Rc10 Vonats classic class build

[85Edinger]

Hello all,
For those who don't know, I got my first (and so far only) Rc10 as a short arm off eBay in early 2012. First I joined this forum and got it working, gradually fixing and upgrading it as I went. Then I learned about Vonats, got the car into the best condition I could, did a lot of practicing, and raced Novice (expecting to race other 14 year olds, instead being humiliated by 6-11 year olds).
After that, I decided to put long arms on the car for ease of parts replacement and better handling. I put a Novak 17.5 in the car in preparation for 2wd buggy in Vonats 2013, but couldn't make it.
Now I'm thinking about rebuilding the car with more of its original parts as a short arm for a few reasons:

1. Making it competitive (though my driving is still the biggest problem) would result in a car that shared very few parts with the original.
2. I want to preserve the car and bring it back to something closer to its original state.
3. The re-re eliminates the "ease of parts replacement" problem.
4. The re-re also means that I can buy new tires for my Jellybeans, which makes Classic class more attractive.

If I go ahead and do it, I would get either a Worlds re-re or a modern buggy for club racing.

Is suspension tuning that involves minor parts replacement (caster, springs, etc.) allowed in Classic class?
Would I be allowed to use my A&L bellcrank?

The buggy as I got it

once I got all the major issues initially sorted out

Prepared for Vonats

Many idler gears (about 3 days) later

I installed a Novak 17.5, waterproofed it, and used it on my plowed-off dirt track that winter.

[85Edinger]

Then I added long arms:

Here's what it looks like today.

[85Edinger]

I suppose my main question is how much suspension tuning is allowed in Classic class. I'm also looking for a good short-arm setup to tune from, as I never had the car very well tuned as a short arm.
I'm not going to start until I have something else for club racing, but I'd like to get some details worked out.
I already have re-re tires on the way to put on my original wheels.

[scr8p]

as far as i know, for any competition buggy running in the classic class (short arm rc10, jrx2, ultima), it must be box stock and be running kit type tires. but you should be able to do what you want with springs, pistons, oils, castor, camber, etc....

[85Edinger]

Okay, thanks. The springs the car came with (I think they were the stock ones?) were insanely stiff.
Here's what I'm thinking of doing:
.Putting short arms back on
.Putting re-re tires on my old wheels
.Taking the A&L steering off? I hope not. I paid $30 for it weeks before the intriguing ad ran.
.Putting a brushed system in to run a Tamiya Sport Tuned per Classic class rules
.Getting a good starting point setup- shock mounting locations, spring weights, shock oil, camber link holes, etc. I need a good starting point to tune from. I'm looking at the Blinkinger.

I might cut the nose plate to mount the servo lower, dremel the motor plate, and maybe even do a mild chassis cut.

I've made the car into something it wasn't- it's now pretty much a CE with .56 front shocks. I want to make it into a better version of the short arm it used to be.

Besdes, it's the perfect excuse for me to pick up a Worlds re-re.

[scr8p]

i would ask erich about the chassis before you go cutting and grinding on it. i know he's loose with the rules, but that's going too far for the classic class (in my opinion).

he would probably let the a&l bellcrank go though because it's not really enhancing performance, just durability.

[85Edinger]

Ok, I'll definitely ask before cutting anything, but I seem to remember a Halsey replica with a cut chassis. Maybe he got away with that because he was running period electronics. I don't want to push the rules.

[85Edinger]

It's almost together. I'm just waiting on shock shafts (new all around, switching to 1.02's in back), ball cups, bearings, and a motor. They're coming in the mail.
I'm planning to copy the setup JK Racing's setup from here.
http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=35257

[dillonhoffman]

did you remove the anno off the shocks? They look custom

[knucklebuster]

I ran the required Sport Tuned motor for a local classic race a few years back with my childhood RC10. We were trying to get a vintage class started, however I ended up bringing two of the three RC10s that ran

I remember having to dremel the area of the motor around the shaft to enable the pinion to line up with the spur. That, or a motor spacer. That motor takes a looooong time to wind up! I also ran the car with all the same electronics from childhood (Novak T4, Futaba AM, Futuba 132H servo).

Good Luck!!!

[JK Racing]

I'm planning to copy the setup JK Racing's setup from here.
http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=35257

FYI, just ran that set up again on a loose rooster tail track, zero changes, car was fantastic. Pretty much put it anywhere I wanted. The old AM radio wasnt playing nice with me, so it may get upgraded to a spektrum receiver

Your car is looking good. Take the time to ensure all suspension parts move freely, shocks are smooth and transmissions is silky smooth. "Blueprinting" the short arm car & 6 gear trans go a long way in how fun and reliable the car is.

[85Edinger]

Yes, I de-anondized the shocks. Those are the original shocks, the same ones the car has always had. The anodization had gotten very scuffed up and looked bad. Here's a photo from before I stripped them.
The suspension feels great, and the transmission shouldn't be a problem. It's got de-burred pinions and outdrives mated to RW Racing steel idlers. I re-greased it and rebuilt the diff while the car was apart.

[85Edinger]

I got a lot of motors from Rccars4all. I'm trying to decide which one to use in this car.
There's a Venom Fireball 17 turn, a Trinity Chameleon, a couple of silver cans, a silver can with a Kyosho Le Mans stock 05, a Kyosho Le Mans 240st, a Le Mans 360ST, a Peak Dynasty 19 turn, a Trinity Gold Dust with Brian Kinwald's face on it, a Kyosho Atom Smasher 12 turn, and a GM Offroad Adventure that I can't find any information about.
I'm thinking I'll run the Peak Dynasty 19 turn in this car off my XL-5 ESC. I'm just trying to decide which of these motors are worth running and which are too old or rare.
I definitely plan to run the Trinity Chameleon, the Peak motor, and the silver cans. Maybe I'll run the Kyosho Atom Smasher? The problem there is the only brushed ESC I have that can handle a 12 turn 540 is the Novak 410 hpc.

The car's almost done.

[knucklebuster]

The class dictates the motor that you are permitted to run.

[85Edinger]

I know, but in the meantime I'll be using the car with something other than a Sport Tuned.