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Bwaaatch

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Everything posted by Bwaaatch

  1. Bumping this thread because I am excited about an upcoming trip to a new Mini 4wd racing venue in New Jersey, it's called Sidebite. I'm in the UK, but this is in fact my most accessible Mini 4wd experience, given that almost nothing happens over here, and that I don't speak Italian! Sidebite is brand new (opened in March) and very much modelled on DXN Provisions not he West coast: https://www.instagram.com/dxn_provisions/ Sidebite doesn't have an online shop yet, but seems pretty well stocked with kits and tune-up parts. I plan to go with my daughter, buy a kit, build on site and race in on their 5-lane wooden track! Will reports back when done. Very much looking forward to being in a room with fellow enthusiasts!
  2. OK, all built up and have just taken it for a first shakedown test. Current setup: Mainly stock Yeah Racing prop shaft upgrade: https://www.scmodels.co.uk/shop/yeah-racing-aluminum-modified-main-drive-shaft-bu-for-ta01-top-force-ta01-0134bu/ Yeah Racing motor mount: https://www.yeahracing.com/alum-modified-motor-mount-16-21t-for-ta01-ta02-ta01-013bu-00027517 16 tooth steel pinion: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303128930447?var=602060040711 Core RC 15 turn brushed motor Bridgestone slick tyres and wheels (I have forgotten the brand of these and can't seem to locate them on google. r32 or something?) Will need a similar set with proper treads for park bashing, but this is what I had on hand for a test in my street. I have not owned a Top Force since 1992. I sold that one (at a huge loss, as I recall) as it was not fast enough or interesting enough for 14 year old me. Driving one again today, I have similar feelings, but somehow wrapped in a positive glow. It is pretty quick but I want more. The handling is very predictable. However, I NOW understand that tyres and surface place a huge part in the experience. I look forward to finding the right boots and hitting some gravel to get it going sideways a bit. Compared to my comical hornet that I tried to run on these tyres, the handling here is just so refined and solid. The comical buggy (slammed to the ground) was super twitchy. This bad boy is plush. Thanks for all the input. I will update if I make changes, and hopefully put it in my showroom once I nice up the body a bit.
  3. Comicals are awesome, but my experience is that they are most fun on loose gravel, with the surface sliding underneath them. That’s because their small foot print and high centre of gravity means they can tip over A LOT in high grip scenarios. To out one in carpet at a track means risking spending a lot of time runnng around and shouting for marshalls — might be disruptive for everyone. if you’re gonna do it, get that thing as low as possible (look at the Honda city Turbos on same chassis). You may also want to go wider. I have a super lo, super wide example, but it develops twitchy steering if you over do it. Most importantly, have fun trying stuff out!
  4. Thanks everyone, so much knowledge here and some lovely pics and experiences. It sounds like this conversion is a little high risk, but I’m still up for it and will use your tips to try to prevent the gearboxes exploding. I’ve now built up my chassis and just need to find the right wheels (which I always find tricky). Got a few options in stock to try out before I go too exotic.
  5. Cool. I now have 21t and 19t pinion on hand, with 16t in the post. Will try to some options. Cheers
  6. He he! Sometimes an autocorrect can be inspiring! When I finish monsterising this Top Force I will build myself a breakfast shed (and come here for recommendations about what exactly that means …)
  7. Thanks both! Had not considered that brushed versus brushless would affect this. I have the yeah racing motor mount in hand, but will order up a 16t pinion as suggested. Hi also have a brushless combo I could use, in which case I would then switch back to 21t pinion. Sound right? Cheers everyone!
  8. This is interesting. My logic was that the larger wheels would mean NOT trying to reduce the teeth in the pinion and sticking with the stock option. Something about how the big wheels already shift the final drive ratio in a bad direction, and also reducing the teeth in the pinion would exacerbate that? But maybe I have it wrong?
  9. I have just started building a Top Force Evo and plan for it to be a big-wheeled version to allow it to function well as a year-round park basher and woodland warrior. I have a 15 turn brushed motor going in, and I’m thinking that with bigger wheels maybe I don’t switch the pinion to a high speed 19 tooth option? Or could I do that anyway? I am keen to go fast :-) For wheels, I have my eye on the range of ridiculous looking efforts from Louise RC : https://www.scmodels.co.uk/product-category/wheels-tyres/wheel-tyre-sets/1-10-off-road/?swoof=1&product_brand=louise-rc&really_curr_tax=173-product_cat Many of them are 14mm hexes. Presume I just buy 14mm hex adapters to replace to standard Tamiya 12mm ones? Or is it more complicate than that? Does anyone have any other tips when monsterising these 1:10 buggies? Should I be aiming to lengthen the shocks, too? What else? Thanks as ever … no suggestions are too crazy!
  10. Hehe! My Avante-gator remains almost finished but not made time for it. But InDID just tidy my workshop ready for my next build … Top Force Evo …. Love you idea, but evidence suggests I should stay away from another custom build at this point, and focus on a straightforward project. Hope someone picks this up though! And it’s given me a boost to get back to my 6x6 too.
  11. This topic has delivered me this previously unheard phrase, and so I consider its value to be immeasurable! Truly sorry that @kontemax had a bad experience. But agree with others that now is the time to breath and step away, and look to the good things in life … then later perhaps returning to all the lovely people on this super special forum – by far the loveliest place I visit on the internet each week. Love to everyone, esp @kontemax
  12. If it’s rarely run (or a shelf queen) then it won’t be a money pit. The best things about an Avante are: 1) Building it. 2) Staring at it, knowing you built it. 3) Sometimes just… touching it a bit 😘 Enjoy it!
  13. My crazy project has been stalled for a while! Hoping I find time for it this summer.
  14. https://tamiyablog.com/2023/07/tamiya-official-mini-4wd-package-art-collection-book/ This looks amazing. Is there something similar for RC boxart?
  15. I got love for Buyee, many positive experiences even when having to manually contact their customer service team. I recently balked at the high airfreight shipping costs and went for sea freight as a cheaper option. Despite warnings about risk of damage, my good arrived in perfect order. The Japanese tend to go overboard with the bobble wrap. Shipping to the UK by sea was about 8 or 10 weeks, which was fine for me. When I have use the air options I have sometimes had stuff at my door with min 5 days. Pretty amazing. My only issue is figuring out what to do with all the random things I buy there! 8ft wide printed ‘Leisure sheet’ with a blow up of the Avante Mini 4wd box art? Sure! I need that in my life… somewhere??…. I’ll file it next to these out of dare Bubble Bobble gatcha machine gummies ….
  16. This is a good point. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit manages it at one end of the spectrum, and at the other end, this is what DRS isn Formal One is, right? I guess it requires a local wifi network to throttle everyone's ESCs to 80% until they hit a particular area of track (bluetooth transponder or something) that acts as a speed boost. Unsure how a Bullet Bill would work :-) To have your car taken over by a perfect AI bot for 10 seconds wood be pretty cool though. Might be more trouble than it's worth :-)
  17. In this video, at around 37 mins, you can see that you do actually get to drive a Thundershot! Shows on the title screen below, too (red and white car)
  18. Sure I have seen some reference to these games here on TC but couldn't find a relevant thread due to the relevant word being rather generic so … I stumbled onto these games today, and thought I would share. There are numerous RC-related games over the years, but these ones lean heavily on some Tamiya stuff. Both the 1987 original and the 1992 sequel to R.C Pro-Am are developed by Rare, later famous for Goldeneye on the N64 and a bunch of other Xbox stuff. What caught my eye today was a screenshot of the loading screen for the sequel, which is unquestionably a modified Thudershot – though looks more like the Mini 4wd version due to wheel size and style. You can see a video of the games here: Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA-430ZNqZg Sequel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCwGqCH4CJ0 The original obviously features a G-Wagon and a Honda City Turbo (Willy's Wheeler) on the splash screen, and drivable cars include a Unimog. I'm sure I've seen this image discussed here (and perhaps even someone recreating the splash screen with realtors? The sequel has this cool modified Thudershot, which I'd never seen before. Anyone hit us up with a pic of their ruby red thunder shot with blue hotshot wheels ad a rear wing? I've not watched al the way through the videos yet, but I assume other Tamiya secrets lie buried in there! Have fun :-)
  19. Yeah, sometimes even seemingly obvious things can be hard to figure out. I had a similar issue with a Carson transmitter (I couldn’t figure out where the dual rate dial was). Instructions were rubbish, but once I got the answer it seemed so obvious! On cheap Carson stuff, lots of the plastic parts are just decoration and not actually functional. I had mistaken the dual rate dial for just such a decorative touch and ignored it! Anyway, this forum is just the best, and completely tolerant of all kinds of questions. So glad you got an answer @DadofBear! Welcome to Tamiyaclub!
  20. 10 good years, I hope. Cheers to you!
  21. @Yoshimitsu, in case you haven’t seen this! Dash Emperor in Cup Noodle garb. https://www.facebook.com/208099459316998/posts/pfbid0e6BdkeVV9cngcBeWh7awp4j3d5UNnac2MXPbd1S8ah6X8xGyqxtuHubFqwkKKJukl/?app=fbl
  22. Expecting my MCI decals in the post any day now… excited that I may be able to make progress over the festive period.
  23. You’re living a fantasy, mate! See previous posts for far more realistic scenarios.
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