The noob goes racing

[andymac1981 2]

Disclaimer

I have seen a few of these threads and I have found them both entertaining and helpful. The reason I thought I would start my own is to documents my adventures into the world of RC racing and if all goes well maybe keep it up to date with my progress I also hope to help others that are maybe starting for the 1st time not to make the mistakes I will inevitably will make!

How it all began!

So I have always had some sort of RC vehicle around me for as long as I can remember but since no age my favourite has always been cars! I am a bit of a 1:1 petrol head so needless to say that transfers straight to the RC version and cars are by far my favourite. In the past I have had everything from Mini Z's to 1/10 electric to 1/8th on road Nitro.Although I have never done anything other than a bit or car park bashing!

A few months back a friend ask me to do a small job for him (Im a spark by trade). Upon climbing into his roofspace it was a treasure trove from the past! There was everything I even spied a game gear still in its original box. But sitting nestled in the corner I spotted his TT01 still in its original box. I begged him to get it down and get it charged up but to no avail. Fast forward a few months and he calls me and asks if I would like to buy it, after some tense negotiations the price was set and I was again the owner of a TT01.

Deciding to race

So being a bit of a tinker the first thing I did was strip the car right down and clean it before rebuilding it, batteries were charged and out I went. After a few batteries I remembered why I always got bored! A standard TT01 with all its grip is no fun to bash about a car park with, I decided I want to race! Although I also wanted a drift car.
After putting a post on a facebook group showing off my latest acquisition someone said they knew somewhere I could race it, I was really interested though buy now I had started to tighten up the standard diffs and drift tyres where soon to be on their way along with some other goodies. There was only one solution I had to buy another chasis and build a dedicated race car (needless to say the wife isnt too happy).
So as I sit typing this I await 5.30pm to come so me and 3 friends (who are all for buying drift cars) head to the not so local model shop to see what they have. TBH Im like a child on Christmas eve! The local club run a TT01/02 Winter series that I am planning to enter so the chassis will be either of those. As for motor ESC ect there are a few restrictions and I havent decided if I am going brushed (till I learn some racecraft) or all out brushless (go hard or go home). That is my opening post and I will follow this with an update of what I have done to the TT01 to turn it into a drift car to bash in the car park with some mates, though I may also enter some drift races with it watch this space!

[andymac1981 2]

So onto the current TT01 and possible drift racer.

As you seen in the previous post the car started of as completely standard and I started by removing the spoiler and rally type decals. Next was a trip to that not so local model shop. What I bought is listed below.

500,000 silicone oil

Drift wheels

New 15T motor

New ESC (original one was missing reverse)

a new drift style body shell

So it was back home and straight to work, stripped out the diffs and added the silicone oil to tighten them up, and added the drift wheels, next fitted the ESC and motor and time for the hard part painting the body shell. In all the time I have been involved in RC I have never cut nor painted a body shell it was daunting to say the least. I read and re-read forums and blogs to get all the tips I could and then I worked up the nerves to get stuck in. I wanted it to look as respectable as possible!

1st was the marking body posts and wheel arches and getting it cut out

Next was the window masks

Followed by masking off the paint design I had in mind. The curves of the body helped with this!

Then I went against all the advice I read on forums and blogs and did the lighter coat 1st! I thought since it was white this wasn't too big a deal.

Then on with the darker coat.

And finally placed it on the car!

Ok so it is far from perfect but I am well pleased with the final results. If you get close enough you can see where the paint has bled in places so either my dodgy masking job or I used poor quality tape. To me it was the tape, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

So now only 3 hours to go till I leave for my spending spree and have a lot of work building and painting!

[andymac1981 2]

So the time finally arrived and off we set. There was 4 of us and we drew straws to see who would drive and I avoided the cut although I did end up driving my mates car home! Anyway back to business, I love this model shop and if it wasn't for the fact it is so far away I would probably be bankrupt!

We went in to the shop and each of my friends bought drift cars for some car park bashing but I had a good browse around and opted for this!

It consisted of

TT02R Chassis

Carson Reflex Wheel 2 Pro

Futuba Servo

Aluminium Damper Set

Universal Drive Shafts (front)

2 x 3300 batteries

A shell (TBA)

I really couldn't decide on which option to go with in regards to the motor so in the mean time I will use a motor and ESC I have in the house to get my running while I research what I want to do.

All in all not a bad evening and the owner of the shop did all 3 of us that bought cars a great deal and was very competitive with online prices. Next up is the task of building the new chassis! although I have had many cars (mostly Tamiya) and stripped and rebuilt on many an occasion this will be the 1st brand new kit I have ever built so I am quite looking forward to it!

[Effigy3 1267]

Welcome to the club Andy. How exciting, your first new build! I've never owned an on-road car but it sure will be interesting to follow your progress building and racing the TT-02R.

[andymac1981 2]

Thanks for the welcome I really should post in the introductions if there is one lol. Haven't had much time with work and family lately to update but the car is now built and it was fun though frustrating at times and still haven't the steering properly sorted! I might post up 2 build threads in the relevant sections, one for the race car and one for the drift and link to them from here as I have all the pics ect. Hopefully I will have some updates on here soon!