Drifting is one of those segments that rolls back and forth in popularity, but there are a number of groups out there that have never strayed away from their passion for driving sideways. With that underground following, the drift scene has evolved in many ways. No longer are people just converting sedans or adapting bodies, there are plenty of purpose-built kits and bodies that fit the part. Companies like Tamiya have addressed the needs of this segment with cars, bodies and accessories and now we’re seeing the evolution of some intense products. Tamiya’s latest high-end offering, the TA05 VDF II, is loaded with performance design that will give you the control you expect in a competition ready drifter. It’s time to look deep into this machine and see what makes it tick, and then we’ll see how it performs.

So many of us who became addicted to this hobby in the 80’s, did so because of a Tamiya vehicle. Mine was the Monster Beetle, but I know several others who got hooked on the Tamiya Wild One. The buggy was sold …

Back in the day when I started racing, the transmitters were pretty simple. There were no digital readouts or hidden antennas and if someone was on your channel, you had to run back to the pits to change the frequency crystals in your car and radio. Dials were limited to EPAs and Dual Rates and, if you had the big bucks and could afford it, you had an awesome black antenna. Not only were the transmitters much simpler, but the drivers were much thinner too (from all the running around)!

RC4WD produces awesome scale 1/10 electric off-road truck kits and the Gelande II D110 shown here is among their newest releases. These kits are truly an awesome RC building experience as they arrive in attractive boxes with the parts housed …

The power supply is that component that rarely gets much attention yet is the essential device to power our multi-chemistry battery chargers, lights and other pit gadgets. With that being said, LRP did not take that same viewpoint when they designed the new Competition 20A Power Supply. LRP made sure to create a high-quality power supply that was not only powerful, but also compact, lightweight and equipped with some clever features.

As RC fanatics, when someone mentions monster trucks we have a pre-set notion of what that is in our hobby. We think of 1/8-scale (or larger) trucks that include big tires, big suspension, big horsepower—just big everything. With the release of the Maximus, I think DHK might be in the same mindset as us! The Maximus, which coincidentally is Latin for “greatest” or “largest”, is a big ol’ beast that not only includes our monster truck wish list, but also does it at an extremely affordable price. Bring on the MT playground!

Once upon a time the RC4WD Trail Finder 2 was released and like any new product, there wasn’t much support for it. Fast forward to today and there are bumpers, body parts, panhard setups, drive shafts, shocks, 4-link, fender flairs, and more available to tune your Trail Finder 2 however you see fit. You name it and RC4WD now makes it for this vehicle so you can create a truly unique build. It’s hard getting past the incredible scale look of this vehicle and the performance that is just as amazing as its appearance.

3 Editors – 3 HPI Mini Trophy Projects In the October 2010 issue of RC Driver, we reviewed HPI’s TSA Mini Trophy Truck, a 1/12-scale truck that caused quite a stir with its realistic body panels, cage and suspension. This …

In the RC Driver workshop we’ve come up with a lot of wild builds, but we wanted to do something that strayed far from the RC norm and that’s when we saw the Tamiya Kumamon DT02 buggy. This isn’t your …

DHK looks to bring electric 1/8-scale to the masses with the new RTR Optimus buggy. A complete package with a 3S 3200mAh LiPo battery pack, high-powered brushless motor and speed control combo, 2.4GHz radio system and AC balance charger leaves little left to purchase for first time RC’ers. And, all for less than the cost of many 1/8 rollers! Newbies to LiPos fear not, DHK does and excellent job of educating new drivers through the easy to understand manual.

The world of electric 1/8-scale off-roaders has changed drastically over the past couple of years. They’ve evolved from large, clunky conversion kits to streamlined, dedicated e-racing machines. Some have become easier to build, others easier to drive and yet others easier to maintain. Team Durango has successfully combined all three of those features into the astounding DEX8, a buggy that is not only mild-mannered on the track; it also comes partially built from the factory. TD has referred to this as the ‘Fast and Easy Build – Hit the Track Quickly’, and it actually cut my build time by half. Now it’s time to review its features and discuss its mannerisms on the track.

It never fails, once someone sees a huge 1/5-scale machine hit the dirt, people flock to watch it and the “want factor” of onlookers grows to immeasurable proportions. Well, we’re here to taunt you with two killer builds, one based on the Losi 5IVE-T and the other on the HPI Baja 5B. The 5IVE-T will take on a full factory option makeover while the 5B will get revamped in aluminum along with a power system swap. The two projects will showcase a load of parts to help you decide what parts are right to get for your machines. Or, if money is no object, perhaps you’ll be inspired to build some killer projects of your own.

Using an engine heater is quickly becoming the norm on the nitro racing scenes. By preheating your engine before start-up and runs, you allow the engine to start easier with less wear and tear on the engine. It also allows …

A while back I bought myself a full sized Subaru Crosstrek XV (not an RC car).  I then proceeded to review the Tamiya XV-01 because it was the RC version of my real car and I just had to have it.  Seeing …

  Team Associated has released a specialized version of their widely popular competition 2wd 1/10 buggy the B5M dubbed the Factory Lite. The B5M Factory Lite comes with a slew of option parts like lightweight chassis, lightweight top shaft, lightweight …