RCers owe it to these guys.
11-04-2011, 10:47 AM
#61
Tech Addict
iTrader: (13)
Thanks for sharing the videos. That brings back some great memories. I started racing in 1987 with a Tamiya Fox. Everyone has touched on it already- gearing for run time (to avoid the dreaded "dumping"), real dirt tracks that were fast with rolling jumps, charging batteries from the car battery and the obligatory tackle box for tools and parts. In fact, some of the more hardcore racers brought their chargers to the start line to be as "peaked" as possible. Oh, to be 15 again....
The shirtless and shoeless turn marshall was something. That would not fly with today's standards.
The shirtless and shoeless turn marshall was something. That would not fly with today's standards.
11-04-2011, 10:49 AM
#62
Actually, they were the same yellow but one had blue lettering while the other had black lettering. I fried an SCE in my backpack that was pretty much brand new; hadnt put connectors on it yet and the leads shorted out. I was so bummed; it burned a hole through my bag lol. Oh the life of a 13 year old racer on a shoe string budget.
I started with a 2 stick Attack and a Futaba speed control (210 I believe it was). Actually, now that I think about it, I ran the stock manual 3 speed controller in the Panda and bought the Futaba shortly after getting the JrX2 (tried to rig up the manual to the Losi but couldnt find a way to make it work half decent). Cant remember what I did now but I fried the BEC on the receiver and replaced it with a Novak micro that I used up until about 2001 (originally purchased in '89 or so)! The Futaba ESC didnt make it too much longer and it was replaced with a T4 (wanted a T1 but they were way out of my allowance sized budget lol). When the SCRs came out I thought it was about as good as it could get. Those puppies matched up with the B&R Bullet made my 2wd stock buggy a rocket and the just released Magnum Jr was amazing to drive with! Guess the buggy wasnt really stock though; it was basically a JrX Pro prototype that I got from then Losi driver Dennis Taylor (he worked with my aunt). I remember walking into Busy Bee hobbies in San Bernardino CA looking for a diff gear. The replacement they handed me seemed to be a little bit different that what I was holding in my hand... At the time, Losi drivers were drilling out the diff gear to install another bearing. I showed it to the guy working the counter and he told me, "that isnt from a Losi." I replied, "uh, yea, just pulled it out of my JrX2 about 30 minutes ago!" Dennis sent one out in the mail the next day and I was back on track at Outlaw Hobbies in Highland a week later. He actually hooked me up with a number of parts including my first charger, a B&M Juice Machine. So many good memories; actually, at the time, they seemed more like life ending events like a broken chassis (~$100 for a replacement on a $5/week allowance seemed like the end of the world) dead batteries, speed controls, receivers, etc lol. All good lessons though, I never hurt another ESC or receiver again.
I started with a 2 stick Attack and a Futaba speed control (210 I believe it was). Actually, now that I think about it, I ran the stock manual 3 speed controller in the Panda and bought the Futaba shortly after getting the JrX2 (tried to rig up the manual to the Losi but couldnt find a way to make it work half decent). Cant remember what I did now but I fried the BEC on the receiver and replaced it with a Novak micro that I used up until about 2001 (originally purchased in '89 or so)! The Futaba ESC didnt make it too much longer and it was replaced with a T4 (wanted a T1 but they were way out of my allowance sized budget lol). When the SCRs came out I thought it was about as good as it could get. Those puppies matched up with the B&R Bullet made my 2wd stock buggy a rocket and the just released Magnum Jr was amazing to drive with! Guess the buggy wasnt really stock though; it was basically a JrX Pro prototype that I got from then Losi driver Dennis Taylor (he worked with my aunt). I remember walking into Busy Bee hobbies in San Bernardino CA looking for a diff gear. The replacement they handed me seemed to be a little bit different that what I was holding in my hand... At the time, Losi drivers were drilling out the diff gear to install another bearing. I showed it to the guy working the counter and he told me, "that isnt from a Losi." I replied, "uh, yea, just pulled it out of my JrX2 about 30 minutes ago!" Dennis sent one out in the mail the next day and I was back on track at Outlaw Hobbies in Highland a week later. He actually hooked me up with a number of parts including my first charger, a B&M Juice Machine. So many good memories; actually, at the time, they seemed more like life ending events like a broken chassis (~$100 for a replacement on a $5/week allowance seemed like the end of the world) dead batteries, speed controls, receivers, etc lol. All good lessons though, I never hurt another ESC or receiver again.
11-04-2011, 11:26 AM
#63
Good to hear; he was a good guy and I probably wouldnt of stuck with the hobby if it werent for the items he helped me out with back then. Did you race under your actual name at The Ranch? I used Double A back then (probably '92 until they closed). I miss all those guys (Marcus, Steve, Alan the good ball lol).
11-04-2011, 11:58 AM
#64
Ahh flashbacks.
Me, my Grandpa and a box of parts, AKA; Tamiya Hornet.
Mechanical speed controls and discharging nicads.
The smell of lithium grease and knowing that Break Away Raceway and MNM were right up the street.
This hobby has sure brought me alot of enjoyment....
Me, my Grandpa and a box of parts, AKA; Tamiya Hornet.
Mechanical speed controls and discharging nicads.
The smell of lithium grease and knowing that Break Away Raceway and MNM were right up the street.
This hobby has sure brought me alot of enjoyment....
11-04-2011, 01:30 PM
#66
All three A-mains all the way through the E-main are up on http://www.vintagerccars.com in the VIDEOS section in case someone wants to see them all in one place. There will be more coming, too, as I get time to render the videos out.
doug
doug
11-04-2011, 04:55 PM
#68
Good to hear; he was a good guy and I probably wouldnt of stuck with the hobby if it werent for the items he helped me out with back then. Did you race under your actual name at The Ranch? I used Double A back then (probably '92 until they closed). I miss all those guys (Marcus, Steve, Alan the good ball lol).
Yes I have been racing R/C (cars) here in So Cal since '79. I grew up at the Ranch (Pomona) and have know the Losi's since they bought the place. I lived about 4 blocks from Break-a-way in Norco (which became home to Chris Allec and Jay Halsey in the late 80's.
There was a point in those late 80's where I raced 7 days a week for about 16 months straight! Break-a-way, K&M, Outlaw, MnM, Ranch, Bob & Jims, Hot Trax, RCH, E&L, AJB's all of them! (Not every week but somewhere everynight during the time I worked for the Losi's (87-89) Good times fo sho!
11-04-2011, 05:23 PM
#69
Yes DT was a very cool guy. (and still is)
Yes I have been racing R/C (cars) here in So Cal since '79. I grew up at the Ranch (Pomona) and have know the Losi's since they bought the place. I lived about 4 blocks from Break-a-way in Norco (which became home to Chris Allec and Jay Halsey in the late 80's.
There was a point in those late 80's where I raced 7 days a week for about 16 months straight! Break-a-way, K&M, Outlaw, MnM, Ranch, Bob & Jims, Hot Trax, RCH, E&L, AJB's all of them! (Not every week but somewhere everynight during the time I worked for the Losi's (87-89) Good times fo sho!
Yes I have been racing R/C (cars) here in So Cal since '79. I grew up at the Ranch (Pomona) and have know the Losi's since they bought the place. I lived about 4 blocks from Break-a-way in Norco (which became home to Chris Allec and Jay Halsey in the late 80's.
There was a point in those late 80's where I raced 7 days a week for about 16 months straight! Break-a-way, K&M, Outlaw, MnM, Ranch, Bob & Jims, Hot Trax, RCH, E&L, AJB's all of them! (Not every week but somewhere everynight during the time I worked for the Losi's (87-89) Good times fo sho!
11-05-2011, 01:23 PM
#70
Great vids and memory lane trippin for sure! The biggest thing I remember when I started at the Ranch in 90` was that if you didn't buddy up to people and learn set ups and tips you were screwed (No internet,no rc tech)At least for a while! 
11-05-2011, 05:56 PM
#71
I had this video shared with me Jan 09, then went to a "Vintage get together" June 2010 and seen one of the slot car controllers! :-)
The late Roy Moody on that video was one of the greatest racing legends, a great guy AND HE invented the Zip Tie <<< think about how just that one product has changed the world!!!!
The history starts about 1 minutes into the video.
Look for the ladder drivers stand, hand made cars and hand made RADIO with a slot car controller!!!!!
There are some NICE indoor off road tracks shown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvSN03x3Dww
The late Roy Moody on that video was one of the greatest racing legends, a great guy AND HE invented the Zip Tie <<< think about how just that one product has changed the world!!!!
The history starts about 1 minutes into the video.
Look for the ladder drivers stand, hand made cars and hand made RADIO with a slot car controller!!!!!
There are some NICE indoor off road tracks shown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvSN03x3Dww
Last edited by tmail55; 11-05-2011 at 06:08 PM.
11-05-2011, 08:43 PM
#72
1991, 6 years later. Things came a looong way in a short time (this is less time than the B4 and XXX were raced essentially unchanged).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odYYjUk17IE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odYYjUk17IE
11-05-2011, 09:34 PM
#73
Tech Elite
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: anywhere I can race 2wd dirt,and 1/12 onroad in MI.
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1991, 6 years later. Things came a looong way in a short time (this is less time than the B4 and XXX were raced essentially unchanged).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odYYjUk17IE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odYYjUk17IE
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