BlackSeaRC

Charged up my 40 year old Tamiya 6V Ni-Cd battery to see if it still works...

The packages were fully tracked, crossed China, passed through Chinese customs, arrived to UK and passed through UK customs in 2-3 weeks. The two packages were sent 11 days apart so were travelling independently. Then the packages were handed over to Evri for delivery. They booked them into their warehouse and then...nothing. No attempted delivery, no contact, nothing. It is impossible to contact Evri as they only operate bots. One package was held for 89 days, the other for 78 days. Eventually I pestered the MD by e-mail and finally got a response today that both parcels are lost and they can do nothing. I have to contact the senders and ask for my money back. Clearly Evri had the parcels at one point as the tracking says they received them but to lose both at different times is very bad service.

Nothing...after 3 months of waiting for two packages from China, Evri finally admitted that they received them in May but they have lost them both. 😠

Plus, even if you buy an electronics bundle it still doesn't give you a battery. The batteries are not exactly widely available so I had to order from Hong Kong. The postage then doubles the price because they will only send LiPo using a courier. The battery in this truck is probably the most expensive for its size of any RC car I own.

Absolutely! I decided to get the upgraded metal shock absorbers and since there are 2 at each wheel position, that worked out quite expensive.

I have been tempted for several years and was always put off by the cost. The kit price is not so bad but all the electronics really start to add up the overall cost. Plus, there are the inevitable metal upgrade parts to tease us...

Before you start, you obviously appreciate it is somewhere between a Mini-Z and a Matchbox car but it is still a shock to see the bags of screws!

After being inspired by some of the builds on this and other forums, I wanted to check out this micro hobby-grade RC Trophy Truck for myself. I have built numerous kits before and have other products at 1:24 scale but this, at 1:32 scale, is my smallest kit build to date. As anyone who has built these knows, you prepare yourself for a challenge and then when you see the parts, you are still surprised at the size of them! I am particularly grateful that each bag of screws is individually labelled... In the video below, you can see what is included in the basic kit, plus all the extras you will need in terms of electronics. I chose one of the bundles that you can specify, giving me everything to get up and running (except a battery that I ordered separately). I specified the D4L package as I liked the idea of a combined receiver/ESC due to the limited space. I also couldn’t resist a few additional upgrade parts, despite the relatively large amount of cash I’d already sunk into this project. BlackSeaRC

Get yourself one of these then: Tamiya Buggyra Fat Fox (Freightliner) - TT-01E (No ESC) 58661B (modelsport.co.uk) Perfect for a 1:14 scale speed project!

I spend some time in UK and some time on the Black Sea. Having most items delivered to UK nowadays as logistically it is much easier that way.

I recently ordered from AsiaTees in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning and it was delivered in UK on Friday the same week!

Some inspiration for customisation...

After seeing a few details on this forum, I decided to challenge my eyes and fingers with one of these:

That was fast delivery. I also received some parts I ordered from AliExpress today but it took 28 days.

I just ordered a battery from AsiaTees as they don't seem to be widely available at present.

You can send LiPo batteries by Royal Mail, just follow their guidelines: Lithium ion / polymer batteries - contained in / connected to equipment / devices >> (for example rechargeable batteries/cells found in portable electronics such as laptops, mobile phones, iPads, camcorders, cordless power tools etc.) International & UK destinations - Allowed in the mail, with restrictions and packaging guidelines below: Damaged or recalled batteries or cells are not allowed. Each package must contain no more than four cells or two batteries installed in or connected to equipment/devices. The maximum net quantity of cells or batteries is 5kg per package. Watt-hour rating must not exceed 20Wh per cell or 100Wh per battery. Each cell and battery must be of a type proven to meet the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, section 38.3. Batteries are subject to these tests irrespective of whether the cells of which they are composed have been so tested. Cells and batteries must be manufactured under a quality management programme as specified in the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. Any person preparing or offering cells or batteries with or in equipment for transport must receive adequate instruction on the requirements commensurate with their responsibilities. Cells and batteries must be protected against short circuit. The equipment containing cells or batteries must be packed in strong rigid packaging and must be secured against movement within the outer packaging and packed to prevent accidental activation. The sender's name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging.

Why has no one suggested using a scone...

Excellent buy! Why don't I ever find anything like this at car boot sales?

Usually, I find a slightly smaller figure than the scale suggests works better but really it depends exactly on the vehicle and how much cockpit space you have. You will typically need a 6 to 7 inch figure. 6 inch or 15cm is common for action figures and is usually referred to as 1:12 scale. I find these work well for a 1:10 scale application. There are quite a few options depending on your budget and the level of realism you require. I always think that if you are prepared to spends hundreds of GBP on a truck and scale accessories, it is worth getting a decent figure. At the lower end of the price scale (say 5-25 GBP), you have plastic moulded figures with minimal articulation, visible joints and painted details (e.g. clothing and hair). At the upper end of the price scale (25-75 GBP), you can get real scale clothing, seamless bodies and a far greater range of articulation. As is usual with our hobby, it is much harder to find a decent figure in the UK. The USA and Far East offer much better choice. But, as you say, if you want something that isn't a wrestler, a superhero or a soldier, then you need to know where to look. Good brands include Neca, TBLeague, LimToys, DamToys, JoyToy, Vortex Toys, Verycool, etc. but there are plenty of other brands at the cheaper end of the market. Most of the dedicated action figures stores are in USA so I usually look on Amazon, ebay, AliExpress, etc.

Any ideas where to get the LS7401-B 7.4V 260mAh LiPo battery in the UK?

Wasn't expecting that from Losi at all. Losi obviously thought a lot about this and incorporated some nice features to make it better to drive and with a lot of realism. I just can't overlook the stabiliser wheels though. I know it is more or less essential on such a product but it really spoils the overall look.

Yes, definitely build it with a set of metal bearings.

Great result! I almost ordered from there recently due to the price but decided I would probably have to pay import duty due to the size of the package and ended up buying from AliExpress instead.

I agree it looks fantastic but the buggy as he tested with a brushless motor and all the option parts would be around 700GBP. I wonder how many actual paying customers will spec everything?

Is that the optional metal shocks you are using? I've been inspired by your build and want to build one myself.