F1R with MP4/6

I couldn't resist, I love the Mclaren MP4/6 and the other 90s bodies. They look good and there is a lot of real estate under them. The newer bodies look good too, but just don't do it for me as much, plus they don't have a lot of real estate under them. Easy decision. Old body on the new car, and i think its staying, at least until I get around to buying another. It doesn't look half bad, I like it.Brother picked up his Williams so it wont be that body. Dammit. Anyway, pics...

Ooops I forgot.

Forgot to post, I was at Mikes tonight. Its official, F1 and VTA will be classes at the 2012 ROAR Carpet Nats. A lot of people excited, and several sour pusses upset. What are ya gonna do? Cant please everyone right?

Seven Classes:
Mod 1/12
Mod Sedan
17.5 1/12
17.5 Sedan
17.5 WGT
F1
VTA

I think its a great call, personally. Probably because I am biased because my 2 classes are VTA and F1. So little ol me will be racing at the Nats in classes I actually run for club races. Have a 1/12 scale now, but I doubt I run it. VTA and F1 are the 2 biggest classes at Mikes. VTA is booming for the last couple of years, F1 is coming on real strong too. 1/12 and sedan yada yada yada, same same. New classes bring in new people, like me, and Joe Clubracer, and you. We can all have a piece of the pie, and if we are lucky, some of the big name guys jump in VTA and F1 and kick the tar out of us. Dare we dream?

Now for tonight's track report. The F1R is great. 21.5 didn't come in mail in time, so I ran the 25.5 in it, about .5 second slower than the 21.5s on the track. Box stock set up per instructions. It was good. Shimizu hards in the back were also a pleasant surprise. Racer Robert took it for a spin and hit a 10.4 lap. Says he thinks he can get it in the 9s. We will see Monday. No one has hit the 9s on our track yet in F1, that is 1/12 domain. I was hitting mid 11s consistently. Which is not bad for me, since I normally just hit the boards. Very drivable car. FGX.... what can I say? I love it, I hate it, I drive it, I break it. Spindle and a kingpin tonight. Whats next? That covers everything in the front end. Took CRC out too, Robert christened it, and set it up best he could. He likes. I drove it, I like, need to get the 2 ton GTB speedo out of it, but will be good. 1/12 is a different world. So fast, so tiny, delicate little flower.... that was odd. Anyway, to the Mancave! For post practice tear down and shenanigans!

Rumor mill is a churning....

Got a PM from a source, with some Carpet National news. Not confirmed, not saying anything, its a rumor. But I like what I saw!!!! Details hopefully in the morning. Out.

F1R

Well luckily Tamiya includes a decal set in their F60 body kit, because they come in handy when you do a crap paint job, and you have to cover it in flat black. Didn't have to use up my expensive Marlboro decals, can save them for another day.

More F1R and Gen Xi Pics

Spent the long Holiday weekend sick and messing with the cars when not doing the Christmas things. As usual I wont bore you with the details of the build, just followed instructions, didn't ad lib anything. That formula worked on the FGX, no wonder they are included with most kits. Should have tried that long ago. Few things though, I got a SpeedPassion 17.5/Cirtix esc combo for Christmas from my awesome wife. Was supposed to go in the CRC, but well, the esc went into the F1R and motor went to CRC. Ordered a Trinity Duo 2 21.5 today (They are cheap!)for the F1R. I will either A) put Novak GTB 4cell or reg GTB in CRC, or B) rule out either the FGX or F1R and use one of the SpeedPassion esc's out of them for the CRC (highly unlikely). And now.... Pics!

And the other guy in the band, the F1R

More on the Tamiya F104WGP

I just copy/pasted from TamiyaUSA.com, but looks like a hopped up F104W with all the bells and whistles. Pretty much what people were speculating.

TamiyaUSA

The standard F104W chassis is equipped with F103 front suspension arms to allow it to accurately replicate the dimensions of classic F1 race cars of the 1980�s and early 1990�s. This limited edition F104W GP Edition chassis features many additional race-spec parts to enhance the performance of this variant even further.

Included NEW parts:
Carbon Fiber lower deck (3.2 mm)
Carbon fiber rear upper deck (2.0 mm)
Aluminum gear case bridge (front)
Aluminum/steel uprights
Carbon fiber front upper deck (2.0 mm)
FRP T-Bar (1.5 mm)
Aluminum gear case bridge (rear)

Included Option Parts:
Item 54153 F103 Carbon Reinforced Front Suspension Arm
Item 53901 TRF Special Damper (F103GT)
Item 84114 F104 Aluminum Diff Housing Set (Black)
Item 84115 F104 Aluminum Motor Mount (Right & Left / Black)
Item 84196 F104 Clamp Type Wheel Hub (Black)
Body Parts Set (T) from Item 84031
Item 50657 Tyrrell Yamaha 023 Bumper Wing Set
Item 50502 Lotus 107B Rear Wing Set

Note: Tires, wheels and motor not included. Requires two-channel radio, ESC, 7.2 volt battery and charger and polycarbonate paint to complete assembly.

Specs and Features
Direct Drive 2WD drivetrain.
Coil spring front suspension
Side Roll pitch damper
Main rear lateral damper
The front suspension features a link-type coil spring. Rear suspension uses a T-bar set up with a TRF damper to control pitch.
Height adjustable rear gear case

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Thanks to all of you that have made my life what it is. Happy Christmas to everyone.

3racing F109, Exotek F1R and CRC Gen Xi

I painted up the Tamiya Type C F1 body a la Williams Renault circa 92. Turned out pretty well, of course not perfect, but I'm not a pro. This car of course used to be The Mutant. Now it is the standard width F109 with the standard F103 front end. In fact, this front end came off of my Mclaren F109 along with the tires and a few other bits. The Mclaren is in a sad shape at the moment, as the rear end is now part of the Exotek F1R temporarily. My Mclaren is no more than a chassis with the electronics still installed. Any way I will have more on the Exotek possibly later tonight, I assembled most of it last night. Waiting on rear pod and a body via TQ. The CRC Gen Xi also arrived yesterday, and I may begin that build tonight as well. But for now, pics.

Williams Renault F109

My poor Mclaren

Exotek F1R

Box

Muwahahahahahahaha

1/12th scale CRC Gen Xi

I'm getting into the 1/12 scene, have a CRC Gen Xi on the way. With the Carpet Nats being at Mikes next year, and the uncertainty of either F1 or VTA being a part of it, 1/12 is a lock. So here we go with the carpet demons! Might be here Saturday, but with the Holidays around, I expect USPS to be swamped and probably behind a day. No biggie, if theres one thing I understand, its shipping. 22 years at UPS has taught me that.

On another note, I got my shipment from F1Paintlab with the Tamiya Type C body and the 90s F1 decal set today. Will be doing my best to paint up a 1992 Nigel Mansell Williams car for my brother's Christmas gift. The Mutant will have a new home, I have converted it back to standard width. And I also plan on purchasing the Exotek F1R conversion for the F103/4 in the next few days. More on that to come!

FGX saga continues

What can i say? Me and my FGX are snake bit. Beefed up the front end, built a link set up too. Went back to the beefier meatier carbon fiber reinforced arms for the race today. Practice....good. I love this car I do. It makes me look like I can drive it really does. Planted in and out of corners, everything. Q1, tap inside wall, break king pin......on 2nd lap. EEEEEYYYAAARRRRGGGGHHH!. Here we go again. Drill out the whateveryou call its in the arms (I'm sleepy)and steering block to 1/8" and put in CRC 1/12 scale kingpins (thanks Robert!). More practice. Good stuff. Tad slow, so I added 2 teeth to pinion and went for some more practice. Still good. Took away the toe out, good. Even better. Nice, can put the car anywhere I want on the track. Racer Robert takes it for some laps. He likes. Get ready for a Q2 beat down!!...... Well folks, I can say I made it more than 2 laps, but I tapped the inside board going in to a turn at an awkward angle. Wasn't hard, just awkward. Right front grabbed and twisted. Pulled it off track, saw body was off centered and hung up. Adjusted body, wiggled the steering and good to go. Back on track, front end is hopping, and I'm veering to the right a lot. Adjust trim. But something is amiss at this Circle K. Pulled off track again and back to the pits. Cant see anything. OK maybe this missing spacer on the left front is causing it. Then I see it. Upper deck snapped behind camber plate. Aye carrumba. Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue. Duct Tape ain't fixing this one. Back to the Mclaren. Old faithful. Even has the 21.5 and GTB in it again. Practice. Mclaren is so nice. Playing around with Joey and Zach's F1's on the track, loving life, F1 God, all that rich creamy goodness of RCdom. And it happens again. Lost a bit of steering, not alot, just a push. The Mclaren can take hits that the FGX cant fathom. The Kimbrough servo saver I had just bought, could not. Broke that sucker like..... well like a stock FGX front arm. Heavy sigh, dramatic pause. Servo saver out of FGX into Mclaren its go time. Right? Please? Just once? Well Q3 was good, we had one marshal, that pissed me and Alex off a bit, he was having an issue and needed one. Didn't have one in that zip code. So I started thinking about "what if I need a marshal?". Bothered me a bit, because I need them from time to time. Heard a noise, innocent noise, maybe it was Alex hitting a board, I don't know. What I do know is that I looked away from my car at a time when I really didn't need to. Wham. Straight into the wall. No awkward angle this time. 90*, full speed, plastic meet wood. All it really did was turn my switch off. And, as luck would have it, 3 feet from our one dedicated marshal. Sweet, power on, back on track, funny noise. Motor had moved, sudden stops do that I'm told. I'm done. 16 heats today, lots of toys for the Tots at Children's Hospital. And that is a really really good thing. But its getting late, I've got to work early in the morning, and I know when I'm beat. No need for a main for me. Wish I could have stayed, but it was going to be another 2 hour wait til my race was up again, and I didn't have it in me. Had some rat killing to do at the house. Rats are dead, I'm beat. Night night.

Roberts new paint.

Almost Ready

With the exception of the sway bar kit and the fast gear set, the FGX is ready. New kicks today, Pit grooved, soft rear/medium front. Will be ready to race come next weekend at the Toys for Tots Race at Mikes.