Radio-controlled car
Electric cars are generally considered easier to work with compared to fuel-driven models but can be equally complex at the higher budget and skill levels.
In the past decade, advances in "on-road" vehicles have made their suspension as adjustable as many full scale race cars, today.
- 1954 Design Competition RC Winner - A streamlined radio-controlled vehicle won a third prize in Ford Motor Company's 1954 Industrial Arts Awards program.
David Swinder of Warren, Ohio used a large control console to demonstrate the operation of the six-foot vehicle to Al Esper, Ford's chief test driver.
For these two models the designers constructed radio control systems, adapting six-volt car batteries, convertible top motors, and other full-size components from the Ford parts bins.
The car ran well, but the combination of a fragile plastic body, more power than needed and a complex clutch led Chuck to do a major redesign.
After several experiments, the engine used was a Cox Medallion .15 with part of the throttle control used as a collector ring for exhaust and excess oil.
[15][16] - 1955 Radicon Radio Control Bus - Masudaya is Japan’s oldest operating toy company, tracing its history back to 1724.
This consisted of a second line fed from the car, through the pylon and back to the “driver” to control the throttle of the .049 cubic inch, two-stroke gas engine.
- 1966 ElGi Ferrari 250LM - Another commercially viable RC car was available by mid-1966, produced by the Italian company El-Gi (Elettronica Giocattoli) from Reggio Emilia.
These primarily were 1/8 scale nitro-powered (then called gas) aluminium flat pan cars generally powered by a .21 cubic inch engine.
Jerobee became Jomac and created their own electric kit called the Lightning 2000 that won the "ROAR" National Championships in 1981& 82 for 6-Cell Modified and 82 the 6-Cell Production classes.
Tamiya soon began to produce more purpose-built remote-controlled model cars, and were the first to release off-road buggies featuring real suspension systems.
It was this progression toward the off-road class that brought about much of the hobby's popularity, as it meant radio-controlled cars were no longer restricted to bitumen and smooth surfaces, but could be driven virtually anywhere.
The first true Tamiya off-road vehicles were the Sand Scorcher and the Rough Rider, both released in 1979, and both based on realistic dune buggy designs.
The earliest Tamiya models, particularly the early off roaders, are now highly sought after by vintage R/C collectors and can fetch prices of up to US$3000 on internet auction sites if still in mint, unbuilt form.
A British firm, Schumacher Racing, was the first to develop an adjustable ball differential in 1980, which allowed nearly infinite tuning for various track conditions.
Stock toy-grade cars are equipped with weaker motors and are powered by alkaline or NiCad batteries, which means their top speed is usually only 3–7 mph (4.8–11.3 km/h).
Many hobby-grade enthusiasts began their fascination with radio-controlled models starting with Toy-Grade models during the 'Golden Age of Toy RC' from the late 1980s—early 1990s when the companies Taiyo Kogyo Co. Ltd (Japan) and Tyco Toys (USA) dominated the market and became household names, with their products starring in TV shows, Hollywood movies,[25] and featured under Christmas trees worldwide just as often as the leading Sega and Nintendo game consoles of that era.
The designs for many of these toys can be traced back to only a few inventors, namely Shohei Suto (owner of now defunct Taiyo Kogyo Co. Ltd.) who was responsible for many of the early Taiyo cars such as the Jet Hopper, and who contributed together with Neil Tilbor, and Michael G. Hetman (inventors at Tyco) to the Bandit, Eliminator, Fast Traxx, Typhoon, Mutator 4WD, Scorcher, and Python.
Although they require more skill to get running than an RTR vehicle, a relatively easy kit (such as those from Tamiya) is a good way to learn more about working on RC cars.
Electronic speed controllers use solid state components that regulate the duty cycle, adjusting the power delivered to the electrical motor.
Mechanical speed controllers are prone to being slow to react because they are actuated by servos, waste energy in the form of heat from the resistors, commonly become dirty and perform intermittently, and lack a dedicated braking ability.
High quality brushless systems can be much more powerful than nitro and can accomplish feats such as standing backflips when installed in a monster truck, most notably the HPI Savage Flux.
The sound of the engine noise is a main selling points to nitro enthusiasts, even though brushless electric equivalents are generally faster and do not require special fuel.
In addition, nitro motors typically require rebuilding or replacement after 2–8 gallons (7–30 litres) of fuel run through them, due to loss of compression, which can be accelerated by poor tuning and overheating.
Nitro vehicles also require a means of cranking the engine over, which can be achieved using a pull-start, starter box, battery operated rotostart, or by an electric drill.
The RC10 transmission contained an innovative differential featuring hardened steel rings pressed against balls—which made it almost infinitely adjustable for any track condition.
In 1986, Schumacher Racing Products released their CAT (Competition All Terrain) vehicle, widely considered the best four wheel drive off-road "buggy" racer of the time.
Team Losi went on to secure a number of achievements, which included the industry's first all-natural rubber tires, the first American-made four-wheel-drive racing buggy, and an entirely new class of cars, the 1/18-scale Mini-T off-road electrics.
