Help Me Everyone

[Poundin Popeye]

Hi, ive been into r/c cars for about 6 years now and this is alittle of the rc car subject but i didnt
know any other places to go, here let me start. In the summer of 1996 i had a diving accident
that parolized me from the chest down,i currently have the use of my right arm and alitte bit of
my left arm, i can not move my wrists or fingers. I was able to drive rc cars by useing the right
joystick of a airplane controler so i was able to drive my rc cars just like my electic wheelchair.
I seen a tv show on the discovrey channle were these people drove a real car with a remote
control, i also seen it on the movie Back To The Futer. I recently got into car stero and i
bought a mazda truck and i put a big stero system in it, and now i was woundering if
anyone knows, or knows someone, that knows how to modify a car to control it
by useing a remote controler. Just to let you know i have a buget of $6,000.00, and my dad
will be doing all the modifactions. Please help me i really want to drive my truck. Thanks.
Gary Antonietti
Sorry for the spelling i cant spell worth jack,lol.....

[Nairb]

Hey, dude. What level quadriplegic are ya? I'm a C-6 quad and I race hardcore. I was in a diving accident in the summer of '97.(Surprise, surprise, everybody) Anyway, I drive my van with regular hand controls and a tri-pin on the steering wheel. I've seen a van with a good setup for you. It had serious power steering and a very light throttle/brake control on the left armrest (forward = brake, back = gas, I think). You could easily drive from your electric wheelchair. Does your right tricep work? If not, you can still steer, but it will be harder. Can you move your left arm forward/back in a controlled manner? It just might work. I think you should investigate your options. How old are you? Check for a State Vocational Rehabilitation Office; they can help a LOT. They paid to adapt my van for me and they're paying for college, too...not to mention my computer. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

For those of you that are curious...yes, I'm a quadriplegic guy that uses a manual wheelchair every day. I broke my neck diving in Lake Powell (Southern Utah) when I was on my graduation vacation four years ago. I'm paralyzed from my chest down. I have strong arms, but my hands are weak buggers. I can't move my fingers on my left hand and I can move my fingers on my right hand, but I have no strength with them. I've really had to figure out how to do things differently, but I can do almost anything now. (BTW, not walking means JACK SQUAT when you can't use your hands. THAT is the biggest problem I face; think about it...) I still end up kicking some butt on the track, though. It makes it all the more worth it to me. It's crazy, I'm the guy in the wheelchair, but I always spend 75% of my day at the track helping other racers. Weird, huh? Anyway, don't treat me different in any way, now that you know my little secret...I'm still the same guy to you. Peace out!

[Poundin Popeye]

Hey, Nairb im 18 an a C-4 quadriplegic, and i have been intouch with Vocational Rehab and after i take a few driving courses
their going to help set me up in a van (after i buy a nice dodge caravan), they were going to do the controls you were talking about
but we found out that since i only have the bicep in my left arm that it would be impossibale for me to use the gas and
brake. So their going to install a joystick just like my wheelchair has to some type of computer that controls would you
guess it servos that control the gas,brake, and steering, so pretty soon ill have a dope ride. But the thing is they will
only do a van and they'll only do it once, so i was woundering how could i make my own.... I got the basic idea of how to
do it but its still alittle shady, like i would need a servo for the gas an i figured i could use a 200oz-in rc car servo,
but the brakes would need a way more powerful servo with around 500ft-pounds but i have no idea where they sell bigger
servos and thats what i need help with ( where would i find large servos),as for the steering i dont really have a clue how
to hook that up i was thinking about getting a more powerful rack for the rack n pinon steering and then hooking a large
servo with about 300ft-pounds to the rack and then make linkages and a braket to hold the servo in place, I could use
the joystick off my old wheelchair and hook it up to all the servos. I have auto cad so if i need to make custom linkage
& peices i could just draw it up on that than bring the blueprints to a machein shop and have them make them.
So the things i really need help on is on were to find larger servos, and could i run rc car servos off a 12 volt car batt? http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/confused.gif
In coming years i want to build a race car and race it after i find out how to hook up this stuff in my truck. Nairb it does ****
not to have use of your hands if i had mine then i'd be ok. Pretty much i want to make a rc REAL gas car. ( Now if only losi made
them) http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif ..... Thanks alot

[This message has been edited by Poundin Popeye (edited 03-26-2001).]

[RCJunkie]

Welcome aboard Popeye.
If you want some good links to more powerful servos etc. try the battlebots link. www.battlebots.com. (http://www.battlebots.com.) I don't know if you've ever seen the show but people build robots and then their robots duke it out with other killer 'bots. Anyways there is a ton of links in there for servos, power supplies, robotics etc. I don't think there is a BB per se, but you can ask for tips. Don't know if it will be much help but it's worth a try. Good luck http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif
Mike

[Poundin Popeye]

Thanks mike, i think this will help me alittle. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Nairb]

Dude, that is one huge mountain to climb. Good luck, man. I don't know what to tell ya...

Driving a car with a joystick? Now that would be interesting. Just think what a minor muscle spasm could do to ya...

I hope you find what you need.

[bullfrog]

hey dude welcome to the boards!! and NAIRB why would i treat u differently u r still the cool dude i chat with http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/tongue.gif