ASK Cubby, Version- You Write Me Letters, I Use Them To Light Cigars
“Best Value
Hey Cubby,
My son joined our local 4-H rc car club this year. Back when I raced in it you had to buy your own car and gear. Cost got too high and basically killed the club. Now they run club supplied x mod cars from radio shack and the kids are getting bored. I’m trying to put together a proposal for 1/10 scale cars and I’m thinking the Arrma Vorteks would probably be our best bet. We want everyone to run identical, box stock cars. We have kids as young as 10 in the club so durability and ease of use are king. My question is can you think of a better value car or truck. Our budget is tight so we can’t waste any money. Not looking for lowest price, just the best bang for the buck. I’d like to grow our hobby. If we can make it fun then maybe some of these kids will be in rc for a long time. As always, thanks for your input.
Luke”
Cubby- Yo hey Luke, props bro, yours is “Letter of the Month”. A free BSRC t-shirt is yours if you email us your snail mail and shirt size.
And props #2… for setting up a program like you are. It not only helps the hobby, but can help give kids something to do that isn’t attached to a touch screen. And… they can learn more about cars, and… they can get in some time with other kids their age, and.. there are just a ton of upsides.
The ARRMA Vorteks that you mention is a great truck for noobs. However, if I were going to do an ARRMA it would be the SCT version Fury. Why so, they are basically the same truck underneath? Simply because the Fury comes with big ole’ SCT bumpers, which can help fend off more abuse than that platform as a stadium truck. Both are equally fast, both handle equally well, but if you are handing off the transmitters to noobs, I would go with the added protection that the SCT platform provides.
If you wanted another option, we’ve had great luck with the ECX Torment as well. It is about the same speed, equally, if not more so, tough, and also quite affordable.
If you are running in a spot that isn’t dirt, or doesn’t have a lot of jumps, the brushed Vaterra on-road cars would be at the top of my list. They are super tough, affordable, and you can get them with a bunch of really kick ass bodies.
Whatever you decide to submit in your proposal, shoot us pics/vid once they get up and running, I would personally love to see it.
“B6 and B6D so soon?
Hey Cubby,
Hope all is well. I wrote to you after the World’s race when AE won with what was described as the “laydown transmission” B5M. My issue was where can i get one one of those transmissions. I guess i get my answer almost a year later with the introduction of the B6! Wait the B5M is barely 2 1/2 years old and now a totally new car? I guess that’s great, but now my “old” B5M is outdated and destined to the shelf with my RC10T. By the way, did you notice the price increase? $309.99 is on par with the other high end 2wd buggies, but to me the appeal of the B5/B5M was the lower price and still be competitive. My question is, you thought having a B5 and B5M was not a good idea, now they do it again with the B6 and B6D, what are your thoughts on the new cars? Will this force more turf or carpet tracks in the USA or will one of these cars be a flop and sold with whatever conversion kit they come out with later for $199.99. (note: they now sell “limited edition” B5’s with the B5M conversion for $199.99).
Take care
Steve”
Cubby- Yo hey Steve, good to hear from you again.
Ya, I went over that quite a bit in last week’s Cub Report. Having two cars isn’t good for the hobby as a whole and comes across as a money grab. I would have soooo much rather them held off for an entirely new design that was wayyy out front of anything else on the market, instead of them simply playing catch up again.
And… I don’t think it will force more tracks to go to carpet, regional racers are all about what they like and are dialed for, so I don’t see many of them switching from damp clay to carpet, but you never know, they might. And if that becomes the case (more tracks going to carpet), AE might want to start selling off-road conversion kits for their TC7, because that is exactly where racing is headed. Heck, we’ve all seen the vids of touring cars doing quite well on damp clay off road tracks, if they go to carpet and keep cutting down all the jump sizes like they have been forever, a TC7 converted for more suspension travel should be the bomb. Just say’n…
Oh and ya, it was funny how the poor rear motored 5 series car didn’t sell very well, while the mid-motor was used everywhere. So IMO the laydown 6 series buggy is the only one to buy this time around, leaving the other one to be the black sheep that nobody wants.
And that’s all I have to say about that. Peace and love, peace and love…
And so there we are, yet another edition of ASK Cubby is a freak’n WRAP. Wanna be the coolest guy on your block? Shoot me an email and you just might make our front page- thecubreportrc at gmail dot com. Letters that make the big time get a free sticker pack, while “Letter of the Month” winners get a free BSRC t-shirt.
YOUR Cub Reporter
