Builder Spotlight: Darren Hamaoki's "Classy B" Bronco
The RPP Hobby Spotlight showcases outstanding scale builds from our customers around the world. Tag your build #rpphobbyspotlight for your chance to be featured.
Hi guys and gals! We are super stoked to bring you this month's RPP Hobby Spotlight. This is one of the most incredible builds we have come across. Please meet our RPP Spotlight Builder, Darren Hamaoki.
RPP Hobby: Darren, please tell us a little about yourself.
Darren: I am 46, live in British Columbia Canada. Marine Electronics Service Manager/Technician is my day job and practically every other minute I am doing something to do with Scale R/C crawlers. In the scale R/C world, I go by the handle MTRANGER. I help operate our local R/C Club “Lower Mainland Radio Control Crawlers”. Design and 3D print all kinds of custom parts for my builds. Other hobbies include Fly Fishing in the Spring and Fall and waterskiing in the Summer. My wife is great and “lets” me absorb myself into R/Cs and my son joins me from time to time.
RPP Hobby: How long have you been in the RC hobby?
Darren: I have been active in R/Cs as a Kid with Cars, Boats and Planes as my Dad is an R/C nut. However, not until 2013 did I get really hooked into R/C Crawlers. Purchased My first Wraith and built it with massive flex until I learned better. From there it was an SCX10 G6, then a TF2, another Wraith, Comp crawler AX10 and XR10, then into more and more scale builds, getting more detailed every time.
RPP Hobby: What was your first R/C?
Darren: First solely owned R/C was probably a foamy plane called the "Ranger” which made a hole in the ground far too soon. First R/C Car was the Tamiya Hot Shot when it first was released. I drove it everywhere and off anything, until my Dad stole the CRYSTALS out of the Radio for something of his, then the Hotshot crumbled on the shelf from all the acetone from my Dads airplane builds eating away the plastic.
RPP Hobby: What is your favorite R/C?
Darren: To drive probably my farm truck build I call Soup-Can. Custom build off a Trailfinder 2 chassis. However, for looks it is my project F-Bomb, based off the Moss Brother's Racing '79 Bronco Baja1000 truck which my R/C recently won best metal-work at USTE2020 in Florida. A friend was meant to take both the F-Bomb and this Blue Bronco down to 2020 Bronco Super Celebration a huge 1:1 Bronco show. I guess that's delayed now ☹
RPP Hobby: How many hours do you have invested in the current build?
Darren: The Blue Bronco I call “Classy B”, I have invested countless hours. Let just say it took 8 months in the making.
RPP Hobby: What inspired this current build?
Darren: This build was inspired by my love of Ford products and the fact that cool Hard body Fords were hard to come by. So, when I started to see them pop up in the 3D print community I had to build it! When I rummaged through Google Images, I saw the sky blue and white with the red pinstripe and knew that was the color scheme.
RPP Hobby: What is next for you?
Darren: Build-wise, I am not sure. I have a stockpile of projects from a Tamiya YJ to CJ7 conversion on a SWB TF2. However, I guess my highest goal is to mash up two F150 Raptor bodies and fleet-side it to make a 1:1 replica build of my own 2015 F150 Crew-cab. As far as other plans, I will just work on growing our local club and get community awareness, recognition and support. Maybe hit up a few more Scale R/C Events in the US next year.
RPP Hobby: Do you run any other types of R/C?
Darren: Now it's all R/C Trucks and Crawlers, from super realistic scale trucks to pro MOA Comp crawlers.
RPP Hobby: What is your favorite IG page to follow for inspiration?
Darren: Scale Builders Guild, and my friend Wrencher25. He inspired me to up my “scale” game!
RPP Hobby: What is your favorite FB page to follow for inspiration?
Darren: Again, Scale Builders Guild is huge.
RPP Hobby: Where is your favorite place to run your scalers?
Darren: We used to have a little piece of paradise called “Loco” with rock crawling and wooded trails galore until no fun bureaucrats prevented us from being able to access it. Now I would say at my Cabin along our rocky beach. Of course, me and the crew hit our local watershed park every Wednesday night.
Build specs
- Body: MFAB 3D printed
- Chassis: GCM CMAX and Scale Driveline
- Motor: Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Pro 16T
- ESC: Tekin FXR inside the scale battery
- Suspension: Custom designed front radius arm suspension, leaves in rear
- Axles: RC4WD K44 Front Axle and RC4WD Yota II Rear Axle
- Interior: Custom designed and printed seats, shifters and window cranks
- Scale engine: MrCommaD 3D printed 302 engine
- Engine bay: Custom designed and printed components: radiator servo cover, battery, washer fluid bag
- Hubcaps: Custom designed, printed by Shapeways
- Wheels and tires: RC4WD 1.9 Hawkeyes wrapped around RC4WD 1.9 Landies
- Winch: Powershift Roadrunner servo winch hidden between the rear frame rails
RPP Hobby: Thank you very much for sharing this build with us, Incredible work Darren. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next!
Darren: Thanks guys, love this new spotlight. I appreciate you selecting my Bronco!
