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"Project ‘Strong Bad’": The Savage .26

A heartwarming, extra-crispy, mostly-partly-true bedtime tale by Robert Race (HemiMaxx)

In August 2002, I was itching for a project. But what to do? Since I’m a rabid T-Maxx fanatic, I was considering converting a T into a smallblock racer. But, with no track nearby, I quickly axed the idea of a dedicated racetruck.

A couple weeks later, pics of the new Savage starting popping up on message boards. At first, I wasn’t too impressed… I mean, c’mon, a truck that heavy with a budget .21? But, after drooling on pics for a while, I gave in and got a revised Savage in December 2002.

As I suspected, the Savage needed an extra jolt from the Horsepower Fairy. Although it was a mighty cool truck, the Sav’ got trounced by my stock 2.5 and 14-cell E-Maxx in every performance category, and even my older TRX Pro Maxx kept up. Also, the Sav’ had a tendency to magically shed parts like a Gremlin in a WRC Rally race, and it went through shock shafts like Rosie O’Donnell through a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. This left only one solution: MORE POWER! And, maybe a few durability mods while I’m at it.

Enter the OFNA/Picco .26. After seeing this monster, I knew that it was the perfect solution to my problem. You can’t argue with more displacement, RPM, and quality for $160. After doing a little Dremel work on the engine mount, I bolted on the .26, a Novarossi 9853 pipe, and a Mugen 3-shoe clutch with 18/49 gearing. An RB buggy filter provides the .26 with plenty of clean air.

While the truck was apart, I stripped & polished the Barney-colored parts (soon to be powdercoated red), did some radio box modifications, installed an RCScrewz stainless screw kit, ripped out the funky stock tank in favor of a modified OFNA 1/8 setup, modified the diffs for four spider gears, and added a few other durability doodads (most importantly, the New Era upright braces). Traxxas SportTraxx tires on chrome SportMaxx wheels are shared between the Sav’ and my 2.5. I also built a factory-clean wheelie bar from Great Planes aircraft landing gear parts… that .26 firebreather will require it!

On the way are HPI heavy-duty dogbones, HPI black stiff springs, and an Airtronics MX3. Once they’re in, the .26 will be broken in and ready to go. That should just about finish this project… if there is such a thing as "finishing".

Finally, in honor of the truck's cranky attitude, I dubbed the project "Strong Bad". If you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand.

That wraps it up! I hope my story gives somebody an idea for a project of their own…

Bob

Ok... now for the pics.....