X-Factory X-60 Conversion update

X Factory have announced November 1st as the preliminary release date for the X-60 Conversion. The new conversion is suitable for an AE T4 truck to convert it to mid-motor, similar to the popular X-6 buggy. Photos show several interesting aspects of the new truck, firstly the mold for the rear control arms is done, and the Team is using production prototype arms.  Since the beginning of testing, not a single graphite arm has failed, so this part of the program is complete. Second, X Factory has decided to go with a carbon fiber battery strap instead of the current molded strap. X Factory president Chazz said the following about the project –

We are closing in on it, and the release date is looking more and more doable. All the decisions have been finalized and now it’s a matter of making the parts and giving them a final test to make sure they’re OK. There are lots of potential stumbling blocks between now and release, but this project has been going more smoothly than anything we’ve done before, so I hope we can meet November first. The chassis mold is about one quarter done, and we hope to have production prototype chassies before the end of this month. The Boyz will start testing immediately, of course, but that will allow us to move forward on many other things.  We’ll finalize the body at that point, an entire new design from one of the top body manufacturers that you’re going to love. And we’ll begin writing the instruction manual, which is never a simple task.

Click here for another picture and more information…

Engineer Paul Sinclair added –

I’m converting Brian’s final hand-made CF shock tower into C.A.D. right now, and the battery strap will be finished right after that. So those items can go to the shop in Phoenix for full production and they should be ready by October 15th. We’ll be able to put full production arms, tower, and battery strap on the production prototype chassis’. Once the first bodies are completed, photos can be taken for the box label, and printing can begin. We’ll be very busy the next 6 weeks, and everything must go like clockwork. Any hitch can delay the project. But I hope Brian Kinwald can run a full production X-60, including the new body, at the Reedy Race in late October and to be able to ship the first trucks soon after returning to the office.

Source: X-Factory [2wdrc.com]