Nitroholic

Meh. I used to ride to work on an 850 Moto Guzzi LeMans on open pipes. It was so loud it set off car alarms....That caused some concerns when I had to leave for work at 5am. I am now virtually deaf when I want to be. Buggy wise, I have never had anything but positive attention when out and about. Last time I was out an old guy wandered up, and I thought 'oh no..here we go...moan alert' but he was interested in the car and used to have RC planes when he was a kid. He just wanted to have a look under the shell and see how it worked. I think if the cars are being driven with due concern for others using the space, you generally get more interest that trouble. They make quite a spectacle too!

I've been thrashing an XT2 for the last couple of years and it has never missed a beat. Spares are cheap enough and easy to get. Ripmax are the importers of all the XTM stuff, and they retail them through the Hobbystores chain. Mail order is available if there isn't a shop near you. Check all the usual things: Make sure the servo's are OK, and the engine starts and runs OK. The stock XT2 has a .247 motor, and if it's totally shot, then they are around

Don't forget, as well, that you are tunign the engine when it is at it's working temperature. When you start it from cold, it's not unusual for it to need some help. Think of ramping up the throttle trim as putting on the choke... and don't forget to put it back once the motor is running. Also, if it's a new motor it will be relaitively tight still. This will ease up with time

I think, in general terms, this has been an interesting and thought provoking excercise for me. No one has mentioned any other options which I hadn't listed, which is good for me. I don't think there are any other serious contenders for my cash in the price bracket that I haven't considered. So my research and hours drooling over petrol powered loveliness wasn't wasted. As it stands now, I am chasing up a lead on a new MCD Race Runner. It's head of the pack in my favour stakes once I saw how they could be made to look by a simple change of wheels. I don't like the stock ones..and noticed that the 2009 catalogue shows the sport with new wheels too..so maybe MCD agree! With the availability of Baja wheel conversions, there is a huge choice of wheels if I want to change them. I like the snub-nosed brutal look, and love the quality of the engineering inside the shell. Ever since I saw an MCD Rally with it's top off I was impressed. Admittedly..the stock paint is a bit lack-lustre...but I would leave it stock while I learn to drive, then get a clear shell and do a custom job. I'm thinking a WW2 desert aircraft camo scheme with shark mouth, or maybe my dazzle-ships plan. Anyways...that's the leader of the pack. If the deal doesn't work out, or I can't get what I need on that front, the runner up would be an SS kit. I know the hop-ups I need to start with, and would look to go for some good options. If no-one is willing to deal on an SS kit, then there are always the FG machines. Would probably go Beetle rather than Baja, but either way, it would have to be 4WD but I don't know. It's not a bad looking buggy, but it's not doing it for me. It lacks the brutishness of the MCD or the razzamatazz of the HPI Baja. Could go for a Beetle one though.

Noooo..I am not cracking open the Jack Daniels to strip the shell no matter what! I will give the nitro a try though...I have some old and unwanted 16% ModelTechnics fuel that I wouldn't sully a real engine with, so I can try it on that.

PM sent

Pretty sure it is lexan then. Where the side of the chassis rubs the paint has come off a bit, and it is clear underneath. I'll try a bit of stripping in an area that doesn't show ( under a sticker ) and see how it goes. As long as the fluid won't hurt the lexan! Had visions of dunking it in Nitromors and watching the shell shrivel up like a slug in a salt-mine!

In simple terms, I am planning a respray job of a RTR buggy, and wondered if it was possible to remove the paint so I could respray..or if the only way to do this would be to buy a new shell. I would rather not do that ... and won't bother if there isn't a reliable way of stripping. Also...how do you tell what the shell is made out of? I know different paint is needed for different shell materials..so again..knowing the material is rather important!

Looks very neat and tidy Underneath it looks like it shares a lot with the Marder and other largescale FG buggies, so spares shouldn't be a problem. It is in very clean condition too inside and out. That's a good buy. Looks good in those colours too

MMR are giving away tyres, a light kit a spare fuel tank and a 1900Mah hump pack. The battery pack is a bit small, but makes a good spare. It is a choice between getting it form there or from Modelsport. Both offer good deals. I also want to be able to get as much as possible from one supplier to save on postage and hassle. Nothing worse than putting it all together and waiting 2 weeks for a throttle servo to turn up from some dodgy E-Bay site, or have it trapped in a Royal Mail strike....

I thought I had it all figured out, but then I started to wonder, and then some more! What is the BEST for general running around, light bashing and grassy field blasting? I am not looking to bling up a buggy, but want something that will give me reliable dependable fun ( allowing for rotten driving, and the occasional mishap ) So far, I have considered the following: Baja SS. With the basic kit plus a Savox SC0251 and a decent hump-pack, there is just enough in the budget for an alloy clutch cover and outerwear filter cover. And do the mesh-mod. I will be adding in my spare RX to use my DX3.0. I know there will be other things I will spend money on, but that gets me started. Then..when Santa comes knocking, I hope he brings me a nice set of improved shock seals or maybe a turtle racing clutch bell. Then the bottomless pit really opens! Oh..yes..and I will have to buy 3 cans of paint and some masking fluid. It's the niggest of hte big-boys and the one that most parts are available for...but there does seem to be a lot of ...er...broken ones! So many threads about people breaking them. Are they weak...or is it just because they are the most common? In the 'left field' there lurks the FG crowd. The 2WD FG is the cheapest option. The newer Baja can be had RTR for around

So I could charge my Nitro buggy's smaller hump-pack on it's lowest 1amp setting, and the bigger one at a higher ampage in a more reasonable time. Sounds like

Might have to upgrade my battery charger when I get one of these ..... my current servo pack charger pushes out a meagre 185Mah on normal, or 250Mah on the optional 'fast' charge. So..let me see now ...at 185Mah it would charge a 4300Mah battery in just under 24hrs. If I hit the higher voltage option, I could manage it in a mere 17hrs. Might be an idea to get something better for when I go Baja.

If you want to drive in the wet a lot, then a waterproof filter is a good idea. Otherwise, it does reduce the airflow and with it, the power the engine produces. I prefer a 2-stage filter on my buggies, as it's easier to clean and maintain.... but really, the stock foam airfilter, as long as it is in good condition and maintained as the manual says, should do the job well enough. What is your main reason for swapping the filter? Looks, performance or engine life?

The engine has a kill-button on it ...but that's only useful if the buggy is stopped. If something goes wrong then you can kill the engine remotely with a kill-switch. Say, for example, your throttle servo failed or your carb jammed open. A failsafe will only cut in if the signal goes....so you hit the button for Ch3 and the engine stops. edit...oh yea...and Modelsport do a 'combo' package on the SS for £899 which gets you all the basics. Some of the options in the bundle are a bit marginal, and would probably want upgrading later on, but if you are tied to a fixed budget of £950 then you can DEFINITELY do it. I have costed my desired Baja package at around £920 but that does not include TX/RX. It does include an upgraded clutch which is not essential though. Mind you..when I was a kid I can't imagine by folks ever affording that sort of cash for a gift!

I got 'Baja disease' already and I don't even have the car yet The symptoms are easy to spot..... lust for shiny things, desire to over-engineer, desperate need to burn large wads of cash ... damn..I thought I'd last longer than this before I succumbed But the TR clutch kit looks so shiny....and the children don't have to eat every day...do they?

hmm...I can see the sense in that! It's not a lot more and if I shop carefully, I think I can make a few savings and 'loyalty' purchases that will trim the budget too. Thanks for the tip.

A full TR setup would cost around

Also, while you have the glowplug out to turn it over, it's worth making sure your piston is at it's lowest point before you put the car away. This is where the clearances are greatest. I use a plastic rod to check rested in the plug-hole. Make sure you don't use anything that will damage th episton or the plug threads! Then pop the glowplug back in and you are done. . Whilst these are not essentials, it's worth taking care of your engine so it will last as long as it can and deliver good performance more most of it's life.

After run oil is a must if you are going to leave your car unused for any length of time! It also helps to protect and extend the motor life when used after a run. Just need a drop or so to do it's thing. Air filter oil for me is also surplus bike gear. It does the job and is cheap enough to buy.

It was a B1 model ( spoked wheel ) but was in a state when I got it. Replaced the shot motor with a GpZ750 lump, gas flowed head and 810 Wiseco kit. Harris pipe was added along with a loud paintjob and a belly-pan made from the remnant of a GpZ600 lower fairing. Front forks were swapped for Z900 items to get a second disc on. The stock one had a single disc with mounts for a second on the wheel blanked off. Was a great bike. Always owned bikes since I was a kid, and can't handle life without at least one 2-wheeler to play with. Preferably big.

That's a good idea on the Modelsport thing...will do that. Thanks. Got a spare Rx for my Spektrum DX3.0 so the radio gear is sorted. Petrol jerry-can I have, and all the necessary to mix it the fuel at 25:1. Used to own a few tweaked up 2-strokes including a heavily tweaked Suzuki X7 I ran on premix so that is all ready to go. Castrol super TT should do the job and is sitting in the shed ready to go as well:) There were several other possible schemes for the paint I discarded. First was based on german WW2 armour. Matt sand with dark red and dark green 'ambush pattern' camo. Then my eldest boy pointed out that camo was not a good idea as I would never find the buggy in the first bush I crash into.... good point:blush: Scheme 2 was a pattern I used on an old Z650 Kawasaki. Turned heads on the bike ( and stomachs... ) White base colour, with a crazy-paving pattern of flourescent green, yello and blue. Perhaps...but a bit garish. Then I was sitting in the 'library' ...well..alright..the toilet...having a peaceful read about WW1 battleships and I saw the Dazzle Ship design. That was what I had to have!

It's plunge time, allowing 5-9 days for PayPal to accept my funds are real and allow me to spend it all. Oohh..the suspense! Decisions have been made, and the lure of owning the 'real thing' has outweighed the desire to economise. Heck...it's only money! The buggy is funded with the sale of a bike I bought with money from an insurance claim, so it's not like I even had to work for it. All I had to do was spend 6 months in physio while they repaired the crushed tendons on my right hand following a bike crash. So... The big question now is... have I forgotten something! Thanks to the useful input of you guys, I have a pretty clear idea what I am getting myself into, and what to get...but I want to just check I have all the right stuff for some happy Baja'ing this winter. First off...the big lump itself: http://www.modelspor...on&ItemID=28731 £789 from Modelsport. Next up, the hump pack: http://www.wheelspin...ge-Scale__2695/ - £28.49 Biggest one I could find, and I hope my current charger can handle it... Throttle servo: http://www.wheelspin...2s-Speed__b835/ - £23.74 Seems to offer a reasonable pull with a decent response speed for the price. Clutch support: http://www.mmrlarges...h_bell_carrier/ £53.99 Not sure if this is the best one..but it looks pretty and should do the job Mesh Mod courtesy of Halfords ( have araldite..will travel) Air filtering: http://www.wheelspin...-Baja-5B__2650/ £11.39 plus http://www.wheelspinmodels.co.uk/car/item/DDM-AF280-Outerwears-Air-Filter-Bag-Fits-HPI-Baja-5B__2652/ £9.49 this makes a grand total of £916.10 Naturally...there are other things I want...but they will have to wait. Would like Ramtech cable brakes, Silverback beadlocks, Threashold shock seals and a TR clutch assembly...but my price limit was £900 and I am already over that! A Baja is a money pit with a limitless capacity....but I plan to enjoy the basic package first. I have even decided on a paint scheme. The inspiration for which is this: A scheme like that in gunmetal, black and white should stand out nicely! Should go well with the orange highlights

That's a relief! I am almost ready to throw a pile of cash at an SS, and I don't want it to be fragile too soon! If built right, and with a healthy dollop of luck, shocks can work without leaking. Otherwise that another

Fram past experience, I avoid using electric screwdrivers to do up screws. Some have settigns that control the max torque to prevent overtightening...but they are aimed at larger screws in the main, and not set specifically to the application you need. If the heads are stripping where the screwdriver drives, then that would be the most likely cause.