what gives? (HPI body's)

[st_dragn_wagen]

i was on the HPI site a bit ago and noticed that they make a 69 charger body, a 70 hemi cuda body and an el camino body. all of which are for a MT! yet they don't make any of those body's for a 190 or 200mm TC!?! what strikes me funny/weird is that none of those vehicles are off road vehicles. yet the 190 and 200mm TC's get squat in the muscle car department. if they can manage to get enough detail into the MT body's, how come they can't find a way to do it with a TC body?

ps, im not dissing HPI in any way. iv got one of there cars (nitro RS4 2) and run one of there body's on it (porsche 911 GT1 Le Mans). the car may not live up to my performance standards but the body seems to hold up pretty good.

[Kuya]

everyone's been asking the same question for a long time, and HPI has never really given an answer.

In my honest opinion, I believe the reason is handling. Most bodies that have that old skool mopar hard line style don't really hold up when driving. It doesn't matter on a monster truck because the body has little to no difference in terms of performance, but for 190 and 200, the body holds a major difference on how your car performs. Handling is more important than style, especially if you race. That's why the Dodge Stratus body out sells all other bodies.

Yes, a cool looking body would be cool, but what's the point of having it if you can't drive it? The companies need to make money off these bodies and they get it by selling more bodies. The more you buy them, the more you drive them, the more you break them, the more you buy them; it's a cycle.

[trw]

its because HPIs most popular truck is the savage.

plus if you were to do it for a TC you would have to have the bumpers and sides come down so far it would look plain rediculous.

[RespirologyRC]

I personally used to be a big HPI fan, but now I'm not in favor of them at all. In my oppinion they don't pay attention to trends in the hobby and don't try to evolutionize their products. I would like to see a shaft driven Micro or a even a shaft driven super nitro. What's soo dificult about this?, nothing. I'm still waiting for HPI to come out with an FX 45 infiniti body

[SteveK]

Well, there are a couple different reasons with cars (Usually cars 'fit' better on 200mm than 190mm when scaled down, which is why HPI makes so many 140mm wheelbase Micro bodies: It's what all the requested bodies scaled down to), but for the most part, they make bodies for the most popular segments. There are tons of monster trucks and 200mm touring cars out there, so they make the bodies for them.

It also takes months and months to make a body, and they can't make every body for every scale, so they have to do what's best for their company. Can't really fault them for that (Unless you are that idiot from Europe that kept whining about HPI parts being too expensive over there, even though HPI doesn't sell parts there: They sell to people who sell them there, and they, and international taxes and tarriffs, determine the final price).

[BJoeHandley]

And don't forget all the licensing fee's on the bodies too Steve, I'd be willing to bet that GM could leave the BelAir, Camaro, and Chevelle as former products and make more money off the name and image than they could as new production vehicles. And after people whined about the looks of the '04 GTO not being up to par with the name (lest we forget the '64 GTO that started it all), I wouldn't blame ANY domestic manufacturer for not reintroducing a loved name.

[SteveK]

Licensing fees are a KILLER, and are really putting a damper on the scale model industry: Slixx stopped making all NASCAR decals some time ago (Actually shut down before returning with their other lines), and increasing licensing fees and development costs have meant that new kits and further apart, and there are lots of re-releases of older kits (The majority of the current AMT-Ertl line is 30-40 years old).

Companies like HPI must obtain a separate license for each 'medium' in which they want to reproduce the likeness. If they wanted to make a super-size, 200mm, 190mm, and Micro version of the Corvette, they have to not only get the license, they have to get approval from GM for each final product (Which costs plastic model companies more, as it's much more expensive to change injection molds).

[RespirologyRC]

So aside from them having to pay outrageous amounts of money to make molds and lexan bodies, what do you think is keeping them from producing a shaft driven super nitro or Micro?

Laziness? HMMMM Yup,

[HauntedMyst]

My guess is that the micro market has capped out, with Xray taking away a lot of their business. Since they aren't likely to make any more money off the platform, why should they come out with a shaft version since their existing accessories like bodies make them money without more investment?

[Mobil1]

Companies like HPI must obtain a separate license for each 'medium' in which they want to reproduce the likeness.

You might want to check your sources Steve. It all depends on the liscencing agency.

[adrcracing]

[QUOTE=Kuya]everyone's been asking the same question for a long time, and HPI has never really given an answer.

Yes, a cool looking body would be cool, but what's the point of having it if you can't drive it?



Whats the point of having it if it's not cool? I don't think it would be so bad you can't drive it, probably not even enough to notice for the average Joe.

[shadowghost1]

I agree with the original post, I understand that its all about money but the making muscle cars and putting them on a monster is straight redneck. Its like mixing coke and pepsi, its just plain wrong. :) I would like to see more concourse type bodies out there. Muscle cars and new tuner cars that have major detail like interiors, motors, opening doors, hoods and trucks would be killer. I know it would cost more in production but hell its not like their not already charging over 30.00 dollars for bodies. When I first started in RC I remember the bodies costing 12.00 and be absolutly horriable. If they sold the concourse bodies for 40. to 50. dollars they would still sell a butt load and they wouldnt lose anything. They just need to understand that most people in RC do not race, its a hobby, its for fun there is a small % of people who actually take racing RC to that level because its so expensive. This may not be right to some of you but I think the magazines and manufacturers are focusing to much on racing and it keeps everyone trying to keep up with the Jones. I say make bodies that fit todays world. Exaggerated spoilers, airdams, lowriders, ect..... I know that they have this stuff now but I think it is still pushed towards that racing crowd. The bad thing is we can rant and rave about this forever and it still will never happen. :(

[Cosmo]

Honestly, I think it's because most TC drivers are interested in handling, because a lot of them are racers. They stick with the same body because it handles well. Aerodynamics don't matter on a truck, so the can put anything they want on it.

[adrcracing]

I agree with the original post, I understand that its all about money but the making muscle cars and putting them on a monster is straight redneck. Its like mixing coke and pepsi, its just plain wrong. :) I would like to see more concourse type bodies out there. :(

Whatever you say man. I think the bodies are great for concourse.

[adrcracing]

two more

[adrcracing]

One more

[adrcracing]

Here's a redneck one for ya all.

[shadowghost1]

I feel ya, those are great looking paint jobs, maybe some of the best painting I have seen. On the other hand if you entered those bodies in a real concourse event they would be overlooked. Sorry you took offense to what I said but they are redneck bodies.

[RespirologyRC]

I would love to showup at the track with a general lee and see what people think!:) Not only this but I race a porsche body and seem todo fine against the stratus bodies out their. If they had and Infinity body I would race that also! Until someone says I can't use a particular body I'll just continue racing what I like:)

[trw]

I race a BMW M3 and often smoke the guys running mazdas 6s and stratuses, its just some people can notice the .0001 % of change the areodynamics makes, ofcourse thats only to be said at low to mid level speeds, going like 80+mph areodynamics wold play a big role.

[SteveK]

- It is true that the licensee could work out an agreement to use the subject in question in more than one medium, but I bet most companies do separate agreements for each item. But you're right, it depends on that particular contract.

- Real monster trucks have been running muscle car bodies for 20+ years, so it's not like there isn't any precedent there.

- HPI has long said they won't half-arse it and make a muscle car until they can do it 'right', meaning multi-piece molds to gets all the curves and overhanging body panels to look right. Maybe HPI felt the lack of these details would be less noticeable on a monster truck than on a car?

[adrcracing]

I feel ya, those are great looking paint jobs, maybe some of the best painting I have seen. On the other hand if you entered those bodies in a real concourse event they would be overlooked. Sorry you took offense to what I said but they are redneck bodies.

No offense, but why do you have to label people as redneck cuz they put a Cuda" body on there truck? You don't even know anything about me or the other people that use these bodies. I hate to name drop, but two weeks ago I painted a Cuda" and a Charger for Ben Wallace from the Detroit Pistons and let me tell you, he's no redneck!

[shadowghost1]

Did I call you a redneck? No. I used it as a metphor. No name calling here. Sorry if you took it that way. Just a figure of speach thats all. I live in West Virginia so if I call anyone a redneck it should be myself. I guess it reminds me of the jacked up 4x4 pinto that runs around my home town. :)

[adrcracing]

Jacked up 4x4 pinto, that sounds cool. Call HPI! OK, so it's not what you would build, but why can't you appreciate all the hard work he put into it? No hard feelings here dude, I just have to have my say.

[shadowghost1]

Well since you have to have your say, well here I will give you something to chew on since you refuse to go on with your life. Its my opinion,plain and simple and I am allowed to express it. I used redneck as a metaphor (you know figure of speech) in which I think a cuda or a charger or a pinto etc... is pretty stupid looking on a monster truck chassis (again my opinion). If you want to that then thats up to you, hell if you want to mount a set of bullhorns to your forehead hey thats up to you but I reserve the right to laugh at you just as everyone else does. Now since you have to have your say, go ahead and say it one more time then go out, look in the mirror and smile and think I got the last word in, then go have a coke and just shut the heck up. Geesh! :)

I think I just lost a friend.

[CRSMP5]

they are 190mm wide.. i see no reason ti cannto be made to fit electric tourign cars..

[always_opencarb]

i agree, they need to make them for on road. maybe if will all send them a message they might produce some or at least think of it

[adrcracing]

Well since you have to have your say, well here I will give you something to chew on since you refuse to go on with your life. Its my opinion,plain and simple and I am allowed to express it. I used redneck as a metaphor (you know figure of speech) in which I think a cuda or a charger or a pinto etc... is pretty stupid looking on a monster truck chassis (again my opinion). If you want to that then thats up to you, hell if you want to mount a set of bullhorns to your forehead hey thats up to you but I reserve the right to laugh at you just as everyone else does. Now since you have to have your say, go ahead and say it one more time then go out, look in the mirror and smile and think I got the last word in, then go have a coke and just shut the heck up. Geesh! :)

I think I just lost a friend.

HPI and I both think it's cool to have muscle car bodies on a 4x4 truck, so to bad for you. Sorry to hear about you frend. :D

[maxxamillion]

adrcracing, you could make a AMC Gremlin look good!
Hats off to the finest paint work out there.
No offense to many other fine painters...

[RS4rally1124]

yeah adr thats not a fair compo, but to all of u that think elcy's should be on cars they arer trucks to begin with. and my friends elcy happens to have 35" tires so wuts up now.

JT

[Kuya]

Well, there are a couple different reasons with cars (Usually cars 'fit' better on 200mm than 190mm when scaled down, which is why HPI makes so many 140mm wheelbase Micro bodies: It's what all the requested bodies scaled down to), but for the most part, they make bodies for the most popular segments. There are tons of monster trucks and 200mm touring cars out there, so they make the bodies for them.

I agree. A big problem is wheelbase and length. Muscle cars were big back in the day. Big as in the sheer size of it. Whatever happened to the people who asked about the hatchback cars? HPI created a car just for the smaller cars, the mini. The mini's wheel base is 120mm and it's still 1:10 scale and why? because in size, the car is technically smaller. This is why you don't see the Miata on 190-200mm it's a small car, it's smaller in comparison to a 190mm car which is why if you put a 190mm next to a 120mm Mini, the cars look right because of the proper proportions. Now to make a muscle car for the average 1:10 size would mean someone who have to develop a bigger car. Not as big as the super RS4, and not as small as the common 190-200mm. A whole new car for a couple of new bodies? I don't think so. So then why Mini in the first place? My guess is Europe; having a bunch of automotive companies that sell smaller cars, the mini would sell great over there.

This, I believe is the reason we see very little muscle car bodies for 1:10 R/C's and the ones we do see, often look a little on the smushed side. This is also the reason why I don't ever see the Infiniti FX45 ever showing up as a body. Being an SUV sized car, a new car would have to be made to get it to fit. This is why there are no good SUV bodies out there. Before anyone talks about the Escalade body for HPI, look at it really in comparison to the other bodies. It's unporportional. I believe HPI let this one slip for the obvious reason of it's massive popularity.

And Resp, if you want an Infiniti body to drive, there always is the Infiniti 350GT also known as the Nissan Skyline 350. It's the only Infiniti body I've seen developed for R/C anyhwhere.

[RS4rally1124]

thats it im buildin a muscle car jsut for these bodies. its 2wd rear and has a nitro engine

all Al and cf baby who wants one.

JT

[trw]

the Nissan Skyline 350

dont you mean Nissan 350z?

[Kuya]

dont you mean Nissan 350z?


Actually. It's the G35X. I was typing too fast. The Infiniti G35X is the Nissan Skyline 350GT. It's not an R, but it's the only Infiniti body I've seen for R/c anywhere.

[rc10racer92]

those are so cool i wish i could paint like that

[Courtney]

I want a 68 Chevy Camaro or Ford Mustang. I wish they make some proto-type cars of these vehicles. Make them look like they would today if they kept making them, but more aero. I respect Porshe for maintaining the same body and updating them little by little to make them more aero and handle better. They where way ahead of their time when they designed that body style. Look at all the vehicles looking more and more like them; Nissan 350 and the Infinity G35. Looks like in about 15 more years all the vehicles will look the same. So I can't see if the vehicle manufactures can't be creative enough to come up with some original ideas that the RC manufactures should also.