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.

Good News! The Bruiser is Back!

Tamiya gets it. They really really do. They understand that the majority of the people in the hobby started in the 80's. Yep we're old dudes that can't put away our childhood fun. But since we're grown we have jobs, now we can afford to just buy any new kit that catches our eyes. Tamiya has given us some treasures before, but this time they did it. They brought back the Bruiser.

Axial's New Super Bad Truck

Yeeee-Haaaaw! Many Americans have an inner redneck. The part that likes Coors and Four-by-fours, talking country and eating pork. I do. I quit drinking but I love my 4X4! Roads are an option and I will park it on your front lawn. I ain't scared! Like I ain't got a compound bow in there. What does this have to do with RC? E'rethang! At least now that they have such awesome and realistic trucks and parts out. My Redcat RS10 is my go to truck. So much so I have not started or finished building any of my other trucks. This one looks like it might be able to out do my truck. Look at it and lust after it. Mind the price too because it won't be too expensive either!

Tamiya Knows how to Wrangle up Customers

There are so many reasons why I love Tamiya. They are releasing another. I think they have plans to run all of the vintage collectors/hoarders/resellers out of business. Who wants to pay $500 for a vintage kit when Tamiya will rerelease it in a few months? This time they are killing it (slang phrase that I don't fully understand). They are rereleasing the famous Jeep Wrangler! Everybody and their mother really wants this highly detailed body for their scale 4x4 project. I've seen them sell for absurd amounts of money. Now you can score one for probably less than $200.

Tamiya RX-7 is Rotary Goodness

I've been hanging on to an M04 chassis for a while. I want to build a slick mini with it but I can't decide what body to use on it. Tamiya has just made things even more difficult. This has to be the most detailed first generation Mazda RX7 bodies available. If you've never driven a real one do yourself a favor and try one. These little cars are so much fun. They combine go-kart like handling, a smooth buzzy rotary engine, with a pretty comfortable interior to give you an experience that you will not find in any other car. In my area people are buying these up and restoring them. I had an opportunity to get one but the lack of pistons and my previous experience with bad apex seals on an FC3S RX7 convinced me otherwise.

Tamiya Does the CRX

Tamiya has done it again! There are very few RC CRX's in the hobby. I have spent many years and probably too much money gathering the pieces to complete one of these . Pretty awesome right? I decided I wanted one when I was 12 but they were hard to come by back then. Now Tamiya has released this beauty. Look at this car, it is gorgeous. It comes on the standard M05 chassis as far as I can tell and it will be a kit. I am in love. If Santa Claus brings me this and the RX-7 for Christmas I will be super stoked. I better start saving now!

Team Atlas Beat Bodies 2

Last time I brought you the amazing Lancia bodies that Team Atlas makes. Today it's more awesomeness in the form of the legendary Autobianchi A112 Abarth and the cult classic the AE86 Corolla. Take a look.

Spice Mitsubishi Starion Body Is AWESOME

I was digging for info for what will become tomorrow's article when I found this. OMG love, rainbows, unicorns, and ice cream! A Mitsubishi Starion Body. To put this in 80's nostalgia terms, this is the SDF-1; A giant alien space fortress that does everything awesome and a couple super awesome things. If you don't know what a Mitsubishi Starion is look at this then get all kinds of excited. Where can you get it? Japan. How much? Your first born. Seriously though, you are going to have to look for it until I can get my hands on some.

Tamiya's New Buggy Will Attack, Fast!

I hated the Tamiya Fast Attack when I was a kid. I didn't like the friction shocks, trailing arm suspension, or the fact that the entire kit was molded in beige. Not one kid in our area had one. Now in the future those things are worth their weight in gold because they look so realistic. It still goes like crap probably. I am torn on this one; on one hand I like old RC stuff, on the other I still don't have much love for this buggy. I know with my adult skills and money I could make one of these pretty awesome. On the other the Kyosho Scorpion I bought for $25 on craigslist (don't hate) needs some attention. Look at this buggy, drool, dream, and make plans.

Tamiya's Latest Drifter

People love RC drifting. I think RC drifting is the most popular segment of RC touring cars. You don't need the latest and greatest equipment. You can build your cars to look more realistic. RC drifting can be done anywhere you find a patch of pavement. I've been offroading lately, YEEHAW (RIP Vance Duke), so I don't really have a bunch of RC drifting under my belt. I do have a lot of cheeseburgers touring car stuff under my belt so I know a good chassis when I see one. This one right here is a sweet one.

Tamiya TT01 FIA GT1 GTR

I am one of about seven Americans that watch FIA GT1 racing. Some obscure cable channel must have the broadcasting rights here in the US because I have to watch the races the next day instead of live streaming. I still watch because I love racing. My favorite car to watch is the Corvette. I think the Corvette C6R is one of the best looking race cars the United States has ever produced. Those who follow GT1 know that my favorite car usually gets punted to the back of the field by a bully Aston Martin. One car that has been standing up to those British bullies is the GTR. This car has a presence like Shaq. Look at the crowd; do you see the huge guy standing above everyone else? That's him. One of the main reasons I love skylines, is because of their size. They are the Robbie Morales of the racing world, big guys that ball like the little ones.

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 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

2011 Ford F-250 Super-Duty body

I drive a Chevy truck but I love Fords. I have sampled many many different flavors of Ford's F-series trucks. The new ones are pretty awesome but large. I like the size of the 67-04 trucks. These newer ones are just massive. For some reason there are very few new Chevy truck bodies. I'd love a mini Tahoe but these bodies will do for now.

Illuzion – Stampede 4×4 – 2011 Ford F-250 Super-Duty body Part # – 0214)

Stampede owners can breathe a sigh of relief, the big and tough, Ford F-250 Super Duty has arrived. Officially licensed by Ford, JConcepts introduces the 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty body as a drop-on replacement body for the Stampede 2wd and 4×4 vehicles.

Built Ford Tough, JConcepts has brought an essence of the 2011 Ford F-250 truck together with the latest offerings in realistic styled bodies. The F-250 is as detailed as they come, starting with a grill / headlight and hood combination that stands-out as toughness just like its full-scale counterpart. The cab design features the Super Crew design, recessed windows, sun roof outline and full running boards. Spot-on wheel well size and fender flares with rocker panel blend to form the unmistakable Super Duty look. The bed area includes a recessed area that features ridged detail, tailgate and rear bumper with scale touches, finish off this unmatched design.

Like all JConcepts bodies, performance is always a top priority and the 2011 F-250 does not stop short in performance. The F-250 stance has been optimized utilizing dimensional aspects of the other popular JConcepts bodies including the Raptor SVT. If you want to get tough, look mean and attack with a fearless abandon, than jump into the Super Duty with JConcepts.

Features:

• Fits Stampede 2wd and 4×4
• Officially licensed by Ford to JConcepts
• 2011 Ford F-250 scale inspired body, cab, bed and window design
• 1:1 headlight and grill treatment with pronounced bumpers and running boards
• Front and rear fender flares for maximum realism
• Super Crew cab with recessed windows
• Clear heavy-duty polycarbonate with protective film
• Window masks and detailed 2011 Ford F-250 decal sheet

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)

Proline Raptor Body for Stampede

I saw a Ford Raptor the other day. It is massive. It looks like you can easily fit four people across the front seat. I was driving my Tahoe so I had a decent sized vehicle for comparison. I wanted a Raptor, until now. It's wide like a Hummer, too wide for me. Proline now makes a sweet looking version for the Stampede. Look at it and enjoy.

This is a Pro-Line Ford® F-150 SVT Raptor Clear Body for the Stampede® and Stampede® 4X4. The full-size Ford® Raptor SVT was designed for serious off-road abuse and now you can give your truck the same look! The Raptor has a bold grill that tells everyone to get out of your way and hood fins that prove it is a serious racing truck. Every detail of this modern icon was re-created to give your truck the ultimate in off-road styling. When you see your Raptor SVT mounted on your monster truck, you will realize that this is exactly what you have been waiting for. Buckle-up and hold on for Pro-Line’s Ford® F-150 SVT Raptor Clear Body for the Stampede® and Stampede® 4X4!

Don’t forget to submit your finished Pro-Line Ford® F-150 SVT Raptor truck to Reader’s Rides when you are done. Who knows, you could get your ride posted on the blog and you could even win a prize!

Features:

• Made with Genuine GE .060 Lexan®
• Perfect fit and proportions for the Stampede® and Stampede® 4X4
• Bold Ford® F-150 SVT Raptor styling – Stand out among the crowd
• Exceptional detail – From far away or close up, you and your friends will be able to see the detail
• Paint then peel overspray film, sticker sheet, and window masks included
• Four step to Race Ready:

1.) Clean Body and apply included window mask
2.) Paint then peel the over-spray film off
3.) Sticker your body (decal sheet included)
4.) Mount your new Ford® F-150 SVT Raptor onto your Stampede® and Stampede® 4X4

Tradegy In Japan + ABC Hobby Gambado

If you haven't heard there was a terrible earthquake in Japan last night. This was followed by a massive tsunami which preceded and aftershock and another tsunami. Japan got rocked. The population density of Japan means many many people were killed, hurt, or displaced by this event. I get sick thinking about how many lives have been lost. This is even painful for us since Japan was the birthplace of the RC touring car. Tamiya, Kyosho, Yokomo, and many others are based in Japan. I have no idea how our favorite manufacturers are doing. My prayers will be with everyone affected by this tragedy.

ABC Hobby does it yet again. I swear all they need to do is release a full color catalog and they might top the almighty Tamiya in awesomeness. This is a new FWD mini chassis called the Gambado. It is sick! It reminds me of the Tamiya M05 but cooler. Look at how the springs are separate from the shocks. I don't know if it's better but it is so much cooler. Of course this puppy will more than likely be close to the $200 mark so it gets beat by the M05 by a mile in the price department. It is also pre-assembled so there is another strike. All in all this puppy is a winner and full of more win than Charlie Sheen.

Wheelbase: 208mm ~ 210mm
Car width: F 160mm / R 160mm
Length: 285mm
Vehicle height: 3mm ~ 8mm
Weight: 1050g (excluding body)
Tire: 55mm rubber tire
Caster: Adjustable from 3.5 to 6.5 degrees
Rear toe: Variable
Camber: Variable
Gear Ratio: 3.8:1 - 8.5:1