| |
July 25, 2004
By: David Sacco
Website: http://www.a1-in-toys.com
An Introduction To Model Car Kits
Model car kits are available in many different types, sizes and
styles. You can choose between toy rc cars or hobby rc cars.
The everyday rc toys that you may have seen on TV or in your local toy
store, can be fun for that younger child and can provide hours of
enjoyment, and may lead to an excellent hobby in the future. These
toy cars are somewhat different from the more elaborate and
sophisticated versions that you may see in hobby shops. Most hobby
styled rc vehicles are available as an unassembled kit that one has to
piece together to get it up and running. You build the car from
the ground up piece by piece. This has the advantage of
understanding how the car works, as well as helping you to fix problems
if they should arise. Another difference between toy and hobby rc
cars is the material that they are made from. Generally hobby
styled versions are made of much better material then the toy models.
They can withstand the rough road terrains and extreme punishment that
is likely to be exerted on the car. Model car kits are designed to
provide a long life with quality performance for years to come.
Model car kits come in many different shapes and sizes.
Some of the sizes and style of electric vehicles include: the 1/10
scale buggies, which are fast and sleek and great for racing.
They are usually two-wheeled (2WD), and can reach speeds between
15-30 mph on or off the road. Another popular electric rc car
is the 1/10 scale Monster Truck, it includes both 2WD and 4WD
trucks. The 2WD versions are less expensive and include a
single motor, while the 4WD use two motors for crushing power and
super torque. Top speeds reach at around 15 mph. Nitro
rc cars also come in different scales and models that include:
the 1/10 scale Touring cars that use .12 or .15 powerplants and can
reach speeds of up to 55 mph. They include 4WD styles for on
the road racing. Another great style is the nitro 1/10 scale
Monster Truck, it features .21 engine that create a great deal of
horsepower. They are fast at around 40 mph, and can plow over
just about anything in front of them. They are for both on or
off the road racing.
One of the most basic distinctions between most model car kits is
their power source. Generally there are two to choose from,
electric motor & battery, or an engine that runs on fuel.
Electric vehicles are generally much more quiet and cleaner to run.
You can run them indoors and they can be somewhat less expensive
then their engine running counterparts. There are some
disadvantages in the performance of electric versions. The
battery life can be short lived, you may have to recharge the car
every ten minutes, or replace it with a fresh battery pack.
Electric styles are generally not as fast as the nitro cars.
The engine powered models are also called nitro kits, and can have
many more advantages then electric cars. There are two primary
advantages which include faster speeds, and longer runtime life.
On the downside they are generally much more louder, have to be run
outside, and overall can be more expensive then the electric
versions.
In order to get started with electric model car kits there are a
few items that you will need in order to get the vehicle moving.
First is the radio control that directs the car along the road.
It consists of: a transmitter, this is the unit that you
hold in your hands, and sends command to the vehicle. Next is the
receiver, which catches signals from the transmitter and sends them
to the servos. Finally there is the servos which receive the
messages from the receiver and tell the vehicle in which directions
to move. There are also some additional items that you will
need in order to get your engine powered models moving such as: a
receiver battery that is needed to power the on-board radio gear.
Glow plug igniter is needed to heat the engines glow plug, so the
fuel in the combustion chamber can ignite and cause the engine to
run (similar to a spark plug. Next is an electric starter
which contain spinning rubber wheels, that when placed against the
engine's flywheel, cause the engine's crankshaft to rotate and fire
the engine to life. Finally there is the nitro fuel, which is
a mixture of nitro methane and synthetic or castor oil lubricants
If you are interested in model car kits then go to our Remote
Control Cars page, and take a look at our buyer's guide section at
the bottom for a list of great online hobby stores.
For more information on
Model Car Kits or to choose from a variety of related products
and services, select from the following:
|
|
