- Messages
- 2,627
- Location
- Dekalb, IL 60115
I've had a savage in one form or another for 13 years. My first was a pretty standard issue Savage 21 back in 2004. I bought it as a used roller from a mod at RCNT
Day 2 of owning it, replaced the stock tank with a trusty OFNA tank, that I put on backwards because of the shock... that was dumb:
I put a Omega 21 engine in it (that never really ran right, but I couldn't give up on it), and murdered a body for it:
5 months later, linkage mod (and now that I'm looking at it, I was clearly drunk while aligning the carb up):
Few more months later, New Era upper arms, unlimited engineering super shock 4 shock setup, rc raven roll cage, new wheels/tires, new body/paint and an OS21RG from my BB maxx:
Found some snow:
4 months later, RC solutions cage and some dirt:
A little later with a little air:
Torched the roll cage:
A bit of money and time later, custom delrin prototype shock towers from a guy I can't remember and 8 OFNA buggy shocks, maximizer beadlocks and a new OS21RG as the old one got tired and became a winter engine:
Man... that thing could take some serious air without breaking... 10+ feet under it all day long.
Then the half body saga started:
Then I sold it... can't really recall why, but I did.
Couple years later, I got another one from a guy that couldn't for the life of him keep it running or in one piece. He bought it used with a STS 28 in it that never ran right. Tight tight pinch, awful awful break-in... traded him a well built, easy running OFNA buggy for it and he was happy and I had a savage again. It had a hot bodies 1" extended set of TVP's on it, the STS 28, but otherwise, pretty stock. Next to my heavily modified aftershock and with a different pipe/servos that I put on it before I even tried running it:
The body it came with:
12 days later, new engine, XTM 24.7:
10 more days later, diffs upgraded to machined gears, alloy cup, alloy cases, 4 spider gears:
New roll bar extension at the same time (note the busted head fin on the 8 day old engine):
That roll bar was a total pain to make. 5/16" cold rolled steel, bench vice, pliers/vice grips and a handheld propane torch. Took forever to get it all bent how I wanted it.
Of course, OFNA tank, had more room with the 1" extended TVP's, so I could mount it higher:
4 months went by, winter ended and I upped my game and bought my first LRP28S3, tried an MGT tank and put in a 3 speed trans:
Month later, engine was running good and starting to loosen up nice, then hit a concrete curb hiding in the grass at nearly full speed:
Wish I had that on film. It was such a gut wrenching hit. The truck was really moving and bam! It shot 10 feet up in the air like a pitbull hitting the end of it's chain while chasing a cat!
Nearly another year after that, this was how it looked and I sold it cheap to a friend who was down on his luck and needed to just have fun for a change.:
Couple years went by... decided I needed a savage again and got an X off eBay:
OFNA tank, different tires/wheels. By this time, the XL was out and the BP diffs, large bones/cups existed, so I upgraded those, put on a set of the big bore plastic shocks, RPM center skid, steel spur so I could gear it faster, and I'm sure a few other odds and ends along with my 3rd or 4th LRP28S3. But for some reason, that engine just never ran right. OFNA tank of course, but I rarely drove it because of the engine.
I'm still not sure if the engine had issues or if it was my fuel tank or my primer bulb or what, but last year, tried 3 HPI savage tanks (2 I had, 1 new), replaced the lines, resealed the engine, new carb on the engine, new primer bulb, no primer bulb... then I threw money at it and put in an LRP30S2. It seemed better, but after about half a gallon, I was seeing the same crappy tune. Then found another OFNA tank... then the seas parted, clouds went away and the RC gods came down and touched it! The power of the 30 was like nothing I'd driven to date, just wheelie after wheelie, 2nd gear wheelies and just ripping. Finally! FINALLY!
I threw a new t-bonz skid/wheelie bar on it because clearly, the 30 was going to just thrash the rear of the body with wheelies. Also put on Integy rear axle carriers, 17T bell with the 47T steel spur and got a bit more good running time out of it.
Then winter came and here we are.
The HPI savage and I have shared some highs and some lows. It was usually my "go to" rig that was always tough and dependable. I don't foresee me getting rid of the X any time soon... then I got my first electric rig a month ago... brushless Revo of all things. Perhaps the savage would do well with a quieter motor in it and some LiPo's strapped to it's sides?!?!
Day 2 of owning it, replaced the stock tank with a trusty OFNA tank, that I put on backwards because of the shock... that was dumb:
I put a Omega 21 engine in it (that never really ran right, but I couldn't give up on it), and murdered a body for it:
5 months later, linkage mod (and now that I'm looking at it, I was clearly drunk while aligning the carb up):
Few more months later, New Era upper arms, unlimited engineering super shock 4 shock setup, rc raven roll cage, new wheels/tires, new body/paint and an OS21RG from my BB maxx:
Found some snow:
4 months later, RC solutions cage and some dirt:
A little later with a little air:
Torched the roll cage:
A bit of money and time later, custom delrin prototype shock towers from a guy I can't remember and 8 OFNA buggy shocks, maximizer beadlocks and a new OS21RG as the old one got tired and became a winter engine:
Man... that thing could take some serious air without breaking... 10+ feet under it all day long.
Then the half body saga started:
Then I sold it... can't really recall why, but I did.
Couple years later, I got another one from a guy that couldn't for the life of him keep it running or in one piece. He bought it used with a STS 28 in it that never ran right. Tight tight pinch, awful awful break-in... traded him a well built, easy running OFNA buggy for it and he was happy and I had a savage again. It had a hot bodies 1" extended set of TVP's on it, the STS 28, but otherwise, pretty stock. Next to my heavily modified aftershock and with a different pipe/servos that I put on it before I even tried running it:
The body it came with:
12 days later, new engine, XTM 24.7:
10 more days later, diffs upgraded to machined gears, alloy cup, alloy cases, 4 spider gears:
New roll bar extension at the same time (note the busted head fin on the 8 day old engine):
That roll bar was a total pain to make. 5/16" cold rolled steel, bench vice, pliers/vice grips and a handheld propane torch. Took forever to get it all bent how I wanted it.
Of course, OFNA tank, had more room with the 1" extended TVP's, so I could mount it higher:
4 months went by, winter ended and I upped my game and bought my first LRP28S3, tried an MGT tank and put in a 3 speed trans:
Month later, engine was running good and starting to loosen up nice, then hit a concrete curb hiding in the grass at nearly full speed:
Wish I had that on film. It was such a gut wrenching hit. The truck was really moving and bam! It shot 10 feet up in the air like a pitbull hitting the end of it's chain while chasing a cat!
Nearly another year after that, this was how it looked and I sold it cheap to a friend who was down on his luck and needed to just have fun for a change.:
Couple years went by... decided I needed a savage again and got an X off eBay:
OFNA tank, different tires/wheels. By this time, the XL was out and the BP diffs, large bones/cups existed, so I upgraded those, put on a set of the big bore plastic shocks, RPM center skid, steel spur so I could gear it faster, and I'm sure a few other odds and ends along with my 3rd or 4th LRP28S3. But for some reason, that engine just never ran right. OFNA tank of course, but I rarely drove it because of the engine.
I'm still not sure if the engine had issues or if it was my fuel tank or my primer bulb or what, but last year, tried 3 HPI savage tanks (2 I had, 1 new), replaced the lines, resealed the engine, new carb on the engine, new primer bulb, no primer bulb... then I threw money at it and put in an LRP30S2. It seemed better, but after about half a gallon, I was seeing the same crappy tune. Then found another OFNA tank... then the seas parted, clouds went away and the RC gods came down and touched it! The power of the 30 was like nothing I'd driven to date, just wheelie after wheelie, 2nd gear wheelies and just ripping. Finally! FINALLY!
I threw a new t-bonz skid/wheelie bar on it because clearly, the 30 was going to just thrash the rear of the body with wheelies. Also put on Integy rear axle carriers, 17T bell with the 47T steel spur and got a bit more good running time out of it.
Then winter came and here we are.
The HPI savage and I have shared some highs and some lows. It was usually my "go to" rig that was always tough and dependable. I don't foresee me getting rid of the X any time soon... then I got my first electric rig a month ago... brushless Revo of all things. Perhaps the savage would do well with a quieter motor in it and some LiPo's strapped to it's sides?!?!
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