Moment of insanity

[chungleong]

The thought suddenly crossed my mind; I wondered why I was keeping so many cars and trucks when I only ever regularly drive one, at most two of them. That's because I got only two sets of radio and electronics to go around.

Several cars sit as new built and never run. No they aren't particularly collectible cars (Corolla WRC, Mazda MX-5, Jaccs Accord).

Some cars were obtained for much cost (Hilux, Mountaineer, Bruiser and TGX and have once upon a time turned a wheel in anger, but haven't moved under its own propulsion in the past one year at least).

I only run a TA03FR (my own concotion of a front motored rear wheel drive car) and my TB-EVO.

I went through the same phase once upon a time and sold the first Mountaineer I'd ever bought (it even had an unpainted body!). Totally regretted the sale.

Anyone ever felt the same way as me?

[njmlondon]

I totally understand your dilema...

I am just getting back into the hobby so am trying to control myself and only get the best of the best...

Personally i love intricate chassis with slick bodies... in my opinion everything Tamiya is about... so have fixed my attention on a 959, Avante, and TA03RS-TRF with GT2 body...

Only problem I can see is what will I do when I have them!?!?!? i think thats when it all goes wrong!

[netsmithUK]

Try not to think about it too hard - or you will realise that none of it actually makes any sense.

[bholio]

I mount my ESC's and Receivers with velcro instead of servo tape. This way they are portable from car to car with little effort. I do keep steering servos in each car however, due to the time it takes to bolt the steering servo in. I can switch from one car to another in about 5 minutes. Servo-reverse switches and trim knobs take care of slight differences between the radio gear and steering servo.

Works great. I like having multiple cars. Allows for a change of pace now and then.

[Fantuzzi]

I can understand your thoughts pretty well. Actually I’ve got 7 active cars. Even the Bruiser, who’s driving manners are a little bit disappointing from my point of view, has got a complete radio equipment to be RTR.

Even if I’m an active driver on a indoor race track in my neighbourhood, I’ve got only time every one two months to drive the off road cars. That’s the reason why I want to have all the models to my disposal, when I want them without wasting time preparing the radio equipment.

[tamiyafanatic]

you are not alone. I have 6 3-speeds with 3 NIBs and 3-not even completely built kits to build. I have always wondered how its like to run a Bruiser but I have never even driven one of them.

Then, I ended up with all the racing buggies PLUS 4 almost complete chassis. I sold all 4 chassis and not even kept one for myself. Now I'm wondering if I should have kept one, bought a lexan SS body and have a runner.

[wldnas]

I know the feeling, I have nearly 50 cars, I hardly ever run then except to test drive in the street, and whats more I dont even have my cars on DISPLAY!! they spend most of the time boxed up in the loft.

now and again I will get one down and do a bit of work on it but for the most part they stand idle.

Crazy!! you bet it is and yet the only justification for doing it I have is that warm fuzzy feeling you get from just knowing That you own all that stuff.

but I think you'll find most collectors of anything are exactly the same.

[jhellman(2)]

Hi,

does anyone have a good solution for "portable receiver + ESC". What I mean with this is to have for example one easy to attach plate having radio receiver + ESC mounted on the plate. This plate would have clip-ons or something with which it would attach to a "base".

Having this kind of "bases" on your cars, you could easily have just a couple radios + receivers + ESC and maintain a instantly driveable car pool (even very large ciollection). Of course all these would have steering servos mounted on.

I have a few cars (5 to be exact) and I want to have them all in "just plug the battery on and drive" condition. It's getting expensive to buy a bunch of similar receivers and ESCs.

Have you ever run into something that would solve this minor "issue".

cheers,

Juha

[mr_lister999.]

Put some sort of connector onto all the cables like bullet plugs. Then use a great invention called VELCRO (hook and loop tape it may be called) It holds the ESC and reciever in fine and of course is very cheap. Only need an inch strip for each piece of equipment. It really works and is perfect as it allows the radio gear to "float" This is importants as if it is glued to the chassis it takes the full vibrations on the chassis and can damage the electronics eventually and cause interference. Velco is a god send!

[chungleong]

Well the issue wasn't about the swapping of radio gear; more about radio control models that ended up being static models (and taking up space). I'd been swapping radio gear from the moment I had more cars than transmitters!

On a positive note, I'm probably going to take my TB-Evo back racing; today's run was a positive one and I'm slowly getting back into things.

[SJoerD]

I use the vel-tape (hooks and loops) as well. It works very well, I have only 1 transmitter / ESC so I have to switch every time I want to drive something else. It's superb stuff. [^]

You can aply it with the 'oridinairy' servo tape. Don't try to make the pieces you paste to the ESC / chassis too big (sticking out on the sides): this way it will easily peel off. If you exactly cut the pieces to size, you'll have lot of good time with it. It's easily cut with a sharp hobby-blade, from the side.

Now all you have to do it deside whether you paste the hooks on the electrics and the loops on the chassis, or the other way round. I took the first option though... [] As you will need less of the hooks this way (in most cases, you have more cars than electrics), you can use then for something else. It stucks on other wooly stuff too. []

Sjoerd [8D]

[jhellman(2)]

Hi,

thanks for the tip on velcro tape - I'll use that!

Sorry for messing up the discussion on static versus runner. Personally I do not understand using RC cars as static models. Why are "RC" if they are not used for that purpose. There are plenty of good static models, why "waste" good driveable RC cars. This includes also the true vintage cars - I only have one car that can be classified as true vintage - Rough Rider, it is in very good original shape but I have no hesitation to drive it round.

Br,

Juha

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by jhellman

thanks for the tip on velcro tape - I'll use that!

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Velcro tape does its job for mounting ESCs and RXes, but personally I just use BluTac (aka uTac) or any similar product. It does the job well, it survived even on the well-run WildWilly2 so can't really say much against it.

Biggest problem with velcro is you have to sit down and plan which side goes where, then standardise it across your fleet (too much brainwork for me [)]). The selfadhesive side loses its tack after a few goes in the dirt too.

quote:

Originally posted by jhellman

Personally I do not understand using RC cars as static models. Why are "RC" if they are not used for that purpose. There are plenty of good static models, why "waste" good driveable RC cars.

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Given the choice between sitting for hours building & painting a little 1/24 blob of plastic... I'd rather build an RC for the shelf. At least the potential is there that it can be run, rather than have something that is built just to sit there - gradually deteriorating and have bits break off at each dusting.

As for having not enough RC gear... there's some good in collecting 'vintage' (or at least of similar vintage) RC gear too. Stick these into your old models and they can be mobile anytime at a moment's notice.

If (for whatever the reason) you limit your RC gear to AM stuff only, I'd dare say there's been NO worthy innovation on this front since, uhh, about 1975. Old stuff works just as well (if not *better*) than current AM gear; newer gear just a usually bit smaller that's all.

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by netsmithUK

Try not to think about it too hard - or you will realise that none of it actually makes any sense.

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Good one Chris... the answer is Forty-two (42).

[J3cubfan]

You can always collect as a means to achieving an end. I've rebuilt two Tamiya's car and have sold them so that I could offset the cost of getting one that I always wanted. I always wanted a 4wd Tamiya, but wasn't going to spend major $$ for a new Hi-Lux or Bruiser. So I settled on a Isuzu Mu. Quite happy with as a result.

As for switching radio gear, I agree with what the forum says to an extent. The receivers however should be associated with one car and one car only. Call me crazy, but I feel that too much handling will cause something to break. I feel that why about an ESC as well. The transmitter the only component IMHO that you can get away with doing this....

John

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by J3cubfan

You can always collect as a means to achieving an end. ... I always wanted a 4wd Tamiya, but wasn't going to spend major $$ for a new Hi-Lux or Bruiser. So I settled on a Isuzu Mu. Quite happy with as a result.

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Keep the eyes peeled for the Real Thing, John - you'll not be disappointed. The XCs are good to tide you over & aide your patience, but nothing else even compares to a Bruiser/Mounty.

If you're anything like me, until you get one you'll always have that annoying niggling feeling. [:I]

quote:

Originally posted by J3cubfan

As for switching radio gear, I agree with what the forum says to an extent. The receivers however should be associated with one car and one car only. Call me crazy, but I feel that too much handling will cause something to break.

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That's a first, but guess it does make sense. Servo leads usually take the worst of handling, and most of those plugs are only (officially) rated at less than 100 cycles.

[DJTheo]

quote:Given the choice between sitting for hours building & painting a little 1/24 blob of plastic... I'd rather build an RC for the shelf. At least the potential is there that it can be run, rather than have something that is built just to sit there - gradually deteriorating and have bits break off at each dusting.

id="quote">id="quote">

But think how much better an average 1/24 looks like than an average RC car (ok old hardbodied Tams are exceptions []) and how many more cars you can with the same money and space []

RCs purpose is to be driven and if you want big shelf queens, buy nice 1/12 static kits...

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by DJTheo

RCs purpose is to be driven and if you want big shelf queens, buy nice 1/12 static kits...

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I did -got a 934RSR- and now I have a dilemma... should I build it for the shelf or scum the shell for use on a RC?? [

]

[jhellman(2)]

Hi,

just to report: I've set-up a couple cars and electronics with velcro and it is incredible good - it sticks properly and certainly will save money when electrics are easy to swap. Thanks a lot for the tip!

-Juha

[Stu.B]

It is difficult when you have more cars than your radio gear will allow you to run. I used to have only one full set of radio gear but now i seem to have aquired enough to have every and any of my collection running at 5 mins notice. How have I managed this? I just buy stuff out of the small ads in the local paper, keep the radio and sell the bare rolling chassis on ebay. You usually break even and get free stuff. I have 10 cars and they all could run at once if i had different crystals!