The frame rails are held together in enough places, the fact that they will be plastic will not matter in the least.

So now, I will be safe to say this is no longer a WPL truck, as the only thing WPL on it will be the cab, and I actually have WPL driveshafts. Seriously, that is the only parts left. So what do I call this truck? If I put a Pro-line body on it I wouldn't call it a Pro-Line truck.

I think I will call it Wicked Intentions. Because that is my mood after nearly every single episode of working on this demononic pos 👹🤬🤪🤐
 
Last edited:
Yeah, it will be fine. I have been considering doing this from the start anyway, because there are a couple little things with the frame rails I don't like. Also moving holes around and removing one or two that aren't needed. I am going to order some florescent green filament. I hope it matches, but if not I will just paint it to match.

Still pretty stoked even with the setback because these links look like they are perfect for this setup.
 
Last edited:
Sitting here thinking... rather than buy florescent green filament, which I will never use for anything but these frame rails, I have decided to just print them in the red I have on the printer. I would probably have to paint the green still anyway. So hopefully by tomorrow or the next day I can get back to work on this.

I added some bracing to the lower link mounts, and shrunk up the hole diameters to fit the 2.5mm screws holding the links and gearbox in.
20210724_130644.jpg


Oh, and I found my electronics tray that I printed for this setup. It's pretty trick. Everything mounts in it and the battery is now accessible through the hood. It also has relocated shock mounts at the rear of the tray.
20210724_130921.jpg

20210724_131004.jpg

20210724_131101.jpg
 
Back
Top