the buggy that got me hooked
I bought this Dark Impact as a present for myself. I'd thought about getting another RC for a few weeks, researched on the web, popped into the local hobby shop, and eventually took the plunge and went for Tamiya's latest 4wd buggy.
The build was great fun, it's now completely finished and painted in standard colours, and get run mostly in the gravel/dust carpark at a local forrestry reserve.
Plans at the moment are for some decent shocks and a hotter motor, otherwise it'll remain largely stock unless things get broken.
UPDATE 2008-04-02: I've finally got around to taking updated pics of the running model and hop-ups. The Dark Impact is now running a Tamiya 101 ESC, a Super Stock BZ motor, aluminium steering with ball bearings (can't remember which mfr, possibly 3-Racing), 3-Racing oil shocks, 3-Racing graphite shock towers, 3-Racing gearbox cover and Tamiya heavy duty metal rear drive cups (the plastic ones break very easily).
I am also using HPI Nitro Touring 2.2 5-spoke rims, narrowed at the front, with standard Tamiya tyres. HPI rims are very easy to narrow by connecting the wheel to a spare axle located in a cordless drill, spinning the wheel and holding a sharp craft knife gently against the inner bead. Eventually the wheel splits in two and the inner bead can be used as the outer bead provided CA glue is used to secure the tyre in place.