TOPIC:

So I picked up a Super Champ a few weeks ago. I picked it up off the JK-RC site, I think it’s run by a nice guy called Ian, I don’t know if it’s totally a one man operation, but I’ve always found them very good and speedy when I’ve ordered from them.

As with all of these things you never quite know what your getting or letting yourself in for until you get hold of it.
I could pick out a few things from the sellers photos so I felt I knew pretty much what was obviously wrong, like the UJ’s being brass rather than the hardened steel ones.
Rear bumper was missing, steering rods weren’t original, the plastic roll cage is broken and missing a chunk, wheels and tyres were toast.

Lets move onto the strip down ????

So after about 2 weeks, I’ve stripped most bits down.
After a shout out for some advice, thanks Flo, the servo saver wasn’t coming apart so after a hot bath, I finally got the plastic bits off. Cheers Lem, the rest is soaking in WD40 to see if I can get the metal bits apart. But it’s well and truly rusted together, it’s definitely been left somewhere damp at some point.
The motor that came out has a white end bell, I don’t think this is original, I always thought the early models had white end bells then it probably became a bit of a mix up, but by this point I thought they were all black ?
The sticker on it might suggest it’s come out of an old F1 or F2 car ? Or it’s just totally random.
The piece of metal holding on the remains of the front bumper looks like it might have at some point been a 934/935 chassis. Yikes !!
At this point I’ve got one screw on a front suspension arm that will need some care to remove and a screw holding the shock tower is not moving. More WD40, but I think I’ll have to try to find a way of getting some purchase on the head of the screw.

I’ve already started shopping for the missing bits to return it to its original state. In the main desk image of plastic trays, the brown envelopes on the right hand side is the first arrivals. Once everything turns up, I’ll reveal all.
I’ve got a few little bits and pieces in my spares boxes, so that will save some cash and it’s good to finally use bits rather than just have them sitting in boxes.


 

For your screw, so much rust, I think about drilling it and carefully remove it or put a hellicoil.

Today I started the clean up. I’m doing this the hard way. Everything gets coated in degreaser. Then hot water, washing up liquid and a really good scrub and then finally polishing. I probably should have invested in an ultrasonic tank by now, but I still haven’t ???
I finally managed to get the right front shock tower off the chassis. So the only issues now are front right trailing arm is still attached to the arm shaft. And the metal servo saver parts are pretty much rusted solid.
I will still keep trying to get them apart, but the worst case scenario now is to leave them as they are. The objective is always to take everything apart to clean and restore to the best of my abilities.
A couple of parts will probably be replaced, but I have some vintage parts in my spares boxes.
All the screws are having an oil bath, I’ll save as many as possible that can be reused.
I guess one of the main points of restoring is to find the things that are wrong.
Today I spotted the end plate, with the distinctive “ FS “ cut into, is not as straight as it should be. The car obviously had a big rear shunt at some point, so as well as breaking the rear bumper this plate got bent as well, is my uneducated guess.
It’s quite a solid thing so I can’t see me being able to correct it. I’m not going to replace it, I prefer to keep this as original as possible.
I’m happy to replace non original parts, but I prefer to keep as much of the original.
 

 

Some parts have been turning up to try and get the Super Champ back to original order.
I was very happy to find an original rear bumper, it has a few scratches and needs another clean, but it looks in good condition.
I got the hardened UJ’s and the rear trailing arm pins, the ones on the car were from the SRB torsion bars.
The other parts are re-re, but original spec steering rods, new wheels and tyres.

I checked in with Antony at Tony’s Tamiya Parts and the body shell is being re-released, so I’m going to get one. I’ve ordered the sprue with the driver and spot lights.
I will look at fixing the original body, but I think that might be more of an experiment.

Yeahhh Al. Nice find for the rear bumper. On mine it is a machined aly part. I never found an original part. And for the driver , I think that all is included in the body box. You only need mci decals and let's go 😁

Cheers Flo, I think you’re right, a raid of the spares boxes for a couple of bits and pieces and I think we’re there !!!!!

I can't wait to see it. On mine except the rear bumper, the rear shock is pissing oil everywhere. And I can't dismantle it. So it works empty😂

 

A couple more bits turned up yesterday.
It was a nice surprise to find the nylon cables were NOS. I really didn’t expect that. I realised I’m one black cable short so I immediately ordered another pack.

The next job is to sort out the fixings to make sure I have enough.
And to raid my spares boxes for a few bits, I know I’ll need.
Then I can do a final check before the build.

You did well to find a correct rear bumper I'd keep hold of the (Parma?) folded plastic replacement though, I'm sure at some point it will have some value, if it doesn't already.

For reference, this is my "collection", from top:
- a fragile, cast original rear bumper (not in the greatest condition, but fitted to my "Sunday best" Super Champ);
- machined Pargu replacement (bit too angular & the machining marks make it look different, fitted on my Super Brat);
- old DIY steel machined/welded replacement (holes don't line up but I'm keeping it as it has a sort of BITD homemade charm). 

tamiyabase.com/...ptions.jpg


@ stingray - they all do that, that's why they have the reservoir bottle If you want to keep oil in it for display, pull off the pipe near the shock & stick a ball bearing in