GUITAR HERO TRIBUTE STRIKES A CHORD

John tells us he checks Offerup pretty regularly for vintage RC stuff as well as parts for abandoned projects that are being sold off. That’s how he came across the custom metal tube chassis that served as the basis for this buggy he calls “Sand Halen.” Anyone who was around in the 1980s will recognize the distinctive red, white, and black striped color scheme of the late, great Eddie Van Halen’s signature “Frankenstrat" guitar. John picked up the unpainted chassis and cage from the previous owner who had given up on it due to misaligned geometry, and it sat on his bench a couple of months awaiting inspiration. When Eddie Van Halen passed away in October John tells us it hit him like a punch in the gut, and he immediately thought to turn the buggy into a rolling tribute to the guitar god. The frame was nominally based on a 2WD Slash but the measurements were off and the whole frame was tweaked, but the welds were good so John figured it was strong enough that he could heat it up and straighten it out. With that sorted, he set about painting it in authentic fashion using masking tape and rattle cans, just like Eddie did with the original Frankie! The Krylon Banner Red John chose is a pretty close match to the Schwinn Bicycle Red on the guitar. John uses mostly Traxxas parts for running gear and electronics and he finished off the look with a scale race seat and harness and trimmed the interior with black felt. Naturally, Eddie, Alex, Michael, and Diamond Dave were cranking on the stereo during the entire build. The only question we have left is: Can it jump?