oldtamiyaphile

[oldtamiyaphile]

Nah, you can’t easily upgrade a Commodore to a Statesman (wheelbase for a start!), but in R/C it’s just a body. Since you’ll smash up the race body, the body that comes with the kit is not critical IMO. I get the cheap kit and then buy the body I want separately, of course, I’m sure most people don’t think the same way. But the point is, there’s no rational reason for one body to cost more than another (unlike in your example), people want Subies, so they charge more for them.

Interestingly, while kit prices are all over the place, all the replacement bodies cost the same. More interesting is if you buy the Modena, add a Subi body, you’ve only spent $30 more than the Subi kit. Who’d pass up a Tamiya body at the LHS for $30?

They do have stock, list is updated daily, though chances are they only have one of each kit listed.

Edited by – oldtamiyaphile on 09 February 2004 18:49:51

[oldtamiyaphile]

OK, thanks for the info. Now that I recall talking to some shop owners, you seem to be right.

OK, in most cases, they don’t have the exact same kits, I just went on prices by chassis type

For TL/TT-01’s;

FERRARI MODENA TL01 $185.00
RAYBRIG NSX 03 TT01 $176.00
RAYBRIG NSX 03 TT01 $176.00

My point was it’s not too hard to find a TL/TT under $200. I got a couple FF-01’s a couple years back there as low as $140, those were the days…

I’ll be quite now :smiley2: Until I start my grey market business HEHE.

[oldtamiyaphile]

They’re as fast as anyone in 1/10 on-road (and you can have either belts or shafts!), if they wanted to, they could build a worlds worthy buggy. If they wanted too…

Need some chassis pics.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Bear with me here.

Mini-Z Overland, I bought mine for US$90 ~AUD$115. LHS price? $305 and that’s on sale from $350! (still want $350 for the F-1’s)

Now, at $115 the Asian sellers are still making a profit. Shipping cost me ~$20, so it might cost the distributors $10 per unit at the most.

So between the distibutors and hobbyshop, theres a 300% mark up. I’m inclined to believe that the distributors make $50 or less (high volume) and the LHS $150.

The FF Celica costs $65(AUD82) in Japan. After airmail postage that’s about $120, or as little as $100 surface. I find it odd that I can get stuff retail in another country, pay postage and get it for less than wholesale. Just doesn’t make sence. Altezza is even cheaper US$58. Not saying your wrong, but I do find it odd. Heck, maybe I should go into business, TL/FF’s for 140 bucks.

100% is normal retail mark up. That might be an extreme example, and probably doesn’t reflect Tamiya kits, but I’m sure it goes for the option parts ($180 for an alu chassis)! Funny thing about Tamiya options is the Yen price is printed on the pack, so you can see exactly how much you’re getting ripped by!

LHS prices:

http://www.stanbridges.com.au/elebug.asp

TT-01’s starting at $176, quite a few under $200, Moderna for $185, like you said, check the LHS. A few of those are pretty good value, the ’04 at least.

Edited by – oldtamiyaphile on 09 February 2004 03:23:29

[oldtamiyaphile]

XC chassis, excellent, that’s what I was hopeing for.

Buy from Japan, it’s cheaper. I mean, some of the Oz hobbyshop prices are insane. Prices are halfed if you order from Asia, depending on the item obviously. I do remember seeing the XB Pajero at the LHS, may have been ‘grey’ I suppose.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Wholesale cost? You’ve listed roughly retail prices. I can get TL-01’s for around $170 in Oz. If we’re talking half retail (which is wholesale), then I’m interested in the Celica.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Clod was disco’d? There are so many still available I didn’t notice :p

TNX, who needs another Maxx clone? Terra Crusher was a real monster, the way god intended, all Tamiya nitros are underpowered (except the OS/NR chassis kits).

Gravel hound looks interesting, wonder if it will be much of a chassis (perhaps a race worthy TRF is on the way?).

I’ll probably only get the Touareg, wonder what chassis it’s on…

[oldtamiyaphile]

Old news, 90km/h on the speed checker is meaningless. Actual speed is likely to be closer to 40-50km/h.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Each rotor is powered by it’s own motor, essentially, it’s two Hornets back to back. If you went brushless, then you’d have sync’d rpm (roughly at least).

[oldtamiyaphile]

You can buy a Micro Chinook style heli, it’s a cottage industry conversion based on two MSC Hornets, cost is something insane like US$1200 (not bad for a heli, but expensive for a micro electric).

[oldtamiyaphile]

The ESC I recommend above all is the GM V4 or V4R (R for reverse) it will handle motors down to around 13t, cost around $130 (a little more for the R) and is just a great unit. It’s only 1″ square so it will work great in 1/18’s as well.

I think the B4 is the best of the cars you’ve listed (probably the most expensive too), the Schumacher is nice, but lots of people don’t like them, they aren’t really a ‘jumping’ car traditionally.

This is often the cheapest place in Oz:

http://radiomodels.com.au/

[oldtamiyaphile]

I think you get a motor in the kit.

ESC will cost you around $100 and will a radio, in either case you can spend a lot of money on electronics if you really want :smiley2:

[oldtamiyaphile]

The servos probably under powered/plastic geared and may strip, and I wouldn’t trust the ESC either. I don’t have any experenice with Duratrax because I run from anything that says RTR on the box…

I’d buy a kit and get a Hitec servo and GM or LRP ESC.

[oldtamiyaphile]

My thoughts on gas vs electric:

http://www.wegotu.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=259&forum_id=7

In this particular case, provided you can afford the higher running costs and increased wear and tear/ maintenance, I feel the nitro maybe better value (mostly because I don’t trust Duratrax electronics).

I’ve bought a lot of gas cars cheap from noobies who didn’t know how to keep them running, so be aware that you’ll have to learn a few things, do maintenance etc.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Duratrax are old Losi models. They bought the moulds to the XX series. All the Losi parts fit, and as such are not bad value.

Thing about RTR is all too often the electronics are quite poor and will need replacing when you start going fast 😉

[oldtamiyaphile]

My review:

http://www.wegotu.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=54&forum_id=21

[oldtamiyaphile]

Have a look here for topics on Speed 400 and 540 Mini-T convesions:

http://www.wegotu.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=5

[oldtamiyaphile]

Thanks all, it’s already R/C, see the link I posted for the conversion, apparently, wgu is still register to view, I’ll fix that in a minute.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Check out:

http://www.wegotu.com/forums/

For answers to all your Epoch questions.

Fast charge on that charger is WAY too fast for the Epoch.

I recommend 300ma (0.3a) as a max.

If you charger is designed for 4-7 cells, then you could use the trickle charge mode (75ma), that will take 120/75=1.6 hours + about 10% for luck 😉

For the Mini-T you’ll be waiting 10 hours on the trickle charge and again, 5A is just too fast for those little cells.

Might be time for a new charger.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Quote:

Wow.. anyone got details on which xmod parts are interchangeable and which not?

Same as mini-Z, not much.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Umm, ever see a Current (post ~96 even) Ferrari F1? Sponsored by Shell? Or the “If shell is good enough for a Ferrari… adds?

I’ve also seen race Ferrari’s using Total oils, matter of fact I haven’t seen Agip in ages, might just not be sold in AU anymore, or maybe they were bought out by Shell.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Cool, no, I gave up all my 1/64 projects and have gone to 1/32 scale. I can build propo cars all day, hehe. The only car I still want to finish is my 1/60 Renault Espace F1.

I switched scales for many reasons, including the time/reward ratio you mentioned. I can simply do better, faster than I could in 1/64, plus things like planes are actually doable (without only having 1/64 Jumbos).

[oldtamiyaphile]

Old news, it’s only throttle and gives you all the disadvantages of a Digi-Q.

You could buy ‘clones’ of this car (Bit type with IR throttle propo) a while back at TE (they’ve disappeared now).

Several people have built fully propo Bits, including myself (Zip Zap wheelbase). It’s very easy, just expensive.

[oldtamiyaphile]

Quote:

otp, got any links? i can’t find anything about it

I have a model of a rally 288 (308’s were also raced), best I can find on the net is some model listings without pics 🙁

http://www.showcasemodels.co.uk/Ferrari.asp

At least proves I’d not crazy 🙂

[oldtamiyaphile]

Actually, that’s far from the first off road Ferrari. During the Gr.B days the 288 GTO was homologated for world rallying, granted, they never really had a chance to compete because Gr.B was axed, and the 288 went on to become the F-40.

[Author]

Posts