How is the Vintage 1/10th off road scene?
 

HI,

I'm new to these forums (found it last night)

I used to race at Batley Buggy Club back in the late 80s when i was in my early teens. I haven't driven an rc car since. I came across my old Procat in the loft the other day and in researching the net to find out if it is worth anything i came across this forum.

I was very supprised to find talk on some parts of this site of vintage RC car racing. I'm wondering if anybody is still doing it since all the threads i read were a bit dated.

I left racing because i couldn't afford to keep up. We used to have a standard class that could only use 27 turn motors. But Batley decided to change to allow anything (inline with BRCA i think). With that I couldn't afford to be competitive so gave up.

It wasn't just the cost of motors. Batterys were an issue and to make a modified motor do 5 mins meant very expensive ones, with chargers to match. I was amazed to read that dumping is a thing of the past with your 4200mah cells!

I liked what i read about the standard motor etc that the vintage guys use to keep costs down.

Was also suprised to see shaft drive back in. I thought we had finished laughing about them in the hotshot! And whats with centre diffs, carbon fibre and brushless motors!!!!!!

Sorry, I was being nostalgic.

The vintage-masters series was really something for us to do during the winter, I think we will be doing it again this next winter - hopefully bigger & better. Not that I want summer to end, but I am looking forward to the second season of vintage racing.

My vote is for 19t motors and either a split between 2WD and 4WD or a 1 lap handicap for 4WD.

New purchase on its way!????;)

i'd like a vintage car.

I have a new weapon in the pipe line :cool: :cool:

G

Sounds about right.

what do you all class as vintage?
does it have to be a certain age?

would a manta ray or top force be classed as vintage? with them being re-released and everything?

Only askin cos this is what I used to run when I started racing...although it ended up being a jamie booth team special in the end.:D

It was pre-1990 last winter.

The rule was only enforced loosely though.

We basically wanted no 'modern' cats, no XX's or B2's - you get the idea.

It was left up to the concience of the individual if they wanted to run something that was borderline.

:o :eh?: :o :eh?: :o :eh?:

so if you want to race one then you'd be looking at an associated, schumacher or yokomo or something similar?

Type of car was not important - as long as the date was pre-1990 (or very close to it) - ;)

We should probably have a chat sometime (booze fueled) to decide on next years rules. If it is 19t I shall start scouring ebay now.

Personally I would be keen for a 2wd/4wd split as last year it was clear you couldn't keep up with a 2wd even with the stingers, that will become more pronounced with quicker motors.

I must say though it was really good fun and when I got the RC10 dialled in (particularly for the endurance) it was very satisfying. Going up the inside of a new Lazer being a particular highlight :)

The rule is applied to the chassis conception, so with my RC10 even though itself is a bit later than 1990, the chassis design is 1990. As Stu says, for 2wd defo no XX's or B2's, anything other than that is handicap enough I think.

4wd alledgedly the procat was old enough ;) G's car was proper good, would have put many a more modern 4wd to shame indoors!

i want a kyosho maximum ff..... :(

Looks like I just missed the boat on a nostalgic run. :(

Just charged my Phil Greenwood matched 1700 SCE Batterys for the first time in what must be 15 years and they charged and my Procat lived. After a minute it stoped running. The connecting wire between the saddle packs had come off. Charged my second set and we were away again. I drove it for another 2 mintues and the rear wing flew off. O-rings perished. Then 20 seconds later I hit a lamp post and broke the servo horn. So that was brief!

But, Would an old procat be totally outclassed in todays field?

Just been negotiating the details of my new weapon, its a bit rare to race really, but sod it! :D

G

ayk?

I think that anyone who had a go at last years Vintage championship was pleased with the way it went, most of the rules are more sence than restricting... Good choice with not allowing Mini-pins:D

It would be nice to have a little more poke (19t sound a bit more like it)...

Jim

I have a couple of new AYK buggies from 1986/7 - perfect for anyone wanting some vintage racing! 150 quid a pop! bargain! :)

If we go ahead this year, we need to again know roughly how many people are going to turn up?

I have a Losi JRX2 which I will lend out to suitable candidates, all you will need is radio gear. As long as any breakages are covered!

The MID Optima may also be available, which nearly proved successful against Northy's Procat, if you have Futaba 40Mhz radio gear you only need to bring a radio for that! OH! it needs a new front shock tower if anyone can locate one!

I would rather see more cars out this year with a handicap on 4WD.

Dan ended up very competitive with his RC10 so 2WD could still win overall.

If we run 19t motors, they would need to be supplied for the above cars.

Candidates can form an orderly queue, probably behind Chris Long:D

I forgot I have the option of the use of an optima mid with all period running gear in exchange for getting my old B4 ready with the stinger in so he can have a go in the 20t class. Now where to find the time to do that???

I can't wait :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[QUOTE=AndyF;41884]HI,
I used to race at Batley Buggy Club back in the late 80s when i was in my early teens. I haven't driven an rc car since. I came across my old Procat in the loft the other day and in researching the net to find out if it is worth anything i came across this forum.
QUOTE]

Hi there.

I too raced many moons ago at batley when it was at the Hare & Hounds pub. Would be interested to know if I knew you ? I'm Andy shillito by the way, I used to tun a PB, then a Procat back in the day. I've kept racing on and off over the years and follow the North East region racing when I can.

Put your hands in your pockets and get a 2nd hand B4 and come and race, it's still as much fun as it always was, much more competitive though, and expensive if you want it to be !

The procat isn't really competitive i'm afraid. Things really have changed quite a bit in every department as i'm sure you are finding out reading this forum.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Andy.

No, andy s, the Procat won't be competitive at a regional, BUT it would be at the R/C Vintage Masters this Winter.

Northy proved it to be a winner!

Andy F, come down to a NE Regional this summer, ask about and buy some second hand cells and lets see that Procat on the grid later in the year:D

what year was the manta ray? its got to be around early 90's shirley?

If not, then the car itself is enough of a handicap to be able to run!:D

Hi Andy S

Your name does ring a bell. I think you were maybe a couple of years older than me and a couple of leagues above me in results! I tended spend my time in the C and D Finals as I recall. I did win a massive trophy for the most improved junior driver once. I think that was because i started from such a low level any improvemment was massive.

If I remeber the PB had a long black plastic spine down the center and they were quite rare? Infact I only recall seeing one racing. Probably yours!

I remember the Hare and Hounds fondly. I actually did my first race indoors at the sport centre. I won the J final on my first time out with a Hornet! I was bitten by the bug and moved on to an Optima and then an Optima Mid before finishing on my Procat.

All this talk of racing again does make me wonder about getting involved with your next vintage championship. I understand these were/will be run at york?

Andy

hi tel,

the manta ray was about '91-'92, the car that got me racing... mine was eventually fitted with the RW C/F chassis, ballraced steering, torque splitter, c/f driveshaft... the works... Still wasn't as quick as the optima mid custom special I upgraded to!

I was thinking about running a bit of a fun day at Batley later in the season, probably September time when all the National and Regionals are out of the way.
How many people would be up for a vintage class? I'll be in with my procat as long as I can get some wheel rims sorted out;) Prob go for 19t plus motors to save the transmissions:)

PS: I used to race at Batley in the late 80's also:cool:

I would be interested. What am I saying! I came on here to find out if I could make money selling my old Procat and now i'm looking at spending money to go racing with it!

I love my Procat and it went ok indoors over the winter in the vintage racing and at the national indoor finals. Sadly, its just not competitive outdoors - the weight and inefficient transmission make it too slow and it just can handle the terrain like a modern 4wd seems to.

A schumacher day @ batley later in the summer sounds like a great idea.

An outdoors Vintage race would be great although September is a bit busy:

1/2 Sept BRC Off Road Finals - silverstone

8/9 Sept - Southport Regional

15/16 Sept - F3,4,5's at Coventry

22 Sept - Jim Sykes wedding!!!

29/30 Sept - NOTHING!!!

22nd Sept looking good then, we could be assured a chuckle brothers free weekend:D

Vintage cars
 

So I am guessing my Lazer ZXS isnt classed as a vintage due to it being made in 93/94. Its a prototype so was made well before the 96 version came out

The Laser is definately reto, but not really vintage.

The only car that I was willing to really 'bend' the rules for last year was the Mardave Cobra. Allthought circa 1992/3 it was well out of date before it was even designed.

Looks like I have just wasted money on a ZXR then:(

I've got to agree a lazer is retro but not true vintage, cos in which case there are equivilent age yokomos which will be far too competetive. Wasn't the ZXR around same time as XX for example and works 95 dogfighter etc?

Can I ask, is the hare and hightown?

If so, the pub is still there, maybe your retro meet could go very retro by racing there? :confused:

Would be quite cool.... ;)

I'm not sure if that area was reffered to as hightown. I thought the area was called Ardsley, at the back end of Tingley? I think they were going to remove the track and put a bigger beer garden in. This was 15 years ago!

I will just have to run the ZXR during the indoor regionals then:(

Lazer
 

Sorry guys but the Lazer ZX was released in 1988 or 89, as I had one of the first in the UK. Its basically the same as a ZXR but with gear diffs, and a slightly different slipper system. As the ZX is from the 80's then I guess it can be used at this event.

Whittler555
The ZXR car is one of the most competitive cars indoors, so if you need any help with it at the indoor finals just ask, as i am hoping to qualify for it with my Lazer (next years by the way) and see if I can some fun as well. I doubt I will make the top ten again, but will have a lot of fun trying anyway.