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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71710

Bormac's midships reshuffled a bit my pipeline of work. In the plan, I wanted to go thru the Samurai model (and still want to go thru it), but since I need to tear down the number two to restart this, I'll start the car that was planned after the Samurai...

I located last year a shop (not exactly nearby), with a guy passionate about vintage. Each time I get there, we can talk for hours... While I was there in September last year, he talked to me about a car that may be of interest for me... I got it in December. It's almost complete, I'm just missing a driver figure.

It's an Hirobo, and it's one of the 2WD models they made. There was 3 variants based on the same chassis : Bearcat SS, Bearcat and Tomcat...

I got a Bearcat SS. ABS bodyshell (the front bonnet), monoshock for the front, shock cylinders in plastic, roll cage and no wing.


The differences for the variants were as follows:
Bearcat - Lexan body shell (there was the roll cage under that one), wing, and metal shock cylinders, with a monoshock at front.
Tomcat - Lexan body shell (the front bonnet), wing and roll cage, metal shock cylinder - one per wheel. The position of the shocks at the front left many people thinking that it was the same as the bearcat, as the second shock was relatively hidden under the bonnet.

The chassis and arms are the same.

I packed the Midships, and therefore, I have a box empty waiting for a car to get down to parts :). The Bearcat SS found a new home :-).

Work plan : get the car to parts, cad it, clean and restore.

I decided to remove the wheels today. I started by the front right wheel, and it did not start well: I can turn the nut, but the axle goes with it. No issues for the 3 other wheels, but I will need to find a solution...
 
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71711

As you know the driver figure for the Bearcat is the same as the Zerda, Steve @ Penguin is going to make a mould from mine so they will have them avaliable. There is a good amount of people wanting one already :) 
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem mate :)
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71712

Yes, I know :-). I guess you probably have already spotted my real name on Facebook :-)
Initially I planned for a tomahawk repro, due to the fact there was no Hirobo driver available... But this is definitely a good news :-) 
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71718

Got the car almost tore down to parts today... Some bad surprises, it seems that the car was not stored properly and rust made some bad things...

It started yesterday with the right front wheel. Today, I decided to retry differently, and it did not happen well.


I guess I will have to find a new pair of knuckles or to adapt some of a Kyosho Scorpion re-release (the first one that came to my mind, as I have a Turbo Scorpion on the shelf next to the box where i store the in progress project).

Once this was done, I started to take the roll cage to parts. A few screws and I know already that I will need to go to metric screws everywhere to replace the screws being used and the threads slightly damaged in some areas...



A few screws later, the top deck is removed. I removed the MSC (seems it won't be of use as the tracks are dead). The servo saver is mounted on top of a standard horn, and I thought initially it was not the standar way, but the manual shows it this way



Both chassis parts will require a good cleaning. That being said, the bottom chassis is clearly no plane anymore on the rear side (the motor is going down on the left side).... I follow the manual in inverse sequence and did start to put down the front train first...


While the bumper is still in one single parts, the screws are bended. Seems this car was a lot of fun for someone...




Once the front train is done, it is time to take care of the rear... The belt is here and in good state


The gearbox is fixed by 7 screws...


And once that is done, you can remove the arms from the chassis


I removed the motor, I have no clue if it is a good motor or not, I will do some search at some point...


Then I had to take care of the gearbox



Outdiff and spur gear are not moving from the axles.. I will need to use a WD40 bath for some time to deal with this...

For now, everything is back in the box. I'll start to model this within the next days/weeks.
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Last edit: by silvertriple.

Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71723

Ooohhhhh nice! A m&y motor. I love them. You can trim them. They are several ones. I have to refind the article on them. I had them on my first lunchy and in the clod buster. I think that yours is a buggy one with the green sticker.
if you don't want it, put it the radios box  😉
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71724

Flo, Stop dreaming... This motor will either go on this car, either on another one :-)
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71733

😂😂😂 I tried. Yours is out of box congrats Marc. You'll see it's an excellent vintage motor. I have 2 to put in cars. Maybe one in the coors. For fun
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71736

Opened a new CAD project today... Took the rims out and started to defined them...

Few minutes later, that was fairly quick, I get both front and rear rims in.



I'll probably set some version with inner rings at some point, as well with easier to find bearings... And maybe hex drivers instead of friction (although friction works well with printed wheels)....

That was fairly quick for today, but don't expect this to move as quick as Bormac's Nichimo, as I do not have to send this one back to somebody :-)
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71738

Some issue with an expected delivery, and I can't do what was planned today...

Therefore, took at suspension components from the Hirobo, and check for the symmetries...


I focus on plastic part first, which explain why there is no tie rods.

I started by the rear...

Arm first...


Arm support then...


And then the carrier.


Which give me this at the end...


I did not look at other Hirobo manuals but I would not be surprised if those parts are common to the 44B chassis. I've look at the diff, and it is likely the same on other Hirobo cars...

Globally, this car should be easy to model. I'm not sure the chassis will be printable as it might be too long for MJF, which means it would require some adaptation for printing eventually...

NB: spot the mistake in my pics :-)
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Last edit: by silvertriple.

Hirobo Bearcat SS - Let's start something else... 1 year 9 months ago #71741

For the mistake, I actually put the arm upside down when I did the joints... This is corrected.


This afternoon, I applied liquid mask on the Fantom bodyshell, and while each layer was drying, I was doing some CAD activity...

Pursue on the front side, now... I started by the Arm support this time.


Then the right arm...


A small curiosity : the front arms are not symmetrical, although the non symmetrical is of no use on the Bearcat SS and the Bearcat. Both were ready for the optional shocks of the Tomcat (2 instead of the monoshock).
I did a mirror before applying the non symmetrical part, and that is basically the reason why I started by the right side.


And I just applied the joints at the end...
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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