Armortek

Some interesting photos of the Protze I use for reference. It makes for fascinating reading as there is tons of info on the net if you look for it.
A very shy underrated light truck with many different marques for different rolls serving on many campaigns and fronts.
Maybe Armortek would consider a few more wheeled vehicles to ad to their collection, the big expensive tracked examples are just great but a few more less expensive types would be very welcome.
I'm thinking of building from scratch but using as many Armortek parts as I can (sorry Monique) a big Allied truck, something like a Matador or Bedford, what do you guys think, and would I have a customer to take it off my hands after a six month build?

Hi Phil
I think generally the centre point between the rear axles, twin rear axles will scrub anyway.
So is that a 4 cylinder in that truck, seems a bit small?

Liam

A little more progress to the oily bits. Liam the Protze initially had a 60 hp engine, this was then increased to a 70 hp unit, not much by today's standards but the horse power per ton was not bad and with just 4 cylinders not much to go wrong either.

Been busy today with the Protze and managed to get to a farm sale for a couple of hours around lunch time and picked up a nice machine vice for two quid!

Hi Phil

Your engineering and modelling prowess is second to none.

As for your suggestion that Armortek start to make 'trucks' instead of tanks will surely get a favourable response.
However, Armortek's forte is in 1/6th scale. The size of their current electronics packages and the batteries required to power 'trucks' for any reasonable time, and give good pulling power, and give a decent load bed for interesting cargo, I think is beyond 1/6th scale.
Sure, it can be done as a static model but what is the fun in that.

I haven't got a Famo but its size suggests that the electronics and batteries can be disguised so was a viable proposition for Armortek, I'm not so sure about other vehicles. The Morris Quad is only just big/small enough for the electronics and batteries but that has a totally enclosed back to hide them.

I note that you are making a 'small' vehicle that is remote controlled. Perhaps you'd like to share your methodology so that 'Armortek' can start thinking of other control systems for trucks and smaller AFV's.

Regards

Pete

Hi to you Pete, I just think a few more trucks in the line up might be interesting. Space for the rc control is always a big concern, Armortek modules are just great and so easy to install, I intend to use one of the older auxiliary modules for this build but not sure where to hide it yet, the batteries will not be huge maybe only 7ah. I hope to hide those batteries in the cargo area disguised as crates, everything else under the seats.
I agree a compact module control system might be the way forward for a range of smaller vehicles, although the newer motion and sound modules are very compact compared to the earlier systems, and as we have seen fit nicely in the RR which is very tight for space being one of the smaller models but not as small as the 222.
Keep watching this space to see how I get round it!

Regards Phil

I hope you guys enjoy this bit, i'm using a 4" wafer thin cutting disc with no guard, as with one you just can't see what you are cutting ( please use a guard).
But first the motor output shaft machining, well drilling and tapping really. I do like to use old quality drill bit shanks to make the small shaft with the flat on to accept grub screws, the material is an accurate convenient diameter and tough but workable not like the business end of the drill bit.
I hope this isn't going into to much boring detail but I would like you guys to see it warts and all and how easy it is

Almost ready for a test drive but im not rushing.

The first under it's own power outing trials the drive train under load. Initial results were good with a nice scale road speed using a esc from my test driver pack, with a nice slow realistic crawl over uneven ground (remember it's not a Tank). Then came the all important hill climb, this showed a lack of available power, the motor just not powerful enough. It did crawl up the tarmac slope but without that grunt needed to pull a load like the 37 mm or the massive V2.
I then swapped out the esc for the Armortek control module just to prove it was the motor lacking horse power, this gave me more grunt with a better soft start, and with the very convenient electric braking working well on the incline but still not enough grunt, so i have now swapped out the motor for a slightly more powerful version ( when you are working with this kind of RND it's a good idea to have a big selection of esc's and motor gearbox combinations in stock) this is now working a treat! To much power though and you will strip the gears or damage a diff, so incremental increases in horse power until you are happy.
I do take my hat off to Mark, his expertise in this area is second to none!

That's really looking good Phil.

I did not understand what you said about the spare wheels having an axle. Does it mean it could have been transformed into an 8-wheeler?

Vince

Hi Vince, iv'e edited that photos comment to clarify the spare wheels contribution to the off road ability, see what you think, i will post a photo of the spare wheels in just this kind of ground contact so you can appreciate the principle.

Got it.

Vince

Iv'e been conducting more towing trials to further prove the drive train, that V2 and trailer weighs an awful lot but no problems, I'm trying to be very gentle with the speed and direction inputs just like you would if manoeuvring the full size vehicle and combination.
Next job this afternoon is to take apart an Armortek sound module and remove the TBS mini sound card and then download from Mr B's site the closest truck sound I can get to the Protze, then install the complete sound system.

Great project Phil. Following with interest. I agree more truck projects would be great. I love the tanks, but you gotta have trucks for support. Surprised that massive motor didn't have much torque. Really nice conversion.
Best regards,
Bob

Hi Bob, that first motor only produced around 20 watts, the one I replaced it with has 50 watts, so really a big jump but now it feels planted, it's not over the top but feels about right now