New from FVSS and Project RC comes a low-grip chassis plate for the Shepherd Velox V8 EC as well as a front body stabiliser set. Starting with the chassis, the part was designed in cooperation with Francesco Tironi to improve traction on low to medium bite tracks and for races that do not allow the use of tyre additives. Machined from Ergal 7075 material the chassis is a direct replacement for the stock part.
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After the first preview in November Shepherd finally release detailed information about the Velox E8 1/8th electric on-road competition car. The vehicle is based on the European Championship winning Velox V8 EC nitro car and it offers nearly the same balance which is possible by using a one-piece 6S LiPo battery mounted in the same area as the fuel tank of the nitro-powered car. Dedicated batteries will soon be available through Shepherd and various battery manufacturers. Making use of many features seen on the nitro variant, such as the complete suspension, the 3-belt drive train and other features like the laid down steering servo the performance on the track is similar or even better compared with the nitro version. The car allows the use of standard 1/8th scale brushless motors and speed controllers as well as the high-end combos of Swiss company TTB without any additional parts needed. For the use of standard components a 7075-T6 aluminium motor mount and a high quality carbon plate for the ESC are included in the kit while the TTB combo can be mounted directly on the chassis plate for a perfect fit. The Velox E8 comes with an high quality 7075-T6 aluminium chassis plate for optimised engine cooling with a carbon insert to protect the battery from heating up. The kit is available from now on.
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Following the introduction of the 2015 version Velox V8 EC 1/8th scale kit Shepherd now announce the Velox V10 Pro 2015 1/10th 200mm nitro touring car. The upgraded kit comes with the Team Edition 7075-T6 aluminium chassis plate that sports an additional cutout for the middle bearing block which prevents it from twisting and keeps the belts always in a straight line. Also included is the optional radio plate mount to increase stiffness and strength while reducing rear at the same time.
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Team Shepherd introduce the Velox V8 “EC” 2015 1/8th nitro on-road kit. The car comes packed with a bunch of few small but fine detail changes that have been successfully tested by factory driver Simon Kurzbuch at the ENS finale in Fiorano where he was able to take the overall win. First up is the new rear shock tower that gives additional room to adjust the position of the centring pin of the rear body mount while the front body posts are now hard-coated to increase the durability. The steering linkage received new smaller pivot balls and ball joints that have less play and wear compared to the previous version while the complete car is now equipped with long-lasting steel pivot balls. The aluminium ones are still available as option parts for racers concentrating on weight savings.
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Following a first teaser late last month, German company Shepherd have now released complete information on their debut entry in the competitive nitro off-road buggy class, the Bull X8. Previously an on-road only company, Shepherd have gone with a conventional design for their first ever off-road buggy. The Bull X8 is based on a hard-coated 4mm 7075 aluminium chassis, and it features aluminium suspension mounts with composite inserts to fine-tune the suspension geometry, aluminium shock absorbers with titanium-nitride coated shock shafts and 5mm carbon fibre shock towers. Included with the kit is a 3 shoe clutch with aluminium shoes, silicone-sealed ball bearings as well as a cab forward bodyshell.
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Team Shepherd announces the contract renewal with front running nitro touring car racer Dirk Wischnewski through 2015. Playing an important role for the development of the Velox V10 Pro in 2014, Dirk will continue to share his experience with the German manufacturer and he will attend races such as the German national championship, the EFRA Euros in Turkey as well as all ENS races. Dirk had the following to say:
I would like to thank Patrick and all the Shepherd staff to give me the chance to continue our cooperation in the future. Result wise it was a solid first year with Team Shepherd. I finished second in the overall ENS Championship and had a good chance to win the European championship in Spain. Further we had two Velox V10 in the main final at the World championship what showed that we developed the car in the right direction. All in all I’m very happy with the way we work together and I’m looking forward to having a successful future.
Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]
Shepherd have a new option part for the Velox V10 Pro 200mm nitro on-road car available in the form of an updated steering Ackermann plate and linkage parts. Due to a much smaller steering differential angle, the new 8mm servo saver Ackermann plate provides even more steering and a completely different, more aggressive overall handling. Prototypes have been successfully tested at the this year’s European and World Championships and also at the ENS in Fiorano with a higher corner speed noticed by all drivers. The servo saver Ackermann plate is available as a set including new 4.9mm uniballs and ball joints or as a single part from now on. The new uniballs and ball joints are also available separately as a replacement of the standard parts to eliminate play in the V8 and V10 steering linkage while allowing smooth operation.
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With it’s origins in true nitro on-road racing Team Shepherd is ready to take the next step and enter the competitive 1/8 off-road market. The first off-road nitro car from the German manufacturer will be called Bull X8 with the nitro version release being planned for December and the electric version following in early 2015. More detailed information and pictures will be available soon. Patrick Schäfer had this to say about the new project:
For quite some time we have received many requests from customers from all over the world for a Shepherd 1/8 off-road car so it’s only logical to enter one of the biggest markets in the industry. We are very excited about this project which was a completely new challenge for the whole team.
Source: Shepherd [team-shepherd.com]
