Now Running X - 7 Gen 5.1 Prototype

[Andyp]

is it a stumpy lipo down the center ?

[mof]

Originally Posted by Andyp

is it a stumpy lipo down the center ?

Maybe, but: http://rcinsider.com/?p=20425

[Andyp]

Originally Posted by mof

Maybe, but: http://rcinsider.com/?p=20425

ha, maybe not then ha ha

[Gayo]

Originally Posted by YoungChazz

That's Team driver Lendel Smith, obviously quite happy to have his hands on the Gen 5.1 for at least a few minutes.

Hey, he is famous now

[YoungChazz]

Paul took 3rd at the J Concepts Clash with the new X - 7 prototype. We hope to have video -- possibly TWO vids, up today. They will be on YouTube with links on our FB page. X Factory R/C. Some interesting pix, including one of Durango's Gerd Strenge checking out the new car, are there now. More to be added this week.

Paul ran an all-new Gen 5.2 at the Clash. It had much, but not all, of the thinking for what we hope will be the final, Gen 6.0 version. Mostly the Gen 5.2 has the front end changes planned for the 6.0, and they worked very well. Car handled just awesome, especially in the bumps.

Why a Gen 5.2? We had planned to go straight to the 6.0, but ran out of time. Paul could only make so many of the new parts, so he built a new chassis incorporating as many of the new ideas as possible. This car is a one-off for Paul, who will run it in Columbus next weekend. Ellis will not have one.

As soon as possible, before Christmas for sure, the 6.0s will be made, and Big E will have one. Because our luggage did not arrive in Florida until noon on Thursday, Paul was up all night (got to bed 6:30AM, up at 7 to go to the track) building the 5.2 and ran it for the very first time in Q1 Friday.

The Clash track was extremely rough, first because of the weather -- monsoon conditions -- and second because 1/3 of the cars on it were 1/8 scale. (Coral Springs crew did a FANTASTIC job getting the track so we could race at all, and they did it three times!!!) The point is that the vids will show the X - 7 clearly handled the bumpy conditions better than any car on the track.

And, Paul was ballistic in a straight line...

[YoungChazz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55BQs_cuSNY

[adey]

when can we see pics ?

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by YoungChazz

Paul ran an all-new Gen 5.2 at the Clash. It had much, but not all, of the thinking for what we hope will be the final, Gen 6.0 version. Mostly the Gen 5.2 has the front end changes planned for the 6.0, and they worked very well.

So shouldn't you call it Gen 5.3 then?
That's how revision numbers work lol :-)

[Darren Boyle]

Not quite Cooper. Each prototype has been numbered 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 etc, however any "slight" revision we have made to each existing platform along the way simply becomes 5.2, 5.3 etc, the new paltform will be 6.0 as Chazz said, any slight changes to that would be called 6.1 etc.........

[YoungChazz]

Darren is right on. Ellis is proving the 5.1 to be quite fast, and Paul did very well with his too. When we built it, we thought the 5.1 would go into production; however we found a reliability issue and the 5.1's weight distribution isn't quite right when the electronics go in, so the 6.0 was designed.

For the Clash, Paul did not have time to make all the 6.0 parts. Too busy with the SCX - 60CF. He did have some time, and made a new chassis that tackles the reliability issue and moves the weight a little bit in the intended direction. We scratched our heads: What to call it? It's neither 5.1 nor 6.0, and that leaves 5.2.

The 5.2 will be a short lived thing. Ellis doesn't get one, and Paul's will run at CRCRC & R/C Factory this weekend. Paul should have 6.0s finished for both Ellis and himself by Christmas.

B.T.W., the 5.2 worked great. Reliability issue solved, and the weight move was in the right direction. When the 6.0 moves the weight where it's finally supposed to go, we think the X - 7 will be even faster. It's a matter of changing things about 4% and we hope you'll have to add no ballast at all.

One of the cool things is that all the concepts proven on the test bed chassies so long ago are still fully in place. Most of the original ideas from two years ago remain the heart of the X - 7.

As was the case when we made the 5.1, we expect the 6.0 to be a production-ready vehicle. Once Ellis & Paul drive their 6.0s in battle two or three times, another small batch will be made for some other Team drivers, and, assuming their cars go together well, don't break often, and are both easy to drive & fast, we'll start production, possibly as early as late spring. Darren and Dan are drooling...

If additional problems appear, or if all the criteria just above are not met, then it's back to the drawing board. Unlike some of our competitors, who go straight from initial C.A.D. to mold-production, we thoroughly test everything before bringing it to you, and sometimes circumstances make that take forever. We do it where you can see at least some of it while trying to keep the innovative stuff away from the competition, but The Family knows what we are working on.

[Oxygen]

5.2 is looking good, cant wait till the production car is out!!!! Bring on the spring!!!

[Chippy96]

nice to see some anti clockwise racing,I mentioned this at our local club and had some serious black looks down some long noses!!Is it traditional to race clockwise here in GB?,it would make a change to go the other way round for a change.

[Welshy40]

I did catch a glimps of it recently and have to admit I would buy it as it is now so if it ever went up for sale (I wish) then I would have it.

Great ideas being used and cant wait for the production version. Keep up the great work guys and hurry up and get it sorted so I can buy it.

[YoungChazz]

Thanks for the props, Wleshy. We are going as fast as possible.

[arransmith27]

Is there any update in regards to the release date yet?

[jimmy]

From what I've heard it's a long way off yet. I wouldn't expect it until next year personally at least. I think it'll be mostly testing and trying our their designs this year.

[YoungChazz]

Paul's 5.2 has been shipped to Ellis, and Paul will begin making the 6.0 later this week. Paul is entered at Motorama mid-month and will run the 6.0 there.

Ellis will not have the 5.2 for long, because Paul will make two 6.0s when he does it. Therefore, Ellis should have a 6.0 before the end of February.

We believe the 6.0 will solve all the outstanding issues, and will be extremely close to a production car. If so, we'll work out the set-ups this spring and start production as soon as possible.

Jimmy has a point -- we have been working on this thing forever. However, two things have gotten in the way. First, my illness halted everything except the bare necessities for almost a year. By the time I got back, events in the marketplace forced us to do the SCX - 60CF. Even though our primary focus the last 6 months has been the SC, Paul, Ellis, and Elvo have kept working at the X - 7; once initial production & launch of the SC is over, it's full speed on the 7.

So it won't be long now.

[DaveG28]

I'm down at Motorama as well, may have to try and sneak a peak!

[YoungChazz]

You won't have to "sneak."

[DaveG28]

Ooh, does that mean the covers will be off at last??