Tamiya Jeep Wrangler Project

Page 4: Rebuild

I did not receive this model new in the box, but I did get the box in very good condition including the inserts, which gives a good picture of what the original box opening experience would have been like. This is a very large, detailed box loaded with original art. The model arrived assembled and painted, but naturally I tore it completely down and rebuilt it from scratch to make sure everything was present and original.

My replacement CC-01 Wrangler chassis looks just like my previous version except that this one is an original so it uses a mechanical speed controller (along with the associated resistor). This meant that I had to install an additional servo to control throttle and a BEC to power the radio system. It made for a lot more wiring than last time but I was able to make it pretty tidy. The photo on the left also shows the original tires with the licensed Goodyear Wrangler logo. Tamiya's CC-01 tires are terrible and I usually replace them, but in this case I'm going to have to stick with these special originals.

The previous owner had installed the original optional incandescent bulbs in both the headlights and fog lights. I like the old school halogen color of the light, and the JST connector conveniently plugs right into my BEC.

The previous owner did an excellent job painting the body so I didn't really need to do anything. The only thing they skipped was the flat finish on the bumper and running boards, but I'm not going to try to change it now.

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