Converting a Doc Hudson to RC.
I've been slowly working on a project to convert a McDonald's happy meal "Cars" Doc Hudson into a radio control car.
The electronics and motor etc are from some cheap clone truck. I started out carving up the original base of the Hudson, intending to glue in the back section of the truck chassis to hold the motor, axle, and gears. The truck's axle is the exact width of where the fake rear wheel bumps were on the toy.
Currently it's progressed to cutting out the entire center of the base, leaving just a ring around the sides to support the bits that show on the outside and I've made a home made fiberglass chassis plate. Way cheaper than buying ready made fiberglass board and I can make it as thin as I need.
The back end is pretty well sorted out but the front will need to be quite a bit wider. I'm using the truck wheels on the front because they're larger than what's on 1/64 cars.
The Hudson measures out to be about 1/48 scale- nobody makes 1/48 scale RC cars. Military tanks and some other things, yes, 1/48 cars, none!
I think I can use the truck's spindles but parts like the steering bar will have to be made from scratch. It will need suspension in the front, short yet stiff coil springs or possibly some type of non-metallic or at least non-magnetic leaf spring to press down on top of the spindles.
Steering bits from a ZipZaps SE would be better but I don't want to spend that kind of money on a toy just to rip it apart. :P I have about $10 and time into this so far.
The goal is once I get the chassis built I'll make an RTV mold from it and cast a chassis from white urethane resin. Most likely will do the same for the body because it has a large hole in one side for the original wind up knob. If I get extra ambitious I'll straighten the front bumper to make it an ordinary Hudson instead of Doc.
To answer the "Why?" question... because Disney/Pixar/Chrysler never made a radio controlled Doc Hudson!
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