the stealth tranny and other slippers

esc's definetly get the nod! easy set-up, longer run times, less weight, and other reasons. RTR units allowed a ton of new people to get into rc without spending a bundle of time so they rank right up there also. Just me .02!

There was no mod 2wd back then, just mod and stock. Gil drove his RC10 in the mod class against 4wd cars. I believe he TQed, but I can't remember if he won. Jammin Jay Halsey won Stock with his RC10.....

The RC10 set the standard, from toy to race car.....you either raced it or lost....plain and simple.

I don't think you really can put a title on any one thing, a lot of them made a huge impact at the given time.....some however, were just companies finally putting out what racers already knew worked....like softer tires for offroad....anyone remember soaking them in terpintine(spelling??) to soften them up.

I do think a HUGE one not on the list would be the slipper clutch. Anyone who raced before they hit the market can remember frying a diff into a mound of molten plastic.....

We also have to give credit to the GP3300(an to a degree the older batteries like the black sanyo 1700s), which has pretty much dwindled away the runtime wars......which anyone who raced back in the day can breathe a sigh of relief about not worrying about dumping in stock!


And then there are other small things, that are making an impact, like the synthesized radio systems, BIG cost savings for people....no more crystals to break!

Later EddieO

I didn't select "Computer Radios" but I think a good Adjustable Radio where you can assist car set up with a quick adjustment of the radio HAS to be one of the best things Ever to come to this hobby.

Try driving almost ANY RTR car that has NO adjustments..then change the radio..and only the radio to one w/ adjustments and see how much better you can make the car instantly.

ESC's did make things awesome...( I still have my first NOVAK 4...No not the T-4...but the original 4 that you had to solder a fuse inline)

Rebuildable STOCK motors were something I lobbied for, for several years. I think they are GREAT too...and YES the original RC-10 WOW what an overall impact it had on this hobby in the 80's.

I bumped this up because I wanted to see what everyone thought a year or so later.

I still stand behind my vote of ESCs; In both the RC world and outside of it. This especially goes with the new(er) brushless controllers. converting DC to AC and whatnot in a two cubic inch area (give or take. the hacker controllers are big) is no easy task. We have ESCs that have equal resistance then the resistance in the solder joints and wire combined in your car.

My dad's friend is an electical engineer. Whenever he sees my cars he wants to take apart my ESC to see how well they were designed and stuff. He works with SCRs (silicone control rectifiers or something like that), which are pretty much an ESC on a huge scale; no wiper blade and servo there.