Hello from VA

[Terry]

Hello everyone, just joined the forum, but have been looking around for a few weeks now. All I can say is WOW! I have been in the rc car hobby for over 25 years and cannot believe some of the trucks I’ve seen here. I knew about the trucks, but the construction equipment is out of this world. I’m making a list for a Tamiya Knight Hauler or King Hauler (haven't decided which one yet) with a trailer and some other goods. But what I am really wanting is some of these construction vehicles, but the prices are pretty steep at $5,000 plus, are there any other options that are less expensive? I was looking in the classified section and didn’t see anything. I'm interested in the excavator's, bucket loaders, maybe a dump truck, not all at once though!

[dirtpusher9]

Welcome Terry, hope you enjoy your stay.

Keep an eye out on the construction equipment, every now and then you can find something used but the price is still going to shock you.

Went though your state in Jan. and loved it. Wife said if we ever move we have to move up there.

[doodlebug]

Welcome aboard!

[Terry]

Thanks doodlebug and dirtpusher, I will keep my eyes open, but have a feeling a couple of trucks are going to come first so I can have something to transport the machines. With a family, I think that the construction machines maybe a year or two away, tough to justify that with four kiddos!

Virginia is a great place, we've been here two years now, moved here from Houston where we spent 5 years, great place but man it was humid! Where about in Texas are you?

[scalelover]

Welcome aboard to the best truck and construction site. You could always look into doing a conversion yourself with a bruder vehicle. You can pick up the starter vehicle for about 50-70 bucks then peice it together over time. This would give you a nice peice I construction equipment. It won't be as food as a wedico or vario. But youd still have a fun and operational unit.

--Dan

[Terry]

Dan, thanks a ton for the information, I am going to research this, sounds like it could be a great project. And your right, this site is the best I've ever seen, the skill that the users have on this are amazing!

Regarding the Bruder vehicles, have others on the forum here done this? The reason I ask is I'd like to see what is involved and needed for the project.

[Terry]

Scratch the last question, I did a search and found some Bruder projects. With these conversions are they pretty durable?

[scalelover]

Yeah they hold up pretty well their body's are pretty much the same material as a tamiya. As far as adding hydros or the servo style actuators to the excavators they work well. Thy aren't as strong as a wedico because their not metal but you can still beat on them.

Also Rc4wd makes a nice excavator for about half the cost of the wedico cat. Here's a link to it, and their are a couple o reviews on it on the forum here. you should check it out.

http://store.rc4wd.com/112-Scale-Ear...15_p_1587.html

--Dan

[dirtpusher9]

Hey Terry, I'm in Nacogdoches, about 2 1/2 hrs north of Houston.

[MoRockN]

Welcome aboard. I was also in your place about 3 months ago, Do I get a truck or a construction loader or dozer??? So I got the trucks first (4 of them). I have done a few bruder toys my self but nothing is like having a real hydraulic excavator. So I got one used for around $4900. It's a Leibherr 922, Like Dan said you could go with the HK excavator from the company he mentioned but I found it out of scale for my tamiya trucks and wedico low boy. The bruder toys work great for soft sand or dirt if you dig it out of the ground first, the plastic can break if you push it too much. I guess it's all about what you plan on using them for.

[Terry]

Hey dirtpusher, I had a couple of friends who are from there, they love it and can't wait to go back. I never headed that far north, but heard a lot of good things about the area.

MoRockN, I will probably start with a Tamiya rig, and then may try doing my own conversion on a Bruder. I agree, something about the hydraulics seems really cool, but the trucks to transport everything has to come first.