Some considerations
When choosing an RC car, there are a few considerations that you need to take into account first. Do you have an open ground or a large parking lot that is flat where you can drive an RC car? RC cars can be quickly destroyed if you race over rough terrain – one hit and you can lose a hefty price! If you live in the city, are there any rules restricting these vehicles or neighbors who may complain about the noise gas powered RC cars make? If so, you may need a muffler on the exhaust or a lower horsepower engine.
Choosing a Gold RTR RC Car Kit
Gasoline RC cars run on nitromethane fuel that you can recharge for unlimited run time and 80+ mph is not out of the question! These cars or trucks are usually powered by a small two-stroke engine that burns nitro methane, giving them the nickname NITRO car or truck. However, different engines burn different fuel mixtures, so this is something to consider when buying your car. Speaking of buying your RC vehicle, there are two big questions to ask yourself. Do I want to build the car myself or do I want to buy an RTR or “ready to run” vehicle? DIY kits are much more expensive, and unless you know what you’re doing, then an RTR RC car is probably more in line with what you’re looking for.
The little engine that could
Can Gas RC Cars Really Go Over 80 MPH? Yes! Most nitro methane burning cars have what is called a “brilliant” two-stroke engine. The two-stroke engine is equivalent to a weed engine that can pump out up to 5 HP, which is a LOT considering the size of an RC car. “Glow” refers to how the engine gets its spark to ignite the fuel. A “glow starter” heats a “glow plug” which in turn causes the fuel to ignite and WHAM, you get blazing speeds.
Not all fuels are the same!
The next thing to worry about is what type of fuel mixture you will be using in your car. The type of engine you choose will dictate what type of mixture the manufacturer will recommend. typically in gasoline rc cars the mixture is between 10-40%. Once you get your car up and running, you can experiment with different blends in your engine to get the kind of performance that complements the way your car races.