dave.t1

Hi, There is a massive carpark that is unused at Brent Cross. Many people use it already, but there is so much room you could easily have several groups at any one time driving. Dave

Hi, I would like one set of front, rear and indicator lenses please. Dave

Hi, I will bring some of my "magic graffiti/paint remover" to the next outing and you can all have a go....... It is a commercial product and I think it was made for and/or tested by British Rail labs. for treating all the plastic trim on trains that get covered in many tdifferent types of paint and marker pen. When received it came with a spec. sheet and instructions in more detail than say buying an equivalent consumer product. Dave

Shed is not completely correct...... It does sound better than what it actually is, a small area in my loft.... So it's a virtual shed, LOL. The first bottle came without nozzle but it's replacement did. It is no different from the kind of spray head on cleaner product that you might find in the cleaners cupboard at work (i.e. commercial brand). I am sure that Delta would send a nozzle if you asked. The guy I speak to is always really helpfull. Yes spray a fine mist over the entire area to "wet it" then let it soak in the just brush off. Dave

With my driving skills, not crashing, LOL. Dave

I wanted "Eliminator" and Delta suggested Activator - after I explained exactly what the application was going to be. Seems just right. I suspect the Eliminator whilst safe on the plastics does wonders for your health and hands, etc, etc.... As far as storage goes, I just keep it in the original container in the shed. I use a metal bowl to clean shells in and use the spray nozzle to wet the body completely and that is it.

Hi, I could not either, however it did take three attempts at getting an intact bottle of the stuff. The first package got squished by the courier, the replacement got lost and the third was so well packed you could drop it out a first floor window and it would be fine. It also meant that I ended up with approx 1 1/3 bottles of the stuff. Oh well.... The good news is that it goes a long long way, so should last a while. I find the best way to do it is to let the lexan bodies soak for about half an hour ( time for a cup of tea and a slice of cake) then use a paint brush to keep applying the liquid and the paint should just flow off the surface. Once your sure that the paint has all gone drain off the excess fluid and wipe over with a "bounty" kitchen roll or something similiar. Once your happy that all the paint is off you should now have a "misty" residue or foggy look on the body. This is residual cleaner and can be removed by re applying fresh fluid on a clean cotton wool ball. You may need two or three but it gets rid of anything left. Wash the shell in hot soapy water and the remainder rinses off leaving a clean clear body. Then prep the shell for painting by wiping a cotton wool ball dipped in Tamiya paint thinners over it. This cuts through any traces of cleaner if you missed them in the soapy water process. One last thought, it lifts off decals and removes the paint from them very efficiently, so make sure you have a spare set or be really really carefull...! Let me know how you get on. Dave

Hi, I have had similiar problems with tyres on my TR-15T's. They dry out and split. To combat this problem I now use Auto Glym Bumper Care. I rang up their technical dept. and explained the problem and that is what they recommended. Bumper Care nourishes the rubber and seals it in so that it cannot dry out. If the coating goes dull then just re-apply. It will not fix tyres that have already suffered but will stop further cracking. Auto Glym is sold around the UK and can be contacted on +44 (0) 1462 677766. Dave

Hi, Delta Activator is a graffiti remover that has been specifically designed to remove paints from plastics including lexans. It really is easy to use and needs minimal elbow grease. I have used it loads of times and have removed enamels, automotive sprays, tamiya paints. I have posted before the contact details and cost so if you find those, they should help. I don't use anything else now and the wife loves the fact that there is not 10ltr of brake fluid swilling around the garage in a bucket for her to knock over LOL. PS it's good for cleaning those hard to remove food remains from your dishes too. Only kidding. Dave

Hi, Before I go ahead ordering a New Era convertion kit for my TC, changing it from .18 to .21, has anybody else done it and how did they get on. It should be straight forward judging by the pictures on their web site.... Any advice is welcome. Dave

Spot on with the link. I can't be the only one using this stuff )

I use Delta Activator to strip all my bodies, especially lexan ones. It costs about £8.00/ltr plus shipping. As an example, it took 30mins to completely strip a lexan dyna storm body with about as much liquid as you would need to half fill a 330ml car-paint can lid. You just keep brushing the liquid over the area untill it's clean. Then rinse off with soapy water and maybe just a wipe over with the liquid on a cloth to remove any residue. You don't need to worry about fumes, disposing of the used fluid, poisoning yourself or any other nasty issues. It comes in a handy easy to use bottle with a spray head. If you want to see before, during and after pics I am just about to do a mates TR-15T shell....

It's about £8.00 plus shipping. The spec. sheet is available on the web site, so that should help with sourcing an equivalent in the US. It reminds me of orange citrus oil if that helps.

Hi, Final word on paint stripping from me...... Activator liquid is really really really really good. Go buy some and try for your self. I have just done a Dyna Storm shell (aquired at Snetterton) and it had paint on the inside and decals on the outside. The Activator took the lot off with an hour soak, (i.e. put in bowl with liquid, had dinner, came back, done). An old Sand Scorcher shell soaked overnight looked like new.... This problem has haunted me time and time again and buying a 5ltr bottle of brake fluid is not good for you or your wallet. As for Lexan, it's throw away and start again. This Activator stuff is just a miracle, especially if your lazy like me.....

Hi, I have three of these engines and have found them to be faultless. Whilst having the same engine casing and Tamiya logo on the casing outer, virtually everything else is different inside. They use bigger bearings than standard, a better more balanced crank, an ABC liner (I think) and a grooved piston. The con rod is a machined and lightend "knife edge" one and the connecting pin has a bigger radius than the normal one (more surface area to spread the combustion load on). The carb is a slide one with top and bottom mix settings and a bigger bore than standard on the intake venturi. These engines have been around for some time but should push out around 1.0 hp or there abouts. If like me your a stickler for Tamiya parts or Tamiya endorsed parts then go for this engine. Otherwise get an OPS, Novva Rossi, OS or similiar one. Hope I have been of service, Dave

Mine is a 2001 Seat Ibiza Cupra (1.8 20v turbo) in black. It's very quick and much fun to drive. Dave

Try Delta Activator Graffiti remover

The product is called Delta Activator and can be bought direct from:- Delta (A.G.) Ltd. 10 The Butts, Warwick, England CV34 *** Head Office Orders and Technical Assistance David J. Francis T +44 0 1926 493017 F +44 0 1926 403711 I have just started on a TR-15T shell striping it down, and again no problems.....

I have just tried out an alternative to brake fluid on both polycarbonate and hard plastic (styrene) bodies. The liquid is bio degradable, pleasant smelling and does not harm either type of plastic or hands...... If you have enough (1ltr or 5ltr) then you can soak the body, if you have decals you want to keep then apply with a cotton wool pad or cloth, etc. It even keeps the high gloss finish to the outside of the lexan shells if you have overspray that needs removal. Originally designed to remove Graffiti from non porous or hard plastic surfaces and tested by labs, etc, etc this stuff could make body stripping and renovating much easier. Dave

I use the line that the bits I buy are for the lads in the office. I sneak kits from work or my parents home and then stash them in my loft.

I like it. Looks like it is a proper kit and not some atempt at a big truck....Can we have more pics please.

WillyChang, I agree with you on the 1:1 cars that you need the oil pumped round to lube the engine and yes the lube is in the fuel in nitro engines, but it only takes a few turns of the engine without lube to wear/damage it and the fuel cannot immediately lubricate the whole of the working parts. The whole balance between existing lube present in the engine and the fresh lube from the Nitro is very subtle. Anyway, bottom line for me is that I would not run a Nitro engine after I had lubed it with a water displacement spray.

There are two issues to address when using an "after-run oil". The first is to cancel the corrosive affect that nitro fuel has. I seem to remember from chemistry at school that as the fuel left inside the engine evaporates it mixes with the moisture in the air and produces nitric acid which corrodes the engine (thats why anodized chassis plates get pited and lose their colour around engine mounts and the base of the fuel tank, etc). The amount of moisture present in the engine would not otherwise cause much of a problem as residual lubricant bonded onto the metal protects it. SO you need something to flush out the acid. In that case alone WD-40 would be ideal, its thin enough to act in a similiar way to fuel and would clean out the engine fine. Issue two is that what ever runs through the engine needs to have enough "stickyness" and viscosity to bond onto all the metal parts and keep them lubricated. Just like in a real car, most engine wear occurs during the initial start up period when the engine relies on the lubrication already present inside to do the job. In this instance WD-40 is so light that it has already run down the inside and collected in the sump/crankcase, causing the piston to run dry. It may also be true that the oil burns off quickly as the engine heats up and leaves unwanted deposits behind in addition to running dry. Thus the after run oil needs to be compatible with fresh Nitro fuel. In summary it must flush through residual fuel, maitain lubrication and not react with Nitro or leave burnt deposits....

Try Gunk automotive degreaser. I have found that it is kind to plastics and gives good results with a tooth brush. Do not leave things to soak for too long (more than a couple of hours) as different metals can have an electolitic reaction if left toghether..

I contacted the seller and suggested they had mis-typed the price and meant $200. ANSWER - No they really do mean $2000. I bought one a year ago for approx $200 inc. shipping from HK. www.pkracing.nl still have it listed on line. Dave