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Given that everything else is equal; What is more desirable a Gold Pan or Graphite Chassis?

Well, that depends on what your wants and needs are. I personally have one new and one good used condition graphite. I do not have the desire for another one. Now by my taste, I have many and am always in the hunt for more new "A" chassis. Just personal taste. There are probably just as many the other way around.

I would prefer a good graphite chassis anytime. However, it is common to see bad condition graphite chassis.

I was always on the look out for a pristine gold pan. finding my graphite was just icing on the cake.

For racing I think the extra weight of the alloy is more desirable. But, when it comes to looks, the graphite takes the cake. IMO

nice tub is more desirable to me but i think you gotta have both....

My two cents, and I know an opinion that will differ to most everyone that likes aftermarket stuff; is that of like the rest of the Associated team drivers and even after working for Composite Craft and having boxes and boxes of chassis to take for myself for free.
As racers we always preferred that which worked the best in 99% of racing conditions and tracks and that was easier to fine tune, and that was the Aluminum Chassis all the time.
Most of Team actually never liked any of the graphite chassis out there, as the feel on-track was so different and that the aluminum tubs were always able to go faster lap-time wise on a given off-road track due to their rigidity and shape (which is why I think one company came out with a graphite tub) allowing the suspension to work better. This is why even after AE released their graphite chassis cars, we all tried them out ( I think I had 4 different ones myself) but never actually raced them (especially at big races) due to the tub car working better nearly everytime. We would try them at local races and practices to see if we could get them as fast or faster than the tub cars.
This was something that I discovered before even being invited to join Team Associated, after buying my 1st graphite chassis as a privateer.
So for me, the answer has always been the aluminum tub anytime over the graphite chassis. Seems weird, I know, coming from someone that worked as a Lead Design Engineer for Composite Craft.
But just my preference and I think most every Associated Driver back before the composite molded chassis made their presence known, as you can see by reading the magazine articles from back then and seeing what was in the pits.

Even today, as a collector, I prefer the aluminum tub as a shelfer over the graphite chassis.

Ruffy wrote:My two cents, and I know an opinion that will differ to most everyone that likes aftermarket stuff; is that of like the rest of the Associated team drivers and even after working for Composite Craft and having boxes and boxes of chassis to take for myself for free.
As racers we always preferred that which worked the best in 99% of racing conditions and tracks and that was easier to fine tune, and that was the Aluminum Chassis all the time.
Most of Team actually never liked any of the graphite chassis out there, as the feel on-track was so different and that the aluminum tubs were always able to go faster lap-time wise on a given off-road track due to their rigidity and shape (which is why I think one company came out with a graphite tub) allowing the suspension to work better. This is why even after AE released their graphite chassis cars, we all tried them out ( I think I had 4 different ones myself) but never actually raced them (especially at big races) due to the tub car working better nearly everytime. We would try them at local races and practices to see if we could get them as fast or faster than the tub cars.
This was something that I discovered before even being invited to join Team Associated, after buying my 1st graphite chassis as a privateer.
So for me, the answer has always been the aluminum tub anytime over the graphite chassis. Seems weird, I know, coming from someone that worked as a Lead Design Engineer for Composite Craft.
But just my preference and I think most every Associated Driver back before the composite molded chassis made their presence known, as you can see by reading the magazine articles from back then and seeing what was in the pits.

Even today, as a collector, I prefer the aluminum tub as a shelfer over the graphite chassis.

x2
aluminio

From what Ruffy said it makes sense that it was not a complete product change but just an optional kit in the midst of the pan RC10's. I was never that good or serious about racing to really "feel" the difference but the pro's must have known. They do look cool on the shelf though.

RUFFY.....because of what you posted, i am putting my graphite team car on the shelf in favor of a tub car. thx for the long explanation. back in the day it seemed like every year we would go back and forth between the two.

World titles were won with Tubs long after the graphite car.

Personally, I think the gold tub is the "trademark" of the RC10...No substitute IMO. If you like aftermarket goodies, look into other things, like bellcranks and CVDs.

I wonder with the track differences of today with the harder packed clay vs the old loose tracks which one works best today? Back then when I raced (late 80's), everyone was switching to the graphite chassis. All the fastest cars at the track had graphite. I loved my old Composite Craft chassis but admittedly as a kid I couldn't set up a car very well.

Looking at some of Masami's old champion cars, he had graphite chassis on many of them. It seems that while many old team drivers may have used aluminum, graphite could definitely be competitive. At the end of the day it really comes down not only to car setup but also driver ability.

The alloy tub has a special place in R/C history

and is also my favorite over the graphite chassis and carbon tub

PS
There was 2 different carbon tub chassis that I know of
One was 2 piece , Tub and nose piece, like the standard gold tub

(The nose piece was already trashed when I got it )

The other was moulded in one piece
(I have a photo of it some where )


Morten

Fusion Speed one piece, Fibre Lyte / Com Com two piece.