1LikesU.S. Vintage Trans-Am Racing
03-06-2008, 05:30 AM
#541
Anything and everything, on both questions.
Check out the current list of pre-registered racers for the Nationals (in the Events section on the USVTA website) to see the various chassis people are running in this class—it's all over the map, but the two most popular seem to be the Tamiya TA05 and the Team Associated TC3/TC4.
With the tire compounds, I also prefer to clean them with Simple Green or lighter fluid (Naptha) after a run. The Simple Green actually does such a nice job on the tires, you might not need any Paragon.
Be sure to completely wipe off whatever you use as a traction additive before running. Some compounds like Jack the Gripper are horribly slimey for more than a few laps unless the tires are wiped down thoroughly before heading out to the track.
doug
03-06-2008, 07:22 AM
#542
Tech Master
iTrader: (21)
Anything and everything, on both questions.
Check out the current list of pre-registered racers for the Nationals (in the Events section on the USVTA website) to see the various chassis people are running in this class—it's all over the map, but the two most popular seem to be the Tamiya TA05 and the Team Associated TC3/TC4.
With the tire compounds, I also prefer to clean them with Simple Green or lighter fluid (Naptha) after a run. The Simple Green actually does such a nice job on the tires, you might not need any Paragon.
Be sure to completely wipe off whatever you use as a traction additive before running. Some compounds like Jack the Gripper are horribly slimey for more than a few laps unless the tires are wiped down thoroughly before heading out to the track.
doug
Check out the current list of pre-registered racers for the Nationals (in the Events section on the USVTA website) to see the various chassis people are running in this class—it's all over the map, but the two most popular seem to be the Tamiya TA05 and the Team Associated TC3/TC4.
With the tire compounds, I also prefer to clean them with Simple Green or lighter fluid (Naptha) after a run. The Simple Green actually does such a nice job on the tires, you might not need any Paragon.
Be sure to completely wipe off whatever you use as a traction additive before running. Some compounds like Jack the Gripper are horribly slimey for more than a few laps unless the tires are wiped down thoroughly before heading out to the track.
doug
I've been using lither fluid now on my Jaco rubbers but never thought of Simple Green. Have to try that and see.
Thanks.
03-06-2008, 09:51 AM
#544
I've got a question on what people are seeing from the lift of the gearing restrictions for the 17.5 motors. We are still running with the gear restriction to finish off our season but I am going to the USVTA Nats and was looking at what kind of gearing I need for my XXX-S. I don't know if I can get my XXX-S to the 3.5 FDR Novak recommends and others say they are geared at. Are you seeing a pretty good speed increase from 4.0 to 3.5. I'm thinking about switching over to my TC5 for the Nats because of this issue. I guess if there isn't much it isn't a big deal... its just my XXX-S will already be quite heavy and if I also can't gear it right I'm wondering if I should switch cars? Any thoughts? Advice?
03-06-2008, 10:43 AM
#546
I've got a question on what people are seeing from the lift of the gearing restrictions for the 17.5 motors. We are still running with the gear restriction to finish off our season but I am going to the USVTA Nats and was looking at what kind of gearing I need for my XXX-S. I don't know if I can get my XXX-S to the 3.5 FDR Novak recommends and others say they are geared at. Are you seeing a pretty good speed increase from 4.0 to 3.5. I'm thinking about switching over to my TC5 for the Nats because of this issue. I guess if there isn't much it isn't a big deal... its just my XXX-S will already be quite heavy and if I also can't gear it right I'm wondering if I should switch cars? Any thoughts? Advice?
03-06-2008, 02:12 PM
#548
I used my Type R for a while. It was totally dialed. I've since picked up a Cyclone S for VTA duties. This weekend we'll see how she handles. I want to get the R back on foams and let 'er eat.
At our track we've been experimenting with Lipo setups in fair VTA trim. We had some bad luck adjusting our TC classes this year, so to propose this new class we needed to be pretty laxed and let people run what they had. Of course it's a gentleman's agreement on gearing, but have a 4 cell/27t, a 4 cell/13.5, lipo/13.5, lipo/21.5, lipo/17.5, and this weekend I'm gonna try lipo/Mabuchi. We're all on the same lap. Good cars and good drivers are obviously out front. I worry it'll turn into, "one more tooth and I'll have what it takes." Some people don't understand that a dialed in chassis in the right hands looks twice as fast as something that aint any of the above.
I love running lipo, I know it ruins the integrity of the class, but what are we going to do? How long can you hold the technology down? We're in a position, that as a track, we can't turn people away because they don't want to run Nimh. VTA is our only real successful TC class at this time, and it's obvious that VTA may help pull us through this slump.
We have some blacktop racing scheduled for this summer and I know VTA is going to dominate. We can't be the only track with this going on. I really wish I could make the Nationals. We're hosting a ROAR Region race the week before that I'll be heavily involved with. The wife won't tolerate two big race weekends in a row. Next year I'm planning on making it.
At our track we've been experimenting with Lipo setups in fair VTA trim. We had some bad luck adjusting our TC classes this year, so to propose this new class we needed to be pretty laxed and let people run what they had. Of course it's a gentleman's agreement on gearing, but have a 4 cell/27t, a 4 cell/13.5, lipo/13.5, lipo/21.5, lipo/17.5, and this weekend I'm gonna try lipo/Mabuchi. We're all on the same lap. Good cars and good drivers are obviously out front. I worry it'll turn into, "one more tooth and I'll have what it takes." Some people don't understand that a dialed in chassis in the right hands looks twice as fast as something that aint any of the above.
I love running lipo, I know it ruins the integrity of the class, but what are we going to do? How long can you hold the technology down? We're in a position, that as a track, we can't turn people away because they don't want to run Nimh. VTA is our only real successful TC class at this time, and it's obvious that VTA may help pull us through this slump.
We have some blacktop racing scheduled for this summer and I know VTA is going to dominate. We can't be the only track with this going on. I really wish I could make the Nationals. We're hosting a ROAR Region race the week before that I'll be heavily involved with. The wife won't tolerate two big race weekends in a row. Next year I'm planning on making it.
Last edited by sportpak; 03-06-2008 at 04:41 PM.
03-06-2008, 03:12 PM
#549
Tech Master
iTrader: (21)
At our track we've been experimenting with Lipo setups. We had some bad luck adjusting our TC classes this year, so to propose this we needed to be pretty laxed and let people run what they had. Of course it's a gentleman's agreement on gearing, but have a 4 cell/27t, a 4 cell/13.5, lipo/13.5, lipo/21.5, lipo/17.5, and this weekend I'm gonna try lipo/Mabuchi. We're all on the same lap. Good cars and good drivers are obviously out front. .
03-06-2008, 03:36 PM
#550
Thought I'd show off my replica of the Pantera that Warren Tope drove in the Trans Am series ca. 1974. It wasn't an overly successful car but showed a great deal of promise. Unfortunately Warren was killed early in the 1975 season at the Wide Track Grand Prix in Pontiac, MI so the car was never developed further. Pics of the real car attached as well as pics of my ride.
The body is mounted on TC3 that has the 200mm kit installed. The numbers, pinstriping, etc are all painted in. The numbers are, obviously, a custom font to replicate the original. Note the vent screens for the front and rear--they are not stickers, they are painted in as well. Painting was done by Shawn Keily/Big Finn Graphics--I can provide contact information for interested people. His paint work is the POO. I STILL can't figure out how he matched the pinstriping so well from the main body to the rear valence piece...THEY'RE SEPARATE PIECES. Unbelieveable.
Unfortunately this car is probably doomed to be a shelf queen...it is from the next era of Trans Am when 2-door cars were allowed in. This was the era of Porsche dominance that held through the Greenwood Corvettes until the DeKon Monzas were able to beat them. Mmmmm...Greenwood Corvettes, Dekon Monzas, Panteras, Porsche 911 RSR's. Could HPI lead the way to produce the "next gen" TA cars? Maybe these could be the next step up in power...possibly to LiPo? The real cars had evolved to being MUCH faster cars than their '66-'72 progenitors.
The body is mounted on TC3 that has the 200mm kit installed. The numbers, pinstriping, etc are all painted in. The numbers are, obviously, a custom font to replicate the original. Note the vent screens for the front and rear--they are not stickers, they are painted in as well. Painting was done by Shawn Keily/Big Finn Graphics--I can provide contact information for interested people. His paint work is the POO. I STILL can't figure out how he matched the pinstriping so well from the main body to the rear valence piece...THEY'RE SEPARATE PIECES. Unbelieveable.
Unfortunately this car is probably doomed to be a shelf queen...it is from the next era of Trans Am when 2-door cars were allowed in. This was the era of Porsche dominance that held through the Greenwood Corvettes until the DeKon Monzas were able to beat them. Mmmmm...Greenwood Corvettes, Dekon Monzas, Panteras, Porsche 911 RSR's. Could HPI lead the way to produce the "next gen" TA cars? Maybe these could be the next step up in power...possibly to LiPo? The real cars had evolved to being MUCH faster cars than their '66-'72 progenitors.
Last edited by Scottrik; 06-27-2008 at 04:53 PM.
03-06-2008, 05:22 PM
#552
I love running lipo, I know it ruins the integrity of the class, but what are we going to do? How long can you hold the technology down? We're in a position, that as a track, we can't turn people away because they don't want to run Nimh. VTA is our only real successful TC class at this time, and it's obvious that VTA may help pull us through this slump.
I think it has been mentioned before, but rather than focusing on the infinite battery/motor/gearing combos, this class needs to be regulated with breakout racing to keep the speeds down, otherwise, the hot combination will eventually be determined, which will then exclude any racer not having that equipment. I just seems so much easier to manage that way. It allows the race director to raise or lower track speeds and the field can easily adapt without having to purchase any equipment, aside from maybe some pinion gears.
03-07-2008, 02:44 AM
#554
Agreed. We have an exception at our track to permit Lipos if you run the Traxxas Stinger mill, which was the cheapest way for me to get into the class since I do not own any quality NIMHs or a 17.5 yet. Like many, I am a huge fan of brushless too, so the ideal combination would be 21.5 with lipo, but I understand the arguments to keep the class affordable.
I think it has been mentioned before, but rather than focusing on the infinite battery/motor/gearing combos, this class needs to be regulated with breakout racing to keep the speeds down, otherwise, the hot combination will eventually be determined, which will then exclude any racer not having that equipment. I just seems so much easier to manage that way. It allows the race director to raise or lower track speeds and the field can easily adapt without having to purchase any equipment, aside from maybe some pinion gears.
I think it has been mentioned before, but rather than focusing on the infinite battery/motor/gearing combos, this class needs to be regulated with breakout racing to keep the speeds down, otherwise, the hot combination will eventually be determined, which will then exclude any racer not having that equipment. I just seems so much easier to manage that way. It allows the race director to raise or lower track speeds and the field can easily adapt without having to purchase any equipment, aside from maybe some pinion gears.
So you cap the field's pace? Example, the cap on the field set at 30 @ 5:10. If you go faster then that, you've broke out. That might just work...how do you come up with the pace? Guys with the best battery and motor still have an advantage. I believe lipos will truly balance that part of the equation. We have some guys that are resistant to lipo/bl, but these guys own their own matcher and dyno, and they're still faster then anyone because they have the best stuff.
03-07-2008, 05:41 AM
#555
No, the breakout time is for individual laps not overall time.
Say that the fast time by the fastest driver there is a 12.8 and everyone else is running 13.0s and slower. You make the breakout time 12.9 and every recorded lap faster than a 12.9 for anyone isn't counted. So your fast guys gear down to run on a 13.0 "index" like drag racers do. Break out, and you lose that lap.
It works in oval racing really well, but I haven't seen it done on road courses successfully as of yet. Too many variables and it's hard to set a breakout time that is fair for everyone. It also penalizes fast racers and rewards guys who can't be consistent or get up to speed.
I don't have a problem with it, but I'd fear that fast guys would just hit the breaks before the scoring tower on every lap to make sure they were clear on a fast lap, and when a slower guy hits his one screaming flyer lap of the day, it doesn't count.
This class is SO close from top to bottom though, it's not really one where the fast guys have THAT much of an advantage over everyone else, outside of skill and car setup. I guarantee that if you gave our fast guys my car, they'd run faster than me with it. A breakout rule only removes the need to have the slow guys want to get any faster.
The only true way to make everyone the same speed is to make a spac motor, spec battery, spec tire and spec chassis... and guys will STILL try to get an edge on everyone else. There is no magic bullet.
Say that the fast time by the fastest driver there is a 12.8 and everyone else is running 13.0s and slower. You make the breakout time 12.9 and every recorded lap faster than a 12.9 for anyone isn't counted. So your fast guys gear down to run on a 13.0 "index" like drag racers do. Break out, and you lose that lap.
It works in oval racing really well, but I haven't seen it done on road courses successfully as of yet. Too many variables and it's hard to set a breakout time that is fair for everyone. It also penalizes fast racers and rewards guys who can't be consistent or get up to speed.
I don't have a problem with it, but I'd fear that fast guys would just hit the breaks before the scoring tower on every lap to make sure they were clear on a fast lap, and when a slower guy hits his one screaming flyer lap of the day, it doesn't count.
This class is SO close from top to bottom though, it's not really one where the fast guys have THAT much of an advantage over everyone else, outside of skill and car setup. I guarantee that if you gave our fast guys my car, they'd run faster than me with it. A breakout rule only removes the need to have the slow guys want to get any faster.
The only true way to make everyone the same speed is to make a spac motor, spec battery, spec tire and spec chassis... and guys will STILL try to get an edge on everyone else. There is no magic bullet.