bitPimps.lixlink.com

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:58 pm

Can’t show you what’s under the hood yet, on it’s way to see the man, but I like the way it turned out so much that I had to post a photo or three before my baby leaves in the mail.

I can say that it ate my LiPo IW CB Epoch for breakfast and then chewed up and spat out the Spud for lunch, most likely the fastest best handling Epoch ever to hit any track on any continent. Big words and a tease I know, but trust me when you see what’s under the body you’ll understand then likely laugh slap your forehead, cry, and slobber all at the same time, I still do almost every time I take the body off.

mod_o_matic · Post by **mod_o_matic** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 9:53 pm

Solid work..

I can't wait too see what pushing that thing...plan to get some foam tyers to really rip it?

frizzen · Post by **frizzen** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 10:55 pm

Looks really good.

Ok, we'll start taking bets on what's really under the shell... Post your guesses while there's time

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 12:01 am

Two Smurfs driven by a whip carrying fairy nymph dressed in yellow lace. More than just the motor though.

Not planning on foam for now, instead an assortment of rubber compounds and sizes/treads to fit the track you are running on combined with the adjustable suspension i.e. springs and shims, as well as weights. My track is way too sticky for foam you hit a corner at full speed with Max and just like Elvis he will leave the building. I prefer medium/medium rears and hard narrow for the front. On a standard RCP track I do sometimes use soft slick rears and medium/medium for the front.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 2:17 am

nice work! hehe, feel the pain!

my guess is there's more voltage under the hood and something to deal with it

(worth a shot anyway!)

arfin · Post by **arfin** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:59 pm

Damn, this is killin' me! You have been talkin about somthing special for some time now, shit can't wait. Btw will you be posting it at epoch1-43, i'd hate to see that forum die.

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 5:05 pm

Shoot you ought to see what it’s doing to me, sort of like knowing the winning lottery numbers and not being able to tell anyone.

Don’t worry about 1-43 it’s not going anywhere, in fact it hasn’t really even got started yet, the calm before the storm, put up early to get your opinion and as a place to get an Epoch and let you know that it hasn’t gone/isn’t going anywhere while the business details get sorted out, including the direction of Epoch’s very bright future, that’s where Max and a few other cars come into the picture. If Max does his job right Epoch1-43 will be a very popular place.

Max’s story, where he is going and what he’s got, will be posted at 1-43 when the time is right, although undressed photo’s will most likely show up here first. I did put the above photos in the gallery but didn’t want to post anything about him there until I can show what’s under the body, and why I built him that way.

arfin · Post by **arfin** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:49 pm

O man sounds like greeeeeeeeeat news, seems like you have it all planned out, can't wait!

Btw i thank whoever sold/ convinced you into getting an epoch.

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:46 am

Na, the guy you aught to thank is Apex USA’s new owner. He’s going all out to not only put Epochs back in the race but to give them a shot at the winners circle too. It may not look like much is happening but there is a lot going on behind the scenes. Hopefully as early as October you will start to see some of what he and a few other hard core micro/mini RC fans have been busting their buts to accomplish. One of the things that I respect and like most about him is that he doesn’t believe in advertising it until he is darn good and sure he can deliver. Which is why so much hush-hush, it’s not that there is any great secret it’s just that if it takes longer than expected (failure is not an option) you won’t be left with empty promises. I also like that his plan includes promoting and advancing the Micro RC car hobby not just to sell you a few cars.

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:12 am

AHA!

just been chatting to you know who.... don't worry. your secret's safe with me lbrcman!

arfin · Post by **arfin** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:47 pm

betty.k wrote:AHA! just been chatting to you know who.... don't worry. your secret's safe with me lbrcman!

Lucky bastard.

I always knew apex were awesome, the way they took care of me and my first online purchase!

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 1:03 am

i've heard mixed reviews about apex in the past, but i'm certain you'll love em in the future!

HirotoR34 · Post by **HirotoR34** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:23 am

So it's a sleeper eh? gotta love it. Who is apex USA (link?) So any idea as to when we can see evil inside?

betty.k · Post by **betty.k** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:30 am

what i should have said was the old apex owner did a rough job of things from what i've heard.
but there's a new sherriff in town so i would treat it as a new company.

LBRC · Post by **LBRC** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:43 pm

Who is apex USA (link?)

Apex USA is the company who owns the North American Distribution rights to the Epoch. The company and those rights where recently purchased by Mr. Mike Ross.

Mike and the Epoch go way back, in fact he was one of the principal players involved in bringing us the car in the first place, however without control of the company his initial vision for the car and 1/43 scale RC racing in general have been collecting dust locked away out of his reach. When Apex was put up for sale Mike jumped, and has since been hard at work trying to get it headed back in the right direction.

The Apexrc-racing.com web page will be back up and running shortly it will likely be going through a quick succession of changes so you should be patient. Don’t expect to find the Epoch for sale on the Apex web page though, you will likely be routed directly to a retailer.

The distinction between distributor and retailer seems to have been a hard concept for the former owners of Apex and the cause of much of its downfall. Retailers sell the cars to the customer while the distributor promotes the car finding new markets (more retailers and customers) and works with the manufacturer instigating changes to fit those markets, i.e. new bodies, upgrades (spec-x), hop-ups, etc. When the distributor tries to be a retailer too you end up with no changes, no upgrades, no hop-ups, and retailers that drop your product like the stagnate rotten potato it is. For anyone looking for a good deal there is only one way to get a quality product at a budget price and that’s volume sales, the more customers and retailers the better the price can be.

Volume sales also make upgrading the product possible and even easy, for example if you sell a million cars a year licenses for new bodies are a snap you just wave your sales figure under the Auto Manufacturer or Race Teams nose and they will instantly love you, but if you only sell a thousand or so you have to convince them that you aren’t wasting their time and if you do get their attention they want more than a penny or two for the rights.

BTW retailers have to fight the urge to be the sole source too, especially on-line stores, they naively think that it will make their fortune but in the long run the product never reaches “critical mass” (self perpetuating sales) unless you happen own 7000 stores conveniently located in every small town across a very large country that is, and even then it takes considerable advertising.

So any idea as to when we can see evil inside?

I wish I new, hopefully by late October. Max has already made a few test videos but even I haven’t seen those yet. Hopefully when you see what makes Max go you will be able to Max-out your own Epoch safely and affordably.