Any Radio Controlled Porsche Drivers Out There?

[Harlan Chinn]

When I was a kid, I had radio controlled aircraft, built them crashed them. Then I got a 4x4 it was fun but grew out of it. I was recently at a local hobby shop buying paints and saw these 1/18th (10" long) radio controlled race cars. I was wondering if any of you have experience with these

[Nader]

Hey, if you're talking about the HPI models with 4 wheel drive, I bought four of them, all Porsche Turbos. My 3 brothers and I race them on the driveway within a track formed by PVC tubing. It's a blast, as long as the batteries last (which is quite a while when you've learned to make custom battery packs with high-amperage cells).

[Harlan Chinn]

How do you like the HPI's? I saw the 911 body style and was considering getting one to run around but also was looking at some of the larger 1/10th scale cars. Seems like you can sink as much $$$ into these things as the full size versions.

[CarreraDan]

Harlan,
Back when I used to race RC cars HPI was the way to go. They went together very well and used very high quality materials in construction which can be very important if you are considering modifications. I have an RS4 which is probably "old school" now and I spent considerable amounts of $$ making it the fastest it could be while still being able to control it. If I was going to buy one now I would seriously consider the HPI gas cars which can be modified to go over 50-60 mph with the right engines and gear ratios. Just be very careful on where you drive them these insane speeds because it doesn't take much to make it flip end over end and tear up expensive parts.
If you really want a rush go back to RC planes--they have come a long way in the last 10 years. I am a certified instuctor at our local club and have 7 flyable planes and 2 more that can be made that way in a few hours. For kicks I used to see how close I could fly to the ground inverted at over 75-80 mph, one friend made his rudder actually touch the grass at 120--simply amazing how far you can push things. Personally, I find 3d aerobatics more fun and satisfying when you actually pull them off correctly. My Super Chimpmunk is my latest baby that took just over a year to build.

[Adam]

If you're thinking of getting started, Tamiya chassis-cars are a good first stepping stone.

I've got 4 Tamiyas (various models) and I'm waiting on my first nitro 1:10 scale car to arrive (ebay ). I am pretty excited as I got to drive my buddy's 1:8 scale nitro car on the weekend and it's insane. Great fun, plenty of noise/smoke and high speeds.

Electric is easier to get started with and you can really get them moving, but the nitro cars are the most fun.

I'd love to start getting involved with R/C Aircraft though...

[ronin]

I've been running the Tamiya cars for quite a few years now. best bang for the buck out there. I prefer the F1 cars but am considering getting a standard chassis for running a sports car. (porsche body of course) just a matter of wanting to spend the money

[jyl]

I picked up a used but restored Tamiya Porsche 959 1/12 scale RC last year. Haven't gotten around to installing radio, etc. Was thinking about painting the body (still in clear lexan) like the East Africa Safari 911SC's.

[ronin]

Rothman's colors?

[Adam]

If you bought one that is unpainted and original, many collectors would beg you not to run it, John! They bring stupid dollars on ebay and are pretty rare nowadays.

Try not to crash it too much, the parts are more expensive than drugs!

[Harlan Chinn]

Aren't the Tamiya R/C cars more of a rolling model kit than a bonafide competition car? I have one of the early 1/10th off road Tamiya Ford F150 LT rear wheel drive trucks from at least twenty years ago still. The truck body is a molded plastic kit body, unlike the lexan bodies of current cars/trucks. The thing still runs but has the ancient wiper brush speed control device, now replaced with a solid state unit.

[ronin]

no. the new Tamiya kits are pretty state of the art with lexan bodies, non proprietary electronic items, motors, speed controls etc. (although you can run a stock 540 - as some classes actually require) and a plethora of speed parts and accessories. they equal or exceed anything out there on the market. perhaps I should show you my carbon fiber body F1 Ferrari that I run with a digital programmable radio

[emcon5]

I was using my $100 PCA coupon at the dealer, and saw they had a radio controlled Cayenne with a built in video camera, with a view screen on the remote.

Pretty trick, too bad it was a Cayenne.

Tom

[ronin]

that sounds cool. how much was it? probably the same as a good used 911T

[emcon5]

$330 from Porsche. I wonder if Wayne can get these.



Tom

[Harlan Chinn]

I guess if you wanted to save 92,670, you could sport one of these Turbo Cayennes. As for the video, I could just strap a video camera to my dog and get a similar effect.

[ronin]

it's still cool

[Harlan Chinn]

Ok...I'm looking at the HPI 1/18th kits and also at the Associated 1/10th scale road cars. Any opinions on any of either of these?

[emcon5]

Originally posted by Harlan Chinn
As for the video, I could just strap a video camera to my dog and get a similar effect.

You have a radio controlled dog with real time video on the remote? Cool.



If want to remotely control my dog all I have to do is throw a tennis ball.

Tom

[ronin]

Originally posted by Harlan Chinn
Ok...I'm looking at the HPI 1/18th kits and also at the Associated 1/10th scale road cars. Any opinions on any of either of these?

they're good for what they are. I do prefer the Tamiya cars as they are a bit more car-like to me. by that I mean that the HPI and others are more abstract than the Tamiyas, which preserve the scale appearance and inner workings a bit more. e.g. the Tamiya cars have AWD, RWD, and FWD (some with front "engines" no less) chassis and the dimensions are more proportionate to their full-size counterparts. it makes the cars just a bit more realistic. do give them a close look before you make your final decision

[Victor]

I have a rip snorting 1/8 scale nitro car. They are a lot of fun providing you are a somewhat mechanically inclined adult with the mind of a 10 year old and a bottomless wallet. It has a .15 engine and a 2 speed gearbox. God only knows what the top speed is but it gets threre in about 2 seconds when running right thanks to 4wd and huge slicks.

You can stick whatever body you want on them. I have a WRC WRX for bashing/rolling over (happens alot).

Nitro is the way to go, everything else is for the lounge room. [img]