My formative years were spent building and racing RC cars. My first hobby grade car was a Tamiya Hornet which I bought essentially the day it came to the local hobby shop in early 1985 or so. I had my eye on a Grasshopper and the shop owner steered me in the direction of the Hornet as it had just arrived. I built it wrong and melted a bushing in the transmission.. haha good learning experience on reading instructions and developing some attention to detail. From there I bought an RC10 after an awesome neighbor up the street was kind enough to take 11 year old me under his tutelage (Thank you to Charlie Johnson wherever you may be). I traveled to a so many of the local races with Charlie back in the mid to late 80's as a spectator, Enfield CT for the 1/8 gas races, Southwick MA and Hanson, MA for 1/10 electric off road, and Greenfield MA for 1/12 on-road. I basically went full immersion on RC at that point and was fully into it until about 19 years old when I got a bit jaded on the realities of the hobby at the time and then ran out of actual time and went to engineering school (where I started building actual cars from the ground up via SAE baja and HEV challenge).
cars:
Aforementioned Hornet
I spent essentially all of my savings building an RC10 with A&L trailing arms, graphite chassis, saddle packs because I thought they looked cool, andy's wide a-arms, buds bi-level wing, RCPS mirage, proline wheels w/ Schumacher pins on the back and dynamite spikes up front. Airtronics XL25 with a Tekin SC. Raced that car at the 1/10 off road races all over new england. First race I got black flagged because I basically kept the thing pinned and tried to steer my way through it hahaha. I never really had great success racing off road, I don't think I really learned how to drive well enough until I was a few years older.. But still love that part of the sport. Currently trying to rebuild this car from the ground up with NOS and used parts.
RC10 Graphite - bought from a neighbor and drove the heck out of it. Ultimately modified into a mid-motor oval track racer that we raced at Master Raceway (actually a roller skating rink) in Worcester MA.
PB Sizzler - this car was a disaster and I have almost no interest in adding one to my collection. Awesome car until you tough anything and then all of the settings go out of whack. And I was not good enough to not touch anything..
RC10LSS - this car was the best. I raced it on carpet ovals and flat roller rink ovals. Master Raceway with a big side dam that said "WIMPY". If you raced there then you know that car as I think I had the track record by 2 laps for a couple years. Still have some of the old timing sheets somewhere. We raced a lot of spec motor stuff there too and that was a blast.
Yokomo/Associated YZ10. I lusted after a Super Dogfighter from the day that I got the mailer pamphlet from Ranch Pit Shop, finally got a YZ10 from my local hobby shop Master Hobbies in Cherry Valley MA. I never actually got to race it off-road as I was really into oval at that time and there was no 4WD class. I stupidly sold this car for money to build up my 1968 Dodge Dart GT 340 which I never finished. I regretted selling this car but I bought one recently so I'm starting to feel whole again
. More recent bashers etc..
Traxxas Nitro Sort monster truck that my friends bought me for my 30th birthday back in 2005. I added a bunch of upgraded parts and this truck is still in sweet shape.
HPI Baja 5B heavily modified w/ 30.5cc engine, 2-speed trans, RPM arms etc.. this thing is a beast and way the hell too fast and dangerous to operate around people.
1st GEN associated stadium truck running 2S and 3S, Tekin motor and SC.
Traxxas X-MAXX - holy heck this thing is a beast. Fun factor pegged at 11 for sure.
I followed the sport closely over the years even though I wasn't racing. I was a huge Losi fan although I didn't actually have any of their cars. But Gil Losi Jr. was/is an absolute genius in my book and it was his mentioning of a Mantis Pro Floater mountain bike in an interview I read that got me interested in mountain bikes (which I now am fortunate enough to work on daily).
Always wanted:
To meet Gil Losi Jr.
To meet Masami
Kyosho Burns
Kyosho Optima
Aforementioned YZ-870c Super Dogfighter
Optima Mid in all of its embodiments (pre-ordered a new re-release one)
91 stealth RC10 (I mean who doesn't)
Kyosho Lazer ZX Gen 1
JRX2 (got one)
JRX Pro SE w/hydradrive
Delta 1/12 pan car with the IRS
RC12L graphite
gen 1 TLR 22 2WD
XX4 with that awesome forward motor
That old MRC? 4WD shaft drive car which I can't remember the name of
OK that about covers it back to work for me. See you all out there. High 5 if you read all this lol
Dave
