I would be interested in one of the basic electric versions

yep me too. what set-ups are you running? gearing? 6s (:nod:)?

Hi, thanks a lot for the discussion and all your pros and cons!

@ the argument not to divide 1/8th into a new class and let the pan cars in 2wd: I already have a Mantua Intrepid MC and did run several races even in Italy. And I had some long discussions with Massimo Poldi (Mantua Model). I agree, 2wd pans are very close to low costs and maintenance time. But - 4wd – it is definitely easier to drive and it is easier to run together with suspensioned 4wds (I did race with the 2wd Intrepid – but the driving style is too different – the faster 4wd drivers had no real fun with me :).

At all: the main chance of my project will be the electric version - it is the absolute minimized entrance to 1/8 track. Compared with the upcoming Serpent 977e / Shepherd / Capricorn (set price roller-motor-esc-accu >1000€ - they are top, no doubt) the costs will be 1/3 and the speed not that slow and it is a lot of fun! Motor-esc-accu dont need to be the top ones, so I use: 120A esc, 2300KV motor with 4s Lipo (look at HobbyKings prices). Maybe like a limited stock class?

Many potential drivers - expirienced or not - would like to have a try in 1/8 track (for me its the greatest and ideal sized class) but dont want to invest that much money or maintenance time. I think it is a chance to find new drivers - not to absorb them from established classes. A later change to nitro or faster, suspensioned classes will be an additional profit for 1/8.

@ durability: Last year many different drivers did test my prototypes – from 8 year young beginners up to the Austrian champion in 1/8 track. Ok - I never tried on a parking lot. The front carbon suspension parts never broke. The only spare part I sometimes had to change was the 60t main gear (web shop price 3€).

Some news:
I already started the production of a pre seria in cooperation with a company supplying automotive industries. So the order, sales and logistic process will be in absolutely professional hands. I made aggrements with established rc car companies to supply us with nearly standard parts, like front knuckles, gears,pulleys... So the easy availability of spares will be guaranteed.
The rollout of this first lot will be April 26th at the Race of Champions of the morac-graz.at and we plan to run our separate class with both electro and nitro cars. I want to make a documentation and keep you informed. The second lot will be prepared to be ready for delivery in mid of July.

best regards, Tom

i am a hardcore offroad racer that used to race suspension 1/8th onroad awhile back. this chassis would be great to run and offset the maintenance of running two offroad classes each week. my birthday is around the release :)

Hi strodedawg, that sound good! It would be a great pleasure and I would try to add a little birthday cake from Austria!! ;) :nod: ;)

hahaha cool can't wait for it

any production pictures of the final product. would like to see that to get my fix

Hi, sorry for the late response. I was on holidays...

The production is in progress, the last parts will arrive in the coming week and next weekend we can finish our 12 cars in the electric version!

Here some pics from the cnc milling of the carbon chassis plate. Its a nice machine with a powerful high speed spindle!

The rollout will be on April 25th! I will upload further pictures.

Most of the carbon parts are finished!

Coming soon BURI Racers: rollout on April 25th

All parts did arrive. Lets start the final assembly of the 12 cars! „smile“-Emoticon

I fear these will be too dangerous. I dont want to be a kill joy, I love models. Without suspension, it wont take much to lift the nose and if you know what happens to a 1/8th when the nose lifts, there is no way I would marshal it, specially with EP drive. Car park racers need only hit a stone and the car will become a plane...

One of my club members adapted a 1/8th IC car to EP, it was insanely fast and heavy. I was sitting marshalling on the twisty section I could not hear it approaching. A 2S version would be advisable to keep it light if you want to attract newcomers or beginners.

Just out of curiosity, why 4wd? It would seem that if your ultimate goals were simplicity and low cost (to get the most people involved) you would do a 2wd version with the same basic principals.

His intent was an entry into 4wd, with no suspension, the car initially shown was a 4wd IC car. TOM is trying to get people into the hobby by simplifying it. It is simpler - no suspension, single belt drive vs three etc. In being 4wd it is also more newcomer friendly, i.e. it is much more easy and forgiving to drive.

What are you going to use to secure the steering blocks to the front arms? I like the electric setup, looks simple and easy to maintain. Have you thought about making conversion kits where you can just unbolt the front/rear ends of some of the current 8th scale nitro cars and just bolt them onto your chassis?

I like this project very much! I'm looking forward seeing pictures of the nitro version.

@TomAt
Are you going to sell these cars?