medicalmechanic

Hey, everyone.

I'm sorry in advance, because I'm sure most of the things I am about to ask about are covered elsewhere, but I'm having a hard time getting definitive answers, and I don't really know anything about all of this, so the answers I do find are confusing.

I am trying to buy a birthday present for a friend. He's a huge RX7 person, so I'm trying to find the Mini-Z RX7 FC from Initial D. I have found the body online, the one that I want, and am going to buy it. It is only a shell, but I know that it will fit the Mini-Z-MR015 chassis.
I have found the chassis, as well, and I'll be buying that.

I'm looking at the Perfex KT-18 transmitter, which I will also be buying, if it's compatible.

Is this all he will need, aside from batteries, to be ready to go?

Do I need a servo for the steering, or any kind of reciever, or what?
Also, can I just get the RX7 FC kit ready to go with everything he'll need in one shot?

What else, if anything, do I need to know before I start buying


Thanks in advance. Like I said, it's a birthday present for someone else, so I'm learning as much as I can, being kind of an on the sides enthusiast myself, but I am pretty unfamiliar with most of the terms and specs that I'm seeing everywhere, and his birthday is this month, so with the limited time I have to learn, order, and ship, I'm reaching out to you guys hoping to get everything I need in one shot so I can get his present ordered.

Bermbuster

iTrader: (11)

I run a Mazda RX7. Great mini z body. First off the mr-015 you bought is it am or asf (2.4) ? If it is am you need a 27mhz tx and crystals.(get a Futaba 2pl $60) If it is asf you need the KT-18 or another asf TX....the KT -18 is entry level and the cheapest. Now all you will need is 4 aaa alkalines for the KT 18 and 4 aaa nimh for the chassis( you can run alkalines but the car will be slow..)everything you need comes with the chassis and the body provided you are buying them new. The mazda is a 90mm wb so you follow the instructions and make the chassis 90mm with a rm configuration. Should take less than 5 minutes. You will need a #2 philips. Next you add the nose clip from the body and install the wheels that came with the body and BAM your ready to run.....

medicalmechanic

Well I can't post the URL to the website where I'll be getting the chassis, so I don't know the answer to your question, Bermbuster.

It's part number 30370F on the Kenon hobbies website. It was my understanding that the KT-18 would work on it. The page says "without TX" on it if that helps.

All in all with shipping this is going to be about $300, but if I bought a kit with a different body on it, which seem to go for about $150, could I just swap the bodies on them, or let my buddy do it?

What's the difference between AM or ASF?

Atomic-USA

Check out:

http://www.mini-z-guide.com/

www.rcatomic.com

medicalmechanic

I've been looking at that for a while now. Still not sure about the crystals, and all that stuff.

cowboySiR

iTrader: (8)

ASF is the equivalent of 2.4Ghz rx/tx systems.

Depending on what your keen on spending i'd consider the MR03-N (narrow front end chassis)...its a much better performer and will still fit 90mm wheelbase and width.

That and the RX7 autoscale, a KT18 transmitter and youre dialled for now....until he's hooked and starts buying all the bells and whistles.

NJD

I took a look at the chassis you were looking at on lemon... It is an am chassis, so the kt-18 would not work. What I would suggest a mr02ex readyset, which comes with a 2.4 chassis and a kt-18 for $200 on kenon. Them you would need to buy a plastic rm motor mount (~$10) and the body itself($50). With shipping, it should amount to around $300. If you want, you could get an aluminum motormount instead for (I think) $30.

cowboySiR

iTrader: (8)

The only minor detail with that excellent package is the RX7 body would be slightly bulged out through the center by an MR02 chassis and the autoscale wheels would not fit on the front end (needs a narrow chassis like the MR015 or MR03)

for the price the MR02ex is a great choice as well.

medicalmechanic

Well, I'm looking for as ready set as possible, with the least amount of assembly/ordering from different places/messing with shipping.

It has to be that RX7 Initial D body, because that's like, his favorite car ever.
So the KT-18 will not work with that chassis, what are my options there? Can I just replace crystals or something?

My budget here is like, $250 to $300 for everything, without shipping. I'm going to have to buy it in pieces, and it's already going to be late, but we have kinda discussed that.

So, RX7 FC Initial D body is still a go.

The MR-02ex doesn't come with wheels?
What would I need to make the MR-02ex good to go, and will the body fitment cowboySiR mentioned be an issue?

If I buy an MR03, it looks like it comes with everything to start driving out of the box, can I just swap on the RX7 body on a ready set MR03?

That seems like the most feasible choice right now. I can buy a ready set MR03, take off the body, throw on the RX7 body, and be good to go, is my understanding. Is that right?

I'm looking at the 911 GT3 R (part number 32702FL-B on kyosho)
If I can buy that GTR, throw on the RX7, and hand him the pile, that will be what I do.

Thanks everyone for your help, this is awesome. If I can get someone to confirm that I can indeed do that, then this was a huge success.

Thanks guys.

Edit: Oh, I just read that the KT-18 does not come with this package.
Can someone point me to an MR03 that comes with a transmitter?

Honestly, I just want a ready set chassis, and controller, in one package, so I can order the body and be done.

cowboySiR

iTrader: (8)

For some reason i cant find anyone with a "readyset" in stock...weird. Guess you'll have to buy seperately. My favorite e-tailer (also members here) are CristianTabush and ruf who run reflexracing.net.

You can make a MR02ex work with one of two choices for minor modifications.

Kenon hobby has a PN part in their steering section of MR02 parts (cant post link sorry) that converts the front end of the MR02 to a MR015 width. It requires some trimming of the chassis then you can use the autoscale wheels on the chassis.

The other option is to buy some wheels that a -1 offset fronts. That'd hopefully bring the front wheels inboard enough to fit...I have a Viper that has a similar problem and I've gone the -1offset front wheels and they work OK.

Good luck in your quest...I love seeing people get into mini-z's. People think they are toys until they try them on track and see how difficult it is to run them.

medicalmechanic

What's "PN"?

If I can get some feedback that the -1 offset wheels will work, that's what I'll do, I'd rather not have to make him trim the body.

Can I get a Kenon part number for the wheels?
Right now it looks like I'm going with MR-02ex ready-set chassis, the RX7 body, a KT-18 transmitter, and the -1 offset wheels.

So far I've got the body locked down, that's not a problem.
I can get the KT-18 anywhere too, so that's no biggie.
I'm looking around now for an MR-02ex, I don't care if it comes with a body set, I'll just switch whatever's on there with the RX7 body.

So now all I need is these -1 offset wheels?

Thanks again, I'm really close to getting this whole thing finished, and that's awesome. This is like, my best friend, so it's gonna be cool to get him something rad, since he just bought me an entire FMIC setup for my all trac for my birthday.

So, I need an MR-02ex, don't care about the body, gotta switch the wheels for -1 offset, get the transmitter, and the body, and he's good to go?


edit: found an MR02ex on Kyosho USA with the transmitter, part number is MZX17ID.
Wanna get that, the wheels, and the body. Will that work? A definitive answer gets me out of your hair, and my thanks for being a bunch of life savers.

cowboySiR

iTrader: (8)

Can't post links for some reason....

PN Racing is a major manufacturer of replacement parts for mini-z's. You can find all sorts of PN parts at kenon hobby. There are some stylish wheels on that site if thats what you're keen for but i just use various dish type wheels for racing and such...

NJD

DO NOT buy a kt18 if you are getting a mr02ex chassis. All mr02ex readysets already come with a Kt18.... That is why it is such a great deal(~$200). As for fitting the body, you can also go the route of buying a MR015 SP chassis and transferring the electronics over. An Initial D rx7 body (autoscale) will run you around $50.




-Another suggestion I would have is get a awd chassis instead as I am assuming if the person likes initial d, he will like drifting. This might be harder to find as they can get expensive quickly.

Example- store.alshobbyshop.com/24ghzccslancerevox.aspx (kt18 also on same page)

You would also need to get the right offset wheels for the body, and tires (drift or grip) - offset guide: atomicmods.com/Categories/QandA-1-28-Mini-Z-Body-Compatibility-Chart.aspx

(cant post direct link - not enough posts)

RDOUBLEDAY

iTrader: (10)

If anyone wants a mr-03 qwith the 2.4 radio , many sets of tires , springs , it will need a new body . 160 , i have a reflex battery case full of batteries , lmn .

superspeed

iTrader: (5)

autoscale bodysets are still that expensive, wow.