Wrap-Up FR-D 3.0 Status Update

Wrap-Up FR-D 3.0 Status Update

Rolling Stock Complete

I just wanted to post a status update of my FR-D as I was taking pictures of the DIB275.

Adjusting the steering to where I want it to be has been tricky with the long sweeper arms, but I think I have it dialed in for now. I won't know until I add the electronics and take her to the track, but for now, she feels mechanically sound.

Yokomo DIB275

VIP Style

MSN-04 Sazabi - Mr. Boombastic.

Currently, and for at least the last year, Liberty Walk (LB*) and Rocket Bunny-converted bodies are very popular in the RC Drift Scene. Addiction has released several Rocket Bunny conversion kits for Yokomo and ABC Hobby S-series Nissans. HPI has just recently released their Rocket Bunny S14 Boss body. Tetsujin has their R35 and R37 Liberty Walk bodies (I own one of the R35 bodies, but need to finish it). This style is very fun and over the top, with wide-body kits with even wider wheel arches, swan-neck or duck-tail wings, and often super-saturated but matte finishes.

Another style, which I think deserves just as much attention, is the VIP or bippu style of cars. These are (but not always) four-door mid-size or larger sedans that have subtle body-work, tightly-tucked wheels often with noticeable negative camber, and a minimal amount of aftermarket body modifications, they are a different form of extreme. Traditionally, the paint colors associated with the bippu style of cars has been black, white, and darker shades of gray and blue. However, there has been a recent loosening of that palette so I decided to go with a metallic red as I'm keeping with my Gundam-themed cars. With it's large size and curves, I felt that the Zero Crown would be a great base for Char Aznable's MSN-04 Sazabi.

Shell - Yokomo Zero Crown

 Parts List -

• Shell - Yokomo GOODYEAR Racing ZERO CROWN 275 (SD-ZCRLBS)
  
• Paint - Tamiya Metallic Red (PS-15) backed with Gold (PS-13) backed with Black (PS-5)
• Lights & Light Buckets - Yokomo Light Parts Zero Crown (SD-ZCRL)
• Details - Wrap-Up Real 3D Front Grill Zero Crown (0023-01)

The paint job turned out rather good. However, the Yokomo decals had some trapped bubbles under then so they didn't want to sit flat where the windows meet the trim. I slit them slightly to release the trapped air and they look a lot better now. However, I plan on masking the trim and painting it or using some thin vinyl tape to better capture these details.

Chassis - Yokomo DIB275 w/ Grade Up 1-4 Kits

Parts List (Incomplete) - 

• Chassis - Yokomo DIB V2 
• Motor & ESC - Yokomo 8.5T Zero Brushless Motor w/ BL-PRO-3 ESC
• Servo - Futaba S9551
• Receiver - Futaba R2040E (No external antenna!)
• Gyro - D-Like Guild n one Gyro
• Wheels - Tetsujin Dahlia Super Rim
• Tires - HPI Falken Azenis RT615 T-Drift Tire (Rear), 2 Bros (Front)
• Misc - Usukani Front Knuckles

The chassis is currently what I'm driving at Kong's track while I work on my FR-D. It responds well to the use of throttle to kick the tail out and I'm really enjoying how it behaves around tight corners. I'm using the stock springs but with a slightly different shock placement. The motor and ESC wires need some trimming and I'm thinking about soldering bullet connectors to the end of the wires and to the motor to shorten things up. I might sleeve the wires as well, but for now, I need to drive it.

About Me - A (short) History of Drift Gundam

About Me - A (short) History of Drift Gundam

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

There's something to be said about taking a collection of parts or a kit, assembling it, and then having it function as it should, whether they be Gunpla or 1/10 RC drift cars, and for me it is this pursuit that is more interesting than the final project.

I got started in RC cars several years ago, building an Tamiya XV-01Pro in my spare time at work as a basher that I could play around with on my lunch breaks. After I finished that chassis, I heard about a local indoor carpet racing group, and built a TA-06Pro so I could take part in it, but due to my work schedule, I was unable to actually attend many of the sessions. I still have the XV-01 for bashing and Group A fun, and the TA-06 is just a rolling chassis.

I switched over to indoor RC drift as a track (KONG) opened up near by. My first chassis was a MST FXX-D S IFS, but I sold that to a friend of mine who wanted to get a chassis of his own, but didn't want to build it. I'm currently working on two new chassis, a Wrap-Up Next FR-D Ver. 3.0, and a Yokomo DIB V2 275mm wheelbase. Both should be fun in their own ways, but distinctly different.