Team Associated RC10 B3 (1997) 9003 / 9013 / 9033 / 9032

   Released by Team Associated in 1997, the 2WD RC10B3 Buggy was available in 3 kit options: B3 Basic - # 9003, B3 Sport - # 9013 and B3 Team - # 9033. A Worlds Upgrade Kit - # 9021 and two B2 to B3 conversion kits - # 9022 / # 9023 - were also released.

   A fourth B3 Team kit - # 9032, was also introduced circa 2000, replacing the original B3 Team kit - # 9033. The new kit has the same box as the B3 Factory Team Kit - # 9043, and also came with the special Pro-Line low profile Deja-Vu Tu bodyshell.

   Some special kits were also released over the six year production run of the B3, including the # 9003+ Basic Plus kit, that came with a Reedy "Fire Hawk" racing motor. There was also a Masami Special kit introduced in Japan only, to celebrate his "Fastest car in the Worlds".

   In this series of articles I will endeavour to provide information to help identify any of the 1/10 Scale RC10 2WD series and where it sits along its evolutionary trail. With this knowledge, any RC10 owner should be able to decide if their model is just one of the many thousands that were produced, or is potentially a collectors "holy grail".

1997 RC10 B3

   Based on the same molded composite plastic chassis as the B2, the only difference being the B3 having two holes to facilitate the rear sway bar, the 2WD RC10B3 came with coil spring over oil filled anodised dampers, a ball differential, MIP CVD drive-shafts (dogbones for Basic and Sport), a Stealth gearbox, turnbuckles, slipper clutch and a full set of ball bearings (bushings for Basic and Sport).

1997 Model Versions:

• #9003 RC10B3 Basic Kit Less motor, pinion gear, battery, radio, and all electrical
• #9013 RC10B3 Sport Kit Less battery, pinion gear, and radio
• #9033 RC10B3 Team Kit Less motor, battery, pinion gear, radio, and all electrical

Features:

• Quadra-symmetric (equal length front and rear) suspension
• Full ball bearings (bronze bushings for Basic and Sport kits)
• Extra-long suspension arms
• Optimized front-end geometry; adjustable caster, camber, toe-in
• Redesigned steering blocks for improved Ackermann
• Improved block carriers with 30 deg. caster
• Stronger ball end cups from the RC10T3 truck
• Molded composite chassis
• New Pro-Line® low-profle Deja-Vu Tu body
• Adjustable battery placement with foam spacers
• 2.40:1 Associated transmission with bearings (bushings in Basic and Sport kits)
• MIP® CVD™ axles (dogbones with stub axles for Basic and Sport kits)
• Larger, 2.2" lightweight, 1-piece dish wheels (3-piece wheels for Basic and Sport kits) 2.2" Pro-Line® tires. Front: 4 Rib M2. Rear: Holeshot M2.
• Hard-anodized, PTFE-coated gray shocks (Gold-anodized shocks for Basic and Sport kit)
• Motor and mechanical speed control included in Sport Kit
• Instruction manual with exploded drawings or photos

Related:

• #9021 Worlds Upgrade Kit
• #9022 B3 Conversion Kit Convert B2 to B3, standard composite parts
• #9023 B3 Conversion Kit Convert B2 to B3, carbon fiber composite parts

2000 Model Versions:

1997 RC10 B3 - Box Art:

   The original 1997 B3 Box.





   RC10 B3 Special Kit # 9003+.



   A special kit to celebrate Masami Hirosaka, was only available in Japan.



   Masami Hirosaka.



   The late # 9032 Box.

1997 RC10 B3 Chassis:

   RC10 B3 Basic Chassis - # 9003.



   RC10 B3 Sport Chassis - # 9013, mechanical speed controller.



   RC10 B3 Team Chassis - # 9033.

1997 RC10 B3 - Bodyshells:

   Billy Easton B3 bodyshell.



   Masami Hirosaka B3 bodyshell.

1997 RC10 B3 - Stealth Gearbox:

   The RC10 B3 Stealth Gearbox.



   RC10 B3 Stealth Gearbox, with ball bearings for the B3 Team and Factory Team, and bushings for the B3 Basic Sport.



   The RC10 B3 Slipper Clutch.

1997 RC10 B3 - Dampers:

   RC10 B3 Team hard anodised dampers.



   RC10 B3 Basic and Sport gold anodised dampers.



   A special assembly tool was required to position the O-rings inside the dampers.



   RC10 B3 Shock Towers.

1997 RC10 B3 - Suspension Parts:

   RC10 B3 Front and Rear A-Arms (Wishbones).



   RC10 B3 Front Steering Blocks.



   RC10 B3 Rear alloy plate.

1997 RC10 B3 - Wheels:

   RC10 B3 Team (#9033) Wheels, are one piece.



   The original 1997 RC10 B3 Basic (#9003) and Sport (#9013) Wheels, came in Three Pieces (#6854Y) in yellow plastic, each held togeather by three set screws. Circa 2000 all versions of the B3 came with One Piece wheels.

B2 to B3 Conversion Kit:

   Introduced Circa 1997, theere were essentially Three Conversion kits: Worlds Upgrade Kit - #9021, A Standard Composite parts Kit - #9022, and a Carbon Fiber Composite parts Kit - #9023.

   At present, the RC Model Manufacturers, Brands and Distributors covered by us are: ABC Hobby, Academy, Acme Racing, Agama Racing, Amewi, Ansmann Racing, ARRMA, Team Associated, Atomic RC, Axial, AYK, Bolink, BSD Racing, Capricorn, Carisma, Carson, Caster Racing, Cen, Corally, Custom Works, Durango, Duratrax, ECX - Electrix, Exceed RC, FG Modellsport, FS-Racing, FTX, Fujimi, Gmade, GS-Racing, Harm, HBX, Helion, Heng Long, Himoto Racing, Hirobo, Hitari, Hobao, Hong-Nor, Hot Bodies, HPI, HSP, Intech, Integy, Jamara, JQ Products, Kawada, Kyosho, Losi, LRP, Maisto, Mardave, Marui, Maverick, MCD Racing, Megatech, Mugen, New Bright, Nichimo, Nikko, Nkok, Ofna, Pro-Pulse, Protech, PTI, RC4WD, Redcat Racing, RJ-Speed, Robitronic, Schumacher, Seben, Serpent, Smartech, Sportwerks, Step-Up, Tamiya, Team-C Racing, Team Magic, Thunder Tiger, Tomy, Top Racing, Traxxas, Trinity, Tyco, Vaterra RC, Venom, VRX Racing, WLToys, X-Factory, Xmods, Xpress, Xray, XTM, Yankee RC, Yokomo, ZD Racing and Zipzaps.

   This is an ongoing project, with new and "lost in time" RC Models and Brands being added as they are found and although most of those listed above have been covered in relative detail, some are still being researched and will be completed in the near future.

Information and Advice

Electronic Speed Controllers

   ESC were originally developed to be used in conjunction with brushed 27T stock and modified motors in the late 1970s, early 1980s. Compared to modern day Controllers, they were Bulky and heavy, constructed using basic resistors, rheostats, capacitors and transistors, crammed together on a simple circuit board, to provide stepped but smooth acceleration when compared to the old mechanical, servo operated sweeper Speed Controllers. An Electronic Switch to change the direction of current flow was used on some of these early ESC to give reverse operation. Although they were a vast improvement on the old mechanical speedos of the time, they were expensive, jerky to control, and prone to burn out if not carefully looked after.

   As new technology became available, improvements were slowly made, and with the introduction of the new FET (Field Effect Transistors) and some basic mass produced silicon chips, ESC were made smaller and their reliability gradually improved.

   By the mid 1990s, "regenerative breaking" was developed. This meant that energy that would have been lost slowing down the car by effectively turning the motor into a generator, was harvested and put back into the battery. This of course was long before F1 had KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) and adjustable anti lock breaking was introduced.

Servos for RC Models

   Servos are found on all kinds of Radio Controlled Models. RC Touring Cars, Buggys, Trucks, Truggys, Monster Trucks, Rock Crawlers, Airplanes, Helicopters, Boats and Ships for Steering, Throttle Control, Rudder Operation and Wing Flaps.

   For complete RC beginners, choosing the right servo can be confusing, so here are a few tips to point you in the right direction.

   The standard, plastic bushed (bearings) type servos are fine to start with but come with plastic/nylon gears that can break easily in collisions. So, to protect your servo gears to some degree, make sure you have a good "servo saver".