My RC10B4 Team Car Build

[iVTEC4LIFE]

UPDATED: 1/8/12

So my B3's are done.... (mostly) and more it's on to the new B4 Team Car!



I picked this up for a steal at $99.99 + free shipping just before Xmas and I have to say I really missed building rc cars. In an age of rtr everywhere, I feel there is nothing better and calming than building a kit from the ground up.

That said, AE did a fantastic job getting this build on the right track right out of the box. I couldnt believe how fluidly this car went together! I can't remember any other kit I've built going together so easily and so quickly.



The car is great! It has a very low slung, aggressively fast look to it. It looks so good I'm not sure I want to race it and get it dirty!



I installed some electrics anyways. Simple stock motor and my trusty Tekin G12cIII. Just need a new radio and she's ready to go!



So, while I do love the car, there are some things that I'm not diggin' at all. The low amount of aluminum used throughout the car. One piece. Thats it. Really!?!?
I'm used to an RC10 having lots of aluminum here and there and the B4 is seriously lacking. I shouldn't have to get a Factory Team kit to get SOME aluminum goodies.... Namely the rear motor wrap/plate.



I plan on upgrading the rear bulkhead pieces, front bulkhead pieces, steering rack, and maybe the shock towers... Well you'll see!!!

SO!!! I'm going to be ordering ALOT of aluminum parts for this B4, some necessary, some simply upgrades. This will hopefully be my journal of the build. I hope you enjoy it a much as I will.

If you have any questions, just ask!!

[hawgfanman]

Pic size is fine. The build looks great and I love that paint job! Mine is still sitting here still in the shrink wrap until I clear off my work table! I'm already planning on ordering a bunch of aluminum for mine as well before I build it. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with yours!

[soniccj5]

Nice paint job.


I finished my FT B4, and I feel the same as you, but it was bought to race, so it will have to get dirty.

[iVTEC4LIFE]

Thanks guys! I keep my paint jobs simple tho this is the first time I've used pin striping on the outside. It has a thicker red stripe on top... I just dont have a decent pic yet...

[iVTEC4LIFE]

So, after much debate (mostly due to color availability), I have an aluminum plan of action for my B4.

For the front, the front hinge pin brace will be replaced with the Factory Team (FT) piece. GPM will cover the bulkhead and the top brace.



The bulkhead will be blue to match the FT nose piece and the top brace will be carbon fibre and blue aluminum. The shock tower will be replaced with black aluminum from GPM and the steering rack will be blue aluminum. The caster blocks will be blue, either by GPM or Integy. Lastly, the servo mounts will be blue aluminum.

Center in the chassis will be a K-Factory carbon/aluminum battery strap. Very cool!



Holding that down will be the FT thumb screws.

Moving on to the rear of the car, GPM will be heavily used again. The tower will be black as well the lower chassis plate and bulkhead.



Blue will adorn the motor guard, the wing supports, and the upper chassis connector brace.



Finally, the rear hub carriers and wheel spacers will be FT.

[flipwils11]

Nice pics, but shouldn't this be in a different section of the board, not the vintage buggy forum?

[iVTEC4LIFE]

Technically, it IS vintage. The 2003 Team Car(#9034)was discontinued awhile back and is now completely unavailable at the AE Store. 9yrs old and unavailable, thats vintage enough in my book!

Besides.... There is no "Modern RC10" forum. Otherwise I would have posted there.

[VintageCat]

You mentioned something about racing this... and you're putting aluminum parts everywhere. was this going to be a shelfer or runner? If you're going to race this 'seriously' (for a toy car ) all that aluminum isn't really a good thing. If it's for fun or a shelfer, looks good.

[iVTEC4LIFE]

I dunno. Probly not. Racing that is. I really just enjoy building and modding them. If i do race, i'll probly use a b3 or swap out parts. Wrenching is half the fun!!!

Just scored FT rear hub carriers and spacers for $20!!

[iVTEC4LIFE]

Well, thanks to flip, now i'm thinking i want to race so now i have to take a WHOLE different route. (Probably saving me a TON of money) . I'm now aiming at reducing weight, balancing the platform, and only using aluminum in key places that are prone to breakage.

PS: Moderator, if you feel this thread would be better suited in the Tech forum, move it. You won't hurt my feelings.

[scr8p]

Technically, it IS vintage.

no it's not.

There is no "Modern RC10" forum. Otherwise I would have posted there.

that's because this is a vintage based forum. if people want to see a bunch of modern stuff, they can go to the rctech or the rcca forums.

look, i understand that a lot of our members are current racers with a fleet of new cars. and occasionally, they'll post pics or whatever. but they still continue to contribute to the vintage aspect of this site. they don't make a habit of posting modern cars, so i don't make a big deal about it.

it could be worse, we could run this place like the traditional hot rod site i frequent, and there wouldn't be a THING of here newer than '94.

[soniccj5]

Shoot, I was going to enter my new FT B4 in this years VONATS .

[Charlie don't surf]

Shoot, I was going to enter my new FT B4 in this years VONATS .

I am sure you could!

[iVTEC4LIFE]

You're mocking me. :/ LOL It's cool. Like I said, if yall want to move it.... Or close this one and I'll start a new one in rc tech.... If I ever get around to the CE then I'll post here.

[iVTEC4LIFE]

Well, no one has taken it down or moved it, soooo....

UPDATE!!!

Well, after over 2mo of waiting for some B3 parts I had on backorder to come in, I ordered the bearings and spacers for the FT rear hub carriers and the SC10 nose/rr chassis brace set. They both arrived today so I'll finally install all that and then wait again.... I STILL need a radio and rx for it. These bidding wars on eBay are killing me! Come on people! Let me get an M11 at a decent (read: super cheap) price!

The Integy SC10 braces went in perfectly. The nose brace and the upper rear chassis brace are much darker blue that the FT stuff so I'm glad the FT hub carriers are buried in the rear wheels. My only set back now is that the bearing spacers that I ordered were the wrong ones so I put the hub carriers on anyways without the spacers for now. It looks like Tower is getting some more of my money eventually.

Finally my tx/rx search has ended! I ended up getting an old school FM 75MHz M8 with rx. $72 shipped. Not too bad. The M11's were too far out of my price range (as were the Spektrum'd M8's)... Maybe later!!
I loved my first M8 so it will be nice to have one back in my hands after 12+ yrs. So in a few days I'll be able to finally drive this new car and hopefully take it to the track. The only track that I know of here in San Antonio it's waaayyyy over on the other side of town... Nice.