Another Tamiya Leopard A4

[Meter rat]

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I recently joined this site, and was told you need pictures of projects. So here goes. Managed to work out how to do it. Don’t know why they are sideways though.

Some work I have been doing on my old Tamiya Leopard A4
It has been in the loft for 20-25 years , may be longer. Bought by my wife for a birthday present. It lost most of the upper roles so the were replaced with plastic chanel. Not to bothered about originality at this stage, and it is hidden behind the skirts. Most of the lower wheels are worn and will need replacing at some point. Modern radio gear has been installed, along with a period warm motor.
Thanks to this site I have been able to replace some missing parts, and have spent a pleasant afternoon with a soldering iron making up the mirrors and gun travel lock, and brass wire for the cages around the smoke discharges. Thinking of putting in a smoke unit, not sure yet though. Still away to go. This is built to be a runner for fun, without altering it to much. I do have my eyes on some new wheels and upper rollers, if I can persuade the wife to let me buy them.

[Estnische]

Good luck with it Rat. I've always wanted a Leopard myself. Maybe one day if I stumble across one at the right price.

[Meter rat]

Dragged this old crate out of obscurity. Again.

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Now I have more experience , I feel confident enough to have a go at upgrading it with new hardware, and modern electronics and getting it “full option”. First job was to partly disassemble the lower hull, and work out what was missing, or damaged. Turns out not a lot. It is just worn out and very dirty.

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After a lot of searching on the twinternet parts have been found. Total cost is more than the original model, and more expensive than an all metal Taigen Leopard. Gulp.

So I used the good boy points, I gained over Friday and Saturday, by carting the financial controller, and her friend to and from one of the local music festivals, I struck quickly and placed an order for parts from Germany. I managed to forget to order new shock absorbers and fitting kit. Oh well I can make do with the existing ones, even though one is damaged and two are missing. Once the thing is able to run, using a HL6.0 TX and RX I can work on the turret. I think the RX I have, has a faulty elevation circuit. I seem to remember magic smoke coming from it. But it will do for mock ups and testing, and will probably be replaced by a HL TK7.1 so I can get a combined elevation and recoil system.

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Luckily I have a lot of the original tools, stashed in a box. A few of the missing parts have already been replaced by metal replacements.

The worst part will be waiting for the parts to arrive.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Ah, Ian! This one suits your specialty perfectly! I will be watching, even if quietly. Sláinte!

[zooma]

I also have an old Leopard A4 that is not looking quite as “crisp” as yours does, and I would love to update it and see it running with “full options” .

Your update will be followed with interest - it could give me a few ideas…..and maybe the need to find your German parts source as my A4 will need some “refreshments”.

Bob.

[Meter rat]

I also have an old Leopard A4 that is not looking quite as “crisp” as yours does, and I would love to update it and see it running with “full options” .

Your update will be followed with interest - it could give me a few ideas…..and maybe the need to find your German parts source as my A4 will need some “refreshments”.

Bob.

Bob,
I responded to your request for details in general questions, on a thread you resurrected. This what I wrote.
Parts are out there, from various companies in Germany. But be prepared to pay.
https://tank-modellbau.de/
https://www.rctank.de/RC-TANKS
https://ludwigs-hobby.eshop.t-online.de/

[Meter rat]

A box arrived today, containing parts from Dominique at RCTank De. Spent a pleasant hour or so fitting bushings to the wheels.New gearbox, and headlights. No lens, with them. So a bit disappointed, as they are shown with them in the catalog.

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Hull stripped ready for cleaning.

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[Herr Dr. Professor]

Many kilometers away, southward across the sea, is a fellow called Raminator who might just be clever enough to print lenses. Here's an alternative, a compromise, as it leaves the lens with just a smooth surface, but have I used it.

1. Haunt a fabric store or craft store (or maybe online) looking for little packages of old fashioned doll's "eyes." These are the dark plastic circles inside clear plastic, flat on one side, slightly domed on the other.
2. Buy a few packages in different sizes if they are available.
3. On a flat piece of medium sandpaper, sand the back (flat part) of the "eye" until the back is off. The black plastic circle will then drop out the back, and you will begin to see a low, clear dome: this will become the lens of sort.
4. Being careful to keep the remaining little clear dome flat on the flat sandpaper, sand as much more as needed until the dome sands down to the size that fits the light housing.

[Meter rat]

HDP. Thank you for the idea. First I will try Mr Tankalots idea in his excellent video on the basic HL Lepoard 2 upgrade first.

Small update on this. Still fancy the idea of using twin motors on the, old clutch gear box. Most of the paint removed from the lower hull, thanks to an intensive clean in the dishwasher, and the start of suspension removal. Phosphor bronze bushes were fitted to the wheels, in preference to ball races, due to the plastic degradation over the years, and the wheels braking up. Next job is to drill out the suspension arms and tap them 4mm. 

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[Meter rat]

I have been slowly working on the wheels and suspension. Most of the wheels were cream crackered. However a solution was found over on a different forum.
First job was to cut off the axel stubs.

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Then the swing arm was drilled and tapped to 4mm. Handily, when the axel stubs are cut off, it leaves a dimple so the drill can be started in the centre, with out the need to centre punch first..

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This is how it all looks when assembled. A far better solution than the original Tamiya polly caps. Hopefully this will promote better running.

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Of course it was not all plane sailing, as some of the wheels broke up, when drilling out to fit the bushings. This is something that needs looking into, to repair, or possibly have printed.

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Finally the lower hull was cleaned of the remaining paint, and then keyed for etch primer. Small pieces of plastic were fitted, and shaped to fit the rear towing points to give them more substance.

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More parts arrived from Ludwig’s, in the form of taillights, replacement shock absorbers, and rope holders. So a bit of time was spent installing these, along with a bit of scratch building for the cable support above the tool boxes. These tool boxes stand off from the hull, so some spacers were made.

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