F1 Paintlab have introduced their new Scuderia AlphaTauri decal sheet for 1/10th scale Formula body shells. The decal set allows to recreate the 2020 Scuderia AlphaTauri Formula 1 car and it includes all needed stickers including helmet visors, seatbelts and tyre decals that are usable with many of today’s Formula class body shells, front and rear wings and tyres.
The opening round of the 2020 Hå-We Cup was hosted by the Swedish SMK Trollhättan club this past weekend, attracting nearly 20 entries for the single Nitro Buggy class. For many it was the first race of the year due to the Sars-CoV-2 epidemic shutdown and in the end it was Serpent’s Pontus Larsson who would excel by taking the overall TQ from Patrick Mattsson and coming out on top after the 45-minute A-main event, leaving behind HB Racing’s Kristian Johansson some three laps down in 2nd while Team Associated’s young Nils Gustafsson came in 3rd, only about five seconds short of Kristian.
Thanks to Pontus Larsson for the report. | Image: Nils Gustafsson
Coming soon from Tamiya are reinforced B and C parts sets for the SW-01 stunt trucks. The sets use high-quality fibre-reinforced composite plastics, ensuring both higher rigidity and precision compared to the standard resin parts. The sets will ship from July and include suspension, steering and drivetrain components and they are usable with the Comical Wheelie Lunch Box and the forthcoming Mad Mad trucks.
JConcepts have announced the release of new aluminium steering parts for the Team Associated B74 buggy in the form of a +3mm steering rack and a steering bellcrank set. Starting with the +3mm steering rack, the lightweight yet sturdy part is CNC-machined and replaces the stock piece, and it comes in a blue anodised finish and sports machined chamfered silver edges. The aluminium, lightweight assembly provides a more rigid steering system with increased steering feel and response. More importantly, the +3mm steering rack unlocks a tuning window allowing the steering link to be placed in a higher position. The camber link can now be moved higher along with the steering block to maintain proper geometry. The assembly is simple, drop the kit bearings into place and attach to either plastic bellcranks or aluminium steering bell-cranks.
Associated Electrics have introduced the new Reedy Zappers SG3 LiHV 1S and 4S batteries. Zappers SG3 batteries feature state-of-the-art LiPo chemistry with an emphasis on lower internal resistance with improved durability and cycle-life. More power, improved durability, and high capacity provide world-class performance. Zappers SG3 batteries feature a 3.8V/cell nominal voltage, which means that the battery can be safely charged to 4.35V/cell. Even when the typical 4.20V/cell charging limit is enforced, Zappers SG3 cells shine thanks to their inherently flat discharge curve, which results in higher voltage deeper into the race. Zappers SG3 batteries are available in several configurations for a variety of on-road and off-road applications. A high quality, durable hard case helps prevent damage while embedded socket connectors keep power-robbing resistance to a minimum. Male ESC connectors are included. New for 2020 are the 1/12th scale specific 8200mAh 85C 3.8V and 6600mAh 115C 3.8V 1S packs as well as the 6400mAh and 5200mAh LP 15.2V 4S packs, the latter are ideal for demanding 1/8th scale applications.
View the other new battery packs here
Coming from JConcepts is their new GTB2 body shell for the Team Associated RC10GT tub and flat chassis 2WD gas trucks. When it came time to make changes and upgrade the original Team Associated RC10GT, there were some 1996 updates featuring front and rear shock tower geometry changes. Along with these changes, the truck took on some changes in the body department to house the new shock positions and increased width of the body for different engine and exhaust combinations. As the RC10GT evolved, the team went to a flat chassis layout and then later extended the length to keep up with the demands of higher speed tracks and increasingly bumpier conditions. The Gas Truck Body 2 was the combination of everything racers loved about gas powered stadium trucks in the mid to late 1990’s. By this time, a slightly rounder, softer look was being adopted into the mainstream and nobody knew gas racing like “the team”. JConcepts, with approval from Team Associated, have reintroduced the genuine GTB2 shell to the masses. This allows the faithful to recreate, rebuild and race with authentically styled bodies from the heyday of competitive gas truck racing. A lot of work went into making this project a reality and thankfully, Team Associated preserved the iconic molds from the 1996 calendar year. JConcepts was able to restore older generation construction and with a blend of today’s materials, the GTB2 body is back out on the market.
Tonisport have introduced the new MR33 brand hard case tool bag. It allows to stow a complete set of tools in the included foam inserts one of which is pre-cut for up to five allen wrenches and two hex drivers while the second insert is made to carry droop blocks, height gauges, scissors, the multi shock tool and the circle droop gauge. The inserts simply get placed over each other in the hard case bag for a maximum in space saving. The foam inserts are made for Hudy and Scorpion tools to name just a few and they fit the soon to be released new MR33 tools fit as well.
Xray have announced the soon release of their new RX8’21 1/8th scale nitro on-road kit. The IC Track car features several updates compared to the previous version such as a new stealth black design including parts such as the bulkheads and shock absorbers, doing away with the company’s iconic orange anodising. Also part of the package are lightweight bulkheads for improved flex characteristics, while a new chassis layout moves the engine closer to the rear axle for improved traction and stability. In addition a redesigned radio plate allows the chassis to flex more, increasing steering and front end grip. Next up is a new ribbed 2-speed carrier for improved and more consistent shifting thanks to increased cooling capacity while a lightened brake disc adapter reduces rotational masses. The lighter and shorter rear solid axle further reduces rotating masses while expanding the rear width adjustment possibilities.
