i'm thinking about using my freetime this summer to build my own rc car. i've been seaching the internets for help and have found very few sites that have even the slightest bit of helpful information. i'm looking to build an electric car that will be powered by small solar panels i'm planning on getting. if anyone knows anything about rc cars PLEASE help me out. google has failed me this time around!

i'm thinking about using my freetime this summer to build my own rc car. i've been seaching the internets for help and have found very few sites that have even the slightest bit of helpful information. i'm looking to build an electric car that will be powered by small solar panels i'm planning on getting. if anyone knows anything about rc cars PLEASE help me out. google has failed me this time around!


Getting a "starter" r/c complete kit is your best bet - the car, motor, servos, and speed controller all included in one package so construction goes smoothly. A 2 channel radio for steering and throttle control, battery packs and a quick charger should be all you need to get your car running.

I built a Tamiya Hornet in this fashion

I would not put solar panels on the car - I don't think they'd provide enough energy to power it, and the first time you roll it (and you will roll it), say bye-bye to your solar panels.

Anecdote time: I replaced the rather weak stock motor with one made for big 4WD r/c monster trucks - not a good idea. The car couldn't be fully throttled from a standing start - it would flip over, breaking the body the first time it happened. I replaced that motor with a less torquey but faster one - the Hornet (and many other entry level r/c cars) don't have the ability to take turns at 40mph - the front wheels jackknifed due to the steering servo being overloaded and my Hornet barreled rolled about 10 times, destroying the body and most of the front suspension in the process.

The stock motor isn't really that bad, it's just not as fast as a gas car (nor will it ever be).

Assembling an electric kit car is pretty easy work - you shouldn't need more than a few small sockets and some screwdrivers. If the body is already painted or the kit comes with decals you could have it built in an afternoon.

PS: If you want a "green" car, you can buy solar panels, a battery and converter made for RVs to charge the battery packs. Know this setup is not particularly cheap: it would run several times over in price what an r/c car does.

^ thanks alot! i think last night i was thinking of making it COMPLETLY from scratch, but that's stupid seeing as i don't know a thing about how to build them. i'll save that plan for later days. so what kind of construction is involved in this model? am i gonna be messing with the circuit board, or just atatching a prebuilt one? you're propably right about the solar panels, they'll probably break, but i have to try. what voltage does it run on and where can i get it? 

//so what kind of construction is involved in this model? am i gonna be messing with the circuit board, or just atatching a prebuilt one? you're propably right about the solar panels, they'll probably break, but i have to try. what voltage does it run on and where can i get it?   


You're welcome. The "circuit board" board is a pre-built electronic speed control, so you just attach it.

Construction is pretty easy if you have decent mechanical ability. I put one together when I was around your age... 'course, I was also rebuilding dirt bikes from the ground up then, so YMMV.

Completely pre-built kits are available: I'm not sure how much more they cost than a kit car.

The car runs on 7.2V battery packs available through Tamiya. Other manufacturers offer packs for their cars as well.

A note on batteries: at best, a pack lasts 15 minutes before it needs to be recharged, so having a few of them and a quick (1-2 hour) charger means more play time.

There are what are called "matched cell" battery packs: the batteries are hand selected for optimal discharge rates. A matched pack will run 100% for about 4-5 minutes, then promptly die. They are used in racing where you want all available power for short runs. Matched packs are more expensive of course...

The other things about solar panels is that you couldn't put enough of them on the car to power the motor, and even if you could and didn't roll it (and could afford it), unless you drive over perfectly smooth ground, and slowly, the car will rattle the panels to death, that is if it would even move under all the weight of the panels and accompanying electrical gear...

One last note: get real wheel bearings (a Tamiya option) not the plastic bushings that come with the stock models. The bushings wear out very quickly, and the drag from them slows down the car by a few mph - wheel bearings, provided you oil them once in a while and avoid mud puddles and sand will last the life of the car.

Makezine's blog (and the print subscription) is required reading for anyone interested in DIY electronics or robotics.  The widespread availability of dirt-cheap microcontrollers and free programming software has brought a lot of fields into reach of the general public that were the realm of professional engineers as recently as 5 years ago.