Justinite

What are some ways to protect the shell when it extends beyond the bumpers? Currently it will be the first thing hit in a collision I can get the extra-large foam-bumper hop-up, to make the bumpers reach all the way to the inside of the shell. Does that help or make things even harder on the shell? Should I try to sneak a lip of bumper out under the shell, ahead of it? (it'll cost me some ground clearance) Even if I buy&paint two shells so I can keep one of them looking nice, I'd appreciate any advice/tips/tricks on how to help protect the shell that is taking the beatings! Thanks

Heh, I'm an adult getting back into it for nostalgia, and the answers here are making me really notice how different things are as an adult! Back as a kid, we were dropped off at the track and would be picked up hours later, so we had to be self-sufficient to keep the car running that long and be able to repair it on-site. As kids we didn't have enough money for multiple cars (and if we did we often got something too different to be a backup car, eg one buggy and one road car). On race days (when a lot of kids with similar cars were in the same place) kids were constantly seeking/trading with each other for parts/tools they suddenly needed and didn't have, etc. As an adult, you can leave early if you want and do any repairs at home, a backup RC car is a realistic option, buying replacement parts on the spot is more affordable (and helps support the track!), etc, it's a different world! (Since I'm in it for the nostalgia, I'm going to go the old route of bringing spares and tools, even if I don't need them )

When you take a car out to a track or a location, what do you find is worth bringing to make sure your fun isn't cut short by something failing/breaking? (Let's say that extra batteries is covered )

Back in the day, kids serious about RC would often build or modify a portable one-stop station that contained everything they needed for an afternoon of fun and mishaps; the car & tx, tools, parts & spares, batteries & chargers, sometimes even a lead-acid battery because destinations rarely had convenient power outlets. The boxes often opened out and doubled as a work surface. They could typically be locked while occupied elsewhere in case of any light fingered kids. Are these still a thing? What are they called these days? I can't find many photos, and the ones I do are mostly for RC planes. I'm getting back into rc as a nostalgia adult so I'm out of touch. If you have something like this, can I encourage you to take some pictures and upload? These things were highly unique to each person and I think they deserve their own spotlight. (Alternatively, if there is already is a nice gallery of them somewhere, let me know!) Here are some of the (surprisingly rare) pictures I found around the web, and in real life I've seen some incredibly elaborate ones