Imagine if RC technology were available to build a scale car looking just like this?
02-28-2016, 05:21 AM
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Imagine if RC technology were available to build a scale car looking just like this?
Here is a picture of a full-size production automobile. A classic Cadillac convertible.
Imagine if the RC hobby were to ever advance to make this car doable in 1/14 scale? Why 1/14 scale? That is the scale of Tamiya on-road commercial trucks. A scale model car like this would be the envy of any truck meet. Many truck meets have RC cars on the model streets too although nothing quite this dazzling. The batteries, radio electronics, motor, servos, electronic sound device, controller, MFU, etc. would have to be made super small as a real-scale model of real-world production street cars would offer quite limited space to hide away components to make the car go and sound like a real car. The car would have a detailed open convertible interior. Perhaps, the convertible top's boot could be removed by hand and the soft top could be raised and closed by hand. Having a working RC-actuated top would be asking too much. It might just be totally impractical to design a scale-model convertible with a soft top that can be raised and lowered by radio input. My envisioned car would have an accurate scale interior with little room to mount hidden RC components. My ideal car would have people figures sitting in the seats and maybe a scale dog figure in the back seat.
Where can components be mounted? Certainly not in the car's interior except for maybe inside the dash and under the seats. If rechargeable batteries were ever to be developed to be super tiny and super energy-dense, perhaps even the people/animal figures could be the batteries to power the car itself!
This leaves the frame rails, the trunk and under the hood to hide the bulk of the working RC parts. My ideal car would have fully-functional vehicle lights, electronic car sounds (engine revs synced with car's road speed, start up, engine shut down, car horn sound). The suspension would be the correct scale ride height and be a functional spring suspension. The car would have a solid rear axle and a mechanical differential. The motor driving the car would probably be in the trunk and connected directly to the differential. The car would probably be a fixed single speed with no mechanical transmission. The car would be geared for slow to moderate street cruising, not racing. The steering would be the accurate trim-able digital-proportioned type. This car would be a variable-speed battery electric with forward and reverse. There should be enough motor torque to power the car slowly but surely up hill on some of the bridge inclines found at truck meets in the radio-controlled model world.
The car should be constructed from the lightest materials possible for most efficient RC operation.
My car would even have an illuminated instrument panel with realistic scale gauge decals and authentic chrome and body/interior trim. Should the steering wheel even be made to turn with the front wheels? Perhaps not.
Opening doors? Sure. Why not.
Imagine if the RC hobby were to ever advance to make this car doable in 1/14 scale? Why 1/14 scale? That is the scale of Tamiya on-road commercial trucks. A scale model car like this would be the envy of any truck meet. Many truck meets have RC cars on the model streets too although nothing quite this dazzling. The batteries, radio electronics, motor, servos, electronic sound device, controller, MFU, etc. would have to be made super small as a real-scale model of real-world production street cars would offer quite limited space to hide away components to make the car go and sound like a real car. The car would have a detailed open convertible interior. Perhaps, the convertible top's boot could be removed by hand and the soft top could be raised and closed by hand. Having a working RC-actuated top would be asking too much. It might just be totally impractical to design a scale-model convertible with a soft top that can be raised and lowered by radio input. My envisioned car would have an accurate scale interior with little room to mount hidden RC components. My ideal car would have people figures sitting in the seats and maybe a scale dog figure in the back seat.
Where can components be mounted? Certainly not in the car's interior except for maybe inside the dash and under the seats. If rechargeable batteries were ever to be developed to be super tiny and super energy-dense, perhaps even the people/animal figures could be the batteries to power the car itself!
This leaves the frame rails, the trunk and under the hood to hide the bulk of the working RC parts. My ideal car would have fully-functional vehicle lights, electronic car sounds (engine revs synced with car's road speed, start up, engine shut down, car horn sound). The suspension would be the correct scale ride height and be a functional spring suspension. The car would have a solid rear axle and a mechanical differential. The motor driving the car would probably be in the trunk and connected directly to the differential. The car would probably be a fixed single speed with no mechanical transmission. The car would be geared for slow to moderate street cruising, not racing. The steering would be the accurate trim-able digital-proportioned type. This car would be a variable-speed battery electric with forward and reverse. There should be enough motor torque to power the car slowly but surely up hill on some of the bridge inclines found at truck meets in the radio-controlled model world.
The car should be constructed from the lightest materials possible for most efficient RC operation.
My car would even have an illuminated instrument panel with realistic scale gauge decals and authentic chrome and body/interior trim. Should the steering wheel even be made to turn with the front wheels? Perhaps not.
Opening doors? Sure. Why not.
03-02-2016, 02:11 PM
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No, I can't build one. Out of my league and pocketbook. Building one from scratch would be as costly as buying a full-size 64 Cadillac Eldo drop-top in mint condition. Big scale model kit manufacturers and RC electronics manufacturers can if they are willing. Revell and Monogram build accurate static car model kits all the time. The RC market just seem to have little interest in real scale. RCers largely just want something that goes but is not much for show.
Scale model RC car kits and their suitable-designed electronics would have to be purpose-designed and mass produced to be made affordable to most RCers. The hobby industry seems to build a lot of accurate scale-model RC plane kits but not much in the way of on-road surface vehicles. But scale model plane buffs usually don't demand scale interiors save for maybe the cockpit.
There is not much in the way of true-scale model boat kits also. Can you find an accurate scale model kit of a Boston Whaler sport fishing boat, for example?
Scale model RC car kits and their suitable-designed electronics would have to be purpose-designed and mass produced to be made affordable to most RCers. The hobby industry seems to build a lot of accurate scale-model RC plane kits but not much in the way of on-road surface vehicles. But scale model plane buffs usually don't demand scale interiors save for maybe the cockpit.
There is not much in the way of true-scale model boat kits also. Can you find an accurate scale model kit of a Boston Whaler sport fishing boat, for example?
03-03-2016, 12:06 PM
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No engine sounds for that Toyota truck. They would probably have to be hidden under a scale camper shell with dark tinted windows. I am surprised the motor, battery and all RC electronics could be shoehorned in the under body. The roll-up windows and opening glove compartment are a little too much even for me. I like the illuminated scale gauges.
Another possibility for my scale Cadillac would be to tow a scale travel trailer to hide away extra electronic gear such as an MFU with electronic sound effects.
Another possibility for my scale Cadillac would be to tow a scale travel trailer to hide away extra electronic gear such as an MFU with electronic sound effects.
