Golden

I haven't attached the “1:10th rc buggy” type sticker (a rare break with my box-art OCD fettish/lack of imagination) - but the bonnet does look a bit empty. Might use one of the turbo scorpion “shield” type stickers. Oh.... the first-world stress problems I have to deal with....

Thanks - the bowl of soapy water was the extra bit which helped from my previous effort. I was using a soapy spray solution - but I’m now a convert!

Oh ffs. I came on here innocently to ask a question about my VQS, and have a little browse... and now I’m buying more stuff! I need one of those!!! Looks useful for removing steering arms too as I tend to mash those up with long nose pliers....

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction of any uprated components for this? There must be something in aluminium or carbon fibre? Can’t find anything - only links to 3D printed bits. Many thanks!

Second effort.... one side has some tiny bubbles and one of the front corner lines doesn’t quite line up, but overall, it’s not bad. Just have to paint the driver once I can get some flat red and gloss yellow to copy the box art. And now to stress over whether to include the top fog roll bar.... thanks for the help everyone. In the end I used a spray bottle of water and soap and dragged the decal through soapy water too - and used a hairdryer to fix in position amd dry out the water. Couldn’t get a slither of backing off the decals for this model in order to place before unfurling like on my Tamiya models - but overall it’s ok...

Thanks - I’ll cut them out completely and then try to fit bit by bit. Completely stupid - but it ruined my day! Buggy can be TOTALLY ruined at what should be the easy bit! Thanks for the help everyone.

Thanks for this - is it best to try to fit the whole of a section of decal - so if I remove a third of the length of the backing - fit the whole of that length, and then move on to the next portion? I think I was matching the lower part of the decal to the bottom of the shell (as it has a stripe around the lower part which follows the bottom of the shell....) - and then tried to fold the whole thing up in one go - and this led to the problems.... the decals are quite tough (thicker than Tamiya I think) - so maybe soaking in hot water with soap in might help too - or just rely on the hairdryer.... For the Tamiya models I know they’re not precut so I spend a huge amount of time cutting them out with a scalpel - and then remove a small slither of backing to position, and slowly unfurl the decal from there. I think these are thicker so but more hairdryer and slowly, slowly as suggested. Thanks for the advice - will see how I go once the next batch of decals arrive. If I make a hash of that then I’m going to mask and paint the second shell instead! Hate not being able to do things properly....!

Just finished my Turbo Scorpion build, which was a really nice process (although my roll bar has a crack in one of the corners from the factory - only disappointed by that due to the quality of the other parts!) - painted the shell Tamiya ps-1 white - all lovely - but.... completely ruined the rest of my day by making a complete hash of the decals..... Please could someone offer some advice? I started off well, with the nose cone and “nostrils” looking great - used soapy water and a hairdryer - and had no real issue with positioning - but when it came to folding the longer side decals and rear quarter ones around the curves - complete disaster. Had bubbles and all sorts which wouldn’t squeeze out, and when I tried to use a hairdryer again I over stretched them. Ruined what was a great build and a pretty little car - and had an “emotional” moment - (I did my special swearing and everything). I ended up remove the lot and ordered a new body (as couldn’t find the decals separately) - but I have no idea how to avoid making the same mess next time round. Really appreciate some tips on how best to fold the decals over a panel line where there’s a change in angle - so the long side decals in particular fold up and over the horizontal swage line which runs along the length of the body..... should I start at one end of the car and stick top and bottom, stretching as I go, or start at the bottom (folding them up seemed to cause the problem...). I’ve done lots of decals before without issue - but really struggled and made a complete messed of it here. Grateful for some tips, particularly with using the hairdryer - and avoiding over stretching.... Someone else I came across had dunked each decal in very warm soapy water to soften them up first... I need a hug, dag-nam-it... :-(

Thanks for this. It looked like a natural consequence of the angle of rotation of the servo horn, contributed by the offset and far forward position of the servo as you mention. I’ll have a search. Many thanks!

I’ve just finished a Hot Shot build, and have noticed something quite strange with the steering... The right hand wheel turns more than the left hand one, and continues to turn when the left wheel tuns out of lock..... Is this due to the significantly different length steering rods from factory - or have I made a mistake in the build.... it looks like the amount of throw on each rod starts to change as the servo horn rotates towards the end of its range of motion, but I haven’t noticed this with other cars. I’ve used this exact servo with other models (a cheapish Carson which I pulled out of my Monster Beetle, as the ds version was too tall...) - and it was correctly zeroed before the horn was attached. Both wheels are slightly, and evenly toed in. I haven’t run the car outside yet - so perhaps no problems - but it looks very strange, as when I turn lock to lock, the right hand wheel definitely has a greater field of motion than the left. Grateful for any thoughts. I do have lots of build photos - and made a few mistakes (one of which technically requires a new chassis tub and two 3x27mm screws to be perfect (and I’ve ordered it all accordingly!). Not sure if it’s of any interest to post it, but it might help others from making the same mistakes? !

Thanks!

Thanks!

Mm. Seems a bit of a pain. Be good to know if anyone has tried any different brands which are available?

Hi - please could someone recommend oil based sharpie equivalents for tyre writing. I can’t seem to find any ultra fine tipped oil based sharpies in the UK. I’m after white and yellow, so nothing ridiculous... but can’t find any with ultra fine tips. Many thanks!

I’m not sure if it’s quite the same - but I struggled for hours with the rear tyres on my Hornet a few days ago. Soaked in hot water etc - and you of course have to put them in “standing up”.... but still no joy. I was seriously struggling - and searched you tube and found someone who used the handle ends of two soup ladles (hooking the end of the handle) inside the tyre to stretch it. Great idea. But I only have one soup ladle. But.... I do have some cheap and cheerful(crappy) door handles on our utility room door - and I was able to hook the end of the handle in the tyre and stretch it with one hand and cram the wheel in with the other. Took literally five seconds using this method - obviously don’t go nuts - but I was pulling quite hard and caused no damage to the door handle or the tyre. If you have round door handles, the it obviously won’t work...(!). See below.

Bit of a thread revival - but did this project get finished? I’m in the same boat (for the same reason!) - painted the body which looks great - but the decals make it look more of a toy than a model IMO.... I’m thinking about trying to mask and paint the outside of the body for the window rubbers - and then applying clear coat. But I think it’ll all flake off unless it's left as a complete non-runner shelf queen? Any updates OP (and are you in the P1woc...?!).

I’ll give it a go. Thanks! From reading-up a bit, it looks like the buggy’s too light for oil filled dampers to do much? Not sure what to use on it if I went that route - but I’ll try the above first.

I also use metal files. Large flat ones to even up any sill lines. And then the small hobby ones (flat and cylindrical/pointed) for corners. Nothing as intricate as some of the models above though - but I can see myself destroying a shell with a dremel!

I’ve used the slightly larger cups to add a bit more tension (so the “hard” setting from the manual) - which might be a mistake and I might swap to soft as it’ll be used in the garden not really in tarmac/car parks.... And I’m not using the o rings. So basically like pogo sticks I think!

Tidied it up a bit...:

You must have hands of steel! I was trying that for over an hour. I shall do a video of my door handle method - mostly for comedy value - but it takes about 5 seconds! You do kind of catch your fingers in the process - so there’s also the thrill of self-harm to savour... I reinserted the o rings and lubricated with damper oil, but they still bound on the shock shaft, so I’ve removed them and will go with pogo sticks for a while. How do you use the A5 parts for the shocks? And could you recommend a front damper? I’d love to use something retro/similar in appearance to the rears if I could. Many thanks!

I did use grease - but might try shock oil - as there’s obviously no damping at all with just the springs. Interesting to see how it fares.

That’s the sort of thing. Shame they never released anything to finish it off a bit more. Thanks for the ideas everyone.

Thanks for the above. There is actually another body on the driver sprue which is a bit wider, but I think I’ll move the electrics around a bit. I know it's a basic/entry level car, but I still want it to look as good as I can! I’ve got a big wig as it happens, so might see if that driver fits better too.