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Go X10 Speed Racer!

BoomZilla writes ""Speedy" Shayne Barr races Nitro RS4 remote controlled Racecars competitively. These cars are nitro fueled, 1/10 scale, and they can go as fast as fifty miles per hour. To make his racing more interesting, he has hooked up an XCam2 to his racecar so that not only can he race the car, he can also view the race from the car's viewpoint after the race is over. Speedy's posted a number of videos on his website where he describes the construction process. The vid where his car winds up on its roof is most entertaining. Go Speed(y) Racer!"

10 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Added weight by LeapingGnomeArs · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm assuming that he is only using the camera for fun, not during an actual race? In RC car races the weight is kept the minimum possible, I don't think adding the 5.8 ounces for this camera is going to help him get on the podium.

    1. Re:Added weight by Loligo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      >In RC car races the weight is kept the minimum
      >possible

      Might they have a weight minimum, kinda like full-scale racing?

      I know that in NASCAR and F1 and CART and the like, you have to weigh at least a certain minimum. To the point of ADDING weight to the cars if needed. Basically this translates into every car basically weighing EXACTLY this amount, but...

      I dunno anything about RC, do they have something like this?

      -l
      (...you must be at least this heavy to race this race...)

  2. Re:What scale is RC? by coffeedreg · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The fastest I've heard of a micro rc car was 56mph. That was a 1/24 scale modded ABC DTM car (modified with multiple batteries).

    Learn more at www.microrccenter.com

  3. RC racing by trybywrench · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I use to do this kind of thing when i was in HS and actually had spare time. If you have never been to a 1/10 or 1/8 scale race i seriously advise checking it out. It is very cool. Also, the technology in these model cars is nothing short of awesome. The techniques used for battery matching, motor tuning, and suspension setup are insanely complex. Pick up an issue of RC Car Action at your local bookstore and flip through the pages. It's a great hobby if you got the time and $$.

    --
    I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  4. DUDE! by cybercomm · · Score: 2, Interesting

    He still can sneak up on someone! Like in that 007 movie, when Q uses a robot to sneak up on James bond while he is screwing the latest "bond chick" anyway now all the pervs will see this page and soon well have whole streets full of those cars. Oh the humanity!

    --
    Live for the present, learn from the past, and dream of the future!
  5. Nitro's are pretty insane. by Shanep · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I met up with a friend who wanted to see my 1/8th scale landmax Evo in action. He brought his little Tamiya electric so that we could play together...

    By the time I fueled my car and got it started, his batteries had run out. : )

    Once mine was running, he put his away in disgust. Anyone who's never seen Nitro RC in action has not a clue of the incredible performance.

    Mine gets up to 70kph with the single speed gearbox and 140kph(!) with the automatic 3 speed gearbox (which I wish I had).

    They can be finicky to tune though, even with a slight change in fuel.

    I get nervous every time I take it out and fire it up. Once I rather stupidly (in all the excitement) started the engine before switching on the transmitter. I pulled the rip cord and then WAAAHHHHH... off it took all on it's own, fully open (carb). Luckily I did remember to switch on the receiver so all I had to do was grab the transmitter and switch it on quickly to avoid slamming the thing into something.

    I like to think of it as an RC car that goes on 67% Indycar fuel, 15% dymamite, 18% lube. : )

    No matter where I take this thing, kids just come out of the woodwork from all directions, it's amazing what attention you get. People driving by stop and watch, kids or no kids. : )

    --
    War crimes, torture, lies, illegal spying... Would someone give Bush a blowjob, already, so he can be impeached?
  6. Re:a random thought... by Soulslayer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    http://www.rccaraction.com/rc/articles/need_speed. asp

    From the above:

    "Our sister publication, Radio Control Nitro, featured Steve Pond's 101mph HPI Super Nitro RS4 (see the March 2001 issue). Prior to that, Cliff Lett's 24-cell Associated L3O Insane Speed Run car was clocked at 94mph at the Dominguez Hills Bicycle Velodrome in California."

    and

    "...on January 13, 2001 to break Guinness's published record and post a speed more befitting of an official world record title. The result? Legendary RC racer and Team Associated chief designer Cliff Lett spooled up his Factory Team TC3 to over 95mph and touched 111mph with an RC10 L30!"

    --


    Once more unto the breach dear friends...
  7. Nitro RS/4s and Micros... by nooch · · Score: 3, Interesting


    My brother recently (a couple of months ago) put together his Nitro RS/4, and the thing is pretty damn fast. We started with a couple of Micro RS/4 kits (the 1/18th scale), battery powered all wheel drive cars. The micros are fun but your batteries start dying right away and you only have peak performance for a short while. Of course, a 6 cell pack makes for some fun. My uncle actually got us turned on to these, and his 1/18th scale micro with a nice engine and a one-way front diff. (dare I list the rest of the mods??)... well, he gets the little car up over 45mph. I will leave his big 1/8th scale cars out of this.

    My brother has been wanting to strap a camera on his Nitro, and has been looking for a good way to do it. I recommended against hooking the Canon GL-2 to the top. I jokingly suggested an X10, but am surprised, not to see it done, but to see it on the front page of /. Kick ass! These cars are a riot, and there are lots of cool hacks. You can get different bodies for the cars (not too expensive), and painting them is half the fun for me (I am not as good at making them fast, so I make them look cool). I would recommend checking out the HPI site, and check out the forum. There is quite a community surrounding these cars. There are even races for the micros here in Ann Arbor that I know of.

    I better shut up now! -J

    --
    Fire in the sky
  8. what's with the mounting? by chryptic · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm just wondering why he left the camera in the bulky casing?

    I've pulled one apart and rewired the AV/power to a longer cable so the small lense could be mounted apart from the bulky base.

    The transmitter itself is a single board with a low profile radio/shield.

    The antenna is a 2.4 Ghz directional. It can easily be replaced with an omni directional antana that will give a better transmition as well as lessen the impact on areodynamics.

    The batery pack consists of a small circuit board, the clips for 4xAA batteries, and a big bulky case. A lot of space could be saved by getting rid of the big ugly case.

    I think it may be possible to mount the whole camera behind the windshield.

    Just a thought.

    --
    The two most common things in the Universe are hydrogen and stupidity. -- Harlan Ellison
  9. Re:Airplanes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    look here (pictures and videos of airplane-mounted XCAMs).