Parking Lot Fun Run Car

[Justin Thyme]

I recently got an RC-10L for just running around some parking lots for fun. Overall, I really like it, except for two problems. First of all, strapping tape is a pain in the a** for holding on the batteries, and although the parking lot is generally quite smooth, it has a few seams which really tear up the bottom of the car. And as the bottom scrapes, it wears through the tape holding the batteries, etc.

I'm trying a new setup for holding on the batteries which is a combination of zip-ties and velcro straps. I'd also like to look into the HPI RS4 Pro 2 battery cups/straps.

But even with the battery issue resolved, I'm thinking I need something with a little more suspension travel than a pan car. So I'm considering TC's.

I'm leaning toward the TC3 Racer, due to relatively low cost, as well as wide availability of spare/hop-up parts. But Since I don't really plan to race anytime soon, I've also had a TL-01 or M-04 in the back of my mind. My only real requirement is ball bearings, no bushings. Although the Tamiya's are cheaper, once you add the price of the bearings, you've considerably narrowed the price gap.

So, given a street price spending limit of about $160-$175, any other suggestions? I've considered the HPI Sport 2, but I'm not exactly sold on it over the TC3.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[JP]

Take the foul language out of your post. Also, I like the TC3 Racer, its indestructable as soon as you get aluminum front arms and graphite rear.

------------------
Marriage is the only war where you sleep with the enemy.

You must always push the limits. Because if you never fail, you will never succeed.

Cuss out the turn marshals because they cussed at you!!!

Crashing is an art of driving that goes bad in result in human or mechanical error.

[TDVARNER]

I use the old RC-10 battery cups on my 10LSS. Just line it up, drill your holes screw them down. It doesn't look pretty but it works for a parking lot fun run car.(as you put it)

[oldtimeRCer]

check out the TA02 cars you can get them for around $100.00 or less and you can get the duratrax bearing kit for them it's only like $23.00 for all 20 bearings and they are a good fun car i bought 3 of them one for myself and 2 for my son's. plus they come with oilfilled shocks and a ball diff in the rear the TL01 doesn't.

------------------
I may grow older but I'll never grow up.

R/C is a way of life

3 Tamiya TA02 Sedan's, XXT Sport, XX Sport, RC10T3, 2 Bulleads,

[Z10_Integra]

I'm biased, but I think a OFNA Z10 would be better for you then all those others. It is a great fun car, but with very few adjustments, it is a great race car as well. Check out NItro House. They have them starting at 50 bucks with bearings and a body, but you need all electronics. You can get a electronics package from Hobby People for 85 bucks, and a Trinity P2K from there for 25. That's that's around $160 and a pretty good setup. That's what I would do.

------------------
I spent an extra long time painting the back of my car just for you.

[oldtimeRCer]

Z10 I have to say your right that is a outstanding deal i looked at getting those befor i bought the TA02's the reason i didn't get them is because it is hard to find replacement parts it's a real bummer to not to be able to run your car for a week or so because you have to wait for mail order replacement parts.

------------------
I may grow older but I'll never grow up.

R/C is a way of life

3 Tamiya TA02 Sedan's, XXT Sport, XX Sport, RC10T3, 2 Bulleads,

[Z10_Integra]

That's true, everytime i have had to replace something, i have had to order from OFNa. NO problem with that except for price, they realy get you.

------------------
I spent an extra long time painting the back of my car just for you.

[Z10_Integra]

That's true, everytime i have had to replace something, i have had to order from OFNA. NO problem with that except for price, they realy get you.

------------------
I spent an extra long time painting the back of my car just for you.

[chucksolo]

I know I am going to get flamed for this, but here goes. I believe I have built a great low cost parking lot fun car. The car is built on the Traxxas Street Sport and I have made this car insanely fast. I have installed the following on a stock Street Sport:

17 Turn Trinity SpeedGems Sapphire motor
Traxxas big bore shocks
Full Set of Dynamite bearings
Losi Springs
Futaba MC210CB ESC
HPI Racing Slicks
HPI Saleen Mustang body

This car absolutly flies. I can keep up with an HPI RS4 Nitro RTR with this thing. Since the whole car with radio can be had for $119.00 it is still a great value. I know this car is not a racer, but for parking lot fun it can't be beat.

[BobHastings]

Chuck,
If anybody flames you its because they don't know the Street Sport.
Let's see, assembled w/20T and it comes with a radio installed...good choice!
BH

[chucksolo]

Thanks Bob. I think the car is so fast because of the direct drive and standard ball diff. This car is as close to a pan car as you can get.

[Nitro Monster]

Yeah, I like the Street Sport too. If someone flames you they don't know Traxxas products

[Justin Thyme]

Thanks for the input folks, lots of good tips.

BTW, I found out that the HPI cups and straps won't work. Where they would screw down to the chassis is right where additional battery slots are.

JP - Surely you're not saying "Tamiya" is a bad word? They may not be my first choice for a competition car, but they are good for what they are. As for the fragile A-arms, I was thinking of getting a larger bumper like on the 10L, and gluing it to the small TC3 bumber to protect the full front end.

TD - I had that idea in the back of my mind. I guess running those cups on one side, electronics on the other would work pretty well.

Z10 and Oldtimer - Probably a great idea....but I prefer something that would have some level of LHS support. This pretty much limits to AE, Losi, HPI, etc.

Actually, I'm now considering a Rally Weapon. Certainly would handle the rougher parking lots, as well as work well on baseball fields, etc.

[oldtimeRCer]

justin the TC3 is associated not tamiya. I was the one that sugested the tamiya TA02 cars i have 3 of them and just finnished building one for a customer last night the ones i have are sedans but they also make a rally car based on this chassis and the one i built last night is the ford stadium truck.

------------------
I may grow older but I'll never grow up.

R/C is a way of life

3 Tamiya TA02 Sedan's, XXT Sport, XX Sport, RC10T3, 2 Bulleads,

[very low budget racer]

i like the ofna, awsome deal for the money, buy i also have a yokomo mr4 rally which i run onroad, ive had it for about a year and never broke anything, the tc version is winning constantly at the nats, they cost i think about 180 or less, the stock tires on the rally make tons of grip and handles awsome, accelleration is slow cuz im only using the stock 22t pinion and 11x2 motor, but speed is not an issue either.
just my $.02

[Justin Thyme]

Oldtimer - Yeah, I know you suggested the TA's, and that the TC3 is AE, not Tamiya. I guess my response to JP got truncated a bit in my mind. He had cautioned me to watch my language, and I assumed he was making a joke about Tamiya being a lower end car. Perhaps he was referring to the a** I put in there. Is there censor software on this thing? Because what you see is what I typed, a**. I did that deliberately to make the point without using the word for politeness.

He also mentioned some of the frailty of the TC3's, particularly A-arms. So my second part of that paragraph was addressing my thoughts on how to cure that problem.

Sorry for not making it clearer.

I haven't seen any TA kit's locally, that I'm aware of anyway. I'll have to look some more.

VLBR - A couple people have recommended Ofna. I'm sure they are a good deal. It's just that there is no parts available locally. I'm just too impatient to have to wait an extra three or four days for braking a $3 part. That's why Losi, AE and HPI are rather appealing, due to easily available parts.

[Z10_Integra]

If I would have known my LHS wouldn't have parts for my OFNA I wouldn't have got it, but I didn't do my homework I guess, I found out though alot of HPI parts fit. But out of your choices I would go with HPI, the parts are ususally in stock and relatively cheap.I would go with that.

------------------
I spent an extra long time painting the back of my car just for you.

[hpiguy]

I think that a rally car will meet all your needs.

You can leave it stock height and use it for everything on and off road.

If you want awesome on-road handling just add small limiters in the shocks to bring it down farther and yuo're set.

Go rally, you'll be pleased.

[Justin Thyme]

Ok, gang....I've pretty much decided on the Losi Rally Weapon. With it's roots firmly planted in a national winning TC and national winning 4WD buggy, I figure you can't go wrong! http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/wink.gif The sealed drivetrain, without also overheating the electronics looks good.

Besides, Losi is one of the manufacturers that have tons of stuff stocked in LHS's, so I feel real comfortable with parts availability.

Plus, swap about 4 parts, and you have an honest-to-god Street Weapon. Swap a bunch more (not necessarily the most practical route, but technically possible....) and you have an XX-4 (OK, maybe the chassis would be a little shorter, but you get the point).

Thanks for the input, folks!

[Z10_Integra]

The Losi Rally Weapon is a great car, I drove one the other day and it is great, and I drove it on the street, well parking lot. I dorve it off a 4 in curb and it was fine, gos shocks. I also jumped the little handicap ramp and it was awesome. The mid-motor design is good too, better balance especially when you hit little jumps, the car stays even and lands smoothly. i would get a new body though, I dont like the Ford Focus body at all, that's just me though.

------------------
I spent an extra long time painting the back of my car just for you.