Your first RC experience?
01-20-2009, 07:28 AM
#1
Your first RC experience?
I thought this would make an interesting discussion, shall we share?
1986 I got my first reasonably quick car, a 1/14 Nikko Black Fox. Back then the Nikkos were the kiddie RTRs to the more 'grown-up' Kyoshos and Tamiyas. And just about every buggy back then made looked like a clone of the Tamiya Hornet and Grasshopper.
The Black Fox took 8AA batts and an overnight charge was needed. Total run time on a full charge? 10 mins.
Then in 1988, during a christmas toy warehouse sale I scored a 1/10 Nikko dictator for $60 complete with a 7.2v stick pack. That was one of the coolest RTR 'toy' buggies back then, with 4wd run by two 380 motors. Of course the stick packs highest capacity back then was 1200mah, so run time was no more than 10 minutes again.
By 1989, I saved up my own pocket money and got a Tamiya Hornet. That was all I could afford. In fact, I didn't have enough money for a radio, and the hornet was built and sitting around for 2 months before i saved enough for an Acoms Techniplus stick radio.
And I still had only 1 7.2v battery.
My dad was of no help, because he thought I got cheated on the Hornet. "What kind of stupid car is this? No controller? How to play? The shop cheat you! Better go back and check!"
He never bothered to find out about hobby grade RC, even though he bought me the Black Fox in the beginning.
I had one entry grade buggy, 1 battery, 1 cheap 6 hour AC charger, and no means to get to the buggy track at Kebun Bahru either. So I play by myself and occasionally with friends nearby. Oh well. That was all I could afford.
Then in 1991 Tamiya released the Manta Ray. I saved again for months, and bought it. I have never been more disappointed in a new buggy. The car was of a very high quality, but the primitive twin bellcrank steering didn't track straight, had lots of slop and the car was a serious understeerer. The Hornet in comparison was a rocket. And I no money for a second receiver/radio, so I ripped the Techniplus out of the Hornet for the Manta Ray.
One day I crashed the Manta Ray and broke the front shock tower. I went to the Tamiya agent back then, it was called Hua Hua and at Golden Landmark. The boss looked at me like the little kid I was and said "no we cannot order the parts for you." Damn I was pissed. But I was only a kid and couldn't do much else. There was no internet back then to find out about new stuff either. And many snobbish local hobby shops don't want to entertain a kid with only $50 to spend when they can sell stuff to people buying hundreds of dollars worth of parts. I remember the look of disdain those shop owners gave me when I walked into their stores. Some of them are still around.
The Manta Ray was shelved because of a broken front shock tower.
This is my early experience in RC. I didn't have much money, not much parental support, and I really wanted to experience racing but my dad didn't care much for it so I never went to the buggy tracks.
Just on some days I took the bus to the old East Coast track next to Macdonalds and after that was closed, the track in Marine Parade CC to watch. After all I had only one 1200mah battery, a cheap car and one 6 hr AC charger. How to drive at the track? Just see only.
So what's your early RC story?
1986 I got my first reasonably quick car, a 1/14 Nikko Black Fox. Back then the Nikkos were the kiddie RTRs to the more 'grown-up' Kyoshos and Tamiyas. And just about every buggy back then made looked like a clone of the Tamiya Hornet and Grasshopper.
The Black Fox took 8AA batts and an overnight charge was needed. Total run time on a full charge? 10 mins.
Then in 1988, during a christmas toy warehouse sale I scored a 1/10 Nikko dictator for $60 complete with a 7.2v stick pack. That was one of the coolest RTR 'toy' buggies back then, with 4wd run by two 380 motors. Of course the stick packs highest capacity back then was 1200mah, so run time was no more than 10 minutes again.
By 1989, I saved up my own pocket money and got a Tamiya Hornet. That was all I could afford. In fact, I didn't have enough money for a radio, and the hornet was built and sitting around for 2 months before i saved enough for an Acoms Techniplus stick radio.
And I still had only 1 7.2v battery.
My dad was of no help, because he thought I got cheated on the Hornet. "What kind of stupid car is this? No controller? How to play? The shop cheat you! Better go back and check!"
He never bothered to find out about hobby grade RC, even though he bought me the Black Fox in the beginning.
I had one entry grade buggy, 1 battery, 1 cheap 6 hour AC charger, and no means to get to the buggy track at Kebun Bahru either. So I play by myself and occasionally with friends nearby. Oh well. That was all I could afford.
Then in 1991 Tamiya released the Manta Ray. I saved again for months, and bought it. I have never been more disappointed in a new buggy. The car was of a very high quality, but the primitive twin bellcrank steering didn't track straight, had lots of slop and the car was a serious understeerer. The Hornet in comparison was a rocket. And I no money for a second receiver/radio, so I ripped the Techniplus out of the Hornet for the Manta Ray.
One day I crashed the Manta Ray and broke the front shock tower. I went to the Tamiya agent back then, it was called Hua Hua and at Golden Landmark. The boss looked at me like the little kid I was and said "no we cannot order the parts for you." Damn I was pissed. But I was only a kid and couldn't do much else. There was no internet back then to find out about new stuff either. And many snobbish local hobby shops don't want to entertain a kid with only $50 to spend when they can sell stuff to people buying hundreds of dollars worth of parts. I remember the look of disdain those shop owners gave me when I walked into their stores. Some of them are still around.
The Manta Ray was shelved because of a broken front shock tower.
This is my early experience in RC. I didn't have much money, not much parental support, and I really wanted to experience racing but my dad didn't care much for it so I never went to the buggy tracks.
Just on some days I took the bus to the old East Coast track next to Macdonalds and after that was closed, the track in Marine Parade CC to watch. After all I had only one 1200mah battery, a cheap car and one 6 hr AC charger. How to drive at the track? Just see only.
So what's your early RC story?
01-20-2009, 09:07 AM
#2
Nice story,
My turn dun laugh, I got my first car nikko dun knw wat model use AA batts till i got no money then switch to rechargable but still need to charge damm long. Same i brought it to east coast sian ppl's car 1/10 so fast mine 1/14 so slow & shameful.
I later got hooked to tamiya mini 4wd, i mod & craft the car managed to win 2nd place at the regular race place dhoby ghaut. The car was cheap but by the time u hop up the car is like $100 plus. I gv it up later as no fun cant control the car.
Later in my teen years I got a 2nd hand hornet & ESC damm fast but some how has no brake or reverse. Dun knw y? After awhile sold it as i needed $.
Many years later I went to philppines for business stayed for 4 years. My hands got virus again. I check rctech philippines & bought a F103 I mod it, had alot of fun till the car got crushed under a jeepney damm.
I asked for help in rctech philippines & that guy who sold me the f103 gv me some parts & i got some more hop ups & it was up n running again.
Tired of on road when philippines had so much of dirt & uneven road I bought a blackfoot in good condition from rctech, had so much fun jumping humps & running every where.
After i sold my business & came back i was broke had to sell the fully hop up F103 in singapore for milk $.
I kept my blackfoot till now still running with some hop up from US.
After started working i got some $ i bought a used kyosho 7.5 sport was thrilled & got myself a RB 7wiii fix into the car but torn the car apart soon after.
I was sian again I bought myself a thunder tiger EK4 damm shiok 70cc engine was damm powerful I played at turf till the engine meltdown(i din even knw wats meltdown haha) i was so crazy i went to buy another 70cc engine & 24kg strength servo. Damm fun at turf untill i found myself fixing the car more than playing the car it just cant turn or jump properly.
Even at idle the car consume 1/4 tank I gave up sold it away. I got myself a xray & race at turf it was so fun till i bought a another xay & converted it to a truggy & race it, not bad till i met Sunny I sold every xray i own & got myself a CRT damm shiok .
I race the CRT for 1year till the track was closed for rebuild. I was out of action, I was waiting for the track to reopen but it was so long till i sold my CRT & GP stuffs & got myself a M03 & raced & won B main at bk's race.
I was hooked to EP I got myself a TAO5R & much more EP products raced till I gv up on tamiya. I sold all & got a Kyosho TF5 nice & not too expensive to drive & I have it till now.
i missed my F103 so much i imported a F103 from philippines again & played at bk's track again.
Then i found out I dun hv time to play at bk's track anymore. I convince myself to buy a CRT again & crazy enough to convert it to EP spending almost 1k.
its quiet but yet faster than nitros I play at punggol still waiting for the chance to try at turf. This is my long boring RC life from teenager to a 37year old BOY hee.
My turn dun laugh, I got my first car nikko dun knw wat model use AA batts till i got no money then switch to rechargable but still need to charge damm long. Same i brought it to east coast sian ppl's car 1/10 so fast mine 1/14 so slow & shameful.
I later got hooked to tamiya mini 4wd, i mod & craft the car managed to win 2nd place at the regular race place dhoby ghaut. The car was cheap but by the time u hop up the car is like $100 plus. I gv it up later as no fun cant control the car.
Later in my teen years I got a 2nd hand hornet & ESC damm fast but some how has no brake or reverse. Dun knw y? After awhile sold it as i needed $.
Many years later I went to philppines for business stayed for 4 years. My hands got virus again. I check rctech philippines & bought a F103 I mod it, had alot of fun till the car got crushed under a jeepney damm.
I asked for help in rctech philippines & that guy who sold me the f103 gv me some parts & i got some more hop ups & it was up n running again.
Tired of on road when philippines had so much of dirt & uneven road I bought a blackfoot in good condition from rctech, had so much fun jumping humps & running every where.
After i sold my business & came back i was broke had to sell the fully hop up F103 in singapore for milk $.
I kept my blackfoot till now still running with some hop up from US.
After started working i got some $ i bought a used kyosho 7.5 sport was thrilled & got myself a RB 7wiii fix into the car but torn the car apart soon after.
I was sian again I bought myself a thunder tiger EK4 damm shiok 70cc engine was damm powerful I played at turf till the engine meltdown(i din even knw wats meltdown haha) i was so crazy i went to buy another 70cc engine & 24kg strength servo. Damm fun at turf untill i found myself fixing the car more than playing the car it just cant turn or jump properly.
Even at idle the car consume 1/4 tank I gave up sold it away. I got myself a xray & race at turf it was so fun till i bought a another xay & converted it to a truggy & race it, not bad till i met Sunny I sold every xray i own & got myself a CRT damm shiok .
I race the CRT for 1year till the track was closed for rebuild. I was out of action, I was waiting for the track to reopen but it was so long till i sold my CRT & GP stuffs & got myself a M03 & raced & won B main at bk's race.
I was hooked to EP I got myself a TAO5R & much more EP products raced till I gv up on tamiya. I sold all & got a Kyosho TF5 nice & not too expensive to drive & I have it till now.
i missed my F103 so much i imported a F103 from philippines again & played at bk's track again.
Then i found out I dun hv time to play at bk's track anymore. I convince myself to buy a CRT again & crazy enough to convert it to EP spending almost 1k.
its quiet but yet faster than nitros I play at punggol still waiting for the chance to try at turf. This is my long boring RC life from teenager to a 37year old BOY hee.
01-22-2009, 01:12 AM
#3
The Blackfoot was cool because it was one of the first real Tamiya monster trucks that could drive everywhere, even on bumpy fields that buggies cannot clear! Was one of those on my 'wish to have' list back then.
01-22-2009, 03:26 AM
#5
my 1st car was
RC Porsche 911 GT3R Cup "VIP" - TL01
and im still useing it now. i got it in 31 dec 08 not long ago. its a nice touring,drifting,off-road car but not much hop-ups for it... planing to get TT-01R sooner or later
RC Porsche 911 GT3R Cup "VIP" - TL01
and im still useing it now. i got it in 31 dec 08 not long ago. its a nice touring,drifting,off-road car but not much hop-ups for it... planing to get TT-01R sooner or later
01-22-2009, 10:31 AM
#6
haha my first car is gp kyosho 1/10 2wd haha forget wat model! but when i played that car when i was 11yrs!but these 10 yrs everytime still got play but all gp!nw 21yrs old liao change ep!!
01-22-2009, 07:39 PM
#7
Dunno why, somehow after having read the stories, I felt a strange and strong sad sentiment....
I'm 35yrO now, think most of the RCers around my age has been thru pretty much the same sh*t when we were younger...
I'm sure you still remember the days when we escaped from school and plant our faces on the glass panels of the display at the hobby shops...
I had a few Nikko buggies bought using holidays part-time jobs. Then my first Real RC experience was in the 80's when I decided to buy a Tamiya Camel F1. I spent one whole night assembling it only to find out that unlike the buggies, these "F" chassis' dun come with any speed controller, be it Mech or Elec'n. So eagerly fixed up then cannot play, it was about 5am... I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered...
Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?!
But what to do, KNN, still have to buy wat, this time I borrowed a bit from my friend and took a bus back to woodlands where I stay and was trying to figure out how to set up the ESC, by the time settled already passed midnite again. Happily ran downstairs, couldn't wait for the lift, used the stairs instead, still can vaguely hear the rushing slippers slapping on the staircases from the 8th floor to the 1st...
Now the exciting part, without any experience with direct axle drive, totally no idea how fast these rockets are compared to the buggies, I squeezed the throttle excitedly, and the car went excitedly x2 too into the wall... Pooffff!!! I broke the rear bulkhead... I say to myself, KNN, damn fast sial!!! Everything also fast including the destruction! I went back to the shop, they told me the spare parts I needed got no stock, but they have a "hop up" parts made of metal which the guy said "Komfom won't break one la" but it'd cost me S$50/-, that's about 50% of the price of the car kit leh, just for a pair of bulkhead, I din buy, I maybe young, but I believe I definitely looked like a carrot to them. So I waited for a week and the parts still din come in, so there I went again, what to do, KNN, still have to buy wwat...
I'm 35yrO now, think most of the RCers around my age has been thru pretty much the same sh*t when we were younger...
I'm sure you still remember the days when we escaped from school and plant our faces on the glass panels of the display at the hobby shops... I had a few Nikko buggies bought using holidays part-time jobs. Then my first Real RC experience was in the 80's when I decided to buy a Tamiya Camel F1. I spent one whole night assembling it only to find out that unlike the buggies, these "F" chassis' dun come with any speed controller, be it Mech or Elec'n. So eagerly fixed up then cannot play, it was about 5am...
I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered... Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?!
But what to do, KNN, still have to buy wat, this time I borrowed a bit from my friend and took a bus back to woodlands where I stay and was trying to figure out how to set up the ESC, by the time settled already passed midnite again. Happily ran downstairs, couldn't wait for the lift, used the stairs instead, still can vaguely hear the rushing slippers slapping on the staircases from the 8th floor to the 1st... Now the exciting part, without any experience with direct axle drive, totally no idea how fast these rockets are compared to the buggies, I squeezed the throttle excitedly, and the car went excitedly x2 too into the wall... Pooffff!!! I broke the rear bulkhead... I say to myself, KNN, damn fast sial!!! Everything also fast including the destruction! I went back to the shop, they told me the spare parts I needed got no stock, but they have a "hop up" parts made of metal which the guy said "Komfom won't break one la" but it'd cost me S$50/-, that's about 50% of the price of the car kit leh, just for a pair of bulkhead, I din buy, I maybe young, but I believe I definitely looked like a carrot to them. So I waited for a week and the parts still din come in, so there I went again, what to do, KNN, still have to buy wwat...
01-22-2009, 08:47 PM
#8
I had a few Nikko buggies bought using holidays part-time jobs. Then my first Real RC experience was in the 80's when I decided to buy a Tamiya Camel F1. I spent one whole night assembling it only to find out that unlike the buggies, these "F" chassis' dun come with any speed controller, be it Mech or Elec'n. So eagerly fixed up then cannot play, it was about 5am... I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered...
Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?!
I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered... Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?!
The poor sods like us back then, haha. The price of ESCs back then was crazy. I didn't dare to even ask at the shop when I went to browse, because I know those 'uncles' will surely chop small boy's carrot head. But my pocket so empty, don't even have carrot head to chop.
That's why for some primitive reason I still have a special place in my heart for the 3 step Tamiya speed controller. Less than $20 for a new one, and comes with all buggies! Furthermore when you throttle the car can see the mechanical linkage move. For a kid that was so cool. An ESC is only a mysterious plastic box, where got fun to see?
01-22-2009, 09:06 PM
#9
Started RC during the early 90s with those that can be found at departmental stores...
I think it was a Tyco Python or something, can shoot water de...Haha...
Subsequently got afew more of those non-proportional cars, but didn't play long cos the battery cannot last long and batterties are quite ex...
Got my first hobby grade car in 1997, Tamiya Volvo 850 BTCC FF-01 chassis with a MSC...I still remember my dad got it from Winnie for xmas and I hug it all the way home...Haha...
Like others, long charge time and short runtime...Occasionally my dad would take me to the Kallang old airport and play...But there were some faster cars out there and felt kinda bored when I couldn't catch up...Now that I think of it, the others were running GP...Lolz...
Surprisingly I didn't break anything on that chassis till I took it out at BK around 2004/5...
Stopped RC'ing around '98 and only came back when I saw an article regarding Mini-Z around 2004...
I think it was a Tyco Python or something, can shoot water de...Haha...
Subsequently got afew more of those non-proportional cars, but didn't play long cos the battery cannot last long and batterties are quite ex...
Got my first hobby grade car in 1997, Tamiya Volvo 850 BTCC FF-01 chassis with a MSC...I still remember my dad got it from Winnie for xmas and I hug it all the way home...Haha...
Like others, long charge time and short runtime...Occasionally my dad would take me to the Kallang old airport and play...But there were some faster cars out there and felt kinda bored when I couldn't catch up...Now that I think of it, the others were running GP...Lolz...
Surprisingly I didn't break anything on that chassis till I took it out at BK around 2004/5...
Stopped RC'ing around '98 and only came back when I saw an article regarding Mini-Z around 2004...
01-22-2009, 09:09 PM
#10
I remember those days no $ but still hv to buy parts n no Internet somemore haha.
Dunno why, somehow after having read the stories, I felt a strange and strong sad sentiment....
I'm 35yrO now, think most of the RCers around my age has been thru pretty much the same sh*t when we were younger... I'm sure you still remember the days when we escaped from school and plant our faces on the glass panels of the display at the hobby shops...
I had a few Nikko buggies bought using holidays part-time jobs. Then my first Real RC experience was in the 80's when I decided to buy a Tamiya Camel F1. I spent one whole night assembling it only to find out that unlike the buggies, these "F" chassis' dun come with any speed controller, be it Mech or Elec'n. So eagerly fixed up then cannot play, it was about 5am... I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered...
Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?! But what to do, KNN, still have to buy wat, this time I borrowed a bit from my friend and took a bus back to woodlands where I stay and was trying to figure out how to set up the ESC, by the time settled already passed midnite again. Happily ran downstairs, couldn't wait for the lift, used the stairs instead, still can vaguely hear the rushing slippers slapping on the staircases from the 8th floor to the 1st...
Now the exciting part, without any experience with direct axle drive, totally no idea how fast these rockets are compared to the buggies, I squeezed the throttle excitedly, and the car went excitedly x2 too into the wall... Pooffff!!! I broke the rear bulkhead... I say to myself, KNN, damn fast sial!!! Everything also fast including the destruction! I went back to the shop, they told me the spare parts I needed got no stock, but they have a "hop up" parts made of metal which the guy said "Komfom won't break one la" but it'd cost me S$50/-, that's about 50% of the price of the car kit leh, just for a pair of bulkhead, I din buy, I maybe young, but I believe I definitely looked like a carrot to them. So I waited for a week and the parts still din come in, so there I went again, what to do, KNN, still have to buy wwat...
I'm 35yrO now, think most of the RCers around my age has been thru pretty much the same sh*t when we were younger...
I'm sure you still remember the days when we escaped from school and plant our faces on the glass panels of the display at the hobby shops... I had a few Nikko buggies bought using holidays part-time jobs. Then my first Real RC experience was in the 80's when I decided to buy a Tamiya Camel F1. I spent one whole night assembling it only to find out that unlike the buggies, these "F" chassis' dun come with any speed controller, be it Mech or Elec'n. So eagerly fixed up then cannot play, it was about 5am...
I could hear the birds started to chirps I remembered... Then another shock came when I returned to the shop at Bukit Timah, the ESC cost as much as the car!!! I was thinking that if I buy the ESC then it'd be like paying the price of 2 cars but can only play 1 car leh! How can?!
But what to do, KNN, still have to buy wat, this time I borrowed a bit from my friend and took a bus back to woodlands where I stay and was trying to figure out how to set up the ESC, by the time settled already passed midnite again. Happily ran downstairs, couldn't wait for the lift, used the stairs instead, still can vaguely hear the rushing slippers slapping on the staircases from the 8th floor to the 1st... Now the exciting part, without any experience with direct axle drive, totally no idea how fast these rockets are compared to the buggies, I squeezed the throttle excitedly, and the car went excitedly x2 too into the wall... Pooffff!!! I broke the rear bulkhead... I say to myself, KNN, damn fast sial!!! Everything also fast including the destruction! I went back to the shop, they told me the spare parts I needed got no stock, but they have a "hop up" parts made of metal which the guy said "Komfom won't break one la" but it'd cost me S$50/-, that's about 50% of the price of the car kit leh, just for a pair of bulkhead, I din buy, I maybe young, but I believe I definitely looked like a carrot to them. So I waited for a week and the parts still din come in, so there I went again, what to do, KNN, still have to buy wwat...
01-22-2009, 11:19 PM
#12
My dad say: "just go downstairs and play." Wah like I can go and race for 5 mins with the neighbourhood cats everyday and become World Champion of HDB carpark drag strip like that. haha.
Nowadays I see those dads who teach their sons to drive on track, so envious.
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