1/8 or 1/10 scale hi-end gas racers when/if they come into 1/12th or electric sedan racing generally don't consider the cost of a brushless system unreasonable. they also rarely skimp on electrics...servos, or even brushed esc's if they go that route.
however from what i have seen in my limited travels, many electric racers (maybe 80%++) limp into 1/12th scale when decide to give the class a shot, spending as little as possible, and the majority of the time recycle down batteries and electrics from their 1/10 buggies/sedans. to some degree even using $13-$27 servos, lo-cost AM radios, large receivers, lo-cost sport esc's, chargers, misc. equip that they wouldn't use on their 1/10th cars. They are usually short lived in the class, and are out within a month. especially, if you have new 1/12th racers taking their packs that aren't cutting it in sedan or buggy in 5-min races and making 4-cells out of them to run 8-min. from racing in the current area i'm in at this time, whether it's 4300 pan oval or 4300 sedan those with the freshest NIMH's rule even over lipos in the mixed battery sedan classes.
as for the 13.5, i don't see it as a stock 1/12th class saviour or attendance booster. seeing info/comments about 13.5's run with 27T in threads on rctech.net and on other forums, the 13.5 in stock form over a 8-min race appears to be 3-5 laps faster.
if you get into limiting 13.5 BL to a spec gear ratio, you would also have to consider tire size.... you would end up with a situation where those who could run the freshest largest tires and know how to set-up/drive a car like this...would rule.
i have raced against 13.5 sedans with a CO27 and haven't noticed much difference. guys that run 4300 sedan don't generally like when 19T's run with them. 19T's rule on the straights.
closer to 1/12 cars to some degree....1/10th pan oval are quite different. 27T's and 19T's can't even compete with a 13.5/4300BL cars. the BL's are 3-5+ laps faster over 5-min runs
Last edited by fast-ho-cars; 01-22-2007 at 10:36 AM.