4WD Tamiya Hornet

The Tamiya Hornet is one of the founding fathers of RC as we know it. That car has brought an easy to assemble, durable, and fun car to millions of people for over 20 years. People have recently been digging out their old buggies and enjoying them once again. Unfortunately the engineering of modern RC cars has advanced about 100 years compared to the Hornet, making it a little boring. Some enterprising people in Japan have taken it upon themselves to re-engineer the Hornet to bring it up to 21st century standards. How you ask? By ripping out the Hornet stuff and adding some touring car 4WD components!

Nitro Tamiya Lunchbox Conversion

This is pretty cool. I love this type of project. It's amazing when someone builds a project vehicle just to do it. I'm pretty sure no one has driven a lunchbox and enjoyed the handling so much that they wanted to build a nitro version. It is more than easy enough to simply drop in a hotter electric motor for insane speed. Modeling for modeling's sake is what it is all about. I have no details but I do have a video and some pics so enjoy.

Engine is O.S. MAX-12TG-PX.(TAMIYA OEM Version)

The Tamiya TA04IFS

Tamiya created their IFS system to clear low slung bodies. What if you want to put a low slung body on a chassis that is not a TA05 or FF03? You use a little ingenuity and adapt an IFS system to your existing chassis. I saw this in a Japanese magazine before and thought it would be worth sharing. It would be nice if someone made an IFS conversion for the TT01 chassis but for now these home made versions are cool.

Diggity Designs XLR8-V2

I had mentioned this car yesterday and many of you were probably wondering what I was talking about. Well I was talking about this. Pretty sweet right? This kit converts an ordinary TC3 or TC4 into a luxury touring car. Since the TC3 was a great car in its own right this conversion should open up a new level of performance from your old unloved touring cars.

This is the newly re-designed Diggity Designs XLR8-V2 - TC3 and TC4 Conversion Kit - Optimized for LIPO/ Brushless racing!

The Diggity Designs XLR8-V2 is a carbon fibre and aluminum conversion kit for the Associated TC3 and TC4. The V2 has a newly designed chassis, top-plate, LiPO brace and battery strap for optimzed Lipo and brushless racing, chassis is skinnier, weight on the battery side is moved back to level out the balance of the motor and electronics, motor cutout is open to allow mounting of any brushless motor, the LiPO brace can be mounted in one of three positions to help balance the kit out from left to right without adding lots of weight on the battery side.The V2 has a 2.5mm chassis, top-plate, LiPO brace and battery straps (instead of 3mm that is included with the original XLR8) along with 3mm front and rear shock towers. The 2.5mm chassis and top-plate will help improve performance for asphalt but still keep its performance at top level for carpet racing. This kit is basically a new car; you will need some parts from an existing Associated TC3 or TC4 along with a Losi or Kimbrough servo saver. You can also buy the parts separate and complete your XLR8 kit! All of the aluminum components are made from 6061 and 7075 material. All of the Carbon Fibre is CNC milled from the highest quality carbon fibre. Kits include stainless steel socket screw hardware, delrin and brass pieces. Kits will be sold with polished aluminum components just like you see in the pictures.

Features:

• Newly designed chassis, top-plate, LiPO brace, and battery strap made from 2.5mm carbon fibre, the front and rear shock towers are made from 3mm carbon fibre.
• The drive line is 1/4 inch lower than a TC3 or TC4, for better handling, acceleration and a lower center of gravity.
• New battery set-up that is optimized for LiPO battery mounting, the LiPO brace can be mounted in one of three mounting positions to move the battery in or out to help balance the kit from left to right allowing you to run with less lead or weight on the battery side of the kit!
• New suspension geometry with new aluminum suspension arms that are shorter than stock TC3 or TC4 arms with wider diff housings that make a better handling car.
• All New steering rack and steering geometry.
• Solid One piece aluminum drive shaft. skinnier and way lighter than a stock TC3 or TC4 drive shaft set-up. Allows for quick disassembly of the drive line, pop 11 short screws and the entire drive line (shaft, 3 bearing supports, top-plate, and spur gear) comes off in one piece for easy cleaning and removal.
• New aluminum inner and outer pin blocks front and rear. They use replaceable brass or delrin cone bushings.
• New aluminum diff housings, front-mid-and rear shaft bearing supports for a more precise drive line.
• Custom Heat sink aluminum motor mount allows more air to move over the mount dissipating more heat.
• Milled front bumper.

Parts that you would need to complete your XLR8-V2 kit:

• Associated TC3 or TC4 diff's. (Hardcore and IRS make good aluminum ones)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 shocks and shock mounting hardware (or preferred shocks of choice) TC5 shocks work well.
• Associated TC3 or TC4 bearing set (or preferred bearings of choice)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 turnbuckle set (or same)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 front and rear hub carriers (Losi front and rear work great)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 CVD's (or preferred CVD's of choice)
• Associated TC3 hingepin set (TC4's inner pins will not work on our arms!)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 wheel hex hubs (or preferred brand)
• Associated TC3 or TC4 ring and pinion diff gears
• Associated TC3 or TC4 servo mounts
• Associated TC3 or TC4 body mounts front and rear
• Associated TC3 or TC4 ball ends (short and long)
• Associated TC4 front foam bumper or similar
• Kimbrough 69 tooth (48 pitch) spur gear or similar 64 pitch size
• Kimbrough or Losi steering servo saver (Losi is preferred)

Included In this Conversion Kit is:

• 2.5mm Carbon Fibre Main Chassis
• 2.5mm Carbon Fibre Top Plate
• 2.5mm LiPO Battery Brace
• 3mm Carbon Fibre Front Shock Tower
• 3mm Carbon Fibre Rear Shock Tower
• 2.5mm Carbon Fibre Battery Brace Straps
• Aluminum Front and Rear Differential Housings
• Aluminum Front, Rear and Mid Shaft Supports
• Aluminum Steering Rack
• Aluminum Front and Rear Arms
• Aluminum Inner Pin Blocks
• Aluminum Outer Pin Blocks (includes 0, 1 and 2 degree blocks)
• Aluminum One-piece Drive Shaft
• Aluminum Spur Gear Adapter
• Aluminum Motor Mount/Heatsink
• Milled Poly Front Bumper
• Stainless Hardware and Screws, Delrin and Brass components
• Instruction Manual and Helpful Tuning Guide Books
• Stickers and Box

3Racing Has a Prototype FWD Sakura

Yup the Sakura FF is real but apparently not for sale. I feel a strong lust for this vehicle. My Christmas kit was either going to be a TA05 or the Sakura Zero S. Now I am thinking about the Xevo Chariot kit and the Diggity Designs XLR8 V2 kit or a Brat. I will probably buy two of these but which two? My TC3 has been hidden in a box for years. I bought it as an unknown chassis on the bay and when I got I was appalled by its ugliness. The previous owner decided to paint much of it silver. I absolutely despise painted chassis. RC cars go through hell and the chassis sees most of it. Paint a chassis and it will remind you of every pebble and slip of the screwdriver it sees. Back to the Sakura FF, I really don't have much to say about this car except it looks rad and i can't get one.

3Racing SAKURA FF Touring Car Chassis (FWD PROTOTYPE)

Four single head drive cars from the early 80's the end of the Kyosho Peugeot 205, Honda CRX times since the start of each period of the first drive car also cited a number of players kind of love. Hong Kong this year also happens to blow a burst of four matches the first drive alone car craze, the situation and the former is a series of different places of course, the emergence of a new car. Tamiya FF-03 PRO chassis and TOP Racing Sabre FD chassis will become regulars on the field. The antecedents SAKURA ZERO competition and reached the Class 3 Racing in Hong Kong market, the company saw the market, but also accelerated the development of a new generation of special-class race car drive four single head.

SAKURA FF Chassis:

Although Hong Kong 3 Racing mourn the loss of the company to face the pace of the first array market, but use this time to collect the various manufacturers on the market four separate issues the first drive for improved car design goals. In particular, the head weight distribution, and the drive gear box center of gravity made many changes. In particular, for example Tamiya FF-03 PRO-driven gear box and spindle center of gravity is too high and so on later. 3 Racing SAKURA FF Kyosho Mantis FF deliberately used as the type of gear layout low center of gravity, and then re-modified form of the gear ratio and small. In order to head higher hardness, but also to spend all of 7075 aluminum alloy material integration. Hydraulic height than SAKURA ZERO change even lower, you can use more types of vehicle Valley. The entire vehicle test use the new gear is also a special material, differential bevel side parallel to spend four Mi-sharing efforts.

Front and rear suspension system and the tail gear box with back SAKURA ZERO identical parts. Their own play SAKURA ZERO of the fans, can share the main part is a very convenient way. Spend a steering system steering system L split into pieces, and the central muon can add different perspective to change the steering geometry. Server location is more a piece of carbon fiber protection board, dismissed the impact damage to the server when the chance. SAKURA FF activities are specially designed battery holder, can be easily able to replace the battery.

I heard Hong Kong 3 Racing 's SAKURA FF Chassis testing has come to an end, now part of some minor improvements and materials can be determined release date. Interested friends to remember to pay attention to 3 Racing site it!

Convert Your Old Radios to 2.4ghz

So you love that old Futaba Magnum Jr. radio from the 80's. You don 't use it because its AM and has less range than a super soaker. You know you need to get rid of it but you can't because it's in excellent shape. what do you do? Well now there is a solution. Corona (not the beer) has come up with a DIY conversion to convert old radios to 2.4ghz! Bam, dope right? Of course it is. As soon as I get a chance I'm getting one. I don't know what radio I want to convert but probably an old Kyosho Pulsar or a Magnum jr. I know it says FM but there are many people who have used this successfully on AM radios as well.

Corona 2.4Ghz DIY Module & RX (DSSS)
Upgrade your FM/PPM radio to the new 2.4Ghz DSSS technology with a Corona DIY system.
Compatible with all Corona 2.4Ghz receivers.

Size: 38.5*21.8*6.5mm
Voltage : 8V - 13V
Weight: 5g
Range : more than 1500m
Operating current : 100 MA
Resolution : 10bit
Latency : 22ms

Included:

• 2.4Ghz Module
• Antenna
• 2.4Ghz Receiver

Speed Passion 1/8th on-road Brushless Conversion

You want one of those ballistic 1/8th scale on-road cars but you're afraid of gas engines. Yeah I know, not everyone can have the over abundant testosterone that I have. Now you can have your cake and eat it too. The brushless conversion for the Serpent 960 by Speed Passion is the answer to your wet dreams. Actually I don't see why this is a brushless conversion. It looks like you can use any 540 based electric motor. I am also willing to bet you can rig this up to work with nearly any 1/8th scale on road. Look at the pics and read what the manufacturer says:

Motor Mount
Ultra quick Set 2-piece
Aluminum motor mounting platform

One Way Adapter for Serpent 960