So, What Have You Done Today?

[Willy iine 18823]

For me, drove my Mini-Z 4x4 Jimny with new oil dampers on the Kyosho terrain.  What a difference those dampers make. So smooth.   

Then drove a couple of my Mini-Z's. Tomorrow I'm going to cut the Abarth body before heading out to the office for my money making gig,  

[ChrisRx718 4599]

9 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

M04 Giulia 

Interesting...

No, I don't have the space (or the money, for that matter )

As for the LiPo batteries, there's some good storage solutions or you can DIY your own from an old ammunition box (make sure to drill vent holes...I just leave the lid loose on mine 

Stick them at 'storage' voltage and don't let them get too cold / hot. Check them periodically with a battery checker (every LiPo owner should have one of these, anyway). The horror stories you read online are often down to poor storage solutions, damaged packs which have been ignored etc. 

[Badcrumble 4401]

1 hour ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Interesting...

 

 it is bog standard. Red.

Writing that post helped with getting my head round letting some go.

My son isn't happy about the FTX going though!

Not letting the LiPos get too hot / too cold is my main concern and why they won't be going in the new building - the worst case scenario undoes everything we are trying to achieve! 

Mine are in a bat safe box at the moment, at the storage voltage (though I ought to check them more often). I've tried to look after them!

[GToddC5 1571]

5 hours ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Interesting...

No, I don't have the space (or the money, for that matter )

As for the LiPo batteries, there's some good storage solutions or you can DIY your own from an old ammunition box (make sure to drill vent holes...I just leave the lid loose on mine 

Stick them at 'storage' voltage and don't let them get too cold / hot. Check them periodically with a battery checker (every LiPo owner should have one of these, anyway). The horror stories you read online are often down to poor storage solutions, damaged packs which have been ignored etc. 

I just set up two metal ammo boxes for battery storage - I removed the lid gaskets, cut the ends off and reinstalled only the ends. This gives the hinge and clamp end some closing tension, and the sides are left open to vent.

[cosworthwesty 693]

Finished my TT-01e iconic cup racer and practice body shell. 

[IXLR8 1268]

On 8/29/2023 at 9:43 AM, technics said:

Detailing and cleaning up. A lot of miscellaneous, the final stretch! There’s going to be three sets of original GT3 wheels for this one 😂😃. I’m blown away by this bodyset, hope Tamiya continues coming out with new and iconic models.

 

 

Your body shell looks amazing.  Well done sir!!

Could you please share your specific paint color choice and a source for those wheels?

[Willy iine 18823]

For me, finished cutting the Abarth body, but need to still reamer a few holes when I am back from the office.. yes, at my money making gig again. 

The good news is that the village finally came to finish the water main leak and now I can finally relax!   I am so happy the ordeal is finally over and now on the road to recovery (my lawn).  The water was turned off for 3 hours tops so it wasn’t bad at all.   I am going to test the lawn sprinkler system tonight to make sure none of the sprinkler heads get clogged with sediments from the repair.  One of my sink faucet aerator got clogged so cleaned that up.  

UPDATE:    So I finished fitting the body onto the MB01.  I have to say I am quite disappointed with the fitment as the front tires rub the body when turning.. the added steering angle I gained would have to be dialed back if I position the body semi-decently... even so, there is a huge wheel gap in the front to the point it looks pretty stupid.  And believe me, I am totally stupid so I know what I am talking about.  

So I tried my TOP Racing chassis... it's a drop in replacement to the MiniCooper body setup.. I just have to raise it just a tad in the rear, but it's pretty much a direct fit.  I can already see myself ditching the MB01 and running the Abarth body on my other m-chassis.. perhaps on my Xpress XM1 Competition which I haven't assembled yet.  A chassis that has proper camber adjustment.   (i uploaded several pictures on my instagram page Stories if anyone wants to check it out.   #pretendRCshop)

I think I'm going to get a Miata body down the road and run the body with the MB01's RWD.  👍

Edited August 30, 2023 by Willy iine

[Ferruz 12527]

@TurnipJF I am once again fascinated by your RC teapot kilt climbing event. Quite peculiar indeed! It looks like tons of fun. Well done with your results!

As for me, yesterday I did the first thing to be done after installing new kicks on a Hornet:

Today, given the rainy afternoon, I finished the checkup and did some quick tire lettering.

Very much useless one could say, as the sand will scrape it off quickly, and yet it had to be done: to me it enhances the looks of the buggy by a long shot, especially when in action.

So now the Hornet is all ready for the beach, and for its third road trip in four years. This time, if it fits, I may even bring an extra buggy just in case 

[Kowalski86 3983]

2 hours ago, Ferruz said:

@TurnipJF I am once again fascinated by your RC teapot kilt climbing event. Quite peculiar indeed! It looks like tons of fun. Well done with your results!

As for me, yesterday I did the first thing to be done after installing new kicks on a Hornet:

Today, given the rainy afternoon, I finished the checkup and did some quick tire lettering.

Very much useless one could say, as the sand will scrape it off quickly, and yet it had to be done: to me it enhances the looks of the buggy by a long shot, especially when in action.

Looks nice, and it's hardly "useless", even if the letters scrape off in one run, your time practicing lettering will help in the future.

On my end I drove my 2nd M05, which was supposed to be in the last Postal Race. With the stock diff, dogbones, etc it drives fine enough. Much less "snappy" than the Honda! I'm experimenting with different tire setups thus mismatched wheels.

[Willy iine 18823]

For me, I should be getting my MR02 RWD Mini-Z today with a Miata body.  I chose RTR version (with radio) as I don't know whether I have the rear section to make my 94mm MR03EVO (EVO's I can run off my 7PX-R) to fit the 90mm M  body.. regardless, I am wanting to try the wheels off the Miata to see how they fit on my MR03EVO/Hakosuka GT-R body.  I think the current modern classic look works on the Mini-Z, but will see if the Miata body can fit offset wise as well.  These are all trial and error.

I am expecting a MA03 GR Supra Mini-Z body this week so will try the MR03EVO's current setup on that body as well.. these are all 94mm L AWD bodies, but the issue is the AWD Mini-Z (MA03) use a different wheel hub vs the RWD (MR03) Mini-Z.. and as you all might know, I'm not much of a fan of their AWD Mini-Z's regardless of EVO or not.  They just don't drive precisely like the RWD's pan-car like precision driving so been attempting to force fit AWD bodies onto my MR03 EVO's. 

I have a blue limited edition MR03EVO cued up for purchase with receiver model and body.. not sure what I'm waiting for.. I should just hit buy..  

After I finish up a honey-do this morning, I am going to start masking the Abarth body for paint later today.  Goal is to paint the polycarbonate today/tomorrow, brush paint the plastic bits over the weekend.. my Mini-Z's have been my primary focus this week.

[technics 3161]

@IXLR8

 

Thank you!

 

Yes it’s very realistic and looks completely OEM.

It is Tamiya PS-63 Bright Gunmetal backed with white until you run the can empty 😂😂

 

The original Porsche 993 GT3 wheels are by Rc Racing Legends! 

 

https://www.facebook.com/RCRacingLegends

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334955354786

 

 

 

[Willy iine 18823]

@technics  Dang, you weren't kidding..  your car looks very much like the photo above.  👍

 

So for me, got my MR03 this morning while I was masking  and painting the Abarth body.  Going to play with the M03 a little bit with my MR03EVO to see what options it can bring me.  I ordered another spare body and that blue MR03EVO I mentioned above.       You only live once, right?      Those MR03EVO's special editions (red, blue green) are absolutely fantastic.. they are basically fully loaded in stock from so I don't need to get anything else unless I want to, like the CF lower plate for rear section.  That is the only mod I do.

[Yoshimitsu 3477]

Spotlight covers tonight. 

[Yoshimitsu 3477]

Not content with one thing on the go I've been chipping away at a cockpit today too.

[TurnipJF 9718]

Started building my birthday present - the Mercedes C11:

Not a fan of the weak and sloppy Grasshopper-esque steering, so I fitted a few upgrades including a metal-geared servo, high torque servo saver, carbon reinforced uprights, titanium turnbuckles and 5mm adjusters with steel balls.

A slight deviation from the manual was needed to get the connectors to clear the servo saver, but it all fits and works superbly, feeling more like an F104 Pro II than a Grasshopper.

 

[Willy iine 18823]

7 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

Started building my birthday present - the Mercedes C11: 

Not a fan of the weak and sloppy Grasshopper-esque steering, so I fitted a few upgrades including a metal-geared servo, high torque servo saver, carbon reinforced uprights, titanium turnbuckles and 5mm adjusters with steel balls.

A slight deviation from the manual was needed to get the connectors to clear the servo saver, but it all fits and works superbly, feeling more like an F104 Pro II than a Grasshopper.

 

 

That's good!      We're Tamiya fans but so harsh at times.  (in a good constructive way) Like my MB01 was boxed up and tossed into the closet this afternoon.

 

So for me, I finished the spray painting of the Abarth body and test fitting onto my M-Four which is my choice in chassis for this body.  Tomorrow I'm taking a day off so after a few errands in the morning, going to decal the body.

I tried a different wheel set from my new MiniZ Miata (ND) today on the MR03EVO Hakosuka GTR.  I like the silver mesh and these wheels.  I should be getting the GR Supra body tomorrow to test fit.    I can't post pictures for some reason (I get a -200 error) so please check out my instagram page Stories if interested.  I think both cars look pretty good with the different wheel sets.    The Miata will get its original wheels back next week when the spare body set arrives.  

 

[alvinlwh 6868]

.

[Kowalski86 3983]

I took this thing few a few spins, and I've been impressed so far.

It's easy to work on (mostly), close to a real buggy in its suspension setup, handles good (compared to any other vintage/rere Tamiya owned), and accepts Hornet/Brat/Hopper wheels and tires.

That being said, I did have to pinch the hubs from my Frog (one of the ones on it cracked), and install the re-re Frog dogbones that I had sitting around.

[Kowalski86 3983]

On 8/29/2023 at 5:23 PM, Badcrumble said:

I have been trying to draw up a list of what to let go. A list that has been making me a bit sad (Jr BC isn't that happy about it either). Mulling over thinning the herd by 

M04 Giulia 

Frog chassis (in bits)

ORV bitsa (Frog, Brat, summat else)

Will you be listing these on the site?

On 8/29/2023 at 5:28 PM, Sogogi said:

Interesting. I am in the similar boat where i want to focus more on nimh batteries and deprecate(?) lipos since 

1. i do not race

2. much less hassle 

A big reason why I don't bother with LiPOs, is that Nimhs are easier for me to maintain. I just charge them, drive, put them away.

Plus, on my M chassis I'd be going through tires every drive, not just every other drive!

[lsear2905 1279]

 

[lsear2905 1279]

This '-200' error is doing my head in! I had 7 photos to upload, it let me upload 3. Now I can't upload the other 4?

[GeeWings 2857]

21 minutes ago, lsear2905 said:

This '-200' error is doing my head in! I had 7 photos to upload, it let me upload 3. Now I can't upload the other 4?

I think it's because your images are collectively too large when uploading and it's hitting a buffer error.

Are you resizing images before/when you upload or just letting the forum software resize?

 

[lsear2905 1279]

36 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

I think it's because your images are collectively too large when uploading and it's hitting a buffer error.

Are you resizing images before/when you upload or just letting the forum software resize?

 

They have been dramatically shrunk and compressed. It's not that.

[Sogogi 3333]

1 hour ago, lsear2905 said:

They have been dramatically shrunk and compressed. It's not that.

+1. Uncompressed larger file works for me. Something is up

[lsear2905 1279]

1 hour ago, Sogogi said:

+1. Uncompressed larger file works for me. Something is up