More years ago than I care to admit, I got bit by the R/C cars bug. My first car was a Tamiya Sand Scorcher, and after that I got a Tamiya Grasshopper. I spent way too much time hanging out at the local hobby shop. ("Aero Sports and Hobbies" in the old Tanasbourne mall in Beaverton, Oregon -- not only is the shop gone now, but the whole mall has been knocked down.) I had a couple of friends in the neighborhood who were also into the hobby, and we spent a lot of time bashing and tweaking on those poor things -- we even ran some demolition derbies in the cul-de-sac.
Both of those early cars are now lost in the mists of time, but the next one I got has stuck with me. It was one of the early RC10s. As it happens, I kept the box and used it for storing random parts, and I still have it:
- The original box it came in
I did do a bit of racing at the hobby shop's track back in the day (and have a few little trophy plaques to show for it), but mostly has been run on the street, sidewalk, or anywhere else its wheels would roll.
Every few years, I'd pull it off the shelf, tune it up, and run it around a bit. Somewhere along the line I picked up a Stealth transmission conversion, while they were still selling them as kits:
- Add-on Stealth kit
A few months ago, I picked up a brushless motor/speed control combo on the internet, pretty much as an impulse buy. The last couple NiCd packs I'd bought a few years back were dead, so I also got a LiPo pack from the local hobby shop.
Holy s**t. I had no idea how far electric motor and battery technology had come in the last 25 years.
Since then, I've replaced most of the suspension parts, got a new body and wing, tires and wheels, and retired the ~30 year old steering servo (and yes, I'm still using the same transmitter I got for that first Sand Scorcher):
- It's a runner...
- The old plugged into the new
- Obligatory bottom shot -- I drilled the Stealth mounting holes in the A-stamp chassis myself
After I flipped it over backwards a couple times by punching the throttle at speed (!!!), I decided a wheelie bar was a good idea. I picked out an Integy model that I could massage into shape with a drill and a hacksaw, and it's working just great. (I did destroy the original wheel it came with after a couple of tumbling crashes, but we have the technology and can rebuild him...
)
- Replacement wheel -- the original was the weakest link
Of course, the old parts don't get thrown away, they just go into the junkyard (which is currently housed in that original Edinger box):
- Retired electronics and worn suspension bits
- original 6 gear, still in decent shape
- Various old tires -- the ones on the left were the last set I used in actual races
I know there are people who will call this sacrilege, but this car has been my basher for 25+ years and it's still going, stronger than ever.
welcome to the board!
