techie

A bit of masking done tonight, if all goes to plan it should look smart. I'm hoping for some milder weather at the weekend so I can spray it. I may however get a bit carried away and do some after work tomorrow if its nice enough outside in the garage.

I got a late xmas present! Ok is wasn't technically a present (i.e it wasnt free) but an excellent deal done with fellow TC member Alex (Incredible_serious). Cant thank him enough as after a few emails regarding his second NIB Toyota bB we struck up a deal and it was winging its way from down under to good old Blighty. It arrived in perfect order and no extra customs charges which was nice. Of course the wife called me at work to say it had arrived so as soon as I had got in from work and had my dinner and a little bit of playtime with my daughter I set to work. A few hours later and we are at this stage, chassis is done near enough just the body to finish trimming, tidy up and paint, It wil be a runner but not a racer. I have fully ball raced it in the build and will have a spare set of CVA's when my TRF dampers arrive for my M-03M. I've got some ideas for the paint scheme and some nice Parma paint masks so will probably start that at the weekend and not rush it. Like it? Ross

Thanks

Indeed thats why I got them from the US, with dollar to pound works out pretty good. I have to wait for them but that aint a problem.

£25 delivered from US e-bay.

Started off the season with a practice night on tuesday this week. Three races in total to test the car and check your set up. I was running my illegal ball diff but have now rebuilt using my shimmed diff which feels good. Race 1 - 2nd place Race 2 - 2nd place Race 3 - 1st place (due to a marshall falling over on the way to pick up 1st meaning I could nip through, but hey if he didnt crash he wouldnt have needed the marshall ) All in all very happy with the set up, my driving does need improving and there is scope to do so. After selling no end of clobber from my garage (mainly VW/Skoda parts) and having a fair bit in the paypal account I decided after buying a M-03L Toyota bB from a guy is Austraiia i'd treat myself with the left overs and bought some TRF dampers. Feel really naughty now. I know they will offer little if any improvement over the CVA dampers I allready have but they just look so bling. Also a friend let me know he had some of these in stock During racing on tuesday night I noticed how hot the 540 was getting, everything is free but ive got a feeling the tight shimmed diffs may work the motor quite hard so i thought i'd give it a go, if nothing other than experimentation and then I can let fellow racers know if its worth it or not. Also found a use for onr of my many surplus friction dampers, now completing the three shock mod on the back of my lunchbox

Yup it certianly is, my mate still has one of the older blue ones as well.

Thanks, not looking quite so smart now though, was its first race meeting last night (2 seconds and a 1st in the final race) its looking a little bruised now and minus the mirrors..lol

My collection, Tamiya Clod Buster Tamiya Lunchbox Tamiya Blitzer Beetle Tamiya Egress Tamiya M-03L BMW Mini Tamiya M-03M Suzuki Swift Tamiya M-03L Toyota bB (on its way from Australia) I have also had a Terra Scorcher which was my first Tamiya, sold it when I got the Egress (my second Tamya) some 16 years ago. Also had a Scumacher Cougar which was passed on in a rather busted up state about the same time.

Agreed, but he might not have spotted his PM box maybe. Nevermind.

Nudge, Anyone know the seller? He has been on but not read his messages.

Looks good Lee, is it the same GSi you have had for sometime? I remember it from my old Migweb days I think.

PM sent just in case you stil have it.

Sounds like a good high output. I have a supply unit I bought off e-bay for £1.21 its meant for CB radios and the like, 7 amp output does the job.

I take it you havent had any issues with wheels distorting due to the hot water? I've got a cold water dye (also Dylon) to try as soon as my spare wheels arrive.

Will do

£30 from ikea, bargain in my books

It actually took me a while longer than expected I must say. Having stripped and rebuilt my other second hand M-03L I didnt think it would take so long. But in between xmas beers I built up the Swift. Including CVA shocks and sport tuned springs, stabilizers front and rear, full bearings, Manta ray ball diff, 27T Peak Racing motor and an ECO 27 ESC I had already done the body previously so that was ready to drop straight on. I gave it a quick test run and all seems to be working well. The ECO 27 works a little different to the 101BK i'm used to. For reverse you have to hold the stick back and wait a few seconds for it to engage. Bonus is its nice and small so I managed to get all the electrics in the chassis keeping the weight nice and low down. First propper test will next month as we start the M-chassis series once again

Bubble charging is a method of charging that uses one second periods of charge followed by a short duration high current discharge pulse. This charge/discharge is repeated until the battery is charged. Trials have shown the following advantages of this type of charging: Removes "memory" effects. Restores lost capacity. Improves charge efficiency. Increases battery life. During a charge the chemical reaction within a cell produces oxygen bubbles. These bubbles accumulate on the cell plates lowering the charge efficiency by reducing the effective plate area. The main purpose of the discharge pulse is to strip away these bubbles, reducing the cell's internal pressure, temperature and impedance, allowing the applied charge to be turned into stored energy instead of gas and heat. Increasing the charge efficiency in this way allows all-day re-charging of the same battery without the normal drop in capacity.

And doesnt bubble charging reset a battery memory anyway? My CCD20 has a bubble charging mode.

I know gas can escape when charging a battery at too higher rate. Might be ok. Have you got an old motor you can run from it? Might be worth rigging it up to a 540 or something to see how it discharges. It looks a good charger, I was lucky getting my CCD20 for a fiver off e-bay.

Good luck with the search mate.

A chap on Tamiyaclub has a brushless Baja Champ buggy thats been clocked at 60mph, its very quick indeed. http://www.rcpics.net/view_single.php?medid=72854

It does get a bit like banger racing at times, but we dont take it to seriously so no one gets offended. It means the young ones can get involved and get into it. x-tals wise I have two sets personally but there are always people willing to swap. Plus we run 27AM, 40AM and FM ranges so there is plenty of scope. We have a board up that you stick a clothes peg with your name on next to your frequency so people know what your on. Other than that its first come first served.

Here is a little video shot at last nights race, heat one so everyone takes it gentle..lol