I'm a Soldering Fool!!!!

[Buzzbait]

Yep. I'm doing my best to get those mad soldering skills that many of you already possess. It started with a MicroSizer Pro that I did a dual battery mod on. I loved the speed, but the external battery caused nasty center of gravity problems. The thing was tip-over city. I needed something that was a little steadier on its feet.

So I pulled out my new style Motorworks car with the Zip Zap length chasis, thinking that it would be an easy dual cell mod with the larger chasis size. I was bummed out after opening the Motorworks, to find that it only uses two steering wires. I just had no idea how to wire it to a Microsizer pcb. I was thinking about making a bridge between the left and right contacts to the positive contact, but wasn’t sure enough to try it.

Next was an old Zip Zap body that I’d totally messed up beforehand. One of the steering wires had broken off at the coil, and it had the old style ZZ pcb. I used a jackhammer to get the existing coils out of the Zip Zap, completely destroying them in the process, and retrofitted the coils from a dead Bit clone given to my by a friend. I then did the dual battery mod, using strips of tin and electrical tape to create solderless contacts between the cells and the charging contacts. I just don’t like soldering batteries. Shoot me. Then I soldered in the Microszier Pro pcb.

So now I have a hybrid Microsizer Pro, clone, and Zip Zap car. This car absolutely rocks!!! It’s what a Zip Zap should have been from the start. The dual batteries give it tons of speed, and the Microsizer Pro pcb gives me the two speeds that I love so much. I’m even starting to prefer the Microsizer remote over the Zip Zap remote. The smaller coils from the clone widened out the turning radius slightly, which works to my advantage at high speeds. It still turns well, just a tad wider.

If anybody has had reservations about popping a booster pcb into a Zip Zap, go for it. It’s an awesome combo.

[Buzzbait]

Here's a pic of my little project car.

The stats:
Body - Zip Zap Le Chrome Mazda RX8
Chasis Zip Zap
Pcb - Microsizer Pro
Coils - Bit clone
Cells: dual 110 mAH NiMH
Motor - Stock Mazda 21.5
8.25:1 gear ratio
Rims - from Zip Zap peformance kit
Tires - Motorworks tread tires
Controller - Microsizer Pro booster
Charger - Custom 3AA project box

[AUDI-TT]

nice car man...

Finally someone uderstands the need to mod a RX8 and ZZ chassi.

RX8
chip=standard
motor=turbo, need a NOS EXPRESS
tires=kit racer black front, ZZ factory back
coils=Standard, need steering motor
rims=Xmen rims.

Photos non

[Buzzbait]

As much as I love my Bits, I think that Zip Zaps have a whole lot more potential. The larger size chasis just makes the work so much easier. Even a schmuck like me can add a second battery to the compartment of a ZZ. There’s very little cutting involved, and you don’t end up with huge holes that expose the innards to the outside world. The Zip Zaps also steer much better than Bits. With a little hybrid modification, you can actually get the best of both worlds. My RX8 puts all of my Bits to shame.

I only wish that Radio Shack had thought to somehow enclose the rear axle, so it doesn’t loosen up over time. I’ve got some ideas on how to make a clip-on attachment to cure that problem though. I’ll be working on it this weekend. I’ve got a mess of tin flashing in the garage to make a clip from.

Then I need to look into some kewl HO scale slot car bodies for this baby.

[Modjo]

hope you've read this axel's loose thread.

somebody's already already made that clip-on attachment