TRF501x is sold...long live the X-5 squared!

So, even though I loved the TRF501X, especially the sweet looks, I just wasn't getting on with it by the end....so I flogged it on eBay and it was sold withing 30 minutes of posting! LOL.

Got most of my money back too...but for someone that was a sweet deal...especially with all the spares and extras.

Anyway, I decided that I loved my Losi XX4WE a bit more, but that it needed a revamp. So in a moment of consumer bliss I hovered over the BUY button for an X-5 Squared conversion kit and took the plunge.

Here's the results. It is a beautiful machine to drive (although a little ugly and boxy looking compared to the XX4) - and this is my custom paint job by Mick Butler of www.blakeydesigns.com.



Now...the problem with my TRF501X was that it was heavy and difficult to work on. This new X-5 Squared car is quite the opposite - lighter, faster and much easier to work on. I'm willing to forego the boxy looks for the performance increases! NO BRAINER!

All the boxes are ticked with this one and it's made a massive difference to my driving.

Cool illusions

Very clever.

Mine, mine all mine!

My RX-8...goes like shit off a shovel...drinks fuel, but then it is a sports car!


I can't stop driving it at the moment...the grin factor when you put your foot down is really addictive. ;)

Isn't she lovely?

My new (used) Mazda RX-8, 231 bhp, Velocity Red...Mmmmmm.


Cost me a packet and I'll be paying for this one for quite a while. Totally impractical compared to a hatchback, although it one of the more practical sports cars around with 4 door and a boot.

Just look at the interior though...


I've got to wait until Friday to pick this baby up...and it's dragging. Can't wait!

Track flooded....viaduct required.

What a bummer! Arrived at the track on Sunday morning and the whole track was flooded and the main field (where we park) was a quagmire!

Needless to say that we weren't put off by the heavy and persistent showers the UK is experiencing at the moment, and got on with making the track raceable. Note the clever use of drainpipes (which we use as track markers) as a viaduct.


We did get a days racing out of this...but it was messy. The track was soaked most of the time and just as soon as the sun would come out and dry it off slightly, it would pour down again even harder than the last time.

There were also one or two instances where certain drivers experienced loss of 'magic smoke' from their electronics. And as we all know, once the 'magic smoke' has been released the unit in question is no longer functional.

A couple of drivers left early for fear of tempting the 'magic smoke' out of their gear.

Myself and most of the dedicated masses stayed until the end!

A point of note: during all of this rain the boating lake was empty!!

TRF501x gets a brushless!

Finally decided to step into the world of brushless technology. It was a super tight fit to get everything in this car and all in all it's taken about 6 - 7 hours accross two seperate evenings to get it to this stage. It has a couple of nice features though, such as a detachable motor via corally tubes, some slack in the motor wires for tuning adjustments and it's all very tidy too. ;)

Installed is an LRP Sphere Competition 2007 Brushless ESC and a 5.5 turn LRP X11 Brushless motor. It will fly!

Here's the pics of my proud work:

TRF501X - all finsihed (except decals)

Well here it is...shell and wing cut to perfection and all looking sweet.


Took this to the track today and race the arse of it. Needless to say that the shell is now a little worn in the usual scuff areas, but it really did attract some attention! Generally people were digging the shell and buggy big time!

It handles beutifully over the rough bumps and jumps well...although I do have some problems with top-end speed which should be rectified when I put a smaller spur gear in. I'm going from (96T stock to 87T B4 spur).

Mick's job on my TRF shell.

Just got the photo's back for my TRF501x shell painting job by Mick at Blakeydeisgns.com

I've got say that it look the proper biz from here. Best £22 I've spent and a damn sight better that I could do by a million miles. Well chuffed!

2 weeks and 4 days!

Just want to brag a bit now! 2 weeks and 4 days down and I'm chuffed!

The last week or so has been hard and my lack of finger nails is proof of that.

I've been keeping myself busy with my Tamiya TRF501x buggy that I bought as a treat. Admitedly I have bought this a bit early....but heck...I've done well...and the summer racing season is in full swing...and most of all "nuts to it...I'm spending the cash and more!"

This is where I'm up to right now.


Looking forward to getting it finished. Purely belter!

Day five - still going strong.

So...all good so far! Quite pleased with myself.

Nothing new to report really, except that I met with my smoking cessation councellor today and my carbon monoxide reading is down from 19 pph (parts per million) to only 3 pph. This is amazing news and I'm so pleased.

Things are starting to get easier and although I've been having some strange muscle twitches from the NRT I really feel things are on the up from here on in.

Now, how much other DIY can I do....gotta find something. Maybe I'll remove all the doors and re-hang them!

Day two without cigarettes!

Well I've decided that it's finally time to give up smoking (again!). Overall this must be my 30th+ attempt and after having smoked for 16 years it's not proving to be easy. Some people can just quit; I'm not one of those people and I'm so envious of them. I typically have to endure a long hard slog of boredom, nail biting, general climbing of the walls, biting of my lip (so as not to offend those around me) and mild insantiy.

On the plus side I do get a lot of DIY and housework done. As of today the garden in weeded / mowed and there is some nice new lino in the bathroom! The missus is pleased to say the least.

Anyway, right now I'm in hell. I don't want your pity...it's my own fault!

I have set a target for myslef. Fags now cost nearly £5 for 20, which is extortionate to say the least. So if I stop for 4 weeks I will save £140, and in 8 weeks I will save £280 etc. If I make it to 8 weeks I will buy a Tamiya TRF501X from the USA....and if that isn't motivation I don't know what is!

Kiwi Bunkbed

Daft really...but it's a kiwi bunkbed.

Bank Holiday bashing at Bury-Metro

It was Bank Holiday Monday and we all fancied having another quick bash with the buggies, so Colin, Jon and myself headed down the the local(ish) track for a quick bash.

Needless to say that I smashed the XX4's front shock tower on the 2nd pack of cells having got a bit too keen over the double (and the heavy landing on the concrete sides didn't help), and Jon did his Lazer in twice in as many minutes. Not a good day at all for Jon, poor fella, but hats off for keeping a smile on his face the whole time!

The highlight of the afternoon has to be Col doing some stupid jumps over a modified triple....now that's some air! I have to admit that I set the jump up and egged him on a bit, but he went for it and pulled of some mad skills with no damage whatsoever. Check it!

In this last photo, the little thing showing its belly behind the TRF501X is an RC-18. Yes...we have proven that they can fly too; just not as well...I remember the landing.

Shortly after this event Col let me have a blast on his TRF501x, which I proptly trashed by accident, but I admit I was being over-zealous! All in all I broke his shock tower, lost a screw and damaged the wing a little. Sorry Col. Egg butties on me!

My RC cars...yes they're all Losi!

This one is the first car I ever bought...a Losi XXX Kinwald Edition. It's a 2WD model, easy to work on and the parts are readily aviailable. This model has recently been very popular again as people appear to have decided that the XXX Kinwald was / is better than the more recent XXX-BK2 Edition (Brian Kinwald 2). Long live the XXX.


This is my current favourtite, the XX4-World Edition. It's a 4WD model which jumps well and handles well, especially off-road. However, this is a pig to work on and due to it being 4WD belt-driven buggy (with a whopping 3 belts - arggh) there is a lot more to go wrong and it needs a lot of TLC. Just look at it though...it's damn fine!

You know when the indoor season comes along and you get a bit tired of running buggies? No? Well anyway, this is my attempt at resolving that issue. Essentially it relives the boredom for about 2 -3 weeks and then I just have to do some jumps again. On the plus side these saloons shift a lot quicker and it's a great way to practice your lines around a track. This is my XXX-S 4WD saloon - and yes it battererd - well the shell is anyway...like I said it is a good way to practice. A lot of tracks in the UK are only geared up for running these sorts of cars, so if you want to get about a lot and have mid-week racing then a saloon is pretty much a requirement.


Well...that's it for now....and here's me talking like I have an audience and hopefully I will have at some point.