Tamiya RC Radio Control Car 1/10 Electric Wild Willy 2 Jeep Kit

Product Information

The long rear arms - for the LWB version an ornamental hole is deleted, and the stabiliser bar mount points move forward. The trailing arm ball pivots and rear spring mounts were weak points which failed regularly, but both were moulded integrally with the chassis tub and the only repair was a new chassis rebuild. Did a few of those.

L10/L15/L14/L3/L2/L9/L16 (Willys body) glue it all together, do a test fit with steeringwheel/shifterknop fitted before glueing on his arms though, so they're fitted in the right angle Also needing a mention here is part J5 (on the inboard end of the servo saver shaft) has a raised pip, I would guess to try to reduce friction. In reality all it did was wear a pronounced ridge in the inside of the chassis tub. Tamiya first produced a Wild Willy in the 1980s. The Wild Willy 2 is an updated and improved version!The second / front part of the chassis gets constructed next allowing the steering servo to get added and the rods pushed into place with ma big pliers. The LWB on the other hand has slots (that match corresponding ones in the chassis tub) for those wires, in theory making it easier when you have to remove the lid.

BTW, the rubber plug for the SWB resistor wiring is a 3-speed gearbox bung, now easily available with the Bruiser and Mountaineer re-releases. The new Wild Willy has an all new chassis and larger tires allowing it to tread over rough terrain. Of course, the Wild Willys trade mark is the animated wheelie capability thanks to an all new wheelie bar. IBIFTKH pretty much sumed it up already, but now I know first hand from actually having built the chassis... It’s been 36 years since The 10 year old me drooled over the Tamiya catalogue dreaming about owning a Wild Willy, the most fun RC car ever. Over the past few years I have indulged myself in our beautiful hobby trying to recreate images I saw as a kid in those oh so wonderful catalogues. Building mostly aircraft but some cars and tanks, sometimes even a robotic suit thing has given me great pleasure and sharing on BM has re kindled a long lost hobby. Front suspension strut tops & pipe clamps: the SWB has 2mm clearance holes + M2 screws fitted from underneath into the plastic tops. On the LWB the screws are fitted through the tops in M2 pressings in the clamps.

Specifications

LWB tub has slots for the antenna wire, resistor & battery leads (these correspond to slots in the Mechanism Box Lid); The Wild Willy 2 is a reproduction of the popular original Wild Willy from the mid 80s. The new Wild Willy has an all new chassis and larger tires allowing it to tread over rough terrain. Of course, the Wild Willys trade mark is the animated wheelie capability thanks to an all new wheelie bar. Specifications The "Differential Gear Case" of the LWB Willy has a small aluminium skid plate. The plastic mouldings have rebates to suit. I had to chop the driver's feet just like BMT said. But it's worth noting that we both removed the 'lump' that protrudes on the underside of the body (the bit that fits around the switch on a Wild Willy M38). The driver's feet would be unscathed if the body was left standard, but the body would have to sit noticeably higher. The original 58035 Wild Willy came out in 1982 and was really unlike anything that had come before it. It had the large tires of the 58029 Blazing Blazer but with a short wheelbase and a high center of gravity mated to a new wheelie chassis. The name "Willy" comes from the fact that this is a model of the M38 made by Willys as the second generation of the original military "Jeep". The body is scale accurate but placed on a crazy high 2WD stunt chassis. May as well name the driver "Wild Willy" and give him a giant head and a lot of detail. Willy would go on to pilot other vehicles over the years including the 58039 Willy's Wheeler only a year later. The 58242 Wild Willy 2 came out in 1999 as a tribute more than a re-release. Although the newer model bears a superficial resemblance to the original, virtually everything has been changed. The original chassis is gone and replaced by a more modern WR-02 wheelie chassis with balloon tires and chrome wheels. At first glance the lovely hard shell body might appear original, but for reasons that are not exactly clear subtle details (including the grille) have been changed which make this now resemble the M151 made by Ford as a successor to the M38. Maybe it was a licensing thing, or maybe Wild Willy 2 is the successor to the original just like the M151. Willy is still there driving. Although this model is still for sale (as of 2019), it is now marketed as Wild Willy 2000.

I keep my fingers crossed, and hope if this is released, that Tamiya take their time to update with some cool new details, like jeep wheels and new tires for it, to make it a new release, rather than just a GF-01 Willy release with the same parts that have been available for almost 15 years now.Overall, the Willy is a better build (even though the gearbox comes assembled) and a more interesting chassis to tinker with, but the Lunchbox/Pumpkin is less frustrating to drive. Conclusion: Like the original Wild Willy a very "unserious" model, but with the masses of fun that made the original a legend. A must for any collector. Willys was an American automobile manufacturer. They received a commission to build four-wheel drive reconnaissance cars for use in the Second World War. The original model was the Willys MB. The Willys M38 succeeded it and was in production from 1949 to 1952. It is this Willys M38 that serves as the basis for this kit.

An even more visible hop-up is an insider tip from the time of the old monster QD's; the hop-up # 43009 QD Monster Spiked Tires fit! Spikes? Yes, "normal" rib tires with spikes between the ribs! They look great on the Wild Willy II. This is a subtle difference, but if you look at the bumper mounting points on the LWB bulkhead you'll see the holes are much deeper.The XB Wild Willy 2 features a gear box neatly secured into a monocoque frame. Side support bars have been added to the frame to heighten the overall rigidity and enhance Willy's "stunt vehicle" realism. Running battery is positioned lengthwise toward the rear of the chassis, providing the ideal balance for outstanding wheelie action. Steering servo is mounted centrally on the chassis and holds two steering tie rods of equal length, which control left/right steering, ensuring reliable handling. Four wheel independent suspension and oversize tires enable high traction and stability. Ready to run straight out of the box, this XB jeep is the perfect introduction to the fun and exciting world of R/C off-road racing. Set comes with all necessary R/C equipment including an Expec 2-channel transmitter and TEU-101BK electronic speed controller The rims will not work offcourse, but perhaps the tyres on either the WW2 rims or on other rims that will fit the WW2. I read somewhere that WW2 rims are 2.0" and from the Traxxas are 2.2". I tried fitting one to a GF01 and there are a few fit issues that can be overcome by modellers but would not really be acceptable to be sold as such. Sorry if this is out of place but I love to share my builds and I hope you’ll indulge me as I’m planning on doing some sweet paint action on this beautiful beast. I can’t imagine it’ll take long to build and I hope if you do follow along you’ll find it interesting.