New here but looking for a new clear body
09-23-2013, 11:33 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New here but looking for a new clear body
Hey everyone, I'm new here but used to be in the RC game a while ago. I used to race off road trucks and raced the RC10T3 from TA and now have an HPI Sprint 2 Sport and am looking for some cheaper upgrades and information on the new brushless systems, ecu's, and digital recievers and transmitters.
Most of all right now though I'm looking to get a body to match my new car (Real car) so if anyone knows where I can get an E46 M3 (2001-20006) clear body please let me know.
Thanks and any help or guidance is greatly appreciated.
Most of all right now though I'm looking to get a body to match my new car (Real car) so if anyone knows where I can get an E46 M3 (2001-20006) clear body please let me know.
Thanks and any help or guidance is greatly appreciated.
09-23-2013, 11:42 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Sequim, WA
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A pic of the particular body you are looking for would be helpful. Some bodies will not be available, and some will be of a different year/model, so it's nice to have an example to go from. HPI seems to be the company with the largest selection of bodies in 190 and 200mm width, and Tamiya makes some high-quality bodies in only 190mm. There are others, of course, so you might take a look at as many as you can.
As far as TX/RX and power systems, look to Spektrum, Futaba and Airtronics for TX/RX (all three also make their own servos), and there are a ton of power systems out there. You will have to study up on which would fit your needs/budget.
Without any more info, that's about all anyone can do for you at the moment.....
As far as TX/RX and power systems, look to Spektrum, Futaba and Airtronics for TX/RX (all three also make their own servos), and there are a ton of power systems out there. You will have to study up on which would fit your needs/budget.
Without any more info, that's about all anyone can do for you at the moment.....
09-24-2013, 05:39 AM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A pic of the particular body you are looking for would be helpful. Some bodies will not be available, and some will be of a different year/model, so it's nice to have an example to go from. HPI seems to be the company with the largest selection of bodies in 190 and 200mm width, and Tamiya makes some high-quality bodies in only 190mm. There are others, of course, so you might take a look at as many as you can.
As far as TX/RX and power systems, look to Spektrum, Futaba and Airtronics for TX/RX (all three also make their own servos), and there are a ton of power systems out there. You will have to study up on which would fit your needs/budget.
Without any more info, that's about all anyone can do for you at the moment.....
As far as TX/RX and power systems, look to Spektrum, Futaba and Airtronics for TX/RX (all three also make their own servos), and there are a ton of power systems out there. You will have to study up on which would fit your needs/budget.
Without any more info, that's about all anyone can do for you at the moment.....
I saw the Colt body which appears to be more accurate to the M3 GT than the HPI body. Well I did a bit of research and found a good waterproof 2.4 GHz Digital RX/TX for $75 from my local hoby shop. I'll get the manufacturer when I go back. I also looked into a Brushless system that includes and speed control and motor for $130 once again don't know the manufacturer and I'll get back to you on that. I guess what I'm looking for is a bit of help updating. I used to run a 15 turn or 12 turn motor and I liked having the torque and top speed to be similar and not biased towards one. What kind of brushless will I be looking for? I used to run 3300-3800 NiMh battery's for my offroad races, and they would run for 6-8 minutes. What kind of Lipo batteries should I be looking for? What kind of run times can I be looking for with Lipo? what do I need to look at with these batteries, I don't understand the 3c or 3s that was on the battery. Does that help a bit more?
09-24-2013, 08:53 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Sequim, WA
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
O.K., let's me know to shift into "novice" mode! 
First, that body (who makes it?) - Make sure it's dimensions are: 190 or 200MM total width, with a 255mm wheelbase. Some bodies are listed as "225mm" which is a 1/12th scale or "M" class body. Those WILL NOT fit the Sprint 2.
Here's a tip on TX/RX: Get one that is adjustable, meaning there's more than just "trim" knobs on it. Adjustable TX are a real boon, and they may take some time to get used to, but the adjustments make "tailoring" the car's performance a breeze. I wouldn't skimp on the TX/RX, because the TX is what you hold in your hand. Might as well get something that is comfortable and has everything you might want, right from the start, so you're not upgrading later, when you find out you need more adjustments. I recommend the Spektrum DX3C. It has interchangeable grip inserts to fit you hand size, and a ton of adjustments, so you can tailor the car's performance. Spektrum is all I use. They were the ones that brought 2,4Ghz to RC, so I stick with the original.
Whatever BL (brushless) power system you get, make sure it's sensored. A sensored system is smooth, and won't have the "cogging" a sensorless system will have. What that means is, a sensorless system does not have the ability to detect, or "sense" what the rotor position in the motor is, and will "stutter" (or "cog") when first taking off. This also translates into uneven low-speed response, as well. A sensored system is smooth at takeoff from a dead stop to full throttle, and everywhere in between. Small throttle inputs are smooth, and braking is much more linear and easy to modulate. Most all sensored systems will be rated by their turn rating, so you can go with what you know. Sensorless systems are all rated by "Kv" rating, so you pretty much know if a Kv rating is what you see, it's a sensorless system.
On LiPO batteries: If you get LiPo, get the best LiPo-compatible charger you can afford - no joke. The charger is very important to charging safety. I have personally seen both fires and explosions with LiPo batteries, and if you know what a white phosphorous grenade can do, that's a LIPo explosion (just not as "big"). LiPo fires are also difficult to put out, so do yourself a favor, and get a good charger.
That scare out of the way, most BL power systems can run both 2S and 3S (which is the number of cells - each LiPo cell is 3.7V), so a 2S will be 7.4V, and 3S will be 11.1V. Some sensored BL systems will NOT run 3S, so be sure whatever power system you get, you buy the proper cell count LiPos for, as well. I find sticking with 2S is just fine for the driving I do, since 3S makes power modulation a bit more difficult.
On LiPo size: The higher the "C" rating, the longer the car will run. Typically, I get about 35 - 40 minutes run time from a 5000Mah LiPo running a 17.5T BL system. I can run a 3800Mah battery for approx. 20 minutes, so go from there. Of course, the higher the "C" rating, the higher the cost, so choose accordingly.
First, that body (who makes it?) - Make sure it's dimensions are: 190 or 200MM total width, with a 255mm wheelbase. Some bodies are listed as "225mm" which is a 1/12th scale or "M" class body. Those WILL NOT fit the Sprint 2.
Here's a tip on TX/RX: Get one that is adjustable, meaning there's more than just "trim" knobs on it. Adjustable TX are a real boon, and they may take some time to get used to, but the adjustments make "tailoring" the car's performance a breeze. I wouldn't skimp on the TX/RX, because the TX is what you hold in your hand. Might as well get something that is comfortable and has everything you might want, right from the start, so you're not upgrading later, when you find out you need more adjustments. I recommend the Spektrum DX3C. It has interchangeable grip inserts to fit you hand size, and a ton of adjustments, so you can tailor the car's performance. Spektrum is all I use. They were the ones that brought 2,4Ghz to RC, so I stick with the original.
Whatever BL (brushless) power system you get, make sure it's sensored. A sensored system is smooth, and won't have the "cogging" a sensorless system will have. What that means is, a sensorless system does not have the ability to detect, or "sense" what the rotor position in the motor is, and will "stutter" (or "cog") when first taking off. This also translates into uneven low-speed response, as well. A sensored system is smooth at takeoff from a dead stop to full throttle, and everywhere in between. Small throttle inputs are smooth, and braking is much more linear and easy to modulate. Most all sensored systems will be rated by their turn rating, so you can go with what you know. Sensorless systems are all rated by "Kv" rating, so you pretty much know if a Kv rating is what you see, it's a sensorless system.
On LiPO batteries: If you get LiPo, get the best LiPo-compatible charger you can afford - no joke. The charger is very important to charging safety. I have personally seen both fires and explosions with LiPo batteries, and if you know what a white phosphorous grenade can do, that's a LIPo explosion (just not as "big"). LiPo fires are also difficult to put out, so do yourself a favor, and get a good charger.
That scare out of the way, most BL power systems can run both 2S and 3S (which is the number of cells - each LiPo cell is 3.7V), so a 2S will be 7.4V, and 3S will be 11.1V. Some sensored BL systems will NOT run 3S, so be sure whatever power system you get, you buy the proper cell count LiPos for, as well. I find sticking with 2S is just fine for the driving I do, since 3S makes power modulation a bit more difficult.
On LiPo size: The higher the "C" rating, the longer the car will run. Typically, I get about 35 - 40 minutes run time from a 5000Mah LiPo running a 17.5T BL system. I can run a 3800Mah battery for approx. 20 minutes, so go from there. Of course, the higher the "C" rating, the higher the cost, so choose accordingly.
Last edited by ToraKitsu; 09-24-2013 at 04:35 PM.
09-26-2013, 01:06 PM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
O.K., let's me know to shift into "novice" mode!
First, that body (who makes it?) - Make sure it's dimensions are: 190 or 200MM total width, with a 255mm wheelbase. Some bodies are listed as "225mm" which is a 1/12th scale or "M" class body. Those WILL NOT fit the Sprint 2.
Here's a tip on TX/RX: Get one that is adjustable, meaning there's more than just "trim" knobs on it. Adjustable TX are a real boon, and they may take some time to get used to, but the adjustments make "tailoring" the car's performance a breeze. I wouldn't skimp on the TX/RX, because the TX is what you hold in your hand. Might as well get something that is comfortable and has everything you might want, right from the start, so you're not upgrading later, when you find out you need more adjustments. I recommend the Spektrum DX3C. It has interchangeable grip inserts to fit you hand size, and a ton of adjustments, so you can tailor the car's performance. Spektrum is all I use. They were the ones that brought 2,4Ghz to RC, so I stick with the original.
Whatever BL (brushless) power system you get, make sure it's sensored. A sensored system is smooth, and won't have the "cogging" a sensorless system will have. What that means is, a sensorless system does not have the ability to detect, or "sense" what the rotor position in the motor is, and will "stutter" (or "cog") when first taking off. This also translates into uneven low-speed response, as well. A sensored system is smooth at takeoff from a dead stop to full throttle, and everywhere in between. Small throttle inputs are smooth, and braking is much more linear and easy to modulate. Most all sensored systems will be rated by their turn rating, so you can go with what you know. Sensorless systems are all rated by "Kv" rating, so you pretty much know if a Kv rating is what you see, it's a sensorless system.
On LiPO batteries: If you get LiPo, get the best LiPo-compatible charger you can afford - no joke. The charger is very important to charging safety. I have personally seen both fires and explosions with LiPo batteries, and if you know what a white phosphorous grenade can do, that's a LIPo explosion (just not as "big"). LiPo fires are also difficult to put out, so do yourself a favor, and get a good charger.
That scare out of the way, most BL power systems can run both 2S and 3S (which is the number of cells - each LiPo cell is 3.7V), so a 2S will be 7.4V, and 3S will be 11.1V. Some sensored BL systems will NOT run 3S, so be sure whatever power system you get, you buy the proper cell count LiPos for, as well. I find sticking with 2S is just fine for the driving I do, since 3S makes power modulation a bit more difficult.
On LiPo size: The higher the "C" rating, the longer the car will run. Typically, I get about 35 - 40 minutes run time from a 5000Mah LiPo running a 17.5T BL system. I can run a 3800Mah battery for approx. 20 minutes, so go from there. Of course, the higher the "C" rating, the higher the cost, so choose accordingly.
First, that body (who makes it?) - Make sure it's dimensions are: 190 or 200MM total width, with a 255mm wheelbase. Some bodies are listed as "225mm" which is a 1/12th scale or "M" class body. Those WILL NOT fit the Sprint 2.
Here's a tip on TX/RX: Get one that is adjustable, meaning there's more than just "trim" knobs on it. Adjustable TX are a real boon, and they may take some time to get used to, but the adjustments make "tailoring" the car's performance a breeze. I wouldn't skimp on the TX/RX, because the TX is what you hold in your hand. Might as well get something that is comfortable and has everything you might want, right from the start, so you're not upgrading later, when you find out you need more adjustments. I recommend the Spektrum DX3C. It has interchangeable grip inserts to fit you hand size, and a ton of adjustments, so you can tailor the car's performance. Spektrum is all I use. They were the ones that brought 2,4Ghz to RC, so I stick with the original.
Whatever BL (brushless) power system you get, make sure it's sensored. A sensored system is smooth, and won't have the "cogging" a sensorless system will have. What that means is, a sensorless system does not have the ability to detect, or "sense" what the rotor position in the motor is, and will "stutter" (or "cog") when first taking off. This also translates into uneven low-speed response, as well. A sensored system is smooth at takeoff from a dead stop to full throttle, and everywhere in between. Small throttle inputs are smooth, and braking is much more linear and easy to modulate. Most all sensored systems will be rated by their turn rating, so you can go with what you know. Sensorless systems are all rated by "Kv" rating, so you pretty much know if a Kv rating is what you see, it's a sensorless system.
On LiPO batteries: If you get LiPo, get the best LiPo-compatible charger you can afford - no joke. The charger is very important to charging safety. I have personally seen both fires and explosions with LiPo batteries, and if you know what a white phosphorous grenade can do, that's a LIPo explosion (just not as "big"). LiPo fires are also difficult to put out, so do yourself a favor, and get a good charger.
That scare out of the way, most BL power systems can run both 2S and 3S (which is the number of cells - each LiPo cell is 3.7V), so a 2S will be 7.4V, and 3S will be 11.1V. Some sensored BL systems will NOT run 3S, so be sure whatever power system you get, you buy the proper cell count LiPos for, as well. I find sticking with 2S is just fine for the driving I do, since 3S makes power modulation a bit more difficult.
On LiPo size: The higher the "C" rating, the longer the car will run. Typically, I get about 35 - 40 minutes run time from a 5000Mah LiPo running a 17.5T BL system. I can run a 3800Mah battery for approx. 20 minutes, so go from there. Of course, the higher the "C" rating, the higher the cost, so choose accordingly.
09-26-2013, 05:48 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Sequim, WA
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
! Yah, most BMW guys are pretty loyal..... I would recommend (can't post links here - not the site's fault - I just don't know how, I'm not that computer literate) for BL ESC's, LRP. I have lately, tested their Spin Super, and can say, they are rather nice and simple. They offer enough power and are super-smooth. They have a relatively small "footprint," so placement isn't an issue.
Go likewise, LRP motors. The Spin Super used to be offered as a combo, but that's been discontinued lately. Tekins are pricey, but are near top-of-the-line in quality and performance.
As for third channels on TX - They are good for an extra power slot for lights, but are more effectively used in off-road chassis like rock crawlers. I would recommend sticking with the three-channel TX, because Spektrum's 2-channels are significantly lower in adjustability and overall quality. I recommend the DX3C, because it has all but one of the adjustments that their flagship - the DX3R and DX3R Pro have (I also have a DX3R, so I know), at a significantly lower cost. The adjustments that will be of great benefit to you would be:
Travel
"Expo" (exponential)
Sub trim
Switch assignment (for the switch buttons, one of which is at your left thumb, and four around the top of the "steering" wheel)
The rest are for initial set-up and trims, so experimenting with the powerband is easy.
Try TQRC Racing, online. They have some light kits in their "drift" section, and one of them should serve your needs (turn signals are your choice, and they are extra work to set up). I make 90% of my purchases there, and they are reliable and their prices are VERY competitive. They also ship free on any order above $100.
I'm afraid you most likely won't find the body you want. I haven't seen that particular model in Lexan, and HPI makes the closest approximation, but if you're into being "exact," you won't see that body. I'm a Mustang guy, myself, and I most probably won't ever see my fave - '67 fastback, in lexan, either.
I would strongly recommend you return the Sprint 2 to 4WD, as it's rather "butt-heavy," and turning it into RWD just exacerbates this. Regardless of whether you do or not, though, some weight up front would help it's handling characteristics.
Last edited by ToraKitsu; 09-26-2013 at 05:52 PM.
