When is an Associated a Traxxas?

[Dangeruss]

Got to wondering about this... how many parts... or what parts... do you believe have to change for an R/C vehicle to no longer be the brand it was?

A Rustler with a Stealth Transmission is just that.. but what if you start adding 10T arms or shock towers or an aluminum tub?

Is there a tipping point where it's no longer a Traxxas with Associated parts... but is now an Associated with Traxxas parts?

What about in reverse... How many Traxxas parts do you have to swap into an Associated buggy before your RC10 becomes a Bandit?

Not trying to justify anything I'm doing... the conversation seemed interesting...

Thoughts?

[GoMachV]

There is no clear line there for sure. We have members that are purist, we have members that are Frankensteiners ( ) and everyone in between. We even have a guy that really likes Schumacher but we try not to judge. To the purists, the wrong screws can be a breaking point. I'm the kind of guy that says if it could have been done back in the day, it's fair game. A stealth trans on a triumph, go for it. It's still a triumph. For others, that is enough to break it.

[kandkhobby13]

Definitely an interesting topic.

I tend to agree with GoMachV,
In my mind the way I've always thought about or explained it was whatever the brand of the chassis is on the car is what I would call it even if all other surrounding parts are from other company. An RC10 with JC Racing parts for example.

[juicedcoupe]

Here is one of my mutts. It identifies as a 10T.

A stamp pan, previously modified.
10T nose, bulkhead, bellcranks, towers, and rear arms.
Injora/Axial transmission and ECX shafts.
B4 steering, with Traxxas axles.
Traxxas front arms, rear carriers, and shocks.
Losi springs.
Traxxas wheels and Tamiya tires.

[1911Colt]

Hmmm, this is a tough one. I'd probably go with "a preponderance of the evidence" to determine what brand a buggy really is. Which parts really matter to the buyer and how many of those is he getting? For example, to me an RC10T with a Traxxas transmission would be considered a "10T missing the trans". A complete Grasshopper with a Stealth is "a Stealth". So it isn't really how much is brand A vs brand B, but "what good stuff is contained therein?"

With full size cars it is easy: just check the motor. A 32 Ford with a 350 is a Chevy. A 32 Ford with a 302 is a Ford.

[azone]

...the wrong screws can be a breaking point

There is a similarly interesting discussion on what is to be considered a truly vintage build. The screws thing made me laugh because I could not allow myself to use anything but period-correct associated screws as I'm (re)building an old 10L and RC10. To the point where not only did I spend a stupid amount on screws, but they had to be from the correct years... meaning they couldn't be from later associated production w/ later packaging and possibly ever so slightly miscolored or different. How stupid is that.. imagine if I told my wife what I spent that time doing!! As for the Brand that's tough, juicedcoupe example is excellent because that thing screams 10T w/ that chassis even though the majority is not.

[Lowgear]

The screw thing isn't stupid to me as I could easily see myself doing the same.


I remember this topic always being a hotly contested debate in the Clod world since people generally only use the axles.

[TRX-1-3]

NEVER!

[scr8p]

Give it a name, then the parts don't really matter.

Team Pit Stop had a conversion chassis that used a TRX-1 front clip and an RC10 rear clip. It was called the Nova. Bullet had the RC-X2 for their AE/Losi mash-up. And there are others. Even my B1.5.

[jwscab]

Yeah I have a half Traxxas half losi car. Bullet front end, jrx2 with h arm rear end. I go by percentage. If it's 50% or more of one car, that's the car. If it's down the middle it's a halfer. Like if you have a torn dollar bill, if you have more than 50% the bank will give you face value.

[Frankentruck]

I think maybe instead of what most of the parts are from, it could be what most of the parts are meant to fit or be compatible with. A bunch of MIP, RPM, etc parts on a Composite Craft chassis still typically gets considered to be an RC10 build even if it had zero Associated parts in the build, because that's what the parts are for.

[Chewbacca]

NEVER!

[TRX-1-3]

Give it a name, then the parts don't really matter.

Team Pit Stop had a conversion chassis that used a TRX-1 front clip and an RC10 rear clip. It was called the Nova. Bullet had the RC-X2 for their AE/Losi mash-up. And there are others. Even my B1.5.

Similarly, the Top Models Hybrid. Although that was pretty much an aftermarket parts RC10 kit with Traxxas shocks.

[MarkyDents]

I think maybe instead of what most of the parts are from, it could be what most of the parts are meant to fit or be compatible with. A bunch of MIP, RPM, etc parts on a Composite Craft chassis still typically gets considered to be an RC10 build even if it had zero Associated parts in the build, because that's what the parts are for.

I’ve got a pretty good old example of just that, not much factory AE here but it’s still an RC10 right…..
https://rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=48422

[clutchcargo]

Here is one of my mutts. It identifies as a 10T.

A stamp pan, previously modified.
10T nose, bulkhead, bellcranks, towers, and rear arms.
Injora/Axial transmission and ECX shafts.
B4 steering, with Traxxas axles.
Traxxas front arms, rear carriers, and shocks.
Losi springs.
Traxxas wheels and Tamiya tires.

Screenshot_20241203_122255_Samsung Internet.jpg

How the heck did you figure this out?