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Gallery > 1:18 Scale RC > Stage 1 
HPI Micro RS4 1:18 Scale Remote Control Car - Stage 1
I am not stranger to the world of RC.  Ages ago, a group of friends of mine got me into the RC hobby.  Most in the group sported gas powered and highly modified monsters.  I, on the other hand, had an 1:12 electric powered stocker.  I didn't have spare money for anything then.  RC hobby is extremely expensive too.  I abandoned the hobby not long after I got into it.

Years has passed, I thought I would probably never get into it again.  Not too long ago, while I was looking for a new set of rims for one of my project, I came across some info about HPI's Micro RS4.  They are in 1:18 scale.  They aren't expensive either (compares to bigger scales).  So, I brought myself a set.  The build up is rather simple.  It took me several of hours to complete.  The following is the result.    

The body shell is a replica of Nissan's R34 Nissan Skyline GTR.  Instead of plain one tone color, I opted for 2 tone paint job.  I was extremely pleased with the result.  However, after I ran the car once with the newly painted shell, I discovered that I made a big mistake.  As you can see, the paint started to crack and flake off around the nose.  Apparently, I used the wrong type of paint.  I should use paint that can flex with the shell instead.  Well, one good thing is the body shell isn't expensive to replace.
The kit I purchased includes everything but the servos, speed control, and the controller (HPI also offers "Ready To Run" kit that comes with EVERYTHING).  This give me an opportunity to pick those important components myself.  To complete the car, I got Futaba MC230CR (Speed Control.  It's the clear red thing), Futaba Magnum FM 2CH Controller, and the servos that came with the controller.  The rest of the car, as of right now, remain stock.  One thing that's missing from the pictures is the battery pack.  The stock configuration requires 4 AA or AAA batteries.  Instead of Alkaline, I got some NiMH AA batteries.
I haven't actually have a chance to "really" run this car (And I have it for months!!).  I'll definitely do that shortly.  I really want to see how fast this thing can go.  Then, I'll start to look into upgrade parts to make this thing handle better and go faster.  Perhaps, I'll also get another body and make this thing look nicer too.  Stay tune!