Maisto "Custom Shop RC" Hummer2, FJ Cruise, Dakar Toureg

[frizzen]

So I went to a Target store tonight for some Nintendo games, and a set of Radline oily shocks for a project...

Hey, what's that? It looks Micro. A NICELY scaled Toyota FJ Cruiser, a Hummer 2, they look damn good for what they are, but I'm not really feeling it. Wait, what is THAT in the back??? VW Toureg Dakar with Redbull livery? Mine!

Maisto "Custom Shop RC" 1/64 scale. On surface, the Chassis looks magnet-steer ZZ clone, body mounts ZZ style, integrated motor clip into PCB cover,

Tx is weird. Normal rocker switches for Fwd/Rev, steering is a wheel on the right side. Takes 2 AA batteries, so probably single cell car.

$11, this dude is SCALE! Ok, it's got the Big&Little tires, but if you look past that, you could mistake it for a nice diecast car.

[redrustbucket]

You got any pics? I searched their site and didn't see anything r/c in 1/64 scale.

Found this which could have some potential if the body's plastic.

[frizzen]

No pics yet.

Wheelbase is 1.850" (ZZ - 1.670)
Trackwidth is 1.285" (ZZ - Same)

I didn't see it on the Maisto site, and Target is REALLY slow for me.

[ibjamn]

Sad. It took them a year to come out? You'd think they were affiliated with :"ThunderTech":

http://bitpimps.lixlink.com/pages/phpFo ... to#p115679

[Smoke&Mirrors]

You got any pics? I searched their site and didn't see anything r/c in 1/64 scale.

Found this which could have some potential if the body's plastic.

I think it says the bodies are die-cast. Those soft tires though look like they might be good for some xmod/mini-z crawlers.

[frizzen]

It's a nice day so I pulled it out on the grass for a photoshoot. Unfortunately it's still a bit cold for the bikini models to pose with the cars.





Maisto CustomShopRC VW Toureg Dakar as compared to a ZZ '59 Corvette. Note the weird-ass controller.

[ynad]

That VW looks really good.
Thanks for pics

[frizzen]

The chassis is interesting. I figured it'd be more American or Japanese, but the French didn't let me down on designing something weird.

Magnet steer, 1 coil horizontal over 2 magnets. Centering spring and all the normal stuff.

Rear axle fully captive. Looks like standard Bit/Zip gearing 7T pinion 7T spur.

Front body mount removable, it rests over a screwpost, fully captive between chassis and steering top plate. (We can change front overhang easily and non-permanent!)

No front suspension, but with a couple trims, easy enough to add.

[frizzen]

Hey noob-tard, you're wrong!

Maisto and SuperSlicks are the same. Toys R US carries the trucks in a 2-pack for lik. $23, same TX, same "custom shop RC" stickers...

[PimpFloyd]

I saw these at a local Super WalMart today; I really liked the Toyota FJ in blue but had to pass on it as I was on a mission to pick up a 6 pack of those Golds Gym inter-locking mats for a track project.

I ran my bits on the mats tonight - amazing traction! I could hardly control a Shen Wie in a 4 x 6 area (because I'm old). The mats are 18 bucks and some change for a 6 pack FYI.

Didn't mean to hi-jack this thread and may need to pick up that blue FJ anyway - very cool looking, very scale - I think I can look past the funky TX

Frizzen - How do they perform?

PF

[frizzen]

They're Ok.

Tires are HARD. Really. Hard. Think ZZ sized drift rings with an agressive offroad tread. I threw a set of Stock ZZ tires on the back, Bit tires up front. Much better! Though it looks more Mall Crawler than Dakar now...

With RX antenna inside body, it's a bit glitchy, but that also might just be low batteries in TX. Probably going to try guitar string cut to wavelength under body before I resort to drilling body.

Ground clearance limited. Not even a swaybar for suspension. Should be able to modify in about 1/8" travel if you can find springs. But, that'd probably kill the little steering you DO have...

Speed is ok for a single cell.
Steering is only a single coil above a single magnet. I would say it's disappointing, but that would be harsh against things that disappoint me. Best case, another magnet and another cell of voltage would be able to improve things.

I HATE THE TX!!! After 30 sec, the novelty wears off and you want buttons! Luckily, a ZZ TX is exactly the same signal pattern.
But the charge base is weird, so you're kinda stuck. The charge base is fiddly.

I like the body, it's pretty.

[sidewinder]

I hadn't really paid attention to how the controller worked, I though you were just complaining because it looked like something from the movie Cars. How the hell do you steer? I see the forward/backward buttons, unless those are left/right, but I don't see anything else that looks like it moves.

[PimpFloyd]

Thanks for the "Test Drive" info, Frizzen

[frizzen]

Sidewinder, like I said
Tx is weird. Normal rocker switches for Fwd/Rev, steering is a wheel on the right side.

See the big dorktastic rim&tire wheels? The Right side one turns about 30 degrees, your akward-as-all-hell steering is through that.

Steering is about average Bit-clone, but better than a Charge-n-go, so I guess I was being too harsh. But that TX... Plus I think Dakar body = must have some prowess, right?

[sidewinder]

Oh, ok. I get it now...that does sound awkward. I wonder if it would be hard to fit the guts into an old xMods controler It would be overkill, but it would be the most comfortable bit controller ever... well, other than maybe the one that came with my iRider.