TOPIC:

First, nice project!
Second, there is now few groups on Facebook related to Marui R/C cars. There is sometimes parts on those and further ideas you may take benefit of. May I suggest a search on those.
Third, not sure for the V2 versus V1:

• as per what I read on wikipedia, even the two gearbox halves may be slightly different  Marui Big Bear Datsun - Wikipedia
• I also read (I think it was on TC), that the way the reduction is done differently with an additional pinion.

That being said, I suggest to get a look into thingiverse, as someone has posted a "stronger gear" for big bear:  Stronger Gears for Marui Big Bear by apell - Thingiverse

For the rear axle, I'll check, but I read somewhere the chassis is initially the same...

I also quickly checked within my bookmarks as I saw recently websites on which the Marui-029 spare part bags was still in inventory recently, and unfortunately, it seems they do no longer have those in inventory as of today... I came to see a lot of Big Bear parts recently while searching actively on Marui, Marui Hunter, Marui Galaxy... I will watch out for those within my next searchs, and will obviously watch your restoration actively

 

Yep I have seen those 3d printed gears at Thingyverse and think I have seen them at Shapeways as well.

The best solution I can think of is to use a TL01 diff (they are bulletproof, I have never cracked one or stripped the gears inside the diff), cut some TLT half shafts (I think the splines do fit TL01 diff gears) as those are 5mm od, cut Lunchbox/Hornet halfshafts down in length and since they also are 5mm od, then glue those together with geen Locktite and use a 6x5mm metal tube to hold them together.
For idler gear use 2 pinions with the the correct mod for diff and your motor pinion and glue those together with green Locktite.
The orginal Big Bear idler gear is riding on a 3x20mm shaft, and to make the idler more free spinning, drill the 3.2mm shaft hole out to 6mm and then use 630 flange bearings.
As long as the glue holds, this setup should be bullet proof. Green Locktite is used to mechanicly fasten metal things together, should not come apart unless you are using heat to those parts.
Both TL01/M03 diffs are plentyful, so are Lunchbox parts, so get replacement parts should be a breeze.
That's how I would mod the gear problem anyhow.
I also have those parts in my parts bin.

I'm on a few Marui pages on FB and I regularly travel on ebay, so something should work out in the end.


Thank you for keeping an eye on this project and parts hunting 

There is this transmission available on ebay.
Sadly only shipping within USA.
www.ebay.com/it...Swl6lglFcq

Same here, I will be watching your resto.  I hadn't looked for Marui groups so will do that now. 

I have grabbed all the " Marui " files from thingyverse no matter what model they are for. I've also got some files for a copy of the main shell and will attempt a print in the next few weeks. 

 

At least for V1, the differential was the same for all 2WD Marui cars. And on Hunters/Galaxy, the idle gear was dead long before it would eat the diff.The situation with the Big Bear is definitely different...

You may have a a look into this website:  Marui Big Bear RC Monster Truck (mirage-performance.com)
This is where I found the catalog pages with the different part bags ref. I believe there is other valuable information on this website on the big bear (and it may give information about the diff from the V2).

I found that site too a while ago when I got these cars 
Plenty of helpful info on that site indeed.

Too bad many pictures got lost a few years ago when internet went havok, as much of the numbers etc don't pull up anything.
Forum threads tends to hold most such info alive in my findings, as long the forums are not killed along the way.

Well... Since I got back into RC, I tend to download and store useful information on my home server when I find it. I only do grab things on model I have currently or intend to have at some point. I've not opened yet a folder for Big Bear, Samurai and Tbird, But have already a Marui Hunter folder (which includes also elements about the Galaxy as there was a common chassis and lot of common parts)...

Anycase, if I see something, will post about it

jord001, here is some pictures of the motor mount cage.

Don't know if I have the switch bracket, but snap some pics if I find it..

Looks pretty much the same so I think I have a useable mount. Bonus!  Like I said there's a mount for a brushless too. 

 

Thanks a lot Richard. Much appreciated

Lee

A soft bl....