RC Car Action July 2021

We’re excited whenever a new RC vehicle is released. Sometimes new releases are existing chassis with new bodies mounted on them. Other times, it’s an older model that gets a few upgrades or a refreshed look. We love these new releases nonetheless. It’s an entirely different level of excitement when an all-new from the ground up RC kit is dropped. This is the case with our cover car, the all-new Traxxas Corvette Stingray. The latest Traxxas release is a completely new take on their on road platforms. This latest chassis, the 4-Tec 3.0, is longer and wider than any that have come before it. It features new innovations and unrivaled scale details right out of the box. Check it out in all its glory it in the article, Stingray. Join us as…

1. Pro-Line Racing 1.9" Single Stage Closed Cell Rock Crawling Foam Inserts Pro-Line’s inserts are made from lightweight and waterproof Blue Closed Cell Foam and they are perfectly sized for Pro-Line's 1.9" XL sized Rock Crawling Tires. These inserts are completely contoured to correctly match the shape of Pro-Line's tires for improved tire performance and appearance. P/N: 6173-00 MSRP: $19 pr. prolineracing.com 3. Spektrum SR515 DSMR 5-Channel Sport Receiver Built around frequency-agile DSMR technology, the compact five channel SR515 receiver delivers superb range and response, especially in noisy RF environments where a solid 2.4GHz link is crucial. Not only is the 2.4ghz link solid, this model also implements our lightning fast 5.5ms frame rate, providing a quicker, low-latency connection for the pro-level enthusiast. P/N: SPMSR515 MSRP: $60 3. Protoform VTA Front Tires Mounted (26mm) This pair of VTA tires is…

John tells us he checks OfferUp pretty regularly for vintage RC stuff as well as parts for abandoned projects that are being sold off. That’s how he came across the custom metal tube chassis that served as the basis for this buggy he calls “Sand Halen.” Anyone who was around in the 1980s will recognize the distinctive red, white, and black striped color scheme of the late, great Eddie Van Halen’s signature “Frankenstrat" guitar. John picked up the unpainted chassis and cage from the previous owner who had given up on it due to misaligned geometry, and it sat on his bench a couple of months awaiting inspiration. When Eddie Van Halen passed away in October John tells us it hit him like a punch in the gut, and he…

While hanging out at the Recon G6 event at Blue Rocks, Wes and his friend Desmond Mooney came up with the concept for this build. Desmond wanted a replica of the LS Mail Jeep—a rock-crushing machine built under a 1970s-era US Postal Service DJ5 Jeep. The massive wheels and tires are nowhere near tucking under the body, but the look just works so Wes got to work. While waiting for the VS410 Origin chassis to arrive he did plenty of planning and research on the history of the Jeep line and how they were modified to accommodate the needs of the USPS. He found that the main difference was an extended grille section which allowed a larger engine without requiring a major retooling of the body. He also reached out…

Dan started his ‘32 Ford Roadster build with a 1/8-scale body from a Vintage Monogram kit, and mounted it to the trusty Axial SCX10 steel frame. He turned to RC4WD for the aluminum V8 motor and a single-speed aluminum transmission. He dressed up the V8 with proper hotrod eye candy in the form of fuel injection stacks from a Muscle Machines diecast car. Hidden inside the RC4WD V8 is a brushless motor to power the car. He also installed a second tiny electric motor under the V8 to power the front pulleys and fan. The wild headers are crafted from heavy-gauge copper wire. For the interior, he covered the floor and door panels with sheets of aluminum which he resurfaced with a brushed aluminum look using a Dremel with a…

This Toyota SR5 was Joseph’s first crawler. It started as an Axial Honcho and his original plan was to add Pro-Line’s 1985 Toyota Hilux body for it to be his main trail rig, but as he continued to add accessories to it and his buddy Chris at SNT GFX painted up the body Joseph decided it was far too nice to get torn up on the trails so he went full scale with the build instead, adding Pro-line’s interior set as well. Pro-Line also supplied the rolling stock—Class 1 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 1.9 tires—and a set of Pro-Spec scaler shocks. Axles are from Vanquish: black anodized Currie VS4-10 D44s. Power comes from a 3 Brothers RC Yellowjacket 2000kv motor backed by a Castle Creations Mamba X ESC. The look…