TOPIC:

As these cars will mostly be standard builds, figured I'd just bunch them all into a single post.
So here's how I've gone from 1x R/C to 6x R/C's in a couple months...

Rebuilding the Super Hornet reminded how much fun R/C's are, and decided i'd like to have choice of different types to run;

• Buggy - Super Hornet.  Tho I'm thinking to later get another buggy to use as a regular runner
• Tourer - NSU Prinz
• Monster - Midnight Pumpkin Black Ed. that is in transit somewhere between Japan and Australia.  Blackfoot was my first choice, but they are double the Pumpkin.

I've also been looking at some cheapish cars for the kids.  The ebay specials just wouldn't be worth it, and most likely not be anything like depicted in the photos.  Looked a WLToy and Xingehong, but I know nothing about them (except the pair of extremely cheap Xingehong wheels I have, and they are 'cheap').  I found some nice 1/28 & 1/32 scale cars, but too small really as outdoor cars.  So decision made, kids will get Tamiya 1/10's.

• Rising Fighter - Perfect for a 12yr old.  Cheapest 1/10 available here.  And so similar to the Super Hornet, I knew my son should be able to build it with minimal assistance.
• Comical Frog - Wasn't first choice, as the Comical's look too top heavy.  But they do have more appeal to a 6yr old than the regular buggy's.  So I watched a few videos, read a few posts and they're not as bad as I expected.  This one is for my daughter, so of course it had to be the Frog version!
• Lunch Box - Depending who you talk to (me or wife), we only have 'two' kids in the family.  So, why is there a Lunch Box here?

Initially I dismissed the Lunch Box as my 'Monster' R/C, as it really just didn't appeal to me.  However, whilst waiting for the Pumpkin I started reading through 'Lunchie' builds on here, and watching videos, and starting to get "why" it's so loved.  A few ideas on paint and lighting schemes started to go through my head.  So I hit the buy button.
I'll be taking some inspiration from the 60-70's van culture here.  Two-tone metallic paint job, with airbrushed graphics (i can neither airbrush or know anybody who can, so still thinking how to pull this off without too much decals), and of course under body neon lighting.

Will try get photos of the build process.  But it's going to be enough effort trying to build two cars simultaneously with both kids (why did I ever think that was going to be easy!!!!).
 

We started the Fighter and Frog last night.

For now, mechanically all cars will be standard builds, and just ball-bearing upgrades.  This included opening the Frog's pre-built gearbox and replacing all the bearings.
The Rising Fighter and Lunch Box will get the same gearbox mount upgrade as my Super Hornet.

Ducksnuts wrote:

• ... Midnight Pumpkin Black Ed. that is in transit somewhere between Japan and Australia.  Clod Buster was my first choice, but they are double the Pumpkin.

...
Initially I dismissed the Lunch Box as my 'Monster' R/C, as it really just didn't appeal to me.  However, whilst waiting for the Pumpkin I started reading through 'Lunchie' builds on here, and watching videos, and starting to get "why" it's so loved...
 

I don't think I appreciated the size of the Clod & Bull Head until I had my first one (an early Super Clod Buster with MSC) and drove it _over_ a Lunch Box

Although they have flaws (handling, steering, battery life) they deal with surfaces where most other Tamiya RC vehicles fear to tread - deep snow, and small lakes for example   
 

Haha a small lake.....  Gotta be a story there!

I keep mixing the Clod Buster and Blackfoot. Actually meant Blackfoot. But yeh a Clod Buster would also be cool.

I had lot of fun with my clod. So fast than the lunchy and able to make wheeling. 2 magnum motors and 3 sticks. In front of the loft we had 2 jumps for bmx. That was very fun to jump with clod, lunch, madcap and avante. And run into waters and mud was too funny.

Progress has been made.

The Rising Fighter is almost complete.  My son has done quite well with it, only needing help with some of the harder screws.  We'll be doing the decals and some detail painting over the w'end.  Decided not to paint the body, and just roll with the blue ABS shell.....  And giving it a serious wheel alignment.
Had a problem with the FlySky GT2, which will need to be replaced.  So will probably get another GT2B.

 


Comical Frog.  Who said you need to follow the manual, or the bag order....  If we want to put the pink wheels together now, then we will open Bag D and put the pink wheels together, now.
The build actually has more to it than I expected.  Though, up until now I do only have the Super Hornet to compare against    
Planning to do paint over the w'end.

 


With some luck, hope, and cooperation, we will have running cars by Sunday.
 

Comical Frog done.  Gave it quick run around the house last night.  Might need to flip the wheelie bar over.
 
 

Painting time.  My first lexan body, lets just call it a learning curve.  Did the usual stuff, cutting, cleaning, masking, reading Jonny's painting article a few times.
One thing that did frustrate me was that after cleaning and then masking, i then had to try remove all my fingerprints again.  Aarghhh.....
It's not a shelf-queen, and definitely has that far-away look, and thanks to decals some of the blemishes can be covered.
Anyway, overall most of my edges came out clear and sharp and not too many bleeding or wonky masking.
So i'm pleased.  And my daughter is stoked, which is the main thing really  
 

Some overspray, which i thought was on the outside actually turned out to be on the inside.  Must have had the smallest of gaps in my masking tape.
I also had a couple spots where I missed some masking tape residue.
 

I really don't know what happened with the wing.  I must've cleaned it 5x times before painting.
 


Hopefully lessons learnt here will mean a much better job on the next one.
 

One thing I do to avoid fingerprints is washing and drying hands between each steps, and especially masking and mask removal...
That would avoid quite a good part of the fingerprints....
 

silvertriple wrote:

One thing I do to avoid fingerprints is washing and drying hands between each steps, and especially masking and mask removal...
That would avoid quite a good part of the fingerprints....

 

Good tip.

A very nice result for a first time. Congrats. I do some worse bodies same after tenth and tenth bodies..   nice done.