HPI Brings Us the Bandit

I am no country music fan, but there is one song that I know and love. This song is "Eastbound & Down" by Jerry Reed. That is the theme song from "Smokey and the Bandit" a movie that shaped my life. I still don't have a mustache but I have had more than my share of police chases (7-1 that one time I didn't know they were chasing me). I can tell you the police need to be within a certain distance to turn on their lights and call in a chase, never let them get that close. I have also had a few Firebirds. I still haven't got my hands on a Trans Am yet. HPI has now made it easier.

HPI AE86 Corolla Coupe

The Hatchi-Roku. That's Japanese for eight six. Eight six means AE86. AE86 is the chassis code for a certain 1983-1987 Toyota Corolla. Toyota made many different Corolla models back then but the most important one was the AE86. That little car was an economy car and didn't try to hide it. It also had the soul of a squirrel. Tough, quick, agile, and fun on top of fun with a little fun on the side. It came in hatchback or coupe version and two trim levels over here in the U.S.A., standard SR-5, and hopped up GT-S. The GT-S had better brakes, interior, engine, suspension, and other stuff. It was by far the better of the two but the SR-5 still had the undeniable charm that was built into the Hatchi's DNA.

HPI's New Drifter

I really liked Hot Bodies back in the day. They did the standard touring car stuff (stratus, accord) but they also made bodies likes the Mazda Millenia. My NSX body I had from them was one of the nicest non-JGTC NSX bodies out there. HPI noticed their style too, and bought them. I don't like how HPI uses them as their "lower" product line. That moves Hot Bodies closer to Duratrax than the World Champions they are.

HPI 1970 Dodge Challenger YES!

I like the new Dodge Challenger simply because of the lack of rear wheel drive manual transmission cars in today's market. I love the old Challenger because of how awesome they were and the movie Vanishing Point (that might be a link to watch it free online). There was also a girl that lived behind me growing up that had a pink one. Despite it's color I wanted that car. I will always regret not approaching her about selling it. It was obvious she didn't want it. HPI has done the car justice. VTA (Vintage Trans Am) racers will love it. RC drag racers will love it. The tiny RC hotrod community will also love it. I love and you will too. Look at it and drool.

The era of American muscle cars rumbles to life once again with the addition of the 1970 Dodge Challenger body to our line-up! The ’70 Challenger was a potent competitor on the racetrack with Sam Posey behind the wheel of his bright green Challenger in the legendary Trans Am series.

Get yourself the RC version of the 1970 Dodge Challenger, designed to fit all 1/10 scale touring cars. Included with the body is a pre-cut decal sheet that includes window lines, headlights, grills, tail lights, official logos and much more, providing you with a realistically finished product.

This body is clear so you can paint it in your favorite colors. It fits 200mm touring cars and can also be used on 190mm touring cars with the use of wide offset wheels. Overspray film is included, as well as vinyl window masks to make painting quick and simple. An instruction sheet is included for the decals, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlights, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
• T/A and R/T stripes
• Shiny chrome vinyl decals for the ultimate in realism
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for body post drill locations
• Molded from clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life
• This is an officially licensed replica.
• Clear body (finished example shown)

HPI 1979 Ford F-150 Supercab

Here's the winner, this is the body for my scaler project. Look at it. It screams country. I may be a city boy but I can trace my roots straight back to the family farm in North Carolina. This truck would look right at home there. It going to look even better on my rig. I don't like calling them "redneck" trucks because that is an insult and I don't believe in re-purposing insults. Back to the body. It is soo gnarly, it should come with a scale case in the bed.

Go retro with this 1979 Ford F-150 Supercab body for your Savage XL! This classic ’79 Ford pick-up is the longer Supercab version so it fits the Savage XL truck perfectly. It will also fit Savage Flux trucks using the XL Wheelbase Conversion Set (#102404). And, it can be used on any standard Savage or Maxx-size truck, but will require alternate body post hole positions.

This body is made from crystal clear polycarbonate material for those that prefer to add a personal touch with their own paint and graphics scheme. The convenient pre-cut vinyl decal sheet includes: photorealistic headlights, grill, tail lights, official logos, window frames, door handles and more… all die-cut to make applying the decals quick and easy. Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks are included with each body. A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlight, grill, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for Savage XL body post drill locations
• Molded from 0.040″ clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life
• Clear body (finished example shown)
• This is an officially licensed replica

HPI Drops an Old School Ford Truck On Us

The 1979 ford f150. Beautiful truck. This thing has a body style similar to the 1974 f250 they used for the original Bigfoot. It is about durn time they made some nice old school Ford bodies. I was planning to get this one for a mud truck project but then I read about the supercab version...

Go retro with this 1979 Ford F-150 body for your Savage! This classic ’79 Ford pick-up fits the Savage line of trucks perfectly. And, it can be used on any standard Savage-size truck or Maxx-size truck. Savage XL owners, a long version of this body is available for your trucks. Look for the F-150 Supercab version, part #105132.

This body is made from crystal clear polycarbonate material for those that prefer to add a personal touch with their own paint and graphics scheme. The convenient pre-cut vinyl decal sheet includes: photorealistic headlights, grill, tail lights, official logos, window frames, door handles and more… all die-cut to make applying the decals quick and easy. Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks are included with each body. A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlight, grill, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for Savage body post drill locations
• Molded from 0.040″ clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life
• Clear body (finished example shown)
• This is an officially licensed replica

BMW Won The GT2 Class At Sebring

The 12 hours of Sebring two weeks ago was an amazing race. I literally watched it from bell to bell. GT2 was pretty good. The Ferrari 458gt's looked the best by far. The corvettes were pretty sweet too. The BMW's running E85 were dominating. They literally pulled everything down the straights. No gt2 car could touch them in a straight line. Immense speed and good reliability allowed BMW to take the checkered flag for the GT2 class. Now you can build a duplicate of that winning car. Check it out.

This HPI body is an official replica of the race-winning BMW M3 GT2 campaigned by the Rahal Letterman Racing in the American Le Mans Series. Bold styling and an aggressive racing stance make this the ultimate version of the BMW M3. We include two giant sheets of decals that allow you create an exact replica of the BMW Motorsport #90 car driven by R/C enthusiast Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen.
This 200mm body fits wide 1/10 scale sedans and features the usual HPI attention to detail. Included with the body are two large pre-cut decal sheets that include window lines, headlights, grills, tail lights, stripes, official logos and much more, providing your touring car with a realistically finished product.

This body is clear so you can make an exact replica of the #90 race car or paint it in your favorite colors. It fits 200mm touring cars and can also be used on 190mm touring cars with the use of wide offset wheels. Overspray film is included, as well as vinyl window masks to make painting quick and simple. An instruction sheet is included for the decals, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlights, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
• Front and rear light buckets
• Molded nylon rear wing
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for body post drill locations
• Molded from clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life
• This is an officially licensed replica
• Clear body (finished example shown)

hpi 5t onboard vid

1/5th scale is pretty cool looking. On board video is awesome. That means this video is awesome cool looking!

HPI 1970 Mustang, Surprised?

HPI loves the Ford Mustang. Now they make my second favorite mustang of all time (80's child will always love the 5.0), The 1970 fastback. Parma tried to make one but they either make a good replica or a garbage one. Guess how their mustang turned out? This one is gorgeous. HPI has a way to make one justify owning 80 RC cars. One chassis and 80 bodies is weak. 80 awesome looking cars on the shelf will get you the ladies. Count on it.

This 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 body from HPI Racing brings one of the most legendary muscle cars to the RC Vintage category. The BOSS 302 is one of the most famous American street cars ever produced, as well as a dominant force in the Trans-Am series from the early 70's. For many, the BOSS 302 symbolizes everything that made the muscle car era so famous... massive horsepower, aggressive looks, and a rich history of racetrack performance.

Our true-to-life 1/10th scale replica captures all of the details that make the 1970 Mustang Boss 302 a fan favorite. This HPI-factory body is designed to fit perfectly on 200mm touring cars. Add your own paint job and you're ready to race, cruise or sit in the garage ready for concours.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlight, grille, taillights and more, plus logos!
• Shiny chrome vinyl decals for the ultimate in realism
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for body post drill locations
• Molded from strong clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life.

HPI TVs Nurnberg 2011 Exclusive Video

You guys may have noticed I have been moving slow with my own RC projects. Crazy hours at work and a new lady have absorbed nearly all of my time. I am not complaining though, it's a million times better than being broke and lonely. My RC's however probably see things differently. The spring will unlock some free time and allow me to do more write ups and build more cars.

This video is pretty cool. Ok the video itself isn't special but they are showing off some of HPI's new 2011 products. Check it out.

HPI Makes A Lunchbox

The Scion XB isn't that attractive. Its a fwd refrigerator. From certain angles with the right upgrades it can almost look acceptable. The HPI Switch chassis is funky. It can be fwd or rwd adjustable wheelbase and Macpherson strut suspension. That type of suspension is terrible at controlling bump steer and camber changes. I would spend my money to tinker with this package if it were only a few dollars. It isn't so judge for yourselves.

HPI Savage Flux 2350 Video

Every RC hobbyist can appreciate stomping around with a big wheeled RC truck. Yes I said "stomping around", the Tamiya Blackfoot was my first RC. Anyhoot, This video is of the new Savage with some brushless motor from a Toyota Prius or something.

This morning I had to decide between going to work and shooting another snow video. I chose wrong. Tomorrow I will not make the same mistake. I'm putting batteries on charge tonight. The plan is to bring it into work and let my boss play with it after the video shoot. Then he may not notice how late I am.

This big ol' truck makes me want to finish my super trail truck. It's more like a redneck truck but that phrase is a bit prejudiced so I really don't want to use it. I need to find a new nickname for lifted big tire trucks. Watch the video and feel inspired.

HPI Does The GTR

I may be in the minority but I think the R35 GTR is ugly. I like seeing it in real life for the performance it represents but aesthetically, I think it's gross. I prefer the R33 as the best GTR. I know I'm in the minority with that opinion as well. If you like the new GTR and can't afford Tamiya's version this looks like a faithful replica that won't cost half as much as the kit you want to put it on.

HPI's 200mm body line-up now features the iconic Japanese supercar, the Nissan GT-R. This is the latest version of the legendary GT-R series of sports cars, code-named the R35. The GT-R models have always showcased the latest driving technologies that Nissan engineers could fit into a road-going car, and the GT-R continues this tradition with a twin-turbocharged 3.8 liter V6, four-wheel drive, rear-mounted transmission, a top speed over 310kph (193mph) and 0-60mph time under 3.8 seconds. This body is clear so you can paint it in your favorite colors. It fits 200mm touring cars and can also be used on 190mm touring cars with the use of wide offset wheels.

Included with the Nissan GT-R body is a large pre-cut decal sheet that includes logos, window lines, headlights, grilles, tail lights, official Nissan GT-R logos and much more, providing your touring car with a realistically finished product. Each body comes with a polycarbonate rear wing, as well as light buckets for the headlights and tail lights. An overspray film is included, as well as vinyl window masks to make painting quick and simple. An instruction sheet is included for the decals, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations.

• Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlight, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
• Headlight and tail light buckets
• Tinted window decals
• Polycarbonate rear wing
• Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
• A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
• The body has dimple marks for body post drill locations
• Molded from clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life

This is an officially licensed replica.

HPI Gives Us a Brushless Porsche

Its pronounced (po-shay). Since I was a little kid I dreamed of a white Porsche. I picked up the pronunciation from JJ Evans from the show Good Times. This one is stupid fast because it's brushless. The HPI Sprint 2 looks like an evolution of the original RS4. I am not sure about hop up parts availability. That's a sad thing because the original had the most hop ups in RC history. Anyhoot look at the video and this car and fall in love.

The Sprint 2 Flux brushless 1/10th scale 4WD touring car is our fastest electric touring car chassis! The Flux Brushless System takes the durable Sprint 2 platform to the next level of performance and speed - it's our most reliable on-road chassis, built with extra-tough HPI durability and with the added torque and horsepower of HPI Flux brushless technology!

The Sprint 2 Flux now available fitted with the extra-cool Porsche 911 GT3 RS bodyshell for track-day good looks and awesome performance!

The Sprint 2 Flux is a rock solid car that includes almost everything you need, just add your own battery pack, charger, and AA batteries for the transmitter and you're ready to drive! If you want to compete on a race track, all of the foundations are in place to tune your Sprint 2 Flux for some really fast lap times. Or, just drive it in the street with your racing buddies for fun. There's no better way to enjoy high-performance, maintenance-free brushless technology in a 4WD touring car. Get the RTR Sprint 2 Flux!

The Sprint 2 Flux is loaded with features:

• Flux Warp 5600Kv brushless motor
• Flux Motiv sensorless electronic speed control
• Extra-tough Sprint 2 components
• Fully adjustable suspension
• Belt-driven 4 wheel drive
• Race-proven suspension geometry
• Sealed gear differentials
• Flux-optimized gearing
• High quality electronics

Fully Tunable chassis and suspension
The Sprint 2 Flux is the ideal club racer and is a great entry into RC racing fun! Its chassis is almost indestructible and easy to drive, the electronics and drivetrain are virtually maintenance- and worry-free, and it also has all the race tuning features you need for a good set up on almost every racetrack.

A belt driven 4WD system guarantees smooth power transfer and high grip on a wide variety of paved surfaces. Plus, the race-proven suspension with oil filled shock absorbers offers racing features you wouldn't expect from a club-level touring car.

The stock settings right out of the box will give you great handling on almost every surface, and with the fully adjustable suspension you'll have control over all important settings including camber, toe-, ride height, Ackerman, springs and more – enough settings to fine-tune your car for low lap times!

8 rubber sealed ball bearings at the wheel axles and 6 more ball bearings at all other axles don't wear out like metal or plastic bushings and provide lower friction and more speed.

HPI Flux Power
What's different about the Sprint 2 Flux is that you get the HPI Flux Motiv electronic speed control and the zero maintenance brushless Flux Warp 5700 motor for stress-free fun, high top speeds and blinding acceleration! You get to choose the battery to use in the car – any stick-pack style RC battery (Ni-MH 7.2 volt or LiPo 7.4 volt) fitted with a real Deans battery connector will fit in the chassis. Use any RC fast charger to top up the batteries, and you can keep running and ticking off laps for hours!

SPRINT 2 FLUX FEATURES:

• Flux Warp 5700kv brushless motor provides high performance, efficiency, long motor life, reduced maintenance
• Flux Motiv ESC for smooth and efficient motor control
• Fully adjustable suspension with control over important settings like camber, caster, toe-in and more
• A belt-driven 4-wheel drive system guarantees smooth power transfer and high grip on a wide variety of paved surfaces
• Race proven suspension with oil filled shock absorbers for excellent handling
• All important chassis and suspension parts are made from high quality, high impact nylon which makes the Sprint 2 Flux extra tough!
• HPI bodyshells are made of high quality, impact resistant polycarbonate and come pre-painted, pre-cut and pre-decaled for great looks!
• Sealed front and rear gear differentials reduce the need for time-intensive diff rebuilds
• Adjustable droop for better handling, especially on high grip tracks
• Full ball bearings for a smooth, free-flowing transmission
• Ball bearing steering bellcrank for precise driving
• Gear differentials with metal outdrives for increased durability
• Gearing has been optimized for the Flux Brushless System
• Reliable TF-1 radio super narrowband AM system
• Ready-to-Run chassis built to factory specs by the assembly experts at HPI
• Add your own battery pack (with Dean's plug), charger and 8 AA transmitter batteries
• Easy to change bodyshells, wheels and tyres for race tuning or to suit your taste

SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 431mm (17")
Height: 127mm (5")
Width: 200mm (7.9")
Wheelbase: 254mm (10")