Latrax version of the Rough Rider. $25 ebay
My very first indication that RC cars could be something more than the toy store junk that I had was when I was looking thru a 'Bennet Blue Book' catalog in the early 1980s. This was a few years before I saw my cousin's Sand Scorcher in person. There was an ad for a Latrax RC car which claimed it could hit 30mph. No way. 30! $250. Might as well be $1,000,000.
Anyway. I finally got that car. I'm pretty sure that LaTrax is the company which became Traxxas. I check ebay for Latrax every one in awhile and have seen 3 types of car. the first is a boxed toy-looking car with primitive toy looking remote (bright colored plastic and 'whip' antenna). The second is a pan car with modular RC gear. The third is the off road buggy with the same RC gear as the pan car.
The car looks like a copy of the Rough Rider. My opinion is that its not a copy of Tamiya's car, rather a model of a real offroad car, much like the Rough Rider is a model of a real offroad car. I think Latrax copied this one:
http://desertdust.homestead.com/57_Racer_p3.html The description of the 1:1 car shows it to be a 'Funco' which matches a decal on this one. The other decals and decoration match pretty well too.
Anyway, this Latrax car comes with a heavy metal wheel remote, I believe it's a rebadged Futaba remote (much like Traxxas remotes are today). I have no idea how to use it. I can't figure out how to hold it and still be able to activate the throttle, steering and not drop it. It's heavy too, would not be fun to drop on a toe.
The car is very interesting. The auction claimed 1979 vintage which, based on my catalog experience, could be accurate. The car appears unused. No scratches, tires have the molding rib still on them, and are not dry rotted. Everything is immaculate. Both front steering ball cups have become brittle. One was broken on arrival, the other was broken by my 2year old son. Tamiya ones fit fine.
The chassis is a fiberglass plate with metal front and rear suspension and gears bolted on. Electronics ride on a plastic tray attached to the main plate.
The front suspension looks alot like the rough rider. The front shocks look like the RR dampers, but they are simply shock tubes with internal springs. No dampers. Shock towers & cross bars look the same as the RR. Unlike the rough rider, there is only a single arm on each side, as opposed to 2 parallel arms on the RR. The actual layout and movement of the suspension is similar to that of the Traxxas cat.
There is no rear suspension, Solid axle. No diff. Looks to be a direct drive system, like a pancar, with a cover over the gears.
In addition to being in mint condition, the tires look just like Rough Rider ones, except they have very scale looking Goodyear logos all around. Rims are the same pattern as Rough Riders.
The hardware is a bit weak. The wheels and much of the suspension use C-clamps for attachment, instead of locknuts.
The electronics are very neat, considering the vintage. Fully proportional ESC. 1000 mah saddle-style battery pack. Battery plug looks like it came from the electronics industry. The car as a toggle-on/off switch and an integrated charging jack. All of the electronics are nicely packed together and zip tied to keep things neat. The battery seems to not be meant to be swapped frequently, but could be replaced in the even it permanently dies. The receiver is packed in a plastic bag.
The car also has the largest heatsinks I've ever seen on an RC car. There are 2, one for the motor and one for the ESC. Electronics are protected by metal side nerf bars.
The body is white Lexan which feels softer than than what is on current cars. Looks alot like the Rough rider, but seems a little wider. Details include lights, a front bumper thing and fake plastic 4-pack dampers in the back. Decals are paper backed stickers.
Comments
Cul-Tech
Now that's different! Nice find.
Brenton,
I can tell you how to run that radio for racing. I like the full size pic to go along with the scale. That is a cool find.
simensays
ah, killer tires with the Goodyear text on them! I want some! Great deal you struck there dude!
wldnas
WIKEDVETTE has the chassis to one of these in this showroom? nice to know what it is and what it really supposed to look like
1979 my dad bought me a latrax corvette and that car did every bit of 30 mph, i'm 41 now and i still have it. my son could not believe that we had that much technology back then to make them so fast
I just got a r/c car from the year 1979. It says it was manufactured in 1979 the body is of a 1979 corvette. I was wondering if anyone knew or had any information on it or specs on it. E mail me back thank you.
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