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RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:06 am
by scootmike
Hi All
Picked up a RC500 over the weekend!
This is one car that I have wanted but figured I would never get a hold of.
Funny how when your not looking for something. it falls in your lap.
I went to look at a King Hauler and low and behold a filthy RC500 was sitting in a pile of nitro cars.
When I say filthy I mean I don't think I have seen a car so dirty, It looks like it has been run very very little.
I take that back the King Hauler is probably dirtier, I thought the chrome parts had been painted gold, nope, nicotine stained is more like it!.

The car has a OS Max .21 on it and it is stuck, will disassemble and soak in nitro, maybe try heat.
If this motor is not salvageable is there anything modern that I can replace it with?
I would rather stay with a vintage motor but finding parts could be a problem.

I plan on stripping and cleaning it, what would be the magic solution to turn the yellow parts back to white or close to it?
I've read about using peroxide on RC10 parts, will this work with RC500 parts?

I do have a body that I found in my stash, it's an Associated Porsche 935, been out of the bag for years and is scuffed and scratched but still well useable.
On the lookout for a Greenwood Corvette body.
Also have f/r tires-rims nib and it needs them, this car has the quick release hubs too!

Has anybody found any tires rims that will work as replacements? I would like to use something else for running.
Would love to see other pics of RC500's

I'm sure as I get into this I will have more questions.
Will add pics this evening, I know everybody likes pics!
Mike

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:00 pm
by GoMachV
Nice score! Is it a chain 2wd or belt 2 or 4wd? I had one in the past and regret selling it.

Peroxide will work great just like on all associated white nylon. Sunlight seems to be key. I had a couple parts soaking for days with no noticeable whitening and after a afternoon in the sunlight they looked great. I really hope it wasn't a placebo effect! If they are badly stained like my 12i's were you can ways dye the parts. That was common bitd as it also made the parts a little more pliable so they wouldn't break as easily. I don't recall the 500 having any plastic parts, but items like the steering bell crank on the RC10 do not like the peroxide fwiw

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:04 pm
by scootmike
It's a belt 2 wheel drive, going to take a few pics.
Mike

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:04 pm
by a01butal
Take the engine apart as best you can then soak it in lacquer thinner for about a week and then try some very gentle persuasion to see if you can get it to turn over. This is what the local nitro repair guy at mlhs told me about and it has worked good for me.

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:19 pm
by durb69
you can try purple power to remove some gunk. I personally love dawn dish detergent and super hot water with a tooth brush. seems to get a whole lot of dirt out of the way with fantastic results!

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:23 pm
by GoMachV
I use a cleaner called "awesome" from the dollar store. Its amazing! And cheap

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:59 pm
by scootmike
Here's the pics!

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:03 pm
by GreenHell
Nice score, looks to be in good shape.

I have a few RC500s in various stages of rebuild, just cant seem to find the time to get them finished.

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:17 pm
by Charlie don't surf
Aluminum rims and a Porsche 935 shell?

Re: RC500

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:09 pm
by scootmike
Rims are painted, the shell says Porsche 935-77 Associated on the back.
Forgot I had it, was sitting in the bottom of a box with about 20 other bodies on top.
Got a funny look from the wife when I told her I was going to go dig an old body out of a box in the shop.
Was glad to see it again, now I'm wondering what else I have forgotten about!
Mike

Re: RC500

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 10:51 am
by Hcp22
Nice find Mike, can’t wait to see the restored car. :D

Re: RC500

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:25 pm
by DougH
Great find. I wish I still had my old car but sold it years ago. I had one of those bodies but used it mainly for show, raced with the Can Am style bodies.

Re: RC500

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 9:06 am
by scootmike
Thanks for the comments everybody, this will be one of my projects this Winter, will definitely try some of the suggestions made.
Any current foam or rubber tires fit the original rims? Any current aluminum rims fit?
Would like to reuse the original rear rims if I can't find aluminum, they don't have mounting holes in them, my nib do.
Still looking for the Vette body, I know it was being repopped but is not available now. Bummer.
Thanks
Mike

Re: RC500

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 9:29 am
by call-911
Great find! Can't wait to see it restored with bright white parts! That RC10 trick with peroxide would also work with those pieces since they all used the same nylon.

Re: RC500

Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:12 pm
by bearrocco
That's a bute :shock: allways seem to trip over some of the best finds, and man thats a nice one. super tyger .21 would by perfect on that piece. Good luck take lots of pix Vince