Losi Pro-SE racer build (race report added 8-15-10)

[markt311]

This came to me cheap, I hope to be running it at the 2010 VONATS

Photo captions have the mods listed

[markt311]

I got a couple hours last night to start cleaning this one up a little. I think it's close to what a "team" guy would have run right before the Pro SE came out. The ProX body from Brandon looks pretty good on this cas too.

[markt311]

It's finished, I'll post pics tomorrow, it was raining here today . So I only got a short test drive.

[GJW]

go the jnr!! flog em man..

[markt311]

Here it is mostly finished up, my Team Losi Junior Pro-SE.
running gear
Spektrum DX3S TX
Tower Pro steering servo
Novak Havoc speed control
Novak 13.5 brushless
Original front wheels with new 2.2 tires
Rear B4 wheels and 1/4" dirt oval wheel spacers

[bearrickster]

that looks great Mark. I like the wing mount idea you and Brandon use. I will be ripping my prose apart and getting it ready to race with you at the vnats

[markt311]

I got the shakedown run done last Thursday, the track was a little too wet, but I had fun for one battery pack!! The inside of the chassis stayed pretty clean thanks to the Pro-X body from Brandon. Don't worry it's completly cleaned up already, I used Kalgard 30/30 and it worked great. I'm just waiting for some hardware to come in and I need a Pro-SE rear tower.

I'm probably going to run it as is Friday night at our local indoor clay track, should be fun working the bugs out!

[DHC6]

Nice to see it all muddy!! Looks like it was a fun drive drive in the mud. Good luck in the 2010 VONATS.

[Brandon G]

Sheww, that looks nasty.....

So did the Pro-X body slip right on, body posts line up with the holes you put in there for the TRX-1?

[markt311]

yep, I didn't have to change a thing.

[Bormac]

Great to a classic vintage buggy hit the track. Well done the shell looks good too.

[markt311]

Ok, it's been months since I updated this thread. Sorry guys. I've been tinkering with different parts on this car for a few months and picked up a donor car from a member here, can' remember the name but I got a great deal.

I put a Novak GTB in for a speed control because I didn't like the "feel" of the Havoc, it felt like using a light switch for a speed control. Not good for a touchy little buggy.

I also installed LXT caster blocks and spindles, zero bump steer, I'm very happy with it now.

I also got a proper Pro-SE rear tower installed.

I chucked the tower steering servo for an ACE 1313, overkill but I've never had a problem out of my Ace servos in 3 seasons of use in every kind of vehicle.

I finally got to go racing with it on Friday night, this was the first 2wd buggy race we've had in months. Things started out bad, I got to the track late (as usual). I had just enough time to get signed up and get my pit space set up before the first qualifier.

The 1st qual was REALLY EMBARASSING!! My setup was WAY off. I also had a few mechanical issues, so I pulled the car off, made a quick change to the lower shock position in the rear and tossed it down for the last 2 minutes. I felt that change was going in the right direction, the rear end was much more planted.

Brandon looked the car over and pointed out a few things, my rear ride height was a touch too low. and I was geared too high, rocket down the straight and a dog in the infield.

For the 2nd Qualifier I geared down 4 teeth ( I said WAY overgeared ), changed the rear shock mounting position to give less droop, or downtravel. That did the trick, I picked up a few laps over my previous run and was feeling much more confident in the car.

3rd qualifier I changed the gearing again, up 2 teeth. This qualifier was a throw out, I just missed the resort to the faster heat, so I was stuck driving around (and through) some cars and got my front turnbuckle ejected from the car.


The main was great, I got a decent start from my 5th place qual position. I think I was up to 3rd for a good part of the race until I had a long crash. I ended up 4th which isn't too bad in my book. I'll post some pictures up soon, the car looks about the same but it's a much better driving car now.

Here's the results
http://results.rc50.com/Thunder_RC_Nashville/08-13-2010/R4_Race_03_2wd%20Buggy%2010.5_A-Main.html

[bearrickster]

Man Mark that sure looks like you are well on your way to havening a real nice racer on your hands, I sure wish you comming to the race. (i could use your help)

I would have like to pit next to you so we could talk set ups. I am really worried about what set up to do one mine, I have never really set up a car to race in the dirt. I am running my Pro SE also. I have been wrenchen on this car for two years with no track to even take one test lap at? so I guess I have no real Idea how its going to run. But I collected a lot of parts and built it just like we did it back in the day. I built my dream losi My way, I sure hope to hell it was the right way! heres what mine looks like. keep up the good work my friend thanks

[DerbyDan]

Hey! So great to hear about another vintage R/C hitting the track - & a great honest write-up

I've done just two club-level race meetings so far with my re-built RC10 - and although mine & the car's return to R/C off road was not a flourishing success, somehow just racing a car that was resigned for the scrap bin & you've put alot of effort into re-building.... just makes it all worthwhile... & so much more so that simply sitting it on the shelf

[markt311]

Here are the latest pictures I have showing the LXT spindles and caster blocks in the front. With the RPM arms, which are a little wider than stock, the B4 wheels make the track width almost the same as stock. Without all the annoying bump-steer the stock setup has

On the rear I'm using Team GFRP 3/16" spacers to make up the width lost by switching to B4 wheels

I had to dremel the chassis a little bit to mount the GTB on the side pod, as a personal preferance I can't stand mounting the esc on the shock tower. A minor detail, but I think it makes the overall layout look much cleaner