Month: January 2012

New cars & trucks being presented in Germany by FG Modelsport

Looks like FG has some surprises up their sleeve for the upcoming Nuremberg Toy Fair in Germany. This show is huge and often times is a hot place for new products to be released within the R/C industry.

The news comes from a post made by the US FG distributor DDM on RCLargeScale.com. Stay tuned to either of those locations and I am sure DDM will keep us all informed.

We expect FG to go public with details once the show has started and I am especially excited to see whats under these bodies. Often times FG will announce a new model but under the fancy new shell is often times a re-do of a current model. I would love to see something new  and exciting come from them.

Two points to be made about this flyer. One is you will notice the “BMW Style” body is the exact replica of the full size truck body made by John of RCP. See his interview and view details of that body HERE. The second thing of interest is the promotion of electric 1/5 scale models badged as Epower. Brushless large scale seems to be getting more and more popular from what we are seeing HERE. We are looking forward to seeing more about this and whats inside these machines.

Models noted on the flyer below are Monster Truggy, SC Truck, FGX6-SC, 1:5 Sportline 4WD 530-E, Baja Buggy WB535B 4WD and the Baja Buggy WB535 4WD.

 

 

 

 

SkoPod Brushless Conversion Kit for the Losi 5IVE-T 4WD

 

Part Number: 1020

Product Link: HERE

Own a Losi 5IVE-T and want to have pure raw power at the pull of the trigger? Or do you simply need a quit, clean and maintenance free power plant? If you answered yes to either of those questions then SkoPod has your answer. Their new billet aluminum mounting kit allows you to convert your gas guzzler Losi 5IVE-T into a brushless powerhouse. Their kit is designed to work with the V2 Castle Creation XL System that has already been proven to work great with their HPI baja kit.

Check out their beefy mounts, these things are built for strength but have been lightened and pocketed to keep the weight to a limit. You will also notice the motor is supported on both ends. Something they felt is important for two reasons. One is this motor is heavy and these 1/5 scale trucks take a serious beating and they wanted to keep that motor planted. The second reason is the stock gas engine being mounted in four places in the center of the chassis acts as somewhat of a chassis stiffener . The SkoPod kit uses these same 4 mounting holes to replace the chassis key structural element.

Release date will be some time around January 1st. Expected street price of around $250. Please input your email on THIS page to be emailed when the this kit comes in stock.

 

 

Check out this video put together exclusively for RC Car Actions Radio Control Show

 

 

 

LSN interviews John from Race Car Prototypes

Check out our second installment of LSN INTERVIEWS. Where LSN sits down with John from RCP – Race Car Prototypes.

John’s company RCP was highlighted recently on LSN HERE where we showed you his new website and offered up a great profile on him and his company. We recently sat down with John and wanted to give you an up close and more personal one on one with him. We hope you enjoy the interview and please feel free to post comments and questions below.

 

Browse RCP products HERE.

Check out their official RCP website HERE.

 

Barndog Lexan TeamChase Cage Panels

Part Number: BDR 5050

Product Link: HERE

Ever since the first debute at the TeamChase Toys For Tots Drive the Barndog Racing Lexan panels have been in high demand and the talk is all over the web. Now you have a clean stylish way to run your TeamChase HPI Baja Cage body-less.

The Barndog aluminum panels have been available for some time now but with the difficulty of painting and one off nature of these custom bodies it made it difficult for a guy to want to go do heavy bashing with such special pieces. But with the new lexan body panels you can custom paint them just like any clear body and create a very scale Class 1 buggy look for your HPI baja. Oh and the best part is the panels will be sold individually very soon. So ya wreck the roof, replace just the roof, reck the hood, replace just the hood.

Check out the detailed instruction video posted by Barndog and TeamChase below.

 

Press Release:

The famous Barndog panels have been reborn and reshaped into an all new product. Now you can pick up a full set of Lexan plastic formed body panels for your TeamChase HPI Baja 5t or 5SC roll cage exclusively distributed through TGN. These panels are made specifically for the TeamChase Roll Cage to allow users to run with the cage only and have a truggy or Class 1 style look added to their already beefy cage.

They are proudly made in Northern California and fit the Chase Cage like a glove. They have a whole new look and feel with killer looking contours and a shape all of its own. Be original, cut it out to your preferred shape and style, paint it, sticker it, mount it and add a worry free, extremely strong and unique look to your baja.

Panels come un-cut and unpainted.  Some cut lines do exist but your free to trim it out as you like. These are simple to mount, they will come with instructions and hardware.

Individual panels will be sold seperately soon, so if you damage a hood, or roof you will be able to purchase just that single piece.

 

 

 

HPI Baja 5B EDM’s at QSAC Orange show

 

Check out this video posted by John Schultz of HPI. Looks like a BLAST!

John Schultz 28.5 BZM with RonShop body and Chris Higa’s 26cc Bartolone powered HPI Baja 5B EDM at QSAC Orange Show Concrete Oval.

 

Check out another on board video uploaded by John from last years Hostile event.

 

 

 The 2012 The Dirt Nitro Challenge Feb 22-26

Looks like nitro breathing fans from around the world will be gathering in Arizona at the end of February for  the 2012 The Dirt Nitro Challenge. You ask what is so great about that and why should you care? Well because they are building a specific 1/5 track and allowing 2wd and 4wd drive large scales to enter. Get your baja, losi 5ive-t, MCD etc ready to race!

This is a major event, “The Dirt” informed us that they expect over 500 entries with racers from around the world. The even will be covered by every magazine and blog in our industry including local TV coverage. This is our time to shine guys, lets get our big trucks over there and show them how fun and exciting large scale can be.

There is very little posted information about this event on the web, no official site or forum either. But the flyer is all over the internet and I guess its just one of those events everyone knows the deal… But I will post what I know and have read below.

 

Please post your questions HERE and I will try to get them answered.

 

 

Location is www.fearfarmrcraceway.com

Fear Farm R/C Raceway will have 3 new tracks for “The Dirt”, Nitro Challenge. Please email your entry to Joey at thedirtracing@aol.com as this will speed up the registration process for this date. Check in and registration starts at 6:30AM with practice starting as soon as entries are completed (roughly 9AM). 2 rounds of 7 minutes practice heats will be run on this day. Email Joey or Kenny with questions: Joey thedirtracing@aol.com, kenny kenny@racekbrl.com

 

 

LSN interviews Kevin and Keith of TeamChase

This is the first of what we hope will be a continued feature here on LargeScaleNews, LSN INTERVIEWS. LSN plans to bring you up close and personal interviews with manufactures and industry leaders who help shape and promote the large scale industry that we know and love.

The first video we are releasing is of Kevin and Keith of TeamChase. TeamChase is a fairly new company at only two years old. But they have been able to make a serious impression on large scale fans in that short time. Their most well known and adored product is their HPI Baja roll cage. We believe their cage is the single most logistically complicated aftermarket part ever made for 1/5 scale. The engineering, time, research and expense gone into making a product like this is tremendous and extremely risky. Kevin will tell you he gambled a large portion of his life savings to make that cage become reality. But I believe it was a choice he and his family has not regretted since.

Speaking of family, TeamChase is also known for holding several events a year on their own property (know as the Chase Compound). Where his close friends and family prepare their own personal track at their beautiful Souther California home. The most notable event is the Toys For Tots Drive held every year were thousands of dollars in cash and toys are raised for needy children. Anyone who has had the fortune to meet the Chase family will tell you they are genuine people and great hosts for these incredible events.

Visit TeamChaseOnline.com or purchase their products at TGN Distributing.com.

Please enjoy the interview below with Kevin and Keith of TeamChase.

 

 

Kraken-RC X2 Polymer chassis for the HPI Baja

Talk about coming out of left field….these guys caught me off guard with this one. A plastic aftermarket 1/5 chassis. Yes…..I said a plastic chassis for the HPI Baja 5b, 5t and 5sc. A molded 10mm Polymer material to be exact, from Kraken-RC the makers of the popular Bullet Fueler. It’s coming in a few ounces lighter than stock and from the looks of the video it’s pretty strong as well.

It’s an interesting concept that I don’t believe has been done in large scale industry yet. I am happy to see manufactures like Kraken thinking out of the box and making some chances in large scale. Hats off to you guys!

Take a look at the bash session in the video below. If you’re interested in the product, watch THIS page for more information soon.

 

 

 

 

DarkSoul Losi 5IVE-T Enclosed Wheel Nuts

Check out the new release from DarkSoul. I will let the press release do the talking but make note that these allow you to use any HPI sized wheel wrench like the over the top BSW Wrench/Bottle Opener. This makes life a LOT easier for those lucky few who own both a Losi and HPI 1/5 scales.

 

Product Link: HERE

Part Number: DSR7030

 Press Release:

DarkSoul Racing’s Losi Enclosed Wheel Nuts. Made from 6061 T6 aluminum, and black anodized with the DS text logo laser engraved onto them.

The DarkSoul wheel nuts have the stock 1.5 pitch thread that Losi uses, so they will work with the stock axles. These wheel nuts also utilize a 24mm hex (as opposed to the stock Losi 25mm hex), so they will work with all existing HPI Baja wheel nut wrenches, which are widely available in many forms from several different manufacturers. However, because of the difference in hub thickness from the Losi to the HPI wheels, these nuts will ONLY work with the Losi wheels. THEY WILL NOT WORK WITH HPI WHEELS.

Here is the wheel nut weight comparison, so although you gain a few grams of weight, you gain the ability to use the large variety of aftermarket wheel nut wrenches that are out there, and having an enclosed design will keep dirt, mud and debris out of the axle end.-

Stock Losi nut – 5 gr.
DS Losi Enclosed nut – 9 gr.

DS flanged Baja nut – 8 gr.
DS enclosed Baja nut – 12 gr.

 

CraftWerks-rc.com Announces The availabilty of Losi 5ive-T Wheel Extenders/HPI Adaptors.

 

Product Link: HERE

Part Number: 11686

Another great product now available from Craftwerks-RC for your Losi 5IVE-T. These new extenders are made specifically for your Losi and provide the perfect width for use of a various rims and tires mentioned below. Coolest part is you can get them with HPI thread patter so  you can use hpi nuts and use one single wrench for both your 1/5 scale cars and trucks. Lets get on to the press release.

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, Ca. –  Now Available from CraftWerks-RC, Losi 5ive-T Axle Extenders.

CraftWerks-RC’s axle extenders for the Losi 5ive-T offer many benefits to improve the handling and performance of your Losi 5ive-T as well as opening the doors to running a wide variety of truck wheels already available for the HPI Baja.

Specifications:

• 6061 construction, Designed from the ground up specifically for the Losi 5ive-T.

• Available in raw or anodized blue.

• Lightweight and durable, Built to last.

• Width:  3/8″  per side for a total of  3/4″  to maximize track width and still have the much needed tire clearance for most tire combo’s.

• Large  4mm O-ring keeps drive pin in place and will take a beating.

Benefits:

• Wider stance and track width for stability.

• Allows use of Losi 5ive-T OR HPI Baja ( front or rear ) truck style wheels.

• Available in Losi 5ive-T or HPI Baja thread styles to allow use of existing wheel nuts.

• Large round flange on bearing side to help keep dirt away from wheel bearings.

About CraftWerks-RC:

CraftWerks-rc  was founded in late 2007 and has been bringing unique and one of a kind parts to the large scale scene ever since.