Monday, May 28, 2007

RC Cars

Anybody that knows me knows that I am interested in just about everything except baseball. Especially mechanical things... As a kid, I was fascinated by what made things work, so I would take them apart. My Tyco HO scale Burlington Northern train, slot cars, radios, hair dryers, mom's hot air popcorn popper (got jolted by that one), etc, etc, etc. They never went back together again. My problem was that I used excessive force to get things apart which broke many parts.

Today and I still enjoy taking thins apart to see how they work. Recently I gutted an old computer hard drive, and a car oil filter. Why? Because I could. I have an old VCR (remember those?) and a DVR player that are on cue for a rainy day on the work bench...

Now, I pretty much know how and why thing work, I take them apart because I like to see how they were put together. A well engineered mechanical item is as beautiful to me as anything in the Louvre. This is why I am fascinated with F1. Many people look at all the the little wings and fins that the cars have sprouted and think they are ugly. For example, the BMW "twin towers" on the F1.06...

I find them fascinating! I was very disappointed when they were banned.

All this brings me to why I titled this post "RC Cars". I bought a Team Associated RC18MT a couple years ago. That summer I drove it quite a bit, which was cool, but the real joy for me was taking it apart and rebuilding it. I have spent more house standing over it's pieces on the work bench than I have driving it. It is a blast!

Take a look at this exploded view of the thing...

Seriously, this is as exciting to me as any Playboy centerfold. It has working differentials, 4 wheel drive, independent suspension and it is all made to come apart and be put back together. I dream about this in my sleep!

One of these days I'll pick up a 1:10 scale nitro truck. I have been eying this one for a few years now. It would triple the wrenching that I can do on it over my current truck. I just need to find someone and somewhere to go bashing with me.

Why don't I get into wrenching on my 'real' truck? Simple. Because it has to get me to work and home every day. That, and many parts cost as much or more than a whole RC car...

Hopefully soon I'll have my third garage bay and a little sports car to wrench on, but for now, I am more than satisfied with my RC car.

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