New Lunchbox Owner

[RZAR66]

Just bought a LB Kit about 3 days ago. Called around to all the LHS in my area and only one place had it. This is my first Tamiya RC Car and always wanted one when I was just a young buck. just about done with the kit. Just have to finish detailing the body. I ran it yesterday and i already am looking for a faster motor to replace the stocker. Anyways great forum. I have been picking up alot of ideas. Just confused about what shock to use for the 3rd shock mod.

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

Welcome to the site!

The painted shell looks very nice.

Any short length oil shock will work for the 3rd shock mod. (Or real short ones from tamiya's M chassis cars and touring cars)

I used a monster beetle oil shock on mine as it's what i had spare at the time.

[RZAR66]

Thanks, when you mean short shock is there a maximum length that i need to look out for?

[Olly_Lunchbox]

Thanks, when you mean short shock is there a maximum length that i need to look out for?

probably an old beetle shock as used by mymonsterbeetleisbroken is the maximum length shock you could use but it depends where you mount the top of the shock.

There's two guides here which you've probably seen but if you look at the one by greenbeetle you'll see he's used a very short shock and the top of it is mounted much lower than the top of the beetle shock in the hellybelly's guide.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...65&id=14925

and

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...9382&id=278

I bought a set of Madbull shocks cheaply off eBay which while only being coil shocks gave me the option of using a short or a long one. I plumped for the short one and it works great!

[RZAR66]

Thanks for the help and the links! Just put the stickers on and clear coated the shell. All thats left is chorme and windows.

[Olly_Lunchbox]

You're welcome mate,

don't forget to upload a pic of finished lunchy so we can have a look!

[RZAR66]

You're welcome mate,

don't forget to upload a pic of finished lunchy so we can have a look!

Here you go! I also just scored a set of HPI 5 star chrome rims (rear only) from hobby people today. I found them in their clearance box for only 5 bucks. Now i just have to find the fronts. The guy at the counter said they are discontinued.

[Olly_Lunchbox]

SWEET!

Nice van and some lovely looking weather you have there. Now go get some battle damage!

[RZAR66]

The weather in San Diego is always nice. We get two seasons here, Summer and Spring. LOL I just got in from running it and I swear i was so scared of scratching the newly done body i was babying it the whole time. I guess i'll get over the first time I roll it.

[Olly_Lunchbox]

The weather in San Diego is always nice. We get two seasons here, Summer and Spring. LOL I just got in from running it and I swear i was so scared of scratching the newly done body i was babying it the whole time. I guess i'll get over the first time I roll it.

You sure this is your first build? You've done a cracking job!

You'll soon get over the fear of scratching it and once you do you can go nuts with it then with no fear. And at least you have the good weather, think of us poor lot in the U.K.

Scratches are the least of our worries, we have to run in rain and mud literally ALL THE TIME! My Lunchbox still has some 6 month old mud on the underside from last bash.

[RZAR66]

Thanks funny. Here in San Diego people beg for rain. It never rains here instead we get horrible fires everywhere. This really is my first build. Although I am a diesel mechanic so maybe that helps and I am currently restoring a 77 VW bus. Right now i would give anything to be there right now (in the UK) so I can see my Chargers play the Saints. Anyway just ordered a set of CVA's, and HPI 5 star front rims to match the rear from Tower Hobbies today. Next will be a new faster motor.

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

Excellent job on the box!

I'd recommend a good quality 23 turn motor if you are not going to modify the chassis beyond oil shocks.

19 turns will give it nice top speed with good torque for wheelies, but you'll risk rolling it more often.

Lowering the front suspension will help keep it on its wheels too. It should work out a little lower with the CVA's fitted.

[skip665]

Gorgeous box - has Vanessa passed it onto a new owner though?

I went down to a 17t motor in my 'box but have now returned to a good old Tamiya Sport Tuned as I felt it gives plenty of speed whilst keeping the cornering ability at pretty much flat out...

[RZAR66]

Thanks for the comments! This was a really fun build. My fiance and I both worked on detailing the body. We messed up by mounting the racing stripes too high so I had to trim the "Vanessa" portion off the lunchbox sticker to get it to fit. I have been doing some research about motors and now i am torn between the Sport tuned motor and the BZ? motor. On the tower hobbies web site there at two sport tuned motors and not sure which is the right one. Are both these motors a direct bolt in? Right now I am running some off brand 3300 mah battery. I am kinda new to electric, I used to own a Nitro MGT. The last time I messed with electric was when the first RC10T came out in the early 90's and i was racing in the novice class at my LHS. Remember the old slot machine and mach one motors? Back then I was using 1600 mah battery packs with a timed charger. Boy have things changed!

[Saito]

Both the Super Stocks and Sport Tuned motors bolt right in. Tower actually has 3 Sport Tunes listed. You don't want the one for the GB-01 or the TamTech Gear cars. You need the standard 540 size that goes for $19.99 I believe. The Sport Tuned works fine with the stock ESC. The Super Stocks are hit or miss. Some here have no problems while others have had the ESC go into thermal shut down (safety mode) due to the higher amp draw.

[RZAR66]

Thanks, I thought it was the 19.99 one from tower. Just needed to make sure. Not to bad of price compared to the other motors. I think I'll try that out first and if I want to go faster looks like i may need to move up to a better ESC.

[tamiya monkey]

im going for a ezrun brushless setup for my box, the 9t should be quick enough without being crazy and at the prices on ebay im ordering a few for the other cars.

[skip665]

im going for a ezrun brushless setup for my box, the 9t should be quick enough without being crazy and at the prices on ebay im ordering a few for the other cars.

I dont think you quite realise how fast the 9t version is! I have one in my Thunder Dragon and its mental fast - it will make the 'box straight line only!

[tamiya monkey]

maybe i should go for the 13t instead for the lunchbox project lol.

[spencem875]

Running a HPI 15T in mine atm, very nice.

[RZAR66]

MY LHS just sold me a Orion method 19t motor and now it flies. So much fun. Wheelys for days.

[Blacque Jacque]

.............cornering ability at pretty much flat out...

What part number is that hopup then ?

I run a Dynasty V2 19T in mine along with a full compliment of 5 oil shocks, plenty of wheely power but not silly fast, although I managed a double forward roll & back on it's wheels at the last EB meet

[RZAR66]

Well i Just got my CVA's in yesterday from Tower and I was wondering how you guys set them up? Mainly which piston and spring did you use? Stiff or soft spring? 1,2 or 3 hole piston? Thanks

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

Make the rear as soft as possible to compensate for the unsprung weight of the gearbox and motor.

Fronts medium to stop the suspension moving too much, as the front wheels camber angle changes when the suspension compresses.

You might want to angle the rear shocks outwards by using long bolts at the lower mounting points. Putting them on at an angle stops the gearbox wobbling side to side, which spoils the handling a fair bit.

[Jonny Retro]

What part number is that hopup then ?

...

Don't scoff, I can use full lock and full throttle at the same time on my VLB.

It won't change course in the slightest, mind you