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Having now used the completed Acme Condor one of thing I did not think about before buying it was how much noise it would make. The noise doesn't bother me, but I can appreciate how it might bother others. A consequence of the noise coupled with the speeds it can reach means careful consideration needs to be taken in to account as to where the model is going to be used. A large area, initially, with minimal obstacles and somewhere where noise it not going to be an issue would be recommended.
Before using the Condor I "ran it in" on the drive way at home, it was mid winter so everybody had their windows closed so the noise wasn't really an issue. For its first use I took it to an industrial estate. It ran pretty well although it did stall every now and again and I used it for about half an hour until I crashed it, head on, into a curb. Now you wouldn't ride a push bike into a curb at any speed, and I have to say it didn't do the Condor much good.
Broken Front Lower WishboneBroken Front Bulkhead
Bent Long Hinge Pin
Bent Chassis
Bent Front Bumper
Bent Hinge Pin Brace
All but the hinge pin brace had to be replaced. Although I could flatten the bend in the chassis out in a vice, the chassis was still out of true in such a way that it was not possible to get the locators and screw holes of the new bulkhead to line up. I have to say I quite enjoyed the task, although not the expense, of repairing it.
For its second outing I took it to the local park. I had intended to use it on the BMX dirt track there, but unfortunately it was being used; I ended up using the Condor in the gravel car park (See Video). I broke it again, this time a rear bulkhead, although I did not realise it was broken until I got home so, inadvertently I carried on using it in it's broken state. You can see the impact that must have caused the damage in the second slow-motion crash in the video when the car lands on the rear spoiler.
Since building the Condor I have also built an Ansmann Ruler 1/8th scale short course nitro truck and an Ansmann Mad Monkey 1/10th scale electric buggy. I can therefore compare the Acme Condor kit with that of another manufacturers products.
First off, for a first time constructor the instructions for the condor, compared to the Ansmann products, are very good. The Ansmann instructions contain very little text and consist mainly of exploded diagrams of the sections that need constructing. Some of these diagrams need a little figuring out and there are very few, if any construction tips.
Secondly, the Condor components are very well packaged and labeled with each build section being in a large numbered bag which contains separate bags identified by letters and numbers and referred to in the instructions. With the two Ansmann kits none of the bags of components are labeled and parts for a particular section require the opening of two or three bags of components as a lot of the components are bagged by type rather than being a complete bag of components for a particular build stage. I can't say this bothered me, as I enjoy the construction side, and with the diagram style of instructions, the kit becomes more challenging. However it can lead to a bit of head scratching, and slows the build process down.
Another point of note for the Acme Condor kit is that it does come with most of the tools and sundries (grease, shock oil and thread lock) required to build the kit and to run the engine, including fuel dispenser and glow plug starter. The kit also contains some spare screws, e-clips and washers. The Ansmann kits come with no tools or thread lock, the Ruler kit did not even come with any grease.
Finally, the quality of the kits. All three are budget kits, the Condor at £139 all in; apart from batteries and fuel. The Ruler at £100, no electrics, no engine, and the Mad Monkey at £62 with no electrics although it does come with a 21T motor. Adding the necessary parts to the Ansmann kits brings the final costs up to £300 for the Ruler (£100 for the engine, £40 for two servos and £60 for a transmitter and receiver) and £152 for the Mad Monkey (£20 for the battery, £10 for the servo, £25 for the ESC and £35 for a transmitter and receiver) but you could spend more or less depending on part choice. The fact that you have to choose and source the additional parts for the Ansmann kits yourself means that the builder and their budget controls a large proportion of the quality of the completed kit.
The plastic and build tolerances of the Ansmann kits appears to be better than the condor (the front end of the Mad Monkey, a mainly plastic kit, seems well designed and fits together very well). The Ruler comes with bearings compared to the bushes of the Condor and Mad Monkey. Spare part availabilty is very good for the Condor and Mad Monkey, although there does not seem to be any spares for the Ruler specific parts of the Ruler kit, although parts for the Ansmann Virus 2.0 on which it is based are readily available.
Considering the cost of the parts required to complete the Ansmann kits, the Acme Condor, in my opinion, is good value for money; and if the quality of the instructions and packaging are taken into account, the Condor makes an ideal first kit. If you have never built a kit before or don't know whether or not you will have any long term interest in the hobby I don't see much point in spending a fortune on something you may not like or soon tire with. The completed kit certainly makes a car that works and is fun to use, it may be a long way from the best you can get, but, as in full scale life, most first cars are seldom going to be your best.
Three last points,
If noise is going to be an issue don't by a Nitro car, choose electric. Saying that though, it is actually the noise and smell of the exhaust that are the appeal of nitro. Imagine F1 with electric cars.
The faster a car can travel the more damage incurred when you crash it. If you are looking for your first car I would suggest not setting out trying to buy the fastest model you can find; and don't buy one where spares are not easily available or are expensive.
and
If you find yourself really enjoying building a kit, don't rush it, you'll only want to build another as soon as you're finished.
JW
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