New competition level buggy from SWIFT! *PICS*

[HumboldtBlazer]

New competition level buggy from Power Racing called SWIFT! *PICS*

Looks like the MBX 5 to me, but if it is cheaper than what the hey!!!

Looks top notch to me!!! Go Swift!

More info here (Read about the kit)
http://www.happytimehobby.com/cars/index.html

These guys are based in Santa Clara, CA with a lot of hobby shops on board. I think this model will do good, but that's just my opinion.:tophat:

One thing they could have done better was let me paint the bodies for the show, those are horrible.

 

[FastEddy]

I like the guy with the yellow hair and brown beard. :trout:

 

[BigBadWolf]

Actually it looks an awful lot like a Storm but then again they all are beginning to look alike to me.

 

[robriguez]

I was just going to say that...the only thing that makes it look like the mugen to me isn the pivot ball connection from the control arms to the wheel hub.

I guess when someone finds a good design everyone else follows suit.

There are a million manufactureers of spring loaded mousetraps. They are all basically the exact same design. doesn't make one better than the other. doesn't stop these manufacturers from making them either. As long as there are people in the world to buy them someone will manufacture them.

Does this mean that the I think the Swift is a competition buggy?....can't say. But just think of how similar the OFNA buggies are to the Kyosho, GS, and Mugen ones.... would you say that the OFNA buggies are of the same race worthyness as those three?...probably not.

As with any review....I'll wait to see one in person or at least to hear they are starting to WIN before I make a decision.

Good find tho, always interested in new products!

 

[lillightingboy21]

It looks pretty sweet hopefully it will be as worthy as the storm,mugen, and every other sweet buggy. Also if it is cheap sounds good to me. It looks like it will be strong enough to take a beating. Thats all i care about because every buggy is fast if you have a sweet motor and it is geared right. Also and like hb said it really needs some new bodies.

 

[FlyinRazorback]

Looks cheap to me. Everything on it looks like it would snap. How bout them shock towers? And what's with that fuel tank? How in the world can you get a fast pit when the lid opens the wrong way?

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Come on man why you got to piss all over my thread, J/K I am just playin. The buggy is deffintely a "b" buggy but though hard to tell through pictures look decent in design. And guys the Storm doesn't have a lay down steering servo. Also the Storm tank opens that way also and I always found it cumbersome.

 

[slothy]

Originally posted by FlyinRazorback
Looks cheap to me. Everything on it looks like it would snap. How bout them shock towers? And what's with that fuel tank? How in the world can you get a fast pit when the lid opens the wrong way?

umm looks like it opens normal to me (spring on front of tank).. same as my mbx5 and i hope yours...

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

The secret is over. This buggy is made by Schumaker.

I know others feel differently about this buggy, but I say watch out it just might be a contender!

http://www.racing-cars.com/newsdetails.asp?itemId=NP59

Not a bad price either!

 

[wagnerov]

Power Racing Products makes the buggy. Schumacher is merely an importer of the Swift into England and Europe. The Swift is also the first buggy to be produced entirely in China (with a lot of American influence). Not Taiwan or a mixture of places. It has already been sent out to hobby shops that pre-ordered them, so you should see some this week.

To clear a few things up, it is not a "copy" of any buggy out there from Mugen or Kyosho. Pivot ball suspension has been used in off-road and on-road for many many years, and the laydown servo stuff has been used in electric cars for at least 20 years. The geometry is also completely different. I will admit, it's not on the same level as Kyosho or Mugen, design-wise, but the materials are definitely there. It should be one of the best 1/8th RTR's ever. Who can argue with an Airtronics MX3 and carbon fiber parts?

I had the opportunity to race my Swift this weekend at Delta R/C, to mark the car's racing debut in the U.S. Two of my friends also had theirs ready...we got them in on Wednesday and showed up with absolutely no track time. One of them made the A-main in the expert 1/8 class with a stock SH pullstart engine and tires. He was running as high as 4th before one of those all-too-common RTR things happen...a screw fell out. There were about 40 1/8 buggies at this local race. We made a few changes to the stock setup with a dremel tool, but nothing out of the ordinary was modified.

I am happy to say that there was not a single plastic breakage on any of our cars, though. Just the usual screws-falling-out (which then leads to pulling-hair-out). I'd consider that a minor issue that is easy to deal with, however. As long as it doesn't keep happening in future production runs with the car. The shock towers are 4mm thick, but stamped instead of machined (thicker than Mugen's stamped units? Think it will still snap?)

I'm the guy with the yellow hair. Damned cameras! Or was it the bleach? hehe

And I had to paint the bodies the night before the show started...I got off the plane from China two days before from testing the Swift! Not enough time to drag out the airbrush.

Thanks for reading.

-Cameron
Power Racing Products
www.powerracingrc.com

 

[nathanstl]

I saw it in person today. I wasn't impressed although I don't know much about these buggies yet. I have saw the Hyper PBS and the GS storm in person and I think they feel much more durable. Wait and see though. My LHS was selling it for $499 which isnt that great.

 

[6victor6]

I picked up a set of Power Racing brand tires and wheels to run on my MBX5 as cheaper alternative to prolines.. $25 a pair rather than $30.. Big deal, right?... Well I tapped the wall and SNAP!.. Cracked a rim almost in two..

I've goofed up and crashed way harder than that with Prolines and never broke them..

If that's any indication of Power Racings quality I wouldn't be to thrilled about the buggy.. But I'm sure for the price I've seen 'em for, they'll sell like hotcakes anyway..

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Originally posted by wagnerov
Power Racing Products makes the buggy. Schumacher is merely an importer of the Swift into England and Europe. The Swift is also the first buggy to be produced entirely in China (with a lot of American influence). Not Taiwan or a mixture of places. It has already been sent out to hobby shops that pre-ordered them, so you should see some this week.

To clear a few things up, it is not a "copy" of any buggy out there from Mugen or Kyosho. Pivot ball suspension has been used in off-road and on-road for many many years, and the laydown servo stuff has been used in electric cars for at least 20 years. The geometry is also completely different. I will admit, it's not on the same level as Kyosho or Mugen, design-wise, but the materials are definitely there. It should be one of the best 1/8th RTR's ever. Who can argue with an Airtronics MX3 and carbon fiber parts?

I had the opportunity to race my Swift this weekend at Delta R/C, to mark the car's racing debut in the U.S. Two of my friends also had theirs ready...we got them in on Wednesday and showed up with absolutely no track time. One of them made the A-main in the expert 1/8 class with a stock SH pullstart engine and tires. He was running as high as 4th before one of those all-too-common RTR things happen...a screw fell out. There were about 40 1/8 buggies at this local race. We made a few changes to the stock setup with a dremel tool, but nothing out of the ordinary was modified.

I am happy to say that there was not a single plastic breakage on any of our cars, though. Just the usual screws-falling-out (which then leads to pulling-hair-out). I'd consider that a minor issue that is easy to deal with, however. As long as it doesn't keep happening in future production runs with the car. The shock towers are 4mm thick, but stamped instead of machined (thicker than Mugen's stamped units? Think it will still snap?)

I'm the guy with the yellow hair. Damned cameras! Or was it the bleach? hehe

And I had to paint the bodies the night before the show started...I got off the plane from China two days before from testing the Swift! Not enough time to drag out the airbrush.

Thanks for reading.

-Cameron
Power Racing Products
www.powerracingrc.com

Thanks for the info and it is great to have another buggy racer here at RCNT! I knew the buggy was manufactured by Power Racing as stated in my first post so I was merly meaning it was going to be sold by Schuy. I for one like the design of the buggy and think it looks great. I am curious to see one in person. I just may see you down in Antioch one of these times so maybe we will get to race. Again welcome to the board!

 

[wagnerov]

Hi Victor,

A wheel snapping like that isn't indicative of the quality of any of the parts. If you'd like, send them back and I will replace the full set at no charge. I bent my pre-mounted Pro-Line wheels/tires this weekend, does that make them any better? May as well break them! Was it the spoked wheel? Everyone has their own opinion, but we still stand behind our products.

Our address is

Power Racing Products
Attn: Cameron Wagner
1099 Memorex Dr.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408.988.1050

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

I have broken all types, brands of spoked rims, that's why I buy dish rims. Sounds like great product support to me! Ofna never offered to replace all the rims I broke sheesh. I think I will check a set of those tires/rims out myself. With support like that why not. I think it's awesome that you are here wagnerov don't let the nay sayers drive you away.

 

[slothy]

or to even have him come on here back his product(s) up, and answer questions.. dont see mugen/kyosho doing that.. (that i know of)

 

[FlyinRazorback]

I agree, good to see people back their products. And I don't think you will see any of the bigger companies doing that, especially over something like the wheels.

Glad to here you had success with the buggy. I am always skeptical at first anytime something new hits the market. Sounds to me that you guys may have something going on here.

 

[GilBeQuick]

How easy will it be to get replacement parts? How about aftermarket parts or facotry hop-ups?

 

[wagnerov]

Thanks for the comments!

I am working on our website so that the catalog will be a lot easier to read, and you can order parts through Shopatron in case your local hobby shop doesn't have them. I worked in a shop for a few years, and hated it when companies would release their cars without the parts to back it up (for a couple of weeks or months at least). We definitely have every part in our warehouse right now... So, it really depends on what your LHS stocks.

Aftermarket parts really depend on how the car is received by everyone. Right now, I know of one small company that will be working on hopup parts on a limited basis. We'll also have our own line of stuff for the car, like different toe in blocks, 7075 aluminum stuff, sway bars, and more. And if all goes well, a "Pro" kit in the middle of next year sometime, without engine or radio and a bunch of upgrades.

The car is not a perfect design, but it's a good start and doesn't put our company too far behind the times. At least I am confident that we have the plastic worked out, and it's a bit different than what you would find in the wheels! Although I still want someone from the Great White North to let us know how the plastics hold up. There's nothing like going headfirst into the relatively cutthroat RTR market...

 

[militarymaxx]

Yup, great looking buggy. But what really separates one from the other ? Some of you touched upon what I think is the answer, or at least part of it. Heck, let's face it. We can change the stock parts out for bigger, better, faster ones turning our factory rides into comp level machines. We can upgrade to the point that nothing, not one nut is is from the 'original' package. Is my RTR Storm still a Storm after giving it a bath in Titanium parts from HardCore ? Yes, no, maybe ? For me it boils down to three basic needs. Manufacturers support, LHS support and the love for the hobby. It's all about track time and not 'keeping up with the jones' that attracted me and I'll bet many of you to the hobby. So, whatever your ride, whatever your hop-up, I hope to see you out there. Remember, concrete curbs and dirt are indiscriminate.