Andolf

Time for a quick update. The couple of battery packs is no longer accurate—it’s now one battery per day for me. But the joy? Yep, it’s still there. And although I’m not a competitive person, I’ve started thinking about trying my skills on a nearby track, just to see how it goes. Some thoughts about the DT-03. I really like how the car feels and drives, although a bit of extra power could be sufficient. I’m considering upgrading the Torque Tuned motor to something like the Traxxas Stinger (20T) (it’s cheap (25€), so why not try it), Nevertheless, these icy conditions aren’t exactly ideal for testing performance, so perhaps i should wait couple of moths. However, the extra power could also help further refine throttle control, making things even more interesting. Generally, I feel that dt-03 has provided nice way to explore this hobby. At first the question was: ”why does not this car turn”, when going full speed and trying to turn. Well, lesson learned, 2wd basic buggy in icy conditions does not behave like that, at least not mine. Or, why does it spinn if I give it full throtle exiting a corner in similar conditions. It has been so fun to learn new skill, and honestly the learning curve with dt-03 has been just right; its fun to drive around but when I set small challenges for myself, I can tell that if something doesn’t go right, it’s mostly down to my driving, not the car :). Nevertheless, still constantly exploring the potential next build (building the kit was such a fantastic experience for me). This lead to the question, as this hobby has really taken me, what do you think, should I focus on hopping up the dt-03 (turnbuckles, yes I want to learn to tune the car, new motor (not yet brushles for me) perhaps lipo battery etc.) or should I save up for a more capable and more potent 2WD vintage-oriented chassis (e.g. Super Astute, BBX, Cougar Classic, Turbo Scorpion, or something else) instead? (Somehow I really like the looks and presumably racing-oriented feel of the cougar (and yes I am up to the challange of building it; famous last words?). The super Astute could also be great next step, but I am a bit concerned about availability of parts…). It would be nice to hear your thoughts!

Dear all, Sorry for not being active—too many other obligations. Thank you all for your insightful answers; I really appreciate them! I managed to fix the ride height issue by adding spacers (all of them) to the shocks. Now the ride height seems more ‘normal.’ Let’s see how it affects the feel of the car. To answer your helpful inquiries: I am relatively sure that everything is built as suggested. Yep, I have ball bearings. I triple-checked the eyelets I used, and the supplied CVA kit didn’t include any longer ones. I’ve driven through a couple of battery packs, and man, this is fun! It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this kind of joy—nailing a ‘nice’ lap on a ‘course’ I laid out. Though, these icy conditions here in Finland make things a bit unpredictable. Thank you for your suggestions for the next project—it’s under consideration. My current approach is: a) Learn to drive this car. b) Learn how it behaves. c) Learn how adjustments (I should order the full turnbuckle set) affect performance and feel, and d) When the next paycheck arrives, forget all of this rational thinking and buy a new project. Heh. Will post some pictures as the weather conditios allow me to paint the body! Best, Antti

Dear all, After reading through this forum, I have to say—this seems like one of the friendliest and most welcoming hobby communities I’ve come across. congratulations to you all for fostering such a great atmosphere! I’ll do my best to contribute to this tradition. My experieneces with rc-cars started 80s when I got a Tyco Turbo Hopper for Christmas (I still have a few pieces of it left!). That car was one of the best gifts I ever received, and I wanted to share that joy with my son. So, I got him a BlackZon Slyder RTR, and after Christmas, I decided to treat myself as well—after plenty of research and video-watching, I finally picked up a DT-03 kit. Initially, I thought driving an RC car for 20 minutes after work would be a great way to unwind and boost my well-being. (Yep, I work in educational psychology research, and it definitely does!) But after completing the build, I realized it’s not just about driving—the real enjoyment, for me, is in building, modifying, and understanding how everything works. First question: The ground clearance at the front is approximately 6–7mm. Can this be improved? (I’m using the kit-suplied CVA dampers.) Should I use stiffer springs? I mostly drive on gravel. Second question: For someone interested in truly understanding how these cars work, what Tamiya or other platform would be the best? Should I continue exploring the DT-03 and DT-02 variants, or is there another model that would be better for learning? The pics for the Dt-03 are coming a bit latter, as the body is not yet painted Best, Antti