How long would it take you to build an RC10?

[ASC6000]

my first rc10 probably took a couple days but after working in a shop building them and racing them for a few years...
The kit parts were so consistent that very little extra time needed to be spent on every little thing to get them perfect so for a customer build. Also racing 2-3 times a week during those times (a single guy) I spent most of my free time working on my personal cars so I knew them well. Early cars took more time due to the six gear and if you built the roll bar and with the soldering involved a complete car (no paint) took about 2 hours. Later stealth cars with a MagJr and a mc112 considerably faster, barely more than an hour for a complete car (no paint). Although speed building was not the intent by the time you get to the 50th60th70th new kit the later stealth cars could go from box to roller in 30 minutes on a good day.
Open all the front end parts in one tray
Open all the back end in another tray
shocks in a tray
tranny in tray
Do the shocks first, then the complete tranny
The front and back go on the pan so fast it's ridiculous
Install shocks and tranny
Remember too power tools weren't used as much back then. I used a skil twist for the phillips screws only.
I'm sure many of you can close your eyes and be right back there, we never forget.

[xo1tech]

I think its in the right spot, and about the 300 hour build, I was probably talking about me as well

Speaking of a 300 hr. build, here is an example of one of mine. I'm not sure what I will do with this car but considering the fact I do not have permission to access the buy/ sell/ trade area, I just thought the topic of 300 hr. builds might be a way to expose it and gauge any interest if I do decide to part with it.


I have an RC10 Worlds Car with all white plastic (except for black arms), early box art with gold sticker on front. I purchased it new in 1994 and spent over 300 hrs. on the assembly.

This car has been (for the most part) blue-printed. The clearances have all been minimized with small washers, crush-sleeves, shims, etc. and I have been told by a couple of sponsored drivers the car is too smooth. The steering, suspension, and drivetrain are SILKY smooth and precise (and I do not say that lightly).

The bearing seals were removed, and a very mild abrasive was used to polish the balls and races (as they were all taken up to extreme rpm), which reduced their rolling resistance. Same procedure was used on gears in transmission after they were de-burred and indexed.

I custom fitted crush sleeves between the inner and outer wheel bearings, and included shim washers on the axles to minimize clearances. All the slack normally found between the turnbuckle balls and cups was addressed as well. The tires were balanced at the time of the build also.

In the FINAL STAGE OF BUILD PROCESS, I was breaking in the motor (running at low rpm on test stand in total darkness), when I noticed an eddy current (greenish-blue ghostly ball of electrical current) bouncing around between the spur and pinion at the exact moment of acceleration.

After trying several different composition spur gears, lubricants, motors, and motor plates, I called Associated Electrics Technical Support and they had never heard of such and could not help me.

I called Mark Lowry with Litespeed Products (motor builder and friend) to see if he had any ideas. He was not aware of this phenomenon ever occurring and could not offer any advice either.

With over 300 hours invested in the build, and not wanting to take a chance of an electrical glitch taking control of the car, I shelved it.

Years later (upon further investigation), I determined the motor plate was not grounded properly. After removing the anodized coating from the motor plate and chassis where they bolt together (not visible at all with car assembled), the problem went away.

The motor (not being grounded properly) was causing static electricity to build up between the pinion and spur.

As many electrical glitches as I experienced in the days of AM radios, I look back and wonder how many times this was an issue and I just did not realize it.


I had gone onto other things by this time, and even to this day, THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN RUN!!!

I have a few NOS parts purchased along about the same time, 4 new un-painted bodies, the original box (early art & gold sticker on lower left front), original decal sheet, factory supplied tools, all the paperwork, and manual that came with it new.

To be put back original, most all of the screws would have to be replaced as the screws have been milled to minimum length for each application and polished to reduce weight.

The bottom of the chassis has some minor scuffing on it from me handling and working on it, The rear half of the battery box has been notched out to accept a side by side 7 cell pack, the tires have some radial (as well as lateral) run-out (as they all do).

I installed a complete set of Lunsford Titanium Turnbuckles and MIP CVDs (during the build) and the original un-used ones are in the box.

Here is a list of the NOS parts I have for it:

6206 Wide Track Front Arms – 1 pr.
6207 Front Suspension Mounts – 2 pr.
6221 Inline Steering Blocks – 2 pr.
6312 Chassis Protective Sheet - 1
6321 Nose Brace Tubes – 1 pr.
6355 Rear A-Arms – 1 pr.
6360 Rear Suspension Mounts – 1 pr.
6366 Rear Hub Carriers – 1 pr.
6470 Shock Mounting Kit – 1
6570 Idler Shaft and Gear – 1
6580 Diff Gear – 1
6604 Black Motor Plate – 1
6694 85T 48P Spur Gear – 1
6695 87T 48P Spur Gear – 1
The new (black) 87T 48P Spur Gear (came with kit) included as well
7363 Rear Suspension Mounts – 1
7364 Rear Suspension Mounts – 1
7429 Front Soft Blue Springs – 1 pr.
7430 Front Firm Red Springs – 2 pr.
7434 Rear Soft Blue Springs – 1 pr.
7436 Rear Firm Red Springs – 2 pr.
HD (long-black) RPM Ball Cups - 16
HD (short-black) RPM Ball Cups - 16
# 110 RC Performance Specialties Turbo Mirage SS Body – 2 (NIP)
#6121 Team Associated Viper Body – 2 (NIP)

Also included is a pair of New Wide Rear Arms ( not in original packaging) and one more set of new front arms (not in packaging)

Kit supplied RCPS Turbo Mirage body is already painted and on car.



If this car is ever disassembled, special care needs to be taken to look for index marks, additional shims, etc. to ensure the car is re-assembled as it should be.

[scr8p]

I'm not sure what I will do with this car but considering the fact I do not have permission to access the buy/ sell/ trade area, I just thought the topic of 300 hr. builds might be a way to expose it and gauge any interest if I do decide to part with it.

so that is just a phishing expedition to get some offers?

[xo1tech]

I'm not sure what I will do with this car but considering the fact I do not have permission to access the buy/ sell/ trade area, I just thought the topic of 300 hr. builds might be a way to expose it and gauge any interest if I do decide to part with it.

so that is just a phishing expedition to get some offers?

I actually had to look up the meaning of phishing. No way is this a phishing expedition.

Now I can't deny I was curious to see what kind of interest this car would generate and for that I apologize.

There is some useful information here as well, but PLEASE delete the post if you want and I'll wait until I have legitimate access to the buy/ sell/ trade forum and try again.

SORRY!!!

[oldmanian]

hmmm.... Good question. Back in the day it took me about a week to get my 6 gear graphite together. It was my 2nd RC build.
These days I enjoy the build too much to rush it. I am not sure that I am at 1200 hours, but I am closer to that then the under an hour crowd here. But if it makes me happy, I have no desire to do it in under an hour, 1200 hours would be fine....

[SladeHayes]

My first RC10 build was one of the early kits that had 2 separate sets of instructions - one with just photos (no text at all) and a typewritten set of instructions that corresponded with the photos. I got the car Christmas day and it wasn't built to any sort of completion before New Years. I think it was about another 2 months before the shocks were properly built, the dif wasn't noisy or chewing up idler gears, and the front suspension was actually adjusted. I went from a Tamiya Grasshopper to an RC10 as my second car and I wasn't really ready for the learning curve.

I got my first RC10 before my dad got his, and of course he had to out-do mine, so he completely stripped the gold anodizing off all of the aluminum bits and then sanded and polished them to a mirror shine. He also dyed all the nylon bits black, so the car looked amazing. It certainly made up for his lack of driving ability

As time went on, and before the Stealth tranny was widely available, I was able to remove and rebuild a 6 gear diff in-between heat races at the local track. I ended up machining off the outdrives of a set of bottom steel gears and running those instead of the nylon idler gears. It made the 6 gear diffs indestructible, but added a lot of rotating mass and weight.

I would probably take a week or so to build one now. Not including paint.