If money grew on trees, I'd buy a couple of Tamiya Lunchbox kits, with fixins, and build them up with the nephews. They seem to be into that sort of thing right now, and building stuff is pretty rewarding. There are mechanical parts, electrical parts, electronics, paint. It seems educational, and there is a big payoff. It looks like I could get kits, radios, a charger, and a single battery pack for about $200 a pop.
That's too rich for me when I start buying multiples.
I have found Tamiya Mini 4wd kits. Costing between $6 and the somewhere in the mid fifties, they're cheaper, but probably go together a little too quickly. There is no racing nearby, and the track kits are expensive.
Any other suggestions for something that builds in two to six hours, costs perhaps $50 per, and results in something that does something?
For tracks, check out old Xmod stuff. That stuff never caught on, because people just beat on them, like I did. I have a timer setup somewhere, and they seem to go for practically nothing on eBay.
I'd stick with the minis for now. If the minis hold their interest, then ponying up for the big boy kits makes sense. I went this path, but I had to buy my own stuff, so I'm speaking as my 15 year old self buying RC car stuff.
I'll have to check out the Xmods.They might be an option. Thanks!
slefain
SuperDork
6/12/12 9:56 a.m.
I had one of those Tamiya mini 4WD kits when I was a kid. It was AWESOME! I didn't have a track, so I just flipped the switch and let it tear across the yard.
There was even a show on TV for a nanosecond: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_Breakers:_World_of_Speed
mndsm
PowerDork
6/12/12 10:04 a.m.
I had a bunch of those as a kid. Never had a track either. There was lots of dents in the baseboards of my childhood home.
wow 1/32 scale. Thats pretty small
HPI has/had a 1/18 scale kit out there, I think called the Mini RS4, and Xray has/had the M18 kit as well. couple hundred dollars you can invest in those though....Same prices as the bigger stuff unfortunately.
Just reminds me I have an M18 kit that I assembled nearly ready to run, and I hit a snag trying to source the proper thread screws to mount the motor. And I believe I need a servo saver or something.... Its been in a box for years lol. I should get it working, I have a driveway the size of a small parking lot I could run it on.
Xmods are dead. You can likely find kits on ebay, but Radio Shack no longer carries them.
You might find good value in the RC18 line. Those are fun, pretty durable, and most hobby shops carry every part you could ever need for them.
I think i have an XMODS bunch of stuff around here somewhere.
mndsm
PowerDork
6/12/12 10:59 a.m.
Derick Freese wrote:
Xmods are dead. You can likely find kits on ebay, but Radio Shack no longer carries them.
You might find good value in the RC18 line. Those are fun, pretty durable, and most hobby shops carry every part you could ever need for them.
To build on this- find the older ones. You do not want the RC18T/B/MT2. belt drive sucks. The original ones are still out there.
I've been thinking about getting back into Xmods. What do you have that you're willing to part with, and how much do you want for it?
Let me make sure i still have it somewhere... it was YEARS ago i messed with them. I doubt i even really used them. Could be considered NOS. 
