GTR R35, half way there...

Work continues on my new HPI R35.
It looks like it's just about done, but in order to get the full effect with the flat black, I have to re-mask and paint the outside of the car.

So now that it's mostly masked, it's time for the hard part the shinny swoosh marks and the flat black...

GTR R35 Replica

Been working hard at night on my R35 Replica. Lots of masking done, and a lot more to do...

Step 2

Shakedown at Arai.

This past Sat, I finally got to shake down the new setup at Arai. And it is pretty close, but now it seems like I need to gain a little more rear grip back. The counter is there, but the rear is just a little to loose.

One interesting thing I did learn this weekend, is the importance of front toe. I noticed very big differences in control just by playing with the front toe. So I feel this is a very important area to consider when setting up your C/S car.

It was also a good time for some "Let Me Try" which is basically the Team Arai style of trying other team members cars to compare the differences. This I think is a big plus for our team. Set-up of the car is everything and I think this helps us out big time.

From this video you can see Rob's (FC) car is getting close to Katsumi's (Supra) setup! Awesome. Mine still needs some work, but I think I can get it there soon too.....

prototype R35...

Today, I really got hooked up. I was able to acquire new HPI R35 GTR shell before it's even been released!!!

I am so stoked... From the pictures, I guess you can see I already have an idea for a replica I have been wanting to make for a while now.

So here she comes....

Little clean up.

To clean things up and to make the 23T R40 pulley look a little more like it belongs in the Cyclone, fellow Team Arai member Ulyz came up with a really good idea to shave the pulley down. Plus it helps clear one of the lower button head screws under the pulley from hitting the larger pulley.

Now it looks alot better too. Better then before (see here)

Reply to the last Post with the JDM Yok RC Mag.

Here is a little of what my friend Katsumi translated from the article:
"Hi Mike
I saw your blog about D1 drivers on RC drifting.

When the throttle control of rc drifting same way as a real car drifting, D1 drivers say.
They enjoys with a RC Drifting very much. "

That kind of backs up what I was saying even with my limited drifting experience. Throttle Control is the Key! =)

D1 Drivers that RC Drift...

My buddy just came back form Japan's Hyper Festival and brought me back a Yokomo magazine they were handing out. It has some cool articles about D1 drivers like Tanaka, Koguchi, Suenaga, etc. I scanned them to share... Now if someone can read in Japanese and tell me what they are saying, I'd appreciate it...LOL.

Tanka's anodized Orange parts are awesome!

the better doughnut...

Just a quick video of some doughnuts. As you can see the counter-steering is better now...



I really want to try a real track now!!!

Steering update.

Now that the car has much better counter steering, I figured it would be a good ideat to play around with the steering mounting positions on the the outer arms. I noticed I could get even more steering using the more inner mounting positions.
Not sure how this will effect steering response or feel yet, but full lock definitely increased.


*One other note, it is important to set up the front toe so, it makes both the inside and outside wheels straight when countering. (So basically it is a toe in set-up. How much really depends on your steering )

Red 32 preview...

Finally got to mate up my new Red32 body and my Counter Steer project. Here is what it looks like.

I still need to install some custom buckets and lights.

My Giant Countersteer car...

This weekend was packed full of drifting for me. Unfortunately no RC drifting, but I did get to see the season opener of Formula D in Long Beach and then I spent Sunday getting to chance to drive myself. I know the video quality is a small but it's me, so check it out...


My 240 at El Toro D-Day 4/12/09

The funny thing is, as I was talking to some more experienced drivers, who have also driven RC Drift cars as well also noticed how the throttle control for the RC Drift Car and full size Drift cars were very similar. Especially to initiate and transition between one drift to another. You really steer the car with the throttle more then you do with the Steering. Pretty cool when you think about it...

Red Hot 32

Stickers on the R32. Finally get some use of all those ORC Z decals...LOL. Looks pretty crazy with the paint in the sunlight.

Now I am looking forward to seeing some drifting tomorrow. Lots of new cars.

p.s. Fuck V8 Nascar engines in imports! (it's so Gay!) I say they should ban V8 and V10s in drifting!!!

New Yok sneek peak... S13

Looks cool!

Yoks & Demon Camber...more counter!

After getting the initial install of the 23T pulley in, the feel with Kawada tires was definitely better. The car could countersteer, but there wasn't a lot of steering angle used to keep the rear out. So I decided to try Yokomo Zero1 single ring tires. This helped a little too, but once I started adding more front camber, thats when the real progress was made.

What do you know, 23T, Yok tires and losts of Caster and Camber really work...
Now, I really need to just get the car on a real track like Arai to fine tune the suspension.


Hope you can see my Yellow-Gold wheels. (the Tamiya can said: Chrome Gold, but guess not...LOL) It should still look pretty good with my new R32 body coming...

23T CS doughnuts

Just got a chance to do a few donuts at lunch. The 23T pulley definitely helps. I noticed after I did the video real light constant throttle can keep a small circle pretty steady with countersteer (but unfortunately I stopped filming by then.) Anyways...as you can see, it is getting better. The counter is definitely there, just need to improve it with some susp work now....



I put blue tape on the front wheels so I could see them better...

Late night install...

Well, after a late night install, I have finally gotten my R40 23T pulley installed in Project CS Cyclone. Getting it to fit definitely took a little ingenuity and some searching for extra parts, but in the end it seems to work good. The pulley is not only larger by the number of teeth, but the mounting points as well. It has a larger shaft opening and uses a larger pin. You also don't need to use the one endplate, since it is so wide it goes up against the bulkhead stiffener plate. What I didn't notice at first is one of the lower button head bolts interfere with the very corner of the pulley, but I just ground it a little and now it's good. Now we just need to see how it preforms...

I also decided to replace the 108 spur gear & RS4 15T with a new set. (the old ones were pretty beat)

nice surprise

Just came back from lunch and found a nice surprise sitting on my desk. My R40 pulleys just came in. Now I have some parts to work with. I am really hoping these do the trick. But if not I just heard of another more extreme option to try it these doesn't work....

Got to look good to drift good...

Well there hasn't been much progress on the set-up recently. Basically I am still waiting on the R40 pulleys to come in. So in the mean time if figure it would be nice to have a new body shell to rock once I get the countersteer working.

The paint is pretty basic with a glitter-red and a bunch of mirror red decals. But the hood is where I spent some time customizing. My base car is a HPI R32 body that I have had for a while. The hood is kind of plain, so I decided to make my own vent for the hood. I think it came out pretty good. What do you think....

A new start...

Like I mentioned earlier, everything I have tried so far hasn't improved keeping the rear out as much as I would like, instead they just made it more unstable. Switch backs were crazy quick. So I decided to take a couple of steps back, but I have decided to keep the steering and front caster changes.

The car is much easier to drive with the softer rear springs and old suspension points. And counter-steer is just a good as it was when it was unstable.

I think the key is going to be to try to get the gear difference a little larger. (since the cyclone seems to be a very stable drifting chassis) Checking out my friend Jhon's post, he has discovered a great HPI part for upgrading the pulleys. It's a pulley set for the R40 and comes with a 18, 19, and best of all a 22 and 23. I found a set online and have them on order now. I hope to get them sometime next week.

Here is what they look like:
Right now I have a 2.6 to 1.6 gear difference. I figure with the 22 it will be 1.45 and for the 23 1.39, sounds. I am hoping this will be the key to unlock more counter steering!