Help! Help! Info Needed!

[SubaruBrattJunkie]

Greetings fellow nuts, I just bought a NIB PB Racing Apollo rear wheel drive nitro car circa 1993. It has all the instructions, such as they are and seems complete, basically a chassis and a bunch of packets of parts. I cannot find anything on the net about PB Racing, are they gone? Has someone taken them over? Is this car worth a hoot as far as a runner? Is or does it have any collector value as I would just as soon build it and put a very nice McAllister body on it. It has a pretty goofy drive system, jack shaft to a belt pulley to the ball diff final drive, it is however a 2 speed, but has no gear box as such, anyway, any information about it would be appreciated, I imagine it is fast as the devil in a straight line and hairy in the turns. The suspension also is lacking in travel but all that can be sorted with real instead of plastic shocks, AKA X-Ray 1/10th touring shocks. Has anyone built and run one, they were not inexpensive cars when they were new and I bought this one for a song and maybe that's all she's worth, so be it I would build it. Information please gentlemen and ladies? Thanks, SBJ

[SubaruBrattJunkie]

I do not believe this! One of the only RC cars ever built in England and no one knows anything about it? No one ever saw one in their LHS, discussed it with the staff, read an article nothing? Never heard of one winning a race, never had a mate that had one, never heard of one falling apart and turning into junk, some one out there must know something about this car! Might as well build it since it is just a box full of packets anyway, but sheesh nothing, glad I don't have something difficult to identify!

[gazwilts]

I do not believe this! One of the only RC cars ever built in England and no one knows anything about it? No one ever saw one in their LHS, discussed it with the staff, read an article nothing? Never heard of one winning a race, never had a mate that had one, never heard of one falling apart and turning into junk, some one out there must know something about this car! Might as well build it since it is just a box full of packets anyway, but sheesh nothing, glad I don't have something difficult to identify!

hey SBJ, i just done a search on google UK and found this http://www.rccars.stuandcathy.com/html/pb_apollo.html for the apollo

or http://www.rccars.stuandcathy.com/index.html

for the main page.

cant find much on PB racing but am familiar with the name from years ago, but only vagley. i also found a link to a club near me that had sponsoring from PB racing, but the link was dead

why not try contacting the guy who owns the site in the link, he has a website dedicated to those cars so is probably the best one to ask. looking at the links on his site, he looks to be a TC member!

gaz

[SubaruBrattJunkie]

This website is why I posted this to begin with. This guy has maybe 12 cars, one Apollo built from 2 and he has the most knowledge out there, which is practically none. He did answer the question of whether or not they are still in business, sadly no, and that this car is indeed rare as it is the only one they built that was like it. I have contacted him to see if he would like some pictures before I build it which I am going to do. He doesn't have the box art with his and his is somewhat different than mine looks but I am still looking through the packets instead of at the assembled car. The Dart looks like an interesting although for its size a fragile car. I am assuming it is about the same size as my JacRabbit but it, the Rabbit, is a lot more substantial than the Dart which looks like just a big 1/10th car. They had a propensity for goofy drive systems and this car is no different, I would like to talk to someone that knows what the quantities made is and what the market for it is before I assemble it and lower its value by half, or not. It may be worth more as spares, who knows? It is a nicely done one piece chassis from aluminum and belt drive although unconventional, it would look really good with the one off McAllister body I have, some one out there has to know something there are plenty of Mustangs and the like on the club site, come on guys give up the info, please! SBJ

[SubaruBrattJunkie]

There are a mere 4 other PB's on the site I could find, all buggy's. From what I have been able to find out, this was the only nitro on road car the company ever made so I guess it is somewhat rare or unusual depending on how you look at it. It must not be that interesting since when it was at auction I got it for the opener, 24.95 US and 15.00 shipping, so it is a 40 dollar car brand new in the box. I have decided to build it and put a very powerful O.S. .18 engine in it and a prototype Mc Allister body, alloy wheels and park it on my shelf as a rear wheel drive only car has no class to compete in and if you ever broke or wore anything out it would be curtains. I would still like to hear from anyone that has any information on this one off British designed car, or the company that built it, I have read about the founder, still consulting for other makers, and the demise of the corporation, I guess they were pretty spendy in the home market. Still curiosity has the better of me as usual and I would like to be able to discuss it intelligently. Let me know if you hear anything, thanks, SBJ

[kevinthegerbil]

Hello

I may not able to help you, bit I think this guy, Ted Longshaw may have information on PB products as I think he used to be a PB Sponsored Driver in the 80's. Here's a link to his shop and you may be able to contact him there.

http://www.tedlongshaw.co.uk/index.php?opt...2&Itemid=23

I used to race a PB9 and when onto the PB Alpha in the 80's. OMG I feel old now...........

[fastfordrc]

I think the reason why not many people know much about the Apollo is that 1/10th IC racing wasn't a popular racing class when the Apollo was released - IC racing up until the last 10-15 years in Britain at least was mostly confined to 1/8th scale onroad and offroad (which is where PB had most of their success with the International/Alpha/Nova/Diamond and Mustang/Xi2/X3 respectively). PB did venture into other classes every so often, such as the Apollo (IC) and the Sizzler (electric), which were Pro 10 scale, but the Pro 10 class was more popular in continental Europe and the likes of Serpent had it pretty much sewn up. It wasn't until PB tried their hand at 1/10th offroad with the Mini Mustang that they were successful outside 1/8th (which was a good thing, as the Burns/Inferno killed off the Mustang X3 in 1/8th rallycross, and Serpent/Kyosho/BMT and the like killed off the 1/8th onroad PB cars).

The Mini Mustang evolved into the Maxima and Ace, and was still moderately successful, but then PB focussed on the emerging 1/5th onroad class, and designed the Dart (which carried over some 1/8th parts). The Dart was expensive, and started being sold while still in development which meant it was not very reliable (especially in the suspension area and the carried-over 1/8th scale shocks), and drivers had to be issued with update kits to replace redesigned parts or adapt parts from other manufacturers (sadly, this reinforced the reputation of PB's products - innovative designs but the manufacturing quality wasn't quite there). Eventually, I think PB got into difficulties and Mr PB (Keith Plested) went into semi retirement. Now he runs KP Designs, which makes upgrade parts for 1/5th onroad cars, and he is involved in RC motorcycle racing (with a chassis of his own design). His website is

http://www.kp-designs.co.uk/

There is also this site, at RCTek which has some information on PB cars (not the Apollo though, unfortunately)

http://www.rctek.com/pb/index.html

I remember reading a forum once where a group of people were compiling a history of PB's cars, and made a list of all the model numbers, but unfortunately I can't find it again.

Andy