H2 build - first steps - strip and consider!

I've stripped the New Bright Hummer as far as I need to for the time being, and have assembled a wooden mounting block for it to sit on, which also sets the ground clearance at exactly the same distance as it was on the original truck.


This (below) is the 'flat bottom' of the floorplate - devoid of any interior detail and with large holes in it. The strength and rigidity of this comes the box structure which screws on beneath it.


I've turned it upside down here to appreciate the depth of the box. About one half-inch of this is moulded below (above here) the main plate, the rest is a separate sub-structure piece. The large bulge at the front of the box is where the steering arms and steering servo along with the large front bumber are normally mounted.


This is the sub-structure box. It also contains (among other things) the standard battery mounting case, the main electrical circuit board is clipped and screwed on top of this. The only difficulty in disassembling the truck occurs here because two screws locate the main battery connecting straps, and only one of these is readily accessible, the other is located beneath the circuit board. It appears that in the factory the straps are fitted with their screws first, and then the circuit board is soldered to them after it is fitted in place. I did manage to get the awkward one out without damaging anything else, although the head was fairly chewed up by the time it was removed.


This next shot shows the standard mounting point for the rear trailing arm/gearbox/rear axle/motor assembly. More about this later.


All together again and upside down. One of my Gmade axles is in position here, demonstrating its fitting position. It's not suspended in any way, so this is its maximum 'upwards' position, in fact it will rub the body quite hard if it ever reaches this far whilst in motion.


Back up the other way, and the axle is now unattached in its natural relaxed location. Firstly from the front...


...and then from the rear.


Here we have an assortment of readily available material to possibly construct a new rear subframe out of. This project isn't really about throwing lots of money around, I fully intend to make full use of anything I already have lying around in the workroom!


Finally, here's the other axle, along with the now surplus New Bright one. This is the first mock-up for a stick type chassis that may well get made at some point either sooner or later in time. This brings me to a important decision point about making the Hummer either a two or four-wheel drive project. (Oh yes - in case anyone points this out - that is a completely flat PP3 battery!!)


If I (initially at least) decide on a two-wheel drive approach for the H2, this leaves me with a spare axle to continue designing a stick-type crawler with. I could also consider the possibility of incorporating Gmade Spider axles into the Clodzilla, although this wasn't a key reason in the decision to purchase them in the first place.

I've now got more than plenty to think about, at the very least...