hotshot!!!!

[BanditOneUK]

when i was a kid my first car was a tamiya hotshot i love that car until it met its end under a car so now i have a new rerelised one . but i dont have any idea about motors speed contrallers an the like can someone help me out how to make my new hotshot be quick ????

[jimmy]

As it happens I just started building my hotshot - I had the hotshot 2 in about 1987/88 or so, but I really wanted the original one even the as the new one didn't look as cool!

Built most of it last night, just starting the body stuff at the moment.
I went for the Mamba Max / 5500 motor - no idea how it will handle the power but we'll see. I'm going to be using Trakpower Lipo's but I don't think the connectors will fit in without some mods but we'll see.
The suspension is a bit bouncy looking but I've made a couple of small modifiactions already - gonna race it at Worksop next weekend

[Northy]

Is it a re-release Jimmy?

G

[jimmy]

yeah it is Gman

[BanditOneUK]

i build mine on xmas eve but the shop bummed me an i had a faulty reciver but its fine now as thay changed it for me id like to get in to racin mine to what mods have u done ??? i have a crp speed contraller an a raven 23x2 motor what ever that means im abit of a nooby so i need help lol

[jimmy]

it's not gonna be winning many races tbh - but Tom Cockerills went pretty well at the vintage meeting(s) at York. For some fun club racing it'll be a good laugh though.
The motor sounds pretty ideal - the car is meant for motors like that. I've not finished building mine yet but I thought the suspension had too much pre-load, so I cut down the rear push rod a little. At the front I just swapped out the piston for the smallest hole one and used Associated 40wt oil - still a bit bouncy looking though. The car is meant to be a fun car though so I won't be going crazy.
I've got some wheels from my DF03 (dark impact) which allow the use of modern tyres for racing. The kit tyres are good for playing in some dirt and that's about it.

[BanditOneUK]

i was goin to ask u bro how do i change the wheels i want so racing type ones what is this hex thing i need ??

[jimmy]

Just any 12mm hex will do it, I don't think the car comes with any in the kit but something like these:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tamiya-TL01-TT01-TL-TT-01-Alloy-Hex-Nut-Drive-Adaptor_W0QQitemZ270323272235QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN?hash=item27032327223 5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2| 65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

will do it. They allow the use of DF03 type wheels - there are others that fit these hex like Hot Bodies D4 but the offset is wrong! - DF03 wheels are the safest option.

[BanditOneUK]

DF03 ???? i need your help i dont have a an idea about what DF03 is lol slow down im a noob what dose it mean lol

[jimmy]

DF03 is the name of the chassis used on the 'Dark Impact' and 'Keen Hawk' as well as maybe some others. It's one of Tamiyas newer 4WD off road buggy designs. It's like a modern day Hotshot design you could say - not meant to be a full racer.

Because there are lots of cars based on the same chassis - the wheels aren't referred to as 'dark impact' etc - but by the chassis name 'DF03'.
There are probably hundreds of designs of wheels that will fit but DF03 (available in black or white) will be a good choice and that's what I'll be using.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tamiya-53881-Large-Dish-Wheels-4WD-REAR-62-35-DF03_W0QQitemZ380083552292QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_To ysGames_RadioControlled_JN?hash=item380083552292&_ trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65% 3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

here's what the rear DF03 wheels look like ^^

[BanditOneUK]

yes i like them type i live in manchester u no any good model shops that sell theres things ???

[jimmy]

To be totally honest it's rare I make it to any model shops - MB Models in leeds is a really good one but I've no idea if they have these particular wheels in stock but last time I went they had a lot of Tamiya kits in there. In manchester I'm not sure!

[BanditOneUK]

some people on here seem to slag off the hotshot i no its an old car in todays standerds but ive see videos on youtube were people are rippin it up on the track with this cars its not that bad lol

[Spoolio]

Originally Posted by jimmy

The suspension is a bit bouncy looking but I've made a couple of small modifiactions already - gonna race it at Worksop next weekend

You're not wrong there Jimmy. Bouncy just isn't enough to describe it, I had one back in 1984/5 (a Beatties superdeal, ah the memories) and I'd forgotten what they were like until I built my re-re. I did try it in the lunch break we had a Worksop last year, but I only ran it once after that. Tried it at Broxtowe on carpet with the DF03 wheel/tyre combo but it was a grip-rolling nightmare, the C of G just seems so high compared to the stuff we race now. I think we may take the relatively benign handling we get today for granted. The mismatch between front and rear suspensions is criminal, the front is well squidgy and the back is virtually working against itself - I love it .

I'm bringing me camera to Worksop so I hope you get some big air .

[BanditOneUK]

is that yours in that pic there the wheels i want !!!! it look nice just like mine lol

[Spoolio]

Yup, all mine, with the DF-03 wheels (white ones come from the Keen Hawk version, black ones come with the Dark Impact and yellowy ones from the Avante 2). Fitted with alloy Tamiya hex adaptors. Powered by a Dirt Tuned Tamiya motor - it is not a fast car .

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by BanditOneUK

yes i like them type i live in manchester u no any good model shops that sell theres things ???

Not many places around Manchester. The model shop on Deansgate used to be great, but it's now been taken over by Modelzone so lots of toy stuff and no spares support.
For Tamiya parts the best place locally is Cheshire Models at Macclesfield http://www.cheshiremods.org.uk/ There's also Chesire Models in Stockport http://www.cheshiremodels.co.uk/ but they don't stock many Tamiya parts. It's amazing that a city the size of Manchester has very few hobby shops, and only one off road club and a couple of on road clubs.

For Tamiya stuff I always use Fusion Hobbies http://www.fusionhobbies.com/ or Time Tunnel Models http://www.tamiyaparts.co.uk/ both carry lots of stock and give great service. The cheapest is usually Tonys Tamiya Parts on ebay http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Tonys-Tamiya-Parts

[General Accident]

I'll vouch for Tony's, used him loads in the last year and his service has been faultless .

[A.J. Gee]

Originally Posted by BanditOneUK

some people on here seem to slag off the hotshot i no its an old car in todays standerds but ive see videos on youtube were people are rippin it up on the track with this cars its not that bad lol

Yes, true. The car probably isn't as bad as some people put it out to be, but you have got to remember that like Jimmy said you won't be winning any races though. That doesn't matter though, since racing isn't the only aspect of fun that you can have with R/C. If you or anyone else are just getting into the hobby, the Hot Shot kit i'm sure will be perfect, outdated or not. I've only been into Hobby Grade R/C cars for about 4 years now, but the first kit that i bought was the Tamiya Hornet. Would i buy it today? probably not, but for me a kit like the Hot Shot or the Hornet (in my case) was a great introduction into the hobby which taught me a lot of what i know today. Had i bought a kit, such as the DB-01 for my firstie, who know's i might have been turned off to the hobby since a kit of the DB-01 caliber is aimed toward the intermediate crowd of R/C er's. I hope this helps buddy.

[qatmix]

Imagine the satisfaction of winning a race with a hotshot though? Or even finishing higher than other much more modern cars in a heat

remember its all about the thumbs in the end