RE: XRC Cars Magazine took my money and is now OUT OF BUSINESS!!!
I had been a subscriber almost since the beginning. MY renewals were always due in December, so when I got the letter, I renewed. Now since they KNEW in advance that Dec was their last issue and did not tell anyone and left their website up to accept renewals and still have the site up with not one word about being closed, that's called fraud. And since it was done using the US Postal Service to solicit the fraud, it's a felony mail fraud issue. When RC Car went belly up, they sent postcards and switched you to or extended your RCCA subscription. When RC Report died, he told everyone in the last issue, and stopped accepting renewals and new orders the month before when he knew. He also gave an address for refunds, and honored them. What Mr Velez has done by taking money when he knew the doors were closing is a deliberate and criminal act.
Posted on: 2/25/2012 3:13 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10975620

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
From Tamiya below. Unboxing. In the video he says about another four weeks or so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx96Hz1_8WA&feature=plcp&context=C33e8516UDOEgsToPDskLYCth8-EZDzUYAuhBuIPi5
Posted on: 2/24/2012 11:47 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10974060

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
I couldn't wait. Price drop be damned. I placed my pre-order with RPP and used the $20 discount. Free shipping too. $729.99 all said and done. Compare to Tower and Horizon at $799 or so. I waited on the CC01 Jeep Wrangler rerelease when it was only $190 thinking it would bottom out around $150 like the rest do on that chassis. And now those are hard to find too. I'm not missing out on the Bruiser. I'm also eyeing up the RC4WD Trailfinder 2. Another great scale Toyota. It's due back in April at RPP. What I really want is for Tamiya to release the modern Toyota FJ on the CC01 chassis so that I can make myself a model of my own truck.
Posted on: 2/24/2012 7:16 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10973706

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
The manual is up as well. Looks like we get to assemble the gear box, axles, everything except the chassis, they put that together.
Posted on: 2/23/2012 7:07 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10973132

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
Nice find. Seeing it next to the Unimog and Semis is great. Get an idea of it's size. RPP Hobby has it listed on preorder for $750 now.
Posted on: 2/3/2012 5:39 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10942599

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
I'm just going on the info in this article about Tamiya history regarding the 750 motor and why it was used. http://www.blackholesun.fr/classictamiyarc.com/tamcars22.php We still had 7.2V packs back then, but you were talking 1300mah maybe 1500mah if you had the bucks as well. It just wouldn't do the job.
Posted on: 2/2/2012 1:13 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10940620

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: Lunchboxer Yeah, scale FTW for sure!! It is interesting that they are not putting the 750-sized motor in it like the old Bruiser.. I mean, if you want power, you can always put BL setup in it, but just wondering why they didn't go w/ the 750 motor to separate it from the ''regular'' line-up of RCs.. ! [/quote] In reading up on the history of the Bruiser, the 750 was used because back when the Bruiser was new, a stock Tamiya 540 motor wasn't strong enough to get the job done with the 6V the big custom 4000mah battery pack supplied so the 750 was sourced. Now that tech in brushes, magnets, batteries, etc has improved a stock Tamiya 540 built these days can outperform the 750 used way back then. And we can use 7.2 volt high capacity packs or 7.4v lipos as well.
Posted on: 2/2/2012 11:20 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10940427

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: Lunchboxer Yeah, not great for the collectors, but good for the RC world.. more people will get to enjoy / experience this particular RC.. it is a good thing, in my opinion.. but then again, I don't have any $4,000 NIB original Bruiser sitting in my home.. [:D] [/quote] I agree. It's not Tamiya's job to suuport the collector market and their prices. Tamiya's customers have been asking for a Bruiser rerelease since the 90s. They finally did it to the excitement of thousands of customers. Besides, this isn't an exact replica. It's an updated version that is very similar. It doesn't even have the same axle housings. Original Bruisers will still be worth a lot of money to a diehard collector. They won't settle for the updated new version.
Posted on: 2/2/2012 9:45 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10940281

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: Lunchboxer Yeah, not great for the collectors, but good for the RC world.. more people will get to enjoy / experience this particular RC.. it is a good thing, in my opinion.. but then again, I don't have any $4,000 NIB original Bruiser sitting in my home.. [:D] [/quote] I agree. It's not Tamiya's job to suuport the collector market and their prices. Tamiya's customers have been asking for a Bruiser rerelease since the 90s. They finally did it to the excitement of thousands of customers. Besides, this isn't an exact replica. It's an updated version that is very similar. It doesn't even have the same axle housings. Original Bruisers will still be worth a lot of money to a diehard collector. They won't settle for the updated new version.
Posted on: 2/2/2012 9:44 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10940278

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
I see the Tyrell four wheel steering Formula 1 car is making another comeback too. I think this is the third or fourth release for that kit.
Posted on: 2/1/2012 6:04 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10939324

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
Talked to RPP Hobby on FB and they are getting them in for sure. RPP Hobby, Horizon, CKRC Crawlers always seem to have the best prices on Tamiya. Horizon saved me well over $100 (CRX and Chrome Edition Clod) on my last two kits compared to Tower which gets crazy on the prices and usually is one of the highest, even with their discounts. CKRC was able to get me a Hilux Hi Lift for $380 shipped. No one would touch that price.
Posted on: 2/1/2012 4:09 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10939136

RE: Tamiya 58519: Toyota Bruiser returns!!
I'm really excited about this. MSRP of $1295 like was said and I think the dealers won't be marking it down by much. These will fly off the shelves at full price. Let's hope Lunchboxer was right and it gets marked down as low as $700, but I just don't see it on this truck. Way too high of a demand. My check book is already hiding.
Posted on: 2/1/2012 9:09 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10938495

RE: help pick my next tamiya
Does it have to be off road? I just ordered this because it will be pretty unique for a little road course. Lots of Mini Coopers out there, not too many CRXs....yet. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TAM58503 If you are looking for inexpensive off road and want the classic Tamiya look, you gotta go Grasshopper. Can be had for $95.
Posted on: 11/3/2011 5:13 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10795616

RE: The
[quote]ORIGINAL: Vegasracer Origional Juggernaut worth anything ? [/quote] It's in great shape. A Tamiya collector would drop a couple hundred on that for sure since it was discontinued so fast.
Posted on: 11/3/2011 5:09 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10795608

RE: tamiya sand rover 2011
It's too bad that Tamiya couldn't have re-released it with a more compatible chassis and the original Grasshopper paddle tires. Being on the Holiday Buggy chassis and seeing the shock towers burst through the body and spike tires just ruins the look for me. So I spent the $129 I was gonna drop on the Sand Rover on this instead: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TAM58503 Horizon's price blew everyone else's away too. It's not a "classic" because it's on the M05 chassis, but the body is all kinds of 80s goodness and style. :)
Posted on: 11/3/2011 5:04 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Classic Cars & Trucks"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10795599

RE: ESC identification
[quote]ORIGINAL: Scottgir [quote]ORIGINAL: Smiff 24 Yea, plane esc. I think it will run it but no breaks. [:@] [/quote] Worse than no breaks, it'll always have throttle on. Air esc's (plane and helis) always have to have throttle going, there's not ''neutral'' albeit maybe lightly. Boat and car esc's have neutral. I've seen someone make an air esc work in a car but that was by applying brakes (kinda like an automatic transmission in a car where if you take your foot off the brakes, your car will roll) [/quote] Say what? Being a hobbyist of alltypes of R/C, plane ESCs most certainly have a neutral point.
Posted on: 11/3/2011 4:55 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10795583

RE: Largest Wingspan Beginner Float Plane RTF/ARF
Thunder Tiger Beaver with floats is about 5 foot, high wing and dirt cheap, plus ABS, so very watertight(not waterproof) and fuel proof. Toss a .53 in it from SiG for $70. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXASPJ&P=7 http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=8&I=LXAVPF
Posted on: 4/8/2011 5:23 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Seaplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10451813

RE: Small Bi-plane
[quote]ORIGINAL: fmhans There is the flyzone Albatross DV now that would seem to fit the original request... I also think it is strange that this niche was not filled faster... Scale golden age aircraft are definitely cool. F [/quote] As this guy said, this new Flyzone Albatros is exactly what you were talking about, albeit a little late to the party, but better late than never. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXZFK0
Posted on: 7/4/2010 6:50 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9844666

RE: Venom VMX 450
Thank you for coming here and clearing up the rumors. It is always appreciated to hear from the real source when these odd stories start to unfold.
Posted on: 3/9/2010 10:17 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Motorcycles"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9568784

RE: Venom VMX 450
It's bigger than the Duratrax bike. Duratrax is 1/5th scale, this is 1/4 scale they say. Venom says their bike is near 22" in length, DTX is 17" and change so it's not the same bike. The DTX bike is a rebadged bike that has been on the market for some time by another company overseas. Also, Venom's ride looks more scale and has better, more realistic tires it seems. Xtreme R/C magazine just reviewed the DTX bike and it got bad reviews off road, they say it always endos and goes all different directions on bumps. They also said the DTX 2.4 radio had nothing but problems. Hopefully this Venom will handle better too. We can only wait and see. For the price being the same, I'd go Venom.
Posted on: 2/6/2010 9:19 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "RC Motorcycles"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9482839

RE: Nitroplanes Canadair Twin
You can dip them in epoxy, but then they can't cool off as well. If you open up the back of the necelle to let air in the front and a little out the back I'm sure you'll be fine. They come shrink wrapped all up, so unless you dunk them, they'll work. If you crash the plane, the ESC is the least of your worries.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 9:13 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462586

RE: I think I love GUANLI ARF/RTF planes !
Is this the blue and yellow one they sell? Love the look and the price is right, but the colors give me a seizure, would certainly need a repaint.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:57 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462541

RE: Nitroplanes Canadair Twin
Asan example, here's a .46 brushless equivalent: http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLM4046A Now you can take those Amp and Watt ratings and find other outrunners and their ESCs, programming cards on places like hobbycity.com for much less. Something like this: http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7393&Product_Name=TGY_AerodriveXp_32_SK_Series_35-48_900Kv_/_770W and get the recommended ESC and the programming card.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:45 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462502

RE: Nitroplanes Canadair Twin
What size nitro engines does it need? That will be the easiest way to figure out what electric motors it needs. Do searches about .46 to brushless or whatever you run in this plane. You'll find the answer. Some websites even have a comparable chart you can use. Go to a place like Common Sense R/C or HeadsUpRC and send them an email asking what they recommend. E flite has outrunners named 25, 45, etc, making it super simple to convert. As for running two batteries, very easy. Put both in the fueselage, and run one battery to one ESC and one battery to the other ESC. Connect the throttle channel to both ESCs with a Y harness or your radio may allow you to mix another channel to run the second ESC the same as the first on the throttle channel. You'd put the motors and the ESCs in the nacelles of course. Make sure the ESCs get some cooling air, but they shouldn't get wet. Outrunners will have no big issues with a little splash. There are numerous brushless planes that run off water like the Seawind, PBY, etc.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:39 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462480

RE: What is the best light weight covering >>>
I know some will disagree strongly, but I've had good luck with TowerKote. It's thin and low temperature application type film. It's the same thing as Econokote from Monokote. I do not think it's available in transparent.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:31 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462454

RE: watt meter
HobbyKing sells a very reasonably priced watt meter here: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10080 I hear from other message boards that it's pretty good. I will be getting one as well with my next order.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:27 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462444

RE: Ebay Electric Planes
Exactly, they get so many reviews, they don't edit them out. Now if you state things that are false about the product or company, or swear, of course it will get deleted.
Posted on: 1/30/2010 8:21 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9462420

RE: AT-6 Texan from Banana hobby review
[quote]ORIGINAL: LarryV If I buy from my local hobby shop, if something is wrong they will either fix it or replace it immediately. [/quote] That must be very nice having them take care of things. MyLHS has some good guys in it, but most are not into park flyers, and when youdo want a park flyer, you are seen as a newb or lower class than the big nitro kit builders. And when something breaks, you are told "Call the manufacturer, they handle the warranty on those toys".
Posted on: 1/29/2010 8:59 AM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9457983

RE: AT-6 Texan from Banana hobby review
I also like that the Chinese companies listen to us and make what WE want, not what a guy in marketing who doesn't even fly or drive r/c THINKS we want. Such as PZ making the new micro Cub three channel when everyone wanted it four channel. Or Great Planes making the Playmate with only a junk radio/charger when we wanted it bindable to other radios they sell. The Chinese guys for example with the Heng Long r/c tanks. Each time we ask for a new model, they make it really detailed and sell it for a reasonable price with the features we asked for.
Posted on: 1/28/2010 11:04 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9457235

RE: AT-6 Texan from Banana hobby review
If you want a great plane that's made 100% in the USA, go Stevens Aeromodels. Easy to build kits, fly great and made in CO, USA. I have two of his kits and will be ordering more. Granted, he also sells GWS stuff to power it, but so what. GWS has always worked well for me at half the price of the American "branded" items made in China. As for the Chinese stuff being better in quality control, yeah, you pay more for the PZ brand, but it is REALLY that much better? You pay $199, I pay $59, are you getting a $140 better plane? I guess my personal opinion is no. It is marginally better in quality and the directions are in better English and that's it. I'm not willing to pay some guy $140 to talk to me on the phone if my ESC doesn't work. For my $59 plane, I can just buy a new ESC for $6 if it fails or a new motor for $8 and servos for $1.99 and get back in the air. And what is the chance of 23 ESCs or 17 motors or 70 servos going bad to equal the price? Hobby City/King will warranty their items as well by the way, so your claim that they are hard to deal with is false. Send them an email, you send the ESC back, they send you a new one. I guess, in the end, I buy what I want, you buy what you want. For the same price we each spend on the hobby, I'll have three times as many different planes to have fun with is all. [8D] When I biff my $59 plane into the ground, I won't cry nearly as much as you do for the $199 plane. And when it's in the trash, the garbage man doesn't care what foam was used. Having fun out there is the main point of the hobby! [:D]
Posted on: 1/28/2010 8:14 PM by Author "hpiguy" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9456822