Schumacher Cougar KF - Electrics Install & Paint

 So time to get some electrics in the KF.
I splashed out on a new motor for this one, a Speed Passion V3 6.5t.
The plug in connectors of these motors lead one to believe they will be an easy install but this is not really the case. Due to the way the wires enter the back of the can it's actually fairly tricky to keep the motor wires as neat as one would like.
The upside is that once installed they can be easily changed out for another SP motor, handy if conditions change or you run at tracks where a different wind would be a better choice.

(Click on pic for gallery)

What the 'F'? Schumacher Cougar KF build (Part 2)

I'm back in the shed.

I'm enjoying this build so much I couldn't stay away for very long.

Starting at the rear end the time has come to start making this thing look like a car.

Having assembled the shock tower and wing mounts bolt them to the transmission housings.

These housings are the same as the K1 and although the kit items are plastic some tasty alloy option parts can be had, maybe Santa will bring me some? 

What the 'F'? Schumacher Cougar KF build (Part 1)

It's been an exciting week in the Pipski man cave.

I have got my grubby mitts on the latest release from the lads in Northants, the forward motor Cougar KF.

The rise of the forward motor car is not without controversy but that's a debate for another day, its a phenomenon that looks like it's here to stay so, I'm in!  

(click on any pic for gallery)

To anyone who has built a Schumacher before, that's probably most of you, the box contents will be a familiar sight.

CE1 ... The XB2 that the XB4 could have been!

Now that Xray are about to release their 2wd drive version of the XB4 I thought I would show you a project that a friend of mine, Chris Ellis, has been working on.

After having a successful season campaigning his XB4 as a 2wd he has utilised this experience to make some alterations to the car that he feels will improve it's performance even further.

 After a few long evenings beavering away in the workshop he has produced a car that many people think the the Xray XB4-2 should be.

It is certainly interesting and worth a closer look.

As can be seen from the picture the changes are quite substantial.

The saddle cells are gone and the motor mount is rotated 180 degrees thus enabling the motor to be relocated at the rear of the chassis together with the esc and a shorty battery .

To contribute further towards the perfect weight distribution the servo has been centred under the front top deck.

What you see here is a prototype. Chris tells me the car drives as he hoped it would and initial tests have been impressive.

  Some top drivers have been enlisted to help him develop this car in to a winner, they are currently testing it in varying conditions to ensure it works well whatever the surface/conditions come race day. 

It seems to be a well executed conversion.

I don't know if Chris plans to bring this to market at some point but if he does I'm certain there will be no shortage of potential buyers.

Good luck with it bud.

The layout seems to make a lot of sense and is a good way to utilise the shorty pack that is becoming ever more popular. 

Team C clearly feel the concept has a future as can be seen below with the TM2.

It is quite exciting times for 2wd drive buggies with the bigger manufacturers picking up on the design solutions that talented home designers have come up with.

Watch out for new releases soon from Schumacher and, for the well heeled, Team Xtreme and the RudeBits DB2. 

Indeed is Dave DB1 Burton the man responsible for the rise of the forward/mid motor 2wd?

A note of caution however.

The rise in popularity of 2wd off road in recent times has been, in some part, due to the increased costs involved in running touring cars.

These new 2wd cars are flippin', and in my opinion unjustifiably, expensive and rip through tyres at an alarming rate, it's not unusual to see racers using a fresh set for every round at bigger race meetings.

I'm not sure this is the way forward.

What do you think?