The Big 5 (Attex 8x8)

[hydromike]

I liked my 4-stroke Chief project so much that I really wanted to make another slug machine to play around with. So I thought to myself: "Self?....what's the ultimate slug machine you could build, while retaining your brand loyalty?"...

So I prioritized my list of wants to accomplish this feat.

#5 It's gotta be a project
#4. It's gotta be ugly.
#3. It's gotta be slow.
#2. It's gotta be an "Attex".
#1. It's gotta have it's own zip code.

I accomplished ALL of these seemingly irreconcilable project-qualities in one fantastic package.

I give you, Big Five.



She's seen her share of privates (and 6x6World members, as well ), but she's finally found her home. Welcome home, Big Five.

~M

(lots more pics in my gallery... )

[liflod]

I knew it would find a good home eventually.
Looks like a great mid engine candidate.

[Don]

You have a real job on your hands- good luck with it!

"Eventually?" Liflod?

[hydromike]

You have a real job on your hands- good luck with it!

The real job is just in the imagination. Fixing plastic's easy.

~M

[George]

I'd argue #4 but love is, after all, blind.

[lewis]

Ugly is only .3 inches deep

Mike do you plan to keep it that color? That's not to bad a color.

I am sure you will have her looking and running like new before you know it.

[lewis]

Looking deeper into your pics. Wow you do have a project!!! I know the machine has found a gooooooood home. This will defiantly be a labor of love.

[jerseybigfoot]

Mike perhaps my green st400 body will make a a few patch panels for the 8 wheeler?

[hydromike]

Yeah, she's really a project. I knew it was rough. I had a good idea that it was actually really rough. The more that I took it apart, the more confident I was that I could fix her up one way or another. The color IS nice, but unfortunately, the color of the upper plastic isn't actually green. It's grey. Weird, I know. The outside of the ABS has a texture to it, so any layup of fiberglass or any sanding would eliminate the texture. I'd like to be able to put it in "close" to original condition. I'd like to retain the green color, but we'll see how that goes. The first item is to secure it enough to take the lower apart. It'll need a bit of revamping, and a lot of custom steel work to make it into something all-around useful.

It's just too special to chop up for junk, in my opinion. There just aren't any of them running around that get any exposure, so it's my goal to bring one back into the mix. I'll post pictures as I go along...

~m

[hydromike]

I had a busy weekend of procuring, fitting, fabbing, etc. on Big 5 and the racers this weekend. I was able to drill all of the bodies, frames and flanges for the racers, and did a considerable amount of fabbing on the eight wheeler. Seat frames are about done, and I got the engine sitting in there about where it should be. There is still tons to do on it, but this is just a first bunch of steps that need to be done before the frame comes out. Several new pictures are in my gallery.... scroll down to Big 5.




~m

[jpswift1]

All of those pictures deserve a 10 thumbs up rating! Very nice work as usual, Mike. I can tell that the big 8 is smiling right now. By the way, I've got the other NOS frame and Chief grille for you whenever you want to meet up.

[mark m.]

Mike, super job! Is that a 3 cylinder diesel in there? What make, size? Was that in there when you got it?

[hydromike]

Thanks Mark,
It's actually a 3 cylinder gas Kubota. It's a model WG750 (0.75 Liter), which is essentially a gas version of the D722 diesel they offer. I picked it up at an auction in Niagara County, for a decent price. It fired up and ran perfectly moments after getting it home. I just need to make a PTO shaft for it. I would like to run a Comet 1180 on it, but I only have a 94C duster right now. Both take a 1 1/8" shaft, so I'll use the Duster to align the engine with the T-20. I'll have to make other mods to it at some point, but it fits in there like it was made for it!

~m

[hydromike]

I got the 25" Rawhide IIIs mounted on the 8 wheeler over the weekend after getting the majority of the skid plate completed. Wrestling with the UHMW is pretty tough, but it should prove to be a pretty reslilient material. I had to make a little extra room for the tires with a torch; just enough to soften the ABS and make some "fender wells" in the lower body. It's stiffening up remarkably, and the bigger tires really make it a formidable looking machine. Lots of clearance, and great approach angle. I have to finish the skid plate, and then work on the rest of the engine bay over the next several weeks.




More pics in my gallery...

~m

[Mike]

Those look so good on there. The Big 5 is big enough for its own thread so I moved your posts here.