RC10B5M!!!

I was able to pick up a B5M from Tower when it showed up in stock awhile ago.  I wanted to get it from Tower so that I could use their "Easy Pay" program and pay for it over the course of 3 months.  I've also been slowing collecting parts for it during the month of May.  I picked up a Silencer body for my painter to finish, and various lighter and upgrade parts.

I also started reducing the weight of certain plastic parts, since the M is a pig out of the box, along with adding titanium and aluminum parts, to reduce the weight as much as possible.

Cut motor brace = 1g
Drilled front brace = 1g
Cut up center brace = 6g
Shorter ball cups and titanium turnbuckles = 6g
Graphite battery brace = 2g
Aluminum top shaft = 9g (un-modified 5g)
Titanium front axles = 4g
Nova slipper = 3 pad: 10g
Aluminum screws = 10g

Titanium screws = 17g
Aluminum puck cva driveshafts = 4g
Aluminum puck diff outdrives = 14g!
Titanium ball studs = 7g
Carbon idler shafts =
Narrow transmission gear set = (un-modified 7g)
Aluminum wheel nuts = 5g

Aluminum shock nuts = 2g
Machined aluminum chassis = 28g!
Factory Team aluminum motor plate = 6g

Total weight savings = 132g

                                 Stock center brace

                                 Modified center brace

                                     Removed material

                                     Steel wheel nuts

                                  Aluminum wheel nuts

Stock Truck, SDRC, Saturday 6/21/14

Since my brother doesn't have a buggy at the moment, I decided to race stock truck with him. Qualifying sucked as the track was too wet for both rounds and there was no grip. For the main, the track was just damp and not wet, so the grip was back!  Which made for a fun race!  I go too wide into the first turn on the start and drop a position, but was right behind that truck. A wreck in the double double in front of the stand allowed me to move up to 3rd!  I spent most of the race chasing the 2nd place truck. In the closing laps he jumps the center double too wide, while I jump the correct line, landing at the apex of the turn and passing on the inside, taking 2nd!

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, 6/20/14

I get up to 2nd about halfway through the race when a pileup occurs in front of me. I drop to 3rd in the last 30 seconds, then 5th when I crash. Oh well. 

Expert Stock Buggy, SDRC, Wednesday 6/18/14

Had a good run in the 2nd round of qualifying with my fastest result on this layout so far with a 14:11 and a 21.6.

Crashed on the 1st lap of the main, and won the battle for 5th a few feet before the line!

MurfDogg Power!

B5M Lightweight Chassis

Least aggressive

To be "Mild"

Most aggressive (and pretty!)

FEA analysis of milled chassis.  Blue is good!

I'm going "Most agressive" since the FEA analysis shows no loss in stiffness with a loss of 30g in weight!  I should have the chassis back in a few days, and the last of the parts I need by mid July.  I can't wait to race it!