It started with this....
So I got one in June, and much unlike Rome, I built it in a day and ran it at Mikes the next day. I was immediately hooked, it handled so much better than my VTA car, I had to dial the steering down to 50%. First day I had a 1 cell lipo and a 17.5 in it. It wasn't fast, but it was fun, and it looked good on the track. So much in fact that I had no less than 5 people ask to drive it that first day. Racer Robert, whom I had never met before, was one of them. He told me of the F1 parking lot races he went to back in the day in SoCal. A few days later, he had scored an F103 Anniversary Edition off ETurd. Alex, told me he had an F104, so he started bringing it. Within 2 weeks, we had 3 F1s, then another, then another.
Had our first race in July, no rules, just F1, and don't worry about it. We were hooked. The more people saw the F1s, the more people bought them. We didn't even have to be racing, practice days were enough. Long story, slightly shorter, F1 in 6 months is one of our most popular classes at Mikes. Its second only to VTA now, and with the attention its getting because it is part of the Carpet Nationals, its only going to grow. We have a new guy just about every week, we have guys coming up just to practice, and not race. And we have guys that instantly went nuts like me, and bought multiple F1s.
I don't even race my F109 any more, it was scavenged for parts to build my Exotek. I now have 2 F109s that are not complete, but will be shortly. One may become a Le Mans Type C, the other will be my 200mm car. I don't care what anyone says about the F109, it is a great car. Comparable to the legendary F103, maybe better. I consider it basically an F103 link conversion, like an Exotek without the CF. It uses standard F103 front and rear ends, but its a link car. And of course, as you can see with the Mutant, it can be a narrow F104 type just as easily. And don't forget the foams it comes with, my God, don't forget those foams!
So,if you are interested in an F1, but don't have the cash to get a GOOD Tamiya, look at the 3racing F109. It is ready for your electronics, and it has full ball bearings, tires, real steering linkages, a body and some nice aluminum. The standard F103s and F104s do not. They come with plastic motor mounts, wire linkages and bushings. And the tires suck. So there. $100 gets you into F1, you cant beat that. Don't even bother.
Edit: After I gathered all the F109 posts on this blog tonight making this page, I noticed that there really isn't much useful information pertaining to it. Just pics, videos, and tales of equipment failure. This was my first F1, I learned a lot with this car, broke a lot too. Most of the breakdowns were self induced by poor preparation and worse driving. Once I start rebuilding one or the other F109s I have now, I will hopefully post less crap, and more information. Oooh, idea! I have one now....... Check towards the bottom!
Intro
First of many bad paint days.
The First F1 race at Mike's
F103 body on the F109
Boredom is the devils playmate
8/6
F104 body
9/3
parts
McLaren MP4/6!!
another race day
10/15
Friday practice at the Classic
Fall Classic Aftermath
Video 11//20
Snakebit 11/26
CRC side spring mod
The F109 Front End
