I had won 2 auctions which landed me 3 cars total: an HPI Super Nitro RS4, and 2 HPI Nitro RS4s - one 'Racer' model, and one that's a pretty hopped-up stocker, along with radios and support gear for each car. I decided when I was looking at the auctions that I wanted to get my pal Jim an R/C car for his birthday so we could race now and then. It worked out, so I hooked him up with the second NRS4 and it's radio + gear. Unfortunately, its engine is 'seized' - hopefully, just loaded up with gunk and 'stuck.' But if not, I have a couple spares... just for that purpose.
I got the NRS4s because they're true 1/10th scale cars. The SNRS4 and my SuperTen are really more like 1/9th scale - just a little bigger than 1/10th... I called them 'SuperSized.' (I know, dorky) But it's getting tougher and tougher to find SuperSized parts, outside of tires, wheels, and only a small handful of bodies. I like my Viper body, as well as this Porsche body on the SNRS4, and hope to keep them around awhile. I totally thrashed a McLaren F1 body on the SuperTen when I first got it - and I don't know if I can get another one or not. At least the 1/10th scale parts are still plentiful... plus on-road racing's getting a much-needed shot in the arm thanks to the new 'drifting' scene.
But - the SNRS4 seems to be running fine. I'm not too keen on the stock head though. The engine seems to be running just fine, but it gets a little warmer than I'd prefer. I'm not done tweaking the settings yet, and the engine was never really broken in right, according to the previous owner - hopefully, it's not too late for it. If so, I still have a couple more engines in the bag... just in case. I need to adjust the slipper clutch as well - it seems to need a lot of rpms to move the car. My SuperTen is a monster - hit the gas and it's gone. This one likes to ride the clutch a lot. Maybe it's a 'belt-drive' thing - I don't know. The SuperTen is shaft-drive, and much more straight-forward. The problem is that getting to the clutches is such a PITA - you have to pull almost 1.3 of the car apart to get in there.
I also need to refurbish the SuperTen before I can run it again. I guess I also need to either pull its tires off the SNRS4, or use the SNRS4's tires on it. Last time out, I did some donuts in the Auto Hobby Shop parking lot and spun the tires right off the rims... Jim was impressed, to say the least.
The Nitro Hawk (off road truck) also has a 'seized' engine, but I know it's just 'stuck.' I bought the car from a friend years ago, and it's just sat since. Again - spare engines just in case.
I need to stretch the legs back out on that one so it can take some air - Jeff had set it as a low-rider for street racing before he got his Traxxas 4-Tec and gave up on the 'Hawk.Here's a couple pics of my toys.
ChrisX would be ashamed - my Porsche actually runs. Here's the new Super Nitro RS4, from a pic I got off the eBay auction.
I dropped the mounting pins a bit as well - it doesn't look like a monster truck like the one above. Man, I need to get some of those decals off that thing. I really, REALLY like that body (except for MOST of the decals). I hope I can get a couple new Porsche bodies from HPI for the NRS4. It also looks pretty cool with the SuperTen's wheels mounted up - the mesh rims with that body... pretty snappy.
Here's an old one the SuperTen with its proper wheels mounted. I still need to finish putting the rest of the decals on (taillights, vents, etc.) and get it running again.
Can't wait til next weekend. Hopefully, Jim will have his engine either squared away, or gave up on so we can mount up a new engine and get his car running so we can race. There's a new school right around the corner from my house with a B-i-i-i-i-g brand-new parking lot.
Geez - I didn't realize how long this post is. I guess I had more fun today than I thought. Shoulda mowed the lawn first though.
