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Hi, I need some advice.

My kid is now 11 and wants to get into RC racing. I have an old RC10 from the late 80s with a couple of Reedy motors and tekin 410k from my racing days. I got the car out and everything still works like the day I packed it away.... brings back memories! Question is; for my son do I give him my rc10 or get a newer Traxaas or something? The rc10 and tekin feel slightly like precious antiques. I haven’t investigated the new cars much yet but if they are anything like the Losi’s that came out as I stopped racing then the rc10 whilst beautiful is starting to show its age on the track. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 

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imho give him something current with parts that are easy to replace. i've no sprogs of my own but my nephews get to run the lunchbox. granted its not a racing rig but parts are easier to replace and its a hoot to bash.

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Save the rc10 for a shelf or light use in the backyard. If wanting to stick with team associated they have the rc10 b6 for 300, or ebay might have a used one for cheaper. If just having fun in the backyard i reccomend tamiya neo fighter.

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I would definitely start with something new. For one thing, an RC10 with a Tekin 410K in it is a fairly prized collector's item - not that you should not use it, but it would be a shame to see it get used up, as it surely would in the hands of a young driver. Better to save it for later, after you're sure the hobby is going to "take." And second, I think it would be more special for him to start out with a brand-new kit that's just his.

I would be looking at Tamiya DT-02 or DT-03 chassis cars. They're very similar architecture to the old RC10, but simplified a bit, generally tough as nails, easy to drive, and can be a decent club-level racer with a little practice and some well-chosen parts.

Then, later, when he has learned how to really drive one of these things, let him take the RC10 to the track, and he'll be the coolest kid there. But make him pay his dues on his own car...

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In the right conditions a RC10 can still be pretty competitive with the right driver. It has to be a track that suits the rear motor layout to be somewhat fair. I got a 6 gear car from one of my neighbors and ran in stock class one time with a old brushed motor which was hilarious. I even managed to get up into third place but I think the car broke out before the end. 

 

If your kid wants to race get a current gen team associated or whatever brand has the most local parts availability. He probably will want a car to run around the yard too so I think thats an excuse to get a couple of "fun" cars too. Members have already suggested some tamiya cars to get. Most tamiya cars are not competitive, but its far better for bashing than a race kit.

 

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My advice...find a club and find out what classes they race. Then find a suitable rig.

My rc club is 50% Tamiya chassis. And the rest is assorted others. HPI, Traxxas, Arma, Schumacher and Xray are  popular. 

The most common chassis by far is TT02 in the stock touring car class. (Silver cans) Originally it was a class for box stock HPI RS4. Now it is open to TT01, TT02, RS4 and even the odd MF01X. Some even run Schumacher Mi1 V2 with silver cans.

So to say this or that isn't competitive really depends on the rest of the field. My TT02 is competitive and capable of a decent showing, when my thumbs are firing on all cylinders. 

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I should have added my club also run a short course class predominantly for noobs and kids. It gives you a chance to learn without feeling like you're constantly in the way. Any cheap 2wd or 4wd sc trucks, stadium trucks or trophy trucks are allowed with sensible motor limits to encourage close racing. Most run HPI Blitz or Helions equivalent. A couple of more serious guys run an Arma Senton and Traxxas Slash.

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Thanks all, great advice. New car it is, will take a look at your suggestions on what to go for. Feel a lot better now that decision is made! I like the idea of him running the old classic, but the real life practicalities of it don’t stack up, at least for now...

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A guy at my club (large outdoor dirt track, caters to 8th scale as well) ran an RC10 Worlds rerelease last season and the car did ok.  He reckons the new RC10 B6 would've been worth 2sec a lap, which isn't that bad considering its a 40ish second lap.  Being a rerelease it was all new though, so he didn't have the durability issue that you would have running an original.

The best advice is to go to the club you want to run at and check it out.  I visited a few clubs and found that the one I expected to race at I didn't really like so ended up joining the one about 3 times as far away.  Check out what classes are popular, theres nothing worse than buying a car and then being the only one at the club who runs it.  You'll get to run in open or something, but then you won't be able to race properly as the cars are all different.  You'll also be able to work out who the guys chasing the final 10ths of a second are and buy one of their old cars off them, no doubt barely used with a bunch of hop ups for less than half what they paid for it.  A great time to buy is when a new model has just been released as many people will upgrade to the newest when there is very little difference between the new and old models.

I would get a race kit too, not an entry level kit and try to make it be able to race.  Race kits are far more durable for a start, but you'll also find you're limited on things like gearing if you take say a DT02 and run it in 17.5T stock class, you just won't be able to get the right gear ratio for the motor and will be well off the pace.  

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I should have added - the race kit thing applies to offroad only really.  There are plenty of decent touring car kits or F1 which are fine for the slower onroad classes.  A TA07 or TB05 would be fine, or the Xpress X1QS (I think, the cheap version which is about US100), Sakura etc.  They probably wouldn't be so good in mod but 21.5T classes are plenty fast enough, you don't need to run mod to have fun.

F1 you can run a F104 and keep up too.

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Like everyone ssaid, keep the RC10 for nostaglic memories. Get him a kit with lots of parts available and modern electronics (waterproof ESC, Lipo, brushless or brushed motor, waterproof servo).

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Yeah, get him something new(er).
I was actually thinking you could start him out with a B4. Shouldn't be expensive, parts are everywhere and it's in my opinion still a competent racer if a bit old hat.
Then break out the big bucks if your boy gets serious about racing.
It just bashing then anything Tamiya will do.

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My old RC10 was fun until it broke, and it broke a lot. It's just not suited to bashing. Tamiya parts are plentiful and for the most part cheap. Keep the RC10 for the nostalgia, but buy a bashable tamiya for some addictive fun is my opinion.

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"My old RC10 was fun until it broke, and it broke a lot. It's just not suited to bashing. Tamiya parts are plentiful and for the most part cheap. Keep the RC10 for the nostalgia, but buy a bashable tamiya for some addictive fun is my opinion"

Ignore me, I mis-read and assumed he wanted a basher. 

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I would definitely second what's been said above and say - find the club first, and ask what they recommend.  It can vary so much from track to track :)

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Sc6.1 or Losi 22..trinity 17.5 motor ...  Then race either rookie or stock class..shelf queen the rc10

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