My first crack at a restoration: RC10T

[kbillan]

Hello there RC10 Talk world.

I have been racing them for about 20 years but I am new to restoring RC Cars! This is going to be my first crack at this and rightfully so, I chose the first race kit I ever built. The RC10T.

I originally learned of the RC10T with the article about Cliff Lett's cow painted truck. OH MY! Did I want that same truck. So- as an 11-12 year old with limited funds, I ended up with a RC10T Sport kit. I was really looking for one of those to do my restore on and then stumbled on to this lovely mess. Its a team truck, which really doesnt matter to me as 'what ever' showed up would likely need new bearings and to be honest, I wanted gold shocks because that is what I had. SO even though it is not EXACTLY what I had, having the manuals, the "skinnies" and the box made it all better.

So= What I basically have- is what I suspect to be a truck that was built and then driven around in the street. Everything seems to be original right down to the felt gasket at the tranny. None of the screws were stripped or rounded out and nothing broken. All parts are the same yellow, so I suspect that this may be "matching numbers" if there is such a thing in RC. I was also pleased to see in the box, the second battery box which has never been tapped and is still its original color (or close to it)

Follow me on yet another adventure!

[kbillan]

So my first thoughts are getting the parts white and the chassis cleaned up.

I have read about the peroxide/UV method and have access to a pretty intense UV machine I may try to use. Does anyone have any tips on the chassis? I am going to strip off the anodizing and then clean all of the scratches up. I guess I can just get it re-anodized. I have a guy for that and everything. I guess i'm just looking for some experienced advice on similar road rash.

[REMJ666]

Easy off oven cleaner [ the yellow can ] will take the anno off...

[kbillan]

Yep. Can also use straight lye crystals. Probably sand it down a bit and have it reanodiezed. I guess I'm just curious if I should power coat it or anodize. I have a powder gun and that might be more ideal.

[slotcarrod]

Nice choice of your first build! Looks like you have a great start! I think it would be sad to put gold shocks on that Team 10T, trying to make it a Sport version! I would make this as original as possible, and then get a Sport version to make like the 10T you had back in the day!

A good excuse to do another build!

[kbillan]

We'll said.. lol.

[spydur23]

I love that you have a losi buggy in the background. I don't feel so bad seeing my brand new 22t sitting in a sea of vintage associated lol!

[kbillan]

I love that you have a losi buggy in the background. I don't feel so bad seeing my brand new 22t sitting in a sea of vintage associated lol!

haha. Yah, 22 is pretty good. It's just to as cool as the 90's stuff though IMHO. I am going to build a XX buggy to run as well..

[spydur23]

Yeah I loved the XX. That was my first vehicle I ever ran in mod class bitd. Ive been on the lookout for one, just waiting for the right price and in good condition. I'm sure the xx tranny and hydra drive will take good care of a modern brushless setup.

[kbillan]

Yah, I keep hearing that "tranny will work with a brushless setup"

someone mentioned it about the RC10 somewhere and I'm scratching my head. The XX tranny is really no different than it was in 1993. Might have some better manufacturing processes and perhaps some different materials but it's still the same basic tranny. Stealth as well. It never crossd my mind that it wouldn't hold up but then again I'm usually quite content with a 10.5 in the mod class unless we are talking 4wd.

[clm]

Stealth is also pretty much the same transmission with altered gear ratios... that they altered for the t2/b2. The top gears and shafts are pretty much interchangeable allowing you to pretty much use any of the slipper styles the stealth has ever had in any of the kits. And I will be buying a t4 diff rebuild kit for my t2 transmission.

The biggest difference between the 10t and the t4 transmission is the final drive ratio which can be overcome by gearing choices anyways, a properly built original stealth transmission should be just as durable as a current one.

Chris

[REMJ666]

If you have the stuff to powder coat it go for it..

[clm]

Powdercoating being a bit thicker should hide some minor scratches better, you may also consider getting a undertray to protect the chassis and also painting it black which will protect the chassis and hide the 'issues'

Chris

[romulus22]

I personally do not like powder coating at all. Especially in RC. I understand the purpose of it compared to anodizing but I think anodizing is the proper way to go. Even if the deeper scratches were still there is still go with ano but that's me. Look forward to watching your build

[illshou]

In my experience powdercoating a chassis that is not properly prepped before hand will make it look worse. I failed to sand all the scratched out of my last black chassis and when i powder coated it the scratches that were left stood out twice as bad......