Blog 2 - VB 3.0 the classes in detail

 CLASS IN FOCUS :

Class 3 : 1989-1991 IFMAR

WHATEVER IT TAKES !

By 1989 the rivalries between the biggest names in the industry had well and truly started , and nowhere more so than at World Championship level. R/C racing had started to change from just being a hobby to becoming a place where you could find factory supported teams and drivers. 
AMB transponders , lap timing, stop watches and note pads were all the rage.

St Ives Australia 1989:

The 1989 Worlds is probably the most magical event to the majority of us Aussies ….and yes the author was there to witness it all !

Yes , that is your editor directly under the "racing" on the banner wearing the Kyosho hat !

These events became "the" battleground for manufacturers to go head to head with whatever they could come up with in order to make their cars win.

Nothing more and nothing less....the old win on Sunday , sell on Monday !

1989 was the beginning of the age of  "no photographs"  , the new era of prototype cars, parts and factory teams and drivers... who can forget the pit towels covering cars? During this time, there were significant improvements in R/C car technology, particularly the materials being used , innovations in battery technology, motors, and electronic speed controllers which made the cars faster.

The 2.2" tyre fiasco:

Unless you are totally new to the hobby,  you would not know the Yokomo 2.2" World Champs story which is now folklore amongst R/C racers.

In 1989 , several months before the event , Yokomo sent out a team to test on the upcoming Aussie Worlds track  , the team even took home some soil samples which then allowed them to further test and then exploit a loop hole in the rules. 
Yokomo had developed a 2.2 inch tyre which was only available to factory Yokomo and AE drivers. It sparked a ton of protests however it was deemed legal .

Who can forget the Yokomo spray !

Top - Vintage Bash  2022, Bottom- 1989 Worlds 

In any case , both of Masami Hirosaka's cars equipped with the now infamous  2.2." TR31 tyres went on to TQ and win....and of course who can forget the mighty "AE Stealth" RC10 car …

Down here in Australia the hobby scaled to new heights , the 1990 Nationals being held indoors at the Wayville showgrounds in South Australia had a massive turn out , only to be blown off the map by the monumental turn out for the 1991 Nationals held in Canberra the following year , an event which not only would hold the record for the biggest entry numbers for years to come, but would also see the birth of Australia's own Racing Lines magazine .

1990 Nats , yes your editor was there and is in this pic !

Racing Lines issue #1

Detroit  1991 - THE STAGE HAS BEEN SET NOW GAME ON !

If 1989 was iconic , the 1991 Ifmar worlds would go down in history as the event where we saw the beginning of the mighty rivalry between the 2 of the heavy weights of R/C , Team Losi / Trinity and Team Associated/ Reedy  going head to head on home soil .
Trinity/Losi team even had security guards around their complex !

Every manufacturer of anything considered "R/C competition" would go back to the drawing board and bring out something very special for this very event Batteries , Motors , Speed Controllers ,Tyres , Cars - Detroit had it all...including controversy !

Schumacher , Kyosho , Tamiya , Yokomo & Traxxas also joined in bringing prototype cars and parts.

Turn 1 2WD A main ,prototype AE vs Losi vs Traxxas.

Who remembers the Panasonic P170 ? 4 new "matched"  packs bought for the 1992 Nats lasted a whole of 5 charges before being binned ...we have it easy now !

1989-1991 Class Rules :

For the 1989-1991 class ( as well as the newer classes)  we have allowed the 2.2" diameter tyres which are indicative of what was used at the time.

We have also allowed the 21.5 brushless or 27 turn stock motor choice for 2wd , and 17.5 or open mod brushed for 4wd cars as we feel that the cars from this era can easily cope with this amount of power .

Remember , we are not trying to set track records but instead trying to rewind time to once again allow us to experience these great eras of R/C racing with period correct cars in their correct heats .

Who is getting cars ready for this class , and better still , who can wait to see the pics above recreated on-track at the bash ?

Any questions , shoot us a PM !

Blog 1 - VB 3.0 the classes in detail

 CLASS IN FOCUS :

Class 2 : 1985-1987 IFMAR

It's all about the history right ??

The very beginning of 1/10 off-road RC racing in the mid-1980s, incorporating the 1985 and 1987 World Championships, was heavily influenced by prominent manufacturers such as Team Associated, Kyosho, Schumacher and Tamiya. These manufacturers played pivotal roles in shaping the sport and driving technological advancements.

Renown for their iconic RC models, Tamiya also left a lasting impact on off-road RC racing. While perhaps more associated with scale realism, Tamiya's entry into off-road racing with models like the Super Champ in '82 , the Frog and the Hornet and then the 4wd Hot Shot in '85 brought a new dimension to the sport....Every kid back then had some sort of a Tamiya, and their presence at events like the 1985 and 1987 World Championships demonstrated their versatility and influence in the RC racing community. Now if you didn't own a Tamiya ….. Kyosho had a long line of 1/10th off road buggies going back to the original 2wd Scorpion and Tomahawk as well as the mighty 4wds Gallop released in '82 & '83, , followed by the 4wd Optima and Ultima in '85 and '86.
The Ultima series showcased Kyosho's engineering prowess and contributed to the competitive landscape of 1/10 off-road racing. Kyosho's participation in the World Championships further solidified their status as a manufacturer at the forefront of the sport. Of course around this time it was the genesis of r/c , with many other manufacturers trying their hand at getting a foot in the door with some weird and wonderful bespoke designs .
And right here is what makes this era so cool - no cad designs .

Team Associated quickly also emerged as a leading force in RC racing during this era. Their original RC10 gold pan buggy introduced in '84, quickly became a benchmark for performance and innovation in off-road racing by using design concepts we still see to this day .

Another company from around that early era was Schumacher .
Schumacher's presence in off-road RC racing was notable, particularly in European circuits where the sport was quickly gaining traction ( see what we did there ) ! The Schumacher SWB CAT introduced in 1986 was a pioneering 1/10 4wd off-road buggy that showcased some truly advanced design features which made it a formidable weapon with super competitive capabilities.

Meanwhile around this time , after some shoddy deals that went sour , a giant was about to be woken as works begun on a certain car called LOSI.
Who can forget some of the Japanese manufacturers of the time ... Marui Hunter & Galaxy , Ninja , Samurai or even the Mugen Bulldog...…Yokomo with their YZ 834B in '83 ….AYK ….someone say Hirobo ?

Importantly, alongside these major manufacturers and events, grassroots-level racing clubs and enthusiasts played a vital role in the growth of 1/10 off-road RC racing.

Who can forget the cars parked with their hoods up and the quick charge leads and clock work chargers ..Reedy spray ?

And any of you that have been racing as long as some of us in the Vintage Bash crew will remember a time before AMB transponders when it was all about "Driver's STOP" !! but everyone would crawl those extra few feet trying to go from that .3 to the .5 lap !!

Local clubs provided opportunities for racers of all skill levels to participate . These grassroots efforts fostered a certain sense of "community and camaraderie" that remains integral to the RC racing scene , and none more so to this Vintage RC scene we are all seemingly drawn to once again allowing us to re-live our memories !

This sport continues to evolve, but the legacy of these first World Championships continue serving as a milestone in the history of 1/10 off-road RC racing.

A couple of FAQ's . Why did we choose 2" wheels and tyres for this era class ?

Firstly , we want to make the cars look as close to what they did when they were being raced back then.

Remember , more exhibition , less competition !

This is an opportunity for you to show off your stuff ,why not make it look cool by being period correct ( if possible ! )

Put  appearance before performance!

As we have stated before , our rules are a guide more than anything . If we are trying to re-create an "ERA" , a  Hornet with a tribal modern style paint job with big bore shocks and a modern wing on 2.2" dished wheels just doesn't really cut it does it ? ...by all means run it , but you will look the odd one out !
There are quite a few options for 2" wheels and tyres , as well as the smaller 1.7" and 1.9" courtesy of companies like JConcepts & Marwan as well as Kyosho and their re-re kits . We hope to make an announcement on this soon...you have little excuse !

Some cool examples of cars that would look perfect in the 1985-1987 Class , these are from VB#2 :      

1984 or 2023 ? 

You know who you are !  LOL  ...tsk tsk !

How cool is Jason's RC10?

How cool is Aaron's RC10 !

Catalogue pic? Nope , my OG Turbo Mid on 2.0's

 

 

 .

Why did we chose to run a 540 silver can?

A lot of these earlier buggies have very delicate drivetrains and poorly designed suspensions . They can be a handful to drive , so why overpower them ? A silver can 540 will give plenty of power when combined with a LiPo , and fit into any buggy of this era without need for modification.

Finally , another FAQ :

"What if my buggy didn't race at the 1985 or the 1987 Worlds ?

Our answers:

1/ "Could it have been raced at these events, and if so , what would I have looked like  ?  
2/ " Is it in the spirit of the class"


Our thoughts on this are like this, and I'll give a few examples of cars I own .

1/ The Losi Jrx2 - 5 link , it was released in 1988 

Could it run in the 85-1987 class ?  Technically no , but if someone wanted to run it with a silver can and 2.0" wheels it would not look out of place racing against a JJ Ultima or a 6 gear RC10....I guess the answer is yes you could and we would probably allow it , but personally no I probably wouldn't .

2/ The Kyosho Turbo Rocky - released in late 1987.
This car came after the 1987 Worlds .
Could it have been in "prototype " form like the Optima Mid was - absolutely .
Could you run it in the 1987 class?
Chain drive , 2.0" wheels , add 540 and I would say it would be a no brainer yes.

We hope by now this is starting to make sense .
Any questions , shoot us a PM !