RC Car Action August 2020

How are you faring during this pandemic induced shut down? We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. We also hope you are enjoying the hobby as much as you can and continuing to “work from home.” I know that I for one have been working from home on several RC projects and hope to share one with you as soon as I get it completed. If you have a vehicle that you finished during the lockdown, we’d love for you to share it with us by submitting it in our Reader’s Rides section. Instructions on how to enter can be found at RCCarAction.com/readers-ride-entry-form/. In this issue, we are honored to chat with legendary RC car designer Akira Kogawa. Kogawa is the mastermind behind so many iconic Kyosho…

RESTO-RRECTED TAMIYA FROG ANDY ZUHLKE « OREGON, WI Normally when we get a Reader’s Ride as extensively transformed as this buggy it has gone from stock to heavily modified, but in Andy’s case he took a nearly unrecognizable Tamiya Frog and un-modified it back to an optimized version of its former self. It started as a rough runner chassis sans body that he scored on eBay. It had the unique steering linkage and wheel/tire package from a Tamiya Subaru Brat but had the Frog rear differential and aluminum shocks. He tells us that at first he slapped a new Brat Lexan shell on it enjoyed it that way for many miles before deciding to restore it back to its original Frog glory so he could enjoy it on the backyard track that…

Daiso Stainless Steel Rectangle Tray MSRP: $20 (for 12) daiso.com Features: This all-purpose stainless steel tray measures about 4.3 x 13.5-inches. The trays are sold online in packs of 12, allowing you to have plenty of trays to organize your loose parts with. What Kogawa says: “The longer shape of these trays makes it easier for me to organize parts with.” Panasonic EY7410 3.6V Li-ion Battery Drill-Driver Kit MSRP: $135 shop.panasonic.com Features: Hobbyists will find this as the perfect tool for repetitive screw-driving tasks. The two-speed tool can produce 39.0 in. lbs. of torque in low speed and 13.3 in. lbs. in high speed. It has the power to drill up to 3/16” holes in metal and has a 21-stage internal clutch that adjusts torque from 2.7-25.7 in. lbs. in .9 in. lbs. steps. What Kogawa says: “This Panasonic driver seems to work the best…

Parts Keeper When installing upgrades or performing repairs, we keep parts from wandering off in the very packaging that it comes in. Instead of immediately tossing packages, reuse them to help keep loose parts from being lost. Big Brush Large wheels and tires require big cleaning solutions. We found that wheel brushes that you’d use on your 1:1-scale car clean large wheels and tires quickly and efficiently. We got ours at an auto parts store. Carton Organizer Another cheap and easy way to keep loose parts from going missing is to repurpose an egg carton. Egg cartons keep parts separated for efficient organization and when its time to clear out your unfinished project to work on later, they stack, keeping everything ready for when you come back to your project later.…

There’s always something really satisfying about getting a fresh build-it-yourself kit from Tamiya. I know for me it’s the level of detail that Tamiya goes to when recreating their true-to-life scale replicas, even in RC form. It’s not a surprise that every kit looks the part, considering Tamiya’s many years as a scale model manufacturer, and truly that’s what the RC Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is, a remote-controlled scale model. Let’s check out my build transforming this kit from a box of parts into a beautiful SoCal Cruiser. THE BUILD ON THE BENCH Like most Tamiya kits, the RC Volkswagen Karmann Ghia requires assembly, which is always half the fun. Tamiya’s instructions are simple and easy to follow so if you are new to the kit-building experience, be sure to take your time and…