show off your RC toys

[52-80 19142]

I like the body style of the Traxxas Land Rover which is why I bought it...but damn this thing is top heavy and rolls over easily, when you try to do actual rock crawl

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Atomheartbevo got me in the feels with those posts. I’m 43 so I think I fall squarely in that age of 80s RC cars. I desperately wanted a hornet or grasshopper as a kid. My dad wouldn’t buy one for me, mostly because of the cost. But probably because he knew I would fuck it up. The cheap RC he got me I drove into the pool. A couple of years later he got me a Nikko Thunderbolt. I had fun with it but it certainly wasn’t like the RC-10 one of the neighbor kids had. Holy shit that seemed fast as hell.

Can’t splurge now because of the job situation, but you got me thinking of the Terra Scorcher.

I guess my mavic drone will have to do for now.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

4 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Atomheartbevo got me in the feels with those posts. I’m 43 so I think I fall squarely in that age of 80s RC cars. I desperately wanted a hornet or grasshopper as a kid. My dad wouldn’t buy one for me, mostly because of the cost. But probably because he knew I would fuck it up. The cheap RC he got me I drove into the pool. A couple of years later he got me a Nikko Thunderbolt. I had fun with it but it certainly wasn’t like the RC-10 one of the neighbor kids had. Holy shit that seemed fast as hell.

Can’t splurge now because of the job situation, but you got me thinking of the Terra Scorcher.

I guess my mavic drone will have to do for now.

Doesn't matter too much right now, pickings are pretty slim, unless you are willing to pay jacked up prices on eBay from overseas sellers.   RC Mart actually has one of the better in-stock selections of Tamiya kits and re-releases, and even their pickings are slim - https://www.rcmart.com/Car-Kits/RC-Buggy&brand=259&product_status=1

Kyosho also embraced the 1980s, and have re-released a bunch of their kits.    I always wanted a Kyosho Optima and Team Associated RC10.   Their ads in the magazines were so enticing.

For whatever reason, a whole lot of people have suddenly rediscovered RC stuff from their youth. Tamiya Club, one of the best/largest Tamiya sites, has seen a huge influx of 40-something and 50-somethings in their forums.

Check this thread on membership ages, these are my people - I've been tempted to register and account and jump in there - https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/93549-average-member-age/ 

 

 

[atomheartbevo 89618]

4 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Can’t splurge now because of the job situation, but you got me thinking of the Terra Scorcher.

I'm thinking about the Terra Scorcher, because it's a new re-release, so parts are no problem, and it's the last of the Thundershots, which was the actual successor to the Hot Shot series.  I loved/love my Hot Shot, and was envious of those who had the Super Hot Shot, Hot Shot 2s, etc., but those were still based on the original HS chassis.

 The Thundershot was a new series and new chassis, and was lighter/faster/etc, and the Terra Scorcher is a decent price (around $165).  Would love to get a Super Hot Shot and fix it up, but even crappy used ones are $250 on eBay, and new re-releases are $265+.  Might as well take my HS and find the Super HS parts for it.

Quote

A couple of years later he got me a Nikko Thunderbolt. I had fun with it but it certainly wasn’t like the RC-10 one of the neighbor kids had. Holy shit that seemed fast as hell.

You should check this site:

https://rctoymemories.com

And while they don't discuss the Thunderbolt, they discuss some of the other Nikkos.  The Thunderbolt had a legit RC engine in it.

https://rctoymemories.com/tag/nikko/

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by atomheartbevo

[Goofyboy 3268]

I still have my Kyosho Maxxum FF. It was a front wheel drive off road car. My Stepbrother had the RC 10. We had many battles at the RC track / shop on Bellaire, just outside the Loop in Houston.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

On 4/15/2019 at 2:56 PM, atomheartbevo said:

And today I learned that the Austin area has a world-class offroad RC facility - it's in Hutto.

https://www.thornhillrc.com/tracks

And they opened back up this weekend, albeit very limited due to social distancing.   Limit of 10 drivers and 8 in the stands.  One of the few hobbies you can do with others while social distancing.   
 

 

Edited May 4, 2020 by atomheartbevo

[Gil Bang 25907]

I was walking along the water in Santa Barbara this morning, on the bike path.  Little RC Raptor comes blasting by me and scares the shit out or me.  About 50 feet behind is a guy on a bike, hauling ass, holding the remote. 

[52-80 19142]

i want an RC boat thing... paranoid that itl go out of range or somehow fail and i cant retrieve the thing

 

 

[atomheartbevo 89618]

3 hours ago, 52-80 said:

i want an RC boat thing... paranoid that itl go out of range or somehow fail and i cant retrieve the thing

Most decent ones will cut the speed control if they lose signal.   Not like my old Tamiya car in the 80s with a mechanical speed control that will stay wide open if you lose signal.

Some of the nicer boats have low-battery warnings on the radio control itself, so that you have enough time to bring it back.

There’s some nice little electric boats out there for a decent price.  I’ve been looking at small ones to run in Shoal Creek or something.

[52-80 19142]

23 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Most decent ones will cut the speed control if they lose signal.   Not like my old Tamiya car in the 80s with a mechanical speed control that will stay wide open if you lose signal.

Some of the nicer boats have low-battery warnings on the radio control itself, so that you have enough time to bring it back.

There’s some nice little electric boats out there for a decent price.  I’ve been looking at small ones to run in Shoal Creek or something.

And they're mostly for lakes, right?

How about operating in large possibly choppy waters?

[Texaus 377]

Dp

[Texaus 377]

I would murder one of you guys for my childhood Losi jrx pro back. My dumb ass traded it for an ounce of dirt weed sometime in the early 90s

 

My son has a bunch of nitro now and races them around homemade tracks in the back that they make.

 

Here’s my only hold out. I can still fire this up and whip his ass. Team Associated gt2

 

[Goofyboy 3268]

And they're mostly for lakes, right?
How about operating in large possibly choppy waters?

The smaller ones are crap in rough waters. I’ll get a pic of mine this weekend at my lake house.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

4 wheel steering.  8-wheel drive.   You can buy optional actuator to move the towing apparatus.

Tamiya, you complete me.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

On 5/20/2020 at 11:34 AM, 52-80 said:

And they're mostly for lakes, right?

How about operating in large possibly choppy waters?

Check out Horizon - they own a bunch of brands (Losi, etc.) and make their own RC kits, including boats.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/category/boats

These are 36-inch boats that do 50mph an hour, and they are self-righting, which would help in choppy water.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/SearchDisplay?searchTerm=PRB08032&categoryId=&sourceDomain=&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=40&beginIndex=0&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&searchTermScope=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&sourceDomain=&pageView=&clickpath=boats_rotator2_04232020

Quote

Break through choppy water and go full throttle with the Pro Boat® Sonicwake 36-inch Self-Righting Deep-V. The perfect Deep-V for the beginner to the avid boater, it offers performance capable of hitting 50+ MPH and a worry-free self-righting feature that flips the boat back upright in a matter of seconds. The water-cooled 4-pole 1900Kv brushless motor invites you to go fast while the high torque, metal gear, and waterproof steering servo keeps you in control. No matter your skill level, the Sonicwake features everything experts and beginners alike want in a Deep-V.

Quote

Designed to be as stable as possible with a self-righting feature if you ever flip it. Unlike other boats, the self-right feature does not require power to work. Give it a few seconds and the flood chamber will fill with water, making the boat self-right. Hit the throttle and the water exits the flood chamber as the boat moves forward.

Clever design to self-right without the need for power/servo.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

$400 and comes with a radio.  You provide batteries (including a LiPo and charger). But it's 3 feet long, so yeah, not a pool or pond runner.

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by atomheartbevo

[Goofyboy 3268]

Got this for Christmas a few years back. They are on Amazon. It’s fast and fun, but needs flat water.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

Nintendo is coming out with a new AR game, where you use the Switch as a controller/viewscreen, and you drive actual radio-controlled Mario Karts around your living room or wherever.

 

[Goofyboy 3268]

Nintendo is coming out with a new AR game, where you use the Switch as a controller/viewscreen, and you drive actual radio-controlled Mario Karts around your living room or wherever.
 

I would like to buy this.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

6 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

I would like to buy this.

I would as well.  I'm guessing 1/24 or 1/28.  Would like to see the battery and camera setup. 

And you know RCers are going to mod the shit out of them.

I mean, this stuff is already available - there's a group in our neighborhood that race their drones around by flying them through the cameras with some VR-type setups, and the cameras are available and can stream to your phone.  But this will be neatly packaged and with some cool software support.

[GottaB 594]

As a kid I had a buggy 1/16 scale that handled roads well but grass not so much.

I got some Amazon no name 1:18 buggies last year (they’re 8 now) and was reminded how much of a bummer an RC that is slowed to a crawl by short grass.




So this year I was determined to find an RC that could handle grass but not be so fast they would break them Xmas day.

After some YouTube videos I bought a New Bright 1:10 Jeep at Walmart, a Rock Force 1:10 at Target and a 1:10 Wltoys 104311 4x4 off Banggood.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/New-Bright-4x4-1-10-Radio-Control-4-Door-Jeep-Wrangler/907342390

https://www.target.com/p/rock-force-4x4-rc-buggy-1-10-scale/-/A-79391319

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083422QBH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Egu6Fb0JT53ZV


All are toy grade but the Wltoys is far and away a better toy.

[GottaB 594]

In searching for them I bought myself a Wltoys A959 1:18 buggy and a Xinlehong9125 1:10 off-road crawler. Both are LiPo powered unlike my kids NiCd batteries and came in around $65.








https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XLB9DZF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Fhu6FbJ673EYX?psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PBBDNFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Ziu6FbD8RNDRR

Both are faster than anything I had as a kid and fun as hell to drive. I won’t let my kids drive either.

The Wltoys A959 is borderline hobby quality and seem quite durable. I’ve since ordered another Wltoys 124018 1:12 buggy which has received a lot of good reviews and has part support on Amazon and Banggood.

[GottaB 594]

As a kid I had a buggy 1/16 scale that handled roads well but grass not so much.

I got some Amazon no name 1:18 buggies last year (they’re 8 now) and was reminded how much of a bummer an RC that is slowed to a crawl by short grass.




So this year I was determined to find an RC that could handle grass but not be so fast they would break them Xmas day.

After some YouTube videos I bought a New Bright 1:10 Jeep at Walmart, a Rock Force 1:10 at Target and a 1:10 Wltoys 104311 4x4 off Banggood.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/New-Bright-4x4-1-10-Radio-Control-4-Door-Jeep-Wrangler/907342390

https://www.target.com/p/rock-force-4x4-rc-buggy-1-10-scale/-/A-79391319

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083422QBH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Egu6Fb0JT53ZV


All are toy grade but the Wltoys is far and away a better toy.

[Balcones 317]

On 5/22/2020 at 7:09 PM, Goofyboy said:

Got this for Christmas a few years back. They are on Amazon. It’s fast and fun, but needs flat water.

These never end well.

[Goofyboy 3268]

It’s beginning to cut out while running.

[52-80 19142]

The water wrecks it or what?  Kinda interested in these

[Superhero 8826]

Man this thread brought up a lot of memories from my early teens. I had a POS Boomerang when I should have sprung for the Hotshot or Super Hotshot. But just a few years later it was all about the Turbo Optima.

Thinking of getting the RTR Losi DB Pro to bash around the park across the street. Essentially an earlier version of the TEN-SCTE. 

https://www.kingcobraofflorida.com/products/los03027t2?variant=31064561942602&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2020-11-19&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=CjwKCAiArbv_BRA8EiwAYGs23Fin5PncGUZ1IaEOvyU4bMB5h54TnB63ySGORQXE6pihjhBymNi73BoCTPwQAvD_BwE

[Cajun 11705]

I've had this thing for a few months now.  Love the video and still pics I get with it, but beyond that it kinda creeps me out.  Reminds me of those little fuckers from Minority Report --- 

 

[atomheartbevo 89618]

On 5/3/2020 at 8:57 AM, Patricio Swayze said:

Atomheartbevo got me in the feels with those posts. I’m 43 so I think I fall squarely in that age of 80s RC cars. I desperately wanted a hornet or grasshopper as a kid.

So availability has vastly improved.  Here in Austin, I could run over to HobbyTown and grab a Frog or Hornet kit at a decent price.  Tamiya pretty much keeps the Grasshopper, Hornet, Frog, and Hotshot, and a few others, in their permanent rotation, but they do make them in batches, so you can end up waiting months.

I'm closing in on finishing the restoration of my Hotshot.   Biggest challenge was taking the entire thing apart, and getting a brand new set of electronics (radio, speed controller, batteries, etc.).  But it's awesome having a decent range of parts to choose from (OEM and 3rd party), the newer radios are a dream (no more messing with crystals), and the speed controllers are cheap, awesome, and because they aren't mechanical, you don't have to worry about them jamming wide open or anything.

We have a Hornet to build (did not get to it last year).  Skipped the Grasshopper as I'd probably be paying for some upgrades anyways, that would take it up to the Hornet level.   We backed off on a Frog for a long time, because it's better handling, but long-term, the drivetrain can be a bit of a mess.

I'm starting to get into 1/18 Mini-Z.  Kyosho has been expanding their line.

[castolon 193]

I worked at the hobby town in Austin for a few years back in the day. I built one of damn near everything they have in that store except the tamiya stuff and I’ve always felt like I missed out.

[52-80 19142]

goofin around

[52-80 19142]

that vid prob fucked up.  4WD diff-lock mode

[morehornsepower 887]

Necro-bump.

Decided to revive my old HPI Nitro over this past long weekend.  Instead, I snapped off the fuel inlet on the carb while trying to change out the fuel line.  Guess I'm really diving back in and looking for parts for this thing...

Edited January 19, 2023 by morehornsepower
me no type gooder

[Brew 3049]

Saw this on another site. There are a couple of other videos of Perry’s hangar. It is pretty damn impressive. Been thinking about getting into planes, but this is a whole different level.

[GottaB 594]

Finally got serious and bought something not sold on Banggood.

Arrma Big Rock 3s brushless V3. 1:10

It’s my second 3s vehicle and has some serious speed. I’m sure I’ll have it in need of repairs soon. Which should be easier than waiting for parts from china when I broke the others.


As an aside I hate the sizing standards for RCs. The Big Rock and the truck on the left are. It’s 1:10. Not even close.

All of the below are fun as hell. Even the little ref buggy from WLToys will destroy most anything at a big box store.



Some day I’ll go for a Bigger RC like the 4S Outkast or 6S Infraction, but for now, this one will do….

[52-80 19142]

is this available at hobby lobby?

 

[Superhero 8826]

Just bought this for… ahem… my son.

 

 

Team Associates Reflex 14B. It’s 1:14 scale with a 240 motor and only takes small batteries (probably 2200 mah max). I didn’t think he’s ready for anything bigger or faster at this point. If  ahem… he likes it, then we’ll get a 1:10 scale buggy later on.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

21 hours ago, Superhero said:

. I didn’t think he’s ready for anything bigger or faster at this point. If  ahem… he likes it, then we’ll get a 1:10 scale buggy later on.

Very nice.

I picked this up for my 10 year-old this summer - not what I had planned, but turned out to be perfect as far as a beginner 1/10:

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-racing-fighter/

It took us a solid day to build it (you'll need to help cut out and trim some stuff, and assemble the shocks and gearbox).

I was pleased with the default speed control, it came with a torque-tuned motor, which was perfect for him - plenty of speed and power.

I picked up some 3800mAh batteries, and we were getting close to 30 minutes.  Such a far cry from the 1200 batteries I had as a kid.  They have 5000 batteries, but a friend that has some said they run hot, and I was thinking that 30 minutes at a time is just right.

Just get ball bearings ($20 or less). Everything else is great. There's a few aluminum parts I may get (battery mount, front plate).

And set aside some time to paint the body properly.

 

 

[Superhero 8826]

3 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Very nice.

I picked this up for my 10 year-old this summer - not what I had planned, but turned out to be perfect as far as a beginner 1/10:

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-racing-fighter/

It took us a solid day to build it (you'll need to help cut out and trim some stuff, and assemble the shocks and gearbox).

I was pleased with the default speed control, it came with a torque-tuned motor, which was perfect for him - plenty of speed and power.

I picked up some 3800mAh batteries, and we were getting close to 30 minutes.  Such a far cry from the 1200 batteries I had as a kid.  They have 5000 batteries, but a friend that has some said they run hot, and I was thinking that 30 minutes at a time is just right.

Just get ball bearings ($20 or less). Everything else is great. There's a few aluminum parts I may get (battery mount, front plate).

And set aside some time to paint the body properly.

 

 

Did you already have the radio, receiver and servo?

I remember building my Tamiya kit more than 30 years ago and it was really educational.

I’d be down to building a kit with my kid, but it seems like other than the “cheap” Tamiya kits, most of the other kits are competition level and really expensive. 

[atomheartbevo 89618]

21 hours ago, Superhero said:

Did you already have the radio, receiver and servo?

I had bought one for a Hornet I'm going to build, as well as my old Hotshot that I'm fixing up, and so I bought the same setup for his Racing Fighter - a Fly Sky FS-GT3C radio/receiver, and a Futaba S3004 servo (S3003 is what's normally recommended, but the S3004 is full ball-bearings/high torque I I believe, and it was in stock).

The FS-GT3C - there's a slightly older one out there that's $10-20 cheaper,  the FS-GT3B, but it uses I think 4 or 8 AA batteries.  The GT3C has a small USB-rechargeable lipo battery pack, and so as a remote control it's so much lighter for a little kid. We used it for hours without having to recharge, and it's just a standard micro-USB charger so no biggie. 

Fantastic display on top of the Fly Sky and you can tune a lot very easily. I would have went with Futaba for nostalgia's sake, but the FS was much cheaper.

21 hours ago, Superhero said:

I remember building my Tamiya kit more than 30 years ago and it was really educational.

I’d be down to building a kit with my kid, but it seems like other than the “cheap” Tamiya kits, most of the other kits are competition level and really expensive. 

The build process was the same as it was decades ago with my old Tamiya stuff.  Well, they no longer have a mechanical speed control that liked to get stuck wide open when the battery ran low, or heat up and melt plastic.

The DT-03 Racing Fighter feels like a competition-level buggy compared to the old Hornet/Frog/Grasshoper cars, even though the DT-03 is technically entry-level.

It was extremely educational for my kid, as all of the RC kits he's had/seen have been pre-built.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

If you settle on a Tamiya, poke  through this forum if you have any pre-sale questions:

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/

Also, I want this t-shirt, it's the same 1200 mAh battery I had as a kid (like I said the 3600/3800's can be had for under $20 apiece these days).

https://www.tamiyaclub.com/tshirts.asp?rt=hp#!/Powered-by/p/210294064/category=0

[atomheartbevo 89618]

On 6/15/2023 at 8:35 PM, Superhero said:

I remember building my Tamiya kit more than 30 years ago and it was really educational.

I’d be down to building a kit with my kid, but it seems like other than the “cheap” Tamiya kits, most of the other kits are competition level and really expensive. 

Tamiya has a brand-new buggy coming out (coming soon!) that is listed as high-performance (and the photos show what looks like a lot of upgrades over  your typical Tamiya kits), looks pricey, but I love it.  It's basically a modern version of the 1979 Rough Rider and 1982 Super Champ, mean to resemble them in styling.

1982 Super Champ

RC BBX (MSRP of $365) so it'll probably be pushing $300.

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-bbx/bb-01/

I'm assuming this is coming out later this year.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by atomheartbevo

[atomheartbevo 89618]

$255, cheaper than I thought, out July 20th, closer than I thought.

Lots and lots of parts to cut out and assemble, and it's a brand-new design from Tamiya.  Building is shown below.

 

[Superhero 8826]

On 6/14/2023 at 4:58 PM, Superhero said:

Just bought this for… ahem… my son.

 

 

Team Associates Reflex 14B. It’s 1:14 scale with a 240 motor and only takes small batteries (probably 2200 mah max). I didn’t think he’s ready for anything bigger or faster at this point. If  ahem… he likes it, then we’ll get a 1:10 scale buggy later on.

We took it out yesterday, and that little thing is FAST. Some Youtube videos say it can get up to 30 mph, and I'd believe it. All this from a little 240 size motor.

The ESC seems to be on or off without anything in between, and at full speed, trying to get it under control is daunting.

My kid says it's too fast for him, but with a few battery packs worth of practice, hopefully things will slow down for him.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

https://www.competitionx.com/other-news/amain-hobbies-acquires-hobbytown-competitionx/

Amain has bought HobbyTown.  They have plans for expanding in the US.

Probably a good thing for both companies.

[KeysPhoneWallet 807]

Anybody into the rc rock crawler toys or heard of a Facebook page/company mofo rc??

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Anybody into the rc rock crawler toys or heard of a Facebook page/company mofo rc??

Donut had some RC vids that I watched via FB & krawlers got maybe 2 vids from them, however they aren't currenttly found on YouTube.

¿ ?

Anyhow, here is a high dollar build.

When I was around 9, I wanted an RC (like everyone else) & my cheap ass Dad got me this corded thing that would either go Fwd / Rev / back up to the L for the only way to turn.

Even if they weren't divorced, I'm sure he would have still gone cheap.

[CleverNickname 1308]

On 9/7/2023 at 5:58 PM, KeysPhoneWallet said:

Anybody into the rc rock crawler toys or heard of a Facebook page/company mofo rc??

I had a gmade swwback for a while. Got rid of it. Replaces with 3 1/24 mini crawlers. I regret that. I will say, for those with young kids, crawlers are great. Slow speeds means they wint send a missile into the curb at 30mph. Some newer ones have 2 speed gearing, so there is some potential for a little cutting loose.

Thinkin of getting a buggy for the ranch. I could probably make a dirt track and use a scaffold as a riser for the driver. I love building new, but I see a lot of used traxxas bashers and those parts are easy to find.

[CleverNickname 1308]

Well shit. Ordered a bandit for myself and the traxxas slash kit for the boy. I hope putting together a kit is a good learning experience. I remember my hornet turnbuckles making my thumbs bleed in '89.

[Atxracer 797]

This is where my love of cars started when I was about 10 or 11.  Found some dude willing to sell this one for some shelf art for my office.  Super excited.