Hi Billy;
"Obscure choice you say". The USGT racing scene is already dominated be racebodies based on obscure cars.
When was the last time you say a Pagani Huayra (PZero)? Unless you travel to the Abu Dhabi area, do you honestly think you'll ever see one?

I can pretty much guarantee you'll never see a Jaguar C-X75 (JZero) Why? Jaguar only made 6 prototype show cars. One was used in a James Bond movie.

"The USGT class has definitely taken a strange turn with these bodies in the past couple years" I couldn't agree with you more Billy.
When rules are written in a vague and subjective way, this is what inevitably happens.

Thanks for your support in the past - Dale Epp - Protoform

The rules are not vague, but they are subjective, since i make them alone.

No one ever said it was going to be one race series, or time period, as the VTA rules attempt to replicate. Many people have brought their own concept of what should be raced, simply because the name "USGT" was chosen as a catch all for the class, which I will remind everyone was based on RCGT. HPI started RCGT basically to sell their bodies and tires, but it was a lot of fun. You could also choose from among the HPI body line up, a McLAren F1, a Saleen S7, the Mercedes CLK-GTR, a race version of the Honda NSX, Porsche 911 gt1, and the Pagani Zonda. I seem to remember a lot of wierd stuff too, like TVR Tuscans.

Of course, since this was supposed to be fun, and everybody who enjoyed RCGT just wanted to run real looking cars, things were pretty loose as long as it was a scale type 2 door car. Here's the original rules from the beginning of this thread:

USGT

But of course, guys started to complain about one body type over another, and then I started to see stuff that clearly was not any real car at all. I put a body list into effect, and of course, it was the worst thing I ever did since it's just now endless complaints and fights and everything else. To some extent, it has stopped everybody from just putting 1/8-style can am bodies on their cars, but since everyone wants their own way, it's just headaches. I realize that the complaints mean no one is happy, and therefore the rules are probably working. I just get tired of all of it.

I’ll keep trying with cars I can identify. I’ll definitely be getting the new body at some point. Some day I want to actually try running as many as possible on the same car.

I often see “USGT” getting confused with what people think is a “modern trans am” class.

personal options aside (sure I like corvettes, camaro and cadillacs more than the next guy) the approved bodies as of late are still based off realistic cars (even if not licensed)

I am glad to see another option that will hopefully mix up the current sea of p/j-zeros.

Rob, I thank you for what you have done and continue to do for this class. Racer/ Hobbist need to be happy that someone cares enough to do this and to keep it going for people to enjoy.

+ a whole bunch!!!

That is one beautiful body! Suddenly I feel the need to change from what I'm running to something new.

The USGT bodies seem to be moving in the direction of the new LeMans hypercar class, which is dandy for me!

+1

RobK: Please ignore anything I say past this point. *giggles*

So... lets game this. There's no regulation saying we need one peice bodies. If you want a competitive body with a low CG, good downforce, and doesn't look like roomba... There are ways to do this. Get some .01 lexan, pop two copies of the body you want, paint the super thin shell, cut away most of the second shell, only leaving the spots where you need strength. EG, across the body mounts, the lower edges of the body, wheel arches, A pillars... glue in the second shell.. Get youre 90 or whatever gram body and the superlow CG that people want.

Or run outside, where a big blunt body like a caddy is gonna do you better than a low CG body.

now.. what's the best way to bond lexan that won't add weight.....

Great comment Nerobro. So glad I no longer run this class anymore.

I'd still prefer bodies based on real cars. Weird and rare is fine. I like a lot of weird, rare cars. I just feel like allowing bodies that aren't real cars is one of those slippery slopes that eventually results in bodies that look like TC today. Real car is a lot easier line to draw.

All racing is about the fringes. I don't think someone would actually do a body like that. But.. it's a thing that could be done.

Am I to assume you run one of the normal touring car classes? With the bodies that are so thin you need to have a bumper trimmed to hold the front end in place, extra body mounts to keep the wing from collapsing the back, and anti tuck struts so you can finish a race? I'd .. like to know where you went that is easier to deal with than USGT?

If we went this route, we would pretty much be limited to expensive Tamiya and a couple PF bodies.

Back in ancient RC times, real car manufacturers saw the RC market as a way to generate free advertising for their brand.

Now, They want big $$$ to allow you the privilege of taking massive amounts of time and effort to exactly recreate something that you maybe make a couple thousand units of before it becomes obsolete. And that’s even if they allow it at all.

Due to the legal implications, I don't think it needs to be a replica of a real car. It just needs to look like a plausible car design in the spirit of the category it runs in. Take the latest Zoo Baybee. Tell me that the rear passengers don't need to cut their heads off to fit in there. TC bodies are supposed to be 4 door sedans.