RC Car Build Kit - Part 4
My summary:
Please remember these are only my humble opinions on the kit, build and finished buggy.
I would first like to say, I am not an expert in this hobby nor am I a beginner either, so the difficulty of the build was not as bad as I had been led to believe. With that being said, I do not think this kit would suit a beginner. I have built quite a number of RC cars over the years and from different manufactures, but nothing as involved as this. In other kits you are instructed on every operation you need to do to complete the build, but not here. A lot is down to the builders discretion and knowledge. That is why I did a lot of investigating before commencing the build. As I started the build, a friend said it would be a good idea for me to write a blog to help other people with their build, hence the blog.
Comments:-
The kit is excellent with some beautiful engineering pieces supplied. The plastics feel tough and yet flexible enough to take some massive smashes.. The shock absorber assemblies are of the big bore version and are a work of art and super smooth operation. Some of the best shocks I have had the pleasure to build, with no leaks at all. Above all, the ball bearing differentials. What a marvel of engineering. A simple, light and effective differential, using ball bearings as a opposite rotators. The instruction manual is quite comprehensive, but not as comprehensive as I would like it to be. It seems there's just enough information to finish the build. Don't get me wrong, all the critical information is there, for example the differential build and so on.
The build can wear you down. It is a long build or so it certainly felt seemed for me. This is not a kit you can finish over two or three long visits Stay patient, take your time and enjoy it. Yes it takes lots of time and demands your full attention, but isn't that why we take these things on, a challenge? I must admit this buggy has had me scratching my head, but overall I really enjoyed the challenge .
The finished buggy really does look the business. To be fair, back in the day, I was not a fan of the CAT. Even though it won more races than any other manufacturer in that era. I was more of a Kyosho Optima fan, which I still am. I had never been up close and personal with the CAT back in the day. Now I have built my own (even though I have not yet driven it), I can now see why it was so competitive back in the day. The first thing that amazes me is the weight, or lack of it. It is so light, hence the superb acceleration and extended battery life during races. The light weight also meant it could stop a lot faster than the heavier buggies. The steering lock is huge, so turning on a penny was easy. The buggy is also well balanced meaning it was predictable in the air and on the landing with those lovely big bore shocks soaking up any bounce. Due to the low center of gravity, the buggy can turn quite hard at high speed, making it quite impossible to catch through the twists and chicanes. Add the wrap around body shell, top and bottom, made the buggy a lot more aerodynamic and therefore gave it more acceleration, more top speed and extended battery life. It was a true race champion back in the day and will still give some of today's buggies a run for their money. The design is simple, so maintenance will be so much easier.
Thank you for reading.
Please join me in Part 5
Take Care fellow RC enthusiasts.
catxls.com 2020
Comments
Post a Comment