Epoch Specs

[fluffydawg]

I was wondering if someone could post up the specs on these cars when bone stock and how do they compare to the miniz's. Are the cars fast enough to make it a challenge for inexperienced drivers or will they bore you untill they are modded a bit. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks all

Fluffy

[arch2b]

here is a short video (http://www2.mini-zracer.com/albums/album700/epoch.wmv) of my stock epoch

[fluffydawg]

Hey Arch thanks for the link to the video but it wouldn't work Windows Media Player 9 says that it won't support the format. Any suggestions. I was wondering motor size, battery types etc on the cars.

Fluffy

[LBRC]

How do they compare to a Mini-Z? They are a lot smaller roughly 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Fast enough not to bore you would depend on where and how you drive. If for example you only had enough space for a RCP Mini-96 track you would probably find the Epoch much less boring on it than a Mini-Z and fast enough, however if you had a barn with a 3 wide L equivelent set up a stock Epoch would seem slow indeed to an experienced driver.

I was wondering motor size, battery types etc on the cars.

Fluffy

A stock Epoch comes with a hard wired 1/3aaa GP 120 mAh three cell NiMH battery pack that is soldered in, to change it you need to completely disassemble the car. The HO scale slot car type square can Mabuchi motor (see photo for size) is also soldered in although it is much easier to access.

The hard wired motor and battery pack are generally considered the cars weakest points, it’s strong points are a true hobby grade proportional receiver/ESC circuit board that is compatible with most AM 27MHZ radios, a functioning three gear differential, and a very nice easily tunable front and rear suspension system. One of the big advantages to the suspension is that it can be raised for rougher driving surfaces or lowered for tracks and other smoother surfaces. Additionally the car has a unique interchangeable hub and tire system.

Essentially the Epoch was built as a stock class arcade racer, designed to keep things equal, allowing changes to be made to the suspension and tires but not the motor and battery.

In one popular and often repeated review the stock radio (transmitter) was given a pretty poor review, and initially I hopped on the band wagon and agreed with it. But after actually timing my laps and racing the Epoch, using several high end transmitters including an AM module equipped Airtronics M8, which also wasn’t the most comfortable of radios even if it monopolized the winners circle in nearly every class for 7 years straight. So I have to reluctantly disagree with much of the poor review. The problem is that its too small for large hands, uncomfortable and just plain feels cheap. However function wise I have to admit it’s precise, responsive, easily adjustable, and turns out some pretty good lap times. Additionally with my much faster modified Epochs the funky trigger tension switch erroneously labeled “L-H” presumably for high and low has turned out to be quite useful and something I would love to incorporate into a higher end transmitter as an option for high speed cars on tight technical tracks. So I grudgingly admit that even though the feel is cheesy especially for larger hands the actual function is not. As a low cost alternative the Iwaver digital TX works very nicely with the Epoch, in some ways better than with the Iwaver.

The ready set comes with the TX and a charger that requires 6 aaa batteries or a 9vdc power supply. It is also available as a chassis set, see forum store.

One thing to remember about the Epoch is that it really is and was intended to be an “Indoor Racer” a 1/43 scale RC car designed for competitive racing. Sure it’s fun on the kitchen floor and by far the best built of the micro cars, but stock it is not the fastest 1/43 scale car in a drag race, it is however the hands down winner on the track.

What else would you like to know? Can it be modified? Yes. Easily? Depends on what you call easy. Until recently there has been a remarkable lack of hop-up options available for the Epoch, the US distributor Apex USA has a new owner who is setting out to change that. What can be done to the Epoch? Take a look around this and other forums, turns out that you can do quite a bit.

As a side note all summer I drove my Epochs at least an hour a day almost every day on a high traction foam track with 24" wide lanes set up in a 10' x 20' garage tent, where the longest straight was 16 feet, although I enjoy racing stock epochs against others on the 2' lane track, a stock car is just a bit boring by itself, on the other hand my modified cars are more than challenging and turn in much faster lap times than any of my Mini-Z's on this small track. Now that it's colder I've moved inside to an even smaller track and my Mini-Z's sit on the shelf with no place to drive at home. Seems to me that a few Epochs with a good track are a must have for anyone who wants to drive/practice daily but doesn’t have a great deal of space.

[fluffydawg]

All the information that you supplied is excellent thank you very much. Do you also know if the kyosho mini z controller would work with this car as well. I have an extra one kicking around.

Thanks again for all the information that you have provided.

Fluffy

[LBRC]

Sorry I kept editing the above post, BTW I added more. An older Prefex will work great, it seems to me that I had some trouble with the newer KT-5 but then I dislike them so much that I’m not sure I even have one taking up shelf space anywhere to see what it was.