New/Old Graphite Buggy Build

[Zipster]

While my Hunter project may come from the heart (and provides some interesting challenges), this is the build that I have been really focused on and am most excited about.

I picked up a graphite car some months ago, with the intent on just restoring it to run around with my kids' cars, and then I discovered this site and the sweet new/old cars that a bunch of you guys have built, and it immediately expanded my horizons (while deflating my wallet ).

SInce then, I've been gathering and planning, and while I'm still waiting for a few pieces, and have to order up a set of Atlas' towers, I'm ready to get started with the parts cleaning/stripping/dyeing. I'm not really planning on breaking any new ground with this build, as I want to get more experience under my belt before I start messing with what clearly works. The plan is to stick with the stock wide arm suspension, and go the B4 hub/B44 cvd approach to fit modern wheels. It will run a stealth, with slipper update for brushless, and I decided on a B3 body, as I just like it.

So before all of that gets started, here are some pics of my donor car, and all of the fun pieces that I have to go on it.

[Synergy]

Look at all the purdy parts

[muck]

I want to see it done too.. I will see my new to me graphite tomorrow...

[m_vice]

very nice, got to love the start with a bunch of new parts...

[Zipster]

Close as I get to building a brand new car - too cheap for NIB vintage, and not really that interested in the current cars right now (not really sure why, they are pretty sick...)

[THE H.P FREAK]

HI!... Great project. Building vintage cars is fun. You can do them for cheap sometimes. I bought one and mostly just had to put a lot of elbow grease into it. Bought new tires and a few small parts but mostly just had to tear it down and clean and rebuild. Make sure you use the Hydrogen Peroxide and UV light trick to whiten all your white parts. It really works well. Here's mine when it was all done. I bought it for $55 and put about $75 into it. most of the $75 was just the rear vintage tires and the new body.

[Zipster]

Just thought it was about time to do an update on my graphite project. Have most of the parts in-hand - just need to order up some towers & tranny brace from Atlas sometime soon, and waiting for some clean ball joints to arrive (the originals were in crappy shape, when I got them cleaned up). Slow going, but as this is my first rc10 (and I'm extraordinarily anal retentive ) I'm taking my time to get it exactly the way I want it to be.

Starting to think about a paint job (somewhere between an older PTG BMW and BAR Honda, I'm thinking).

Hey, so any suggestions on initial settings (springs, shock oil, etc...)? I figure I'll need to get on track to get it dialed in, but would like to at least start somewhere better than full on guessing!.

Some updated pics:

[JK Racing]

Hey, so any suggestions on initial settings (springs, shock oil, etc...)? I figure I'll need to get on track to get it dialed in, but would like to at least start somewhere better than full on guessing!.

I'm running what Ruffy or JHarris suggested:

#2 pistons
35 weight oil all around
Black front springs
Green rear springs
Shocks mounted in "stock" positions (top center, bottom outer front, top #2 in, bottom outer rear)
Camber links/tie rods in "stock" positions (under wing tube to carrier rear, longest set up front)

Car feels really good.

[Zipster]

Thanks! Sounds like a good place to start!

And most of the screws/ball joints I was waiting for arrived today, so there should be some more progress again

[Zipster]

Hi, any suggestions on a good starting point for gearing? I'm going to be running 17.5 brushless/lipo, with a stock stealth transmission? I'm pretty much starting from scratch as the only thing I have for this car is an old spur gear that's pretty thrashed, so I guess i need to figure out a spur gear and a couple of pinions to start with.

Thanks!

[JK Racing]

I run my car with no boost, my motor doesnt have timing adjustment either, 33/72 with the stock stealth. Pretty open flowing track though, I would start maybe 2 teeth down and move from there.

I did play with boost one time, car was hard to control (felt like an on/off switch power-wise). I was @ 26/81 with 30 degrees of boost.

[kaiser]

you did the b4 top shaft and slipper swap right?
did it come with a spur?

if it's the stock b4 81t spur start with a pinion in the 26-28 tooth range. should be good then drop or gain a couple of teeth depending on the track.

[JK Racing]

the blue/orange/yellow buggy in parts of this video (not the car being followed, but in the first part of the video, he is just in front of the car being followed) is running 33/72 with a stock stealth & a non-boosted/timed 17.5. Reedy Lipo pack.

[youtube]LGOPs0wjc60[/youtube]

[seth556]

I'm running an old 17.5 non-boosted at 30/72 in practice and it got pretty warm after a long session. Should probably be running a 32 or 33 tooth pinion like JK is. If you're running a 82t spur try to find a similar ratio, so a 36t pinion to be matched to the 32/72 ratio.

[Ruffy]

My gearing has never been based off of top straight-away speeds, but more the pinion size ideal to get thru the infield fast, and whatever it is on the straights, I just accept. With this said, it depends on your tracks layout and obstacles for proper gearing. You really can't go at it blindly, using what others around the country use. Just need to find the right ratio for your track and your motor/car setup.

For the Asylum in Florida:
I'm running a Tekin RS boosted 17.5 in my very stock "stock class" RC10 CE with an 81/22 combo with the stock 2.25:1 stealth transmission.
81/22*2.25=8.28 final ratio (stock Associated 2.2 B3 wheels and rear current tires)

But this Sunday they are changing the layout, so guess what! It is back to square one for me to find the right gear ratio depending on the tracks layout.

Hope this helps.