RC10Talk - The Net's Largest Vintage R/C Community

Mr. ED wrote: ↑Sun Dec 01, 2019 2:58 pm Wow Doug! That's advanced modelling right there. I don't think I'd manage the body like you did.

Thank you sir. Coming from you, that is very high praise indeed.
Kyosho makes creating 3d models of their parts less difficult than it otherwise would be by providing very good illustrations in their instruction manuals. Of course, having a set of digital calipers handy to accurately measure the parts also helps. I'm currently working on a 3d model of the original Ultima body -- while I'm waiting for parts to arrive to finish the LWB project.
I enjoy "building" virtual RC models almost as much as the physical ones. In addition to RC10's, I've modeled Kyosho's re-released Turbo Scorpion, Turbo Optima and Javelin, and a few vintage Mids and Ultimas. I guess there's no real purpose for them other than the fun and challenge of making them.

That looks so awesome! I love it. If I had one criticism, it would be the aluminum noseplate. I wish that I could find someone to reproduce the Hot Trick Ultima noseplate that has the proper “Z” bend in it so that it could go over top of the chassis plate (similar to the RC10). Other then that, it’s absolutely amazing!

Thank you orangemazda!!
I agree, it's really hard to make a separate nose plate look nice - there's always going to be a step.
I was considering making the main chassis plate one-piece from aluminum but I'm more concerned about keeping the weight down than aesthetics.
Of course, a molded carbon chassis plate would be awesome but it's not in the budget.

The parts needed to finish the car have arrived so all chassis work is finished. Body and paint work are far from perfect but I'm happy with it.
I'll just need to install the ESC and source a Rx to make it a runner. I'll likely "barrow" a receiver from one of the other cars until I have a chance to order another one.
It was a super nice sunny day today and I was keen to get some pics.
I haven't driven an Ultima in 30 years so I really want to get this one on the track and have some fun with it.

Doug

I don't know about "far from perfect"
That looks as fine as frogs hair split three ways.
Another great XLR8 build!

Chuck

radioactivity wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 3:56 pm Doug

I don't know about "far from perfect"
That looks as fine as frogs hair split three ways.
Another great XLR8 build!

Chuck

hahaha.... Thank you Chuck -- spoken like a true Texan.
The only benefit I can find for using a nearly 20 year old Olympus digital camera with only 3.2 megapixel resolution is that it hides a lot of flaws.
I keep hoping that some year Santa will correct the matter but so far no luck.

XLR8 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:15 pm

radioactivity wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 3:56 pm Doug

I don't know about "far from perfect"
That looks as fine as frogs hair split three ways.
Another great XLR8 build!

Chuck

hahaha.... Thank you Chuck -- spoken like a true Texan.
The only benefit I can find for using a nearly 20 year old Olympus digital camera with only 3.2 megapixel resolution is that it hides a lot of flaws.
I keep hoping that some year Santa will correct the matter but so far no luck.

Honestly, i got into Digital picture taking, and then had Canon DSLR's along with every zoom and prime that had the red stripe from 2001 to 2015............ended up playing with older stuff like the 20D and 30D and a few old Minolta D7i's from 2002 that take great photos.........anything above 2mp is great for our needs.

Your workmanship and ingenuity is just like Check said it.......A great XLR8 build!
Your threads certainly have taught me a few things, and I know everything there is to know

Unbelievable build!

Nice pictures! At first I thought they were renderings.
I hope you'll enjoy running your ultima.
I had a good time running mine last sunday.

Mr. ED wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 1:20 pm Nice pictures! At first I thought they were renderings.
I hope you'll enjoy running your ultima.
I had a good time running mine last sunday.
79531328_3065321760162255_1754104140205654016_o.jpg

Thank you sir!!

Oh wow, an actual loose dirt track! I realize they've fallen out of favor due to their high maintenance, but loose dirt can be so much fun to race on. It's like the old days.

It's an indoor horse rink actually. Mac vlijmen runs it races here during the winter.

XLR8 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:43 am Thank you orangemazda!!
I agree, it's really hard to make a separate nose plate look nice - there's always going to be a step.
I was considering making the main chassis plate one-piece from aluminum but I'm more concerned about keeping the weight down than aesthetics.
Of course, a molded carbon chassis plate would be awesome but it's not in the budget.

How much would an carbon kickup chassis cost??
Jerzi

Jerzi wrote: ↑Sat Dec 21, 2019 3:10 pm

XLR8 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:43 am Thank you orangemazda!!
I agree, it's really hard to make a separate nose plate look nice - there's always going to be a step.
I was considering making the main chassis plate one-piece from aluminum but I'm more concerned about keeping the weight down than aesthetics.
Of course, a molded carbon chassis plate would be awesome but it's not in the budget.

How much would an carbon kickup chassis cost??
Jerzi

Not sure exactly. This one is design for a 25 degree kick so a c/f chassis will require a custom mold. As such, I doubt that anyone would touch it for less than $100 plus materials. I've been building 5 or 6 RC projects per year and $100 is more than I'm willing to pay for a single component (I don't sell my builds). Also, I have plenty of aluminum and G10 on hand and enjoy making my own parts.
I never really gave serious thought to sourcing a carbon chassis plate for this project.

I’ve had a chance to run the car and thought I’d post an update.
The shocks fitted to the car came from an Ultima Pro. As received, they were in great shape and leak free so I didn’t bother to open them. On the bench, dampening seemed to be about right. On the track, however, they were all wrong; a little over-sprung and a lot under dampened – especially at the rear. The car bounced like a basketball. The rears were fitted with gold springs (.046” dia. wire, 13.5 coils), red pistons and something like 20 wt oil so I rebuilt them with AE silver springs (.041” wire, 14.5 coils) and Losi 30 wt oil. For the fronts, I just swapped the gold springs with AE bronze (a little softer rate) and left the shocks unopened (dampening is little soft but probably close to right). On the track, the changes were immediately apparent; the car handled the bumpy sections very well and stayed planted overall. Still not perfect but it’s going in the right direction.

Next, tires. I like to run Proline Bow-ties as they seem to work reasonably well on loose or hard pack dirt, clay and even in the sandy sections of my very ungroomed backyard track. The wheel/tire combination fitted to the car came from the Turbo Scorpion rere and although the rear tires may appear to be Bow-tie copies, they certainly don’t grip like them. Straight line traction is good but side grip, especially on hard pack, is very poor. As a quick test, I mounted a pair of Bow-ties on wheels from my RC10 (replacing the Ultima’s wheel hex adapters and screw-pins with a wire pins) and side grip improved drastically.

So, this is where the car is at the moment. I’ve ran 4 packs before it started to rain again. The shocks still need some tuning.

Oh, and another note on those Turbo Scorpion rere wheels; they’re as soft as butter. I have one front that’s bent and the rears have the outer edges shredded by the front tires kicking up small rocks that are prevalent in the soil around here. They may look pretty on the shelf but they’re probably not the best choice for a runner. Anyway, the rears are currently in an acetone vapor bath so I can remove and replace those Kyosho tires. While the tires are removed, I’ll mount the wheels in the lathe and see if I can clean-up those ragged edges.

Great update! Keep em comin