I'm just getting started in 12th scale. I have a question about bodies, what body have most of you had the most luck with? What are characteristics of some of the popular bodies? Thanks.

-Leon

I profer the Parma speed 8 , it has good steering and can be mounted really low , the Proline P35 is a good choice also ,but it mounts a little higher and has a larger canopy. The Yokomo is similar to the P35 with a more angled rear spoiler and the rounded front corners seem to skip off the boards better if you run a tight line and clip boards.
just my .02 cents
Bob :tire:

the parma speed 8 is the fastest body hands down by far. there is a reason that all of the pro-line/protoform factory drivers even use it instead of a body out of their own stable. although the new protoform ascari body should be even better, it has a hint more steering, and is even lower (i mounted on on my car and had to rearrage my electronics and everything, the thing has dimples in the body for the 3 screws that hold the graphite plate onto the motor bulkheads!)

however dont wait for it, 12th scale bodies since they are light weight dont last very long, one really good hit can ruin them. the heavyweight bodies dont actually last any longer, but crack instead.

Hey Storm,
Is that Ascari body available yet .........part # ? or is it still in prototype?
thanks Bob

Yes! But why split 1/10th pan from 1/12th pan?

We're racing r/c cars, not r/c wings. People get turned on to the cars by the way they look (hence the popularity of touring cars nowadays, instead of buggies).

I'd much rather race a car that looks like a current racer, than something which grips a bit better, but looks like a wedge (Parma Speed 8 for example). That's why you need rules, to stop the blatantly imaginary shells from being raced.

Until the Bentleys got released, the current 1/12 cars looked like Group C or toj cars that haven't been raced for over 10 years.

I'd like to see seperate wings like the current Le Mans cars run as well.

And the 1/8th scale guys should take heed too...

I don't care what the bodies look like , if one has more "grip" than another then i will run that............ lower lap times are what I'm looking for, if I could get a touring car to turn like my 1/12th , I'd be a happy camper................... Bob :tire:

I've run the Protoform speed 8 and it sucks. I only had it 2 weeks before it started to crack. It has 2 seems down the front wheel well that split very easily. I'd definatly go with the Parma speed 8 next time.

sosidge: I agree on the looks of the bodies. I personally think the touring cars are butt ugly!!!!!!!! I am an ex full scale racer that raced camaro Z28's and corvettes. A honda civic is not my idea of a fast car. The Saleen M7 is. I would love to run this body. Did on my nitro till I got better, and then has to switch to TC body.

On the 1/12 I would love to run the newer panoz or BMW body. Ran the LMR body on my Super Nitro. Agree with you on the wedge look of the parma.

I have had the reverse luck with the protoform and parma. Parma split quick and proto has lasted longer. But as noted most do not last long at all. If I was a front runner, it might be different. But alas my skills are not that good. :( But I do have fun racing! :D and that is what matters.

Does anybody have a picture of the Protoform Ascari?

Heres a pic-of the real one: Ascari body
Kraig-Thanks-I went back and found it-Sorry-I almost never read this thread anymore!!!

Bobby Z posted one on 2-6-03.

If any of you are looking for the TRC Cyan or TRC Granite tires for your 1/12th scale they are now in stock.

The Parma Speed 8 bodies are in stock as well.

Just thought I would share the information.

Thanks
Kraig
KT Hobbies

How does the Protoform P-35 compair to the Parma Speed 8 in terms of rear downforce? I run the Parma at the moment but I might try the P-35.

Also on the tire front are T.M. Cyan front and Gray rears and they also make a Granite Rear with a little wider outside ring to it for the stock racers on high bite surfaces. Of course the standard Purple front is also available. Stock is plentiful and you can order online if you like at this link.
www.tm-rc-racingcomponents.com

the ascari body should hopefully be out in the next few weeks, i think they were waitin until after the birds to finalize the molds and everything. i am just hoping i get to run one for a week or two before the nats.

scard- 12th scale bodies rarely last more than a few weeks. i normally paint up a new body if mine has bad wheel well cracks or any real damage, since it can chunk tires and it doesnt handle as well. the protoform bently isnt anything special, the parma speed 8 is a much much much better body.

and also one thing i want to point out, dont think that just because they have the same name, like dodge stratus or speed 8 they are the same, because they arent, the differences are huge. a HPI stratus handles differnetly than a Protoform or Yokomo one, so dont think just because its a stratus it has to handle well, same with 12th scale bodies, the protoform and parma bodies of the speed 8 couldnt be more different, so dont just think because its a speed 8 its okay.

the trend with 12th scale bodies has been:
-lowest possible profile
-highest downforce (both front and rear)

the parma speed 8 had alot more grip and handled much better than the p-35, and the new ascari has more steering (and also a larger rear wing area, so more overall downforce) and a lower profile than the speed 8.

I was just thinking, is it possible to have lower drag with high downforce? Or do you have to find a medium between the two?

For me, Thats why I used race cars that are actually currently raced today, Like the Lister Storm and the Dodge Viper (from the FIA GT series), the Lucchini, the Courage, the Lola and the Dome (from the FIA Sportscar Championship), The Mosler M900R (from the Grand American Road Racing Series), and the Corvette C5R, the Saleen S7R, the Audi R8, and the Panoz LMP-01 (from the American LeMans Series). I would like to see RC body manufacturers get with the times for pan cars.


Just my $.02