Yet another newbie asks dumb questions...

[Team AMG]

In a few days I'll be starting a club for the XMODS here in the Fresno area. My nephews all got them for Christmas, and I'll be building my own race team to run with them. I'll also be building a track specifically for the XMODS. I'm an old guy (44 years old) with over 35 years experience in slot cars of various scales, 20+ years in large scale r/c cars. So, forgive me if I'm asking questions found elsewhere on these topics but in the interest of time I'd like to post them here.

I've read a lot about upgrades, things like carbon fibre chassis, titanium driveline parts, things that are considered non-RS part upgrades. The radios are a big concern of mine, from what I've read the stock parts aren't reliable over the long term, is there a good aftermarket replacement? Also, are there cobalt or neodynium motors available? If someone could direct me to a few links to find those parts it would be appreciated.

All of my cars will be AWD, the model hasn't been decided but it will more than likely be Acura based at first. I have for more than 15 years vacu-formed my own 1/32 scale slot car bodies and may find a way to adapt them to the smaller 1/28 scale XMODS. Has anyone else considered this? My slot car team drives Mercedes AMG's similar to the DTM Euro series and that's what we're planning on for XMODS. Other bodies are available, right now I'm working on a 2005 Ford Focus ZX3 in 1/32 scale that may be applicable to XMODS.

Tracks. I've seen the neoprene track that RS has, and it's extremely expensive. I have a friend that works in a carpet shop that can get me just about anything, including neoprene, that I want to make a track out of. Tire wear is a concern, more friction from the track also translates to shorter running times, so if anyone has ideas (other than running on hardwood) they will be appreciated. I have room to put a nice semi-banked track in my gameroom, I'm looking at a minimum of 150' of running length, or about 3/4 mile scale.

Anyone in the Fresno area wanting to be a part of this club please feel free to contact me.

[DR3W]

sounds like ur the man whet sum planes

i wes up in the city one time and i whent to a slot car track thay had a drag strip and a cercit track

i raced r/c at ono time like bugys and trcks dering the summer (outdoors on dirt) and awd cars and and little cars in the winter ( indoors on carpit)i had a rc10b3 ( bugy), rc10t3 (truck) , rc10tc3 (toreing car)

here is sum sites whet places to bye parts www.performancexmods.com , www.hobbylogic.com , www.customxmodsparts.com , www.atomicmods.com

[Team AMG]

sounds like ur the man whet sum planes


I just care for my youngsters. I have a 5 car garage so I have room for a nice size track, and the money isn't too much if you do it right. Years ago Tamiya made a small scale r/c car called the Tamtech, I bought about 6 of those at $300 each and wore them out racing in my garage track. The track was torn down about 5 years ago but it was a nice 13 degree bank and was about 160 running feet. I think those cars were more like 1/25th scale.

Using the 1/32nd scale vacuformed bodies is a key in racing, it reduces weight, lowers the roll center of the cars and is somewhat more durable than the injection molded bodies. There are a lot of places online to pick them up, but I have molds for 18 cars that I make in my shop, and we're adding 3 new models for 2005.

I'll document the building of the new facility and post it here.

[viperdout]

Ahhh yes, the Tamtech. I m not old enough to remember, but there are still a dedicated few who still drive them. No one has made a slotcar-type body for an xmod. Most people who do the custom bodies shorten model kit bodies. The problem is, the stock bodies are secured by a tab in front and a snap in back instead of posts. If you make a Fox Body Mustang, I'll have to buy one. I would suggest foam tires for racing on your track. You might also want to check out a Kyosho Mini-Z, as they are similar to the Tamtech, but they are only RWD (not sure if the Tamtech is RWD or AWD). The Tamtech forum is down right now, otherwise I'd post it up.

[Team AMG]

The Tamtech cars I have left are both Porsche 917's. They actually still run pretty good, I don't know if Tamiya still makes parts for them though, much like the Iranian F14's I have scavanged parts from the dead cars to keep the others running. They were all RWD. Scale X makes some really nice LMS bodies like the Bentley and Audi, bucking up a GT Prototype body would be a lot easier than a repro street car. I can do up to a 12"X10" sheet on my in house vacuformer and up to a 30"X26" in my shop.

Parma makes a number of 1/32 scale lexan bodies for slot cars, I laid one of my NASCAR Taurus bodys on the chassis of my nephews car and it's a little short in the wheelbase (RSX). Attaching them is no problem, you can work up a brass tube and pin configuration like we had on the HO slot cars or a chassis rig/velcro set up. Tamiya and Parma also both make mini hood pin setups like on the 1/10th scale r/c cars. The XMODS are wider than the DTM cars I have, unfortuante for me. Like someone else suggested I'm more than likely going to race stock or near stock and keep reading tyhe forum for hints and tips, the electronics right now are my biggest concern, I don't want to get greedy with wantring more power and cook a few bucks in electronics unnecessarily.

BTW, I do have an '05 Mustang GT being drawn up on my CAD program for a buck to be made in 1/32 scale. I could toy with the dimensions a bit and maybe get it to work on the LWB XMOD. With what tooling for the bucks cost I'd need to sell a lot of them to break even.

[LordToaster]

hey man cool someone local I live in bakersfield if i ever fix my xmod ill have to join your club if it is open for any members if not thats cool

[Team AMG]

hey man cool someone local I live in bakersfield if i ever fix my xmod ill have to join your club if it is open for any members if not thats cool

Bakersfield is cool, you can even start a club in your area and challenge our guys, we can go there or you can come here. I've found that once you get 6 or 7 guys racing together if you go to your local Radio Shack they'll let you have races in front of their stores to generate interest. Look for more information on the club in the regional section of this forum.