MCD RACE RUNNER

After having recently driven our reviewed HPI Baja and Carson Comanche cars amongst others, I’m ready to admit that I’m warming towards these large scale models. They’re reliable, easy to work on and generally great fun although it’s true to say that the currently available crop of large scale vehicles are more suited for bashing as opposed to out-and-out racing. Sure, there are large scale clubs around and their popularity is definitely increasing, but the vehicles themselves have remained similar in format for quite a few years now, that’s to say two wheel drive, less than ideal weight distribution and essentially agricultural in design. But then the MCD Race Runner comes into the foray and stands head and shoulders above the rest in its technicality, newly laid out formation and that it features a 4WD system. I have a suspicion that this could be the machine to boost the profile of large scale off-road racing and was determined to test my theory as the sales pitch for this MCD relates a story of extensive development culminating in race winning abilities.

Large me up

The review model duly arrived and was immediately the subject of great interest in the office. It’s quite simply a world away from the simplistic designs of the other mainstream large scale models we’ve previously seen, as it’s a true race machine that will also out-bash anything. So I considered myself lucky to get away with it under my arm managing to dodge the very real danger of somebody else claiming the review task.
The “Race Runner” ships without an engine, radio or servos. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though because serious racers more often than not pull these very items from RTR models using instead their own preferred equipment and this is no way an off-the-peg model. Alternatively the supplier will be happy to tailor a complete package to suit the racers needs and budget at the point of sale from a 23cc right up to a 29cc engine and in this case the UK supplier King Cobra Racing, had kindly installed a 26cc “Zenoah” motor and an exhaust into the chassis because they believe it suits it best to give us a head start, meaning all I had to do was fit a radio system. 

Once home I unpacked the buggy and started leering over it, mentally ticking off the long list of highly impressive features which include a chunky, totally flat, 4mm CNC T6 ally chassis with side guards, a full length roll cage, fully adjustable suspension with ally threaded shocks that have a forked connection to the mammoth lower A-arms enabling the extra strength of two points of contact, whilst at the top I see what looks like two sets of shock towers at each end encasing the diff housings and providing a rigid stance for the top of the shock absorbers. The diffs themselves have bevel cut teeth for extra muscle and a centre diff is available as an optional extra which can be locked or unlocked very easily. It then goes on to feature huge CVD drive shafts, immense turnbuckles front and rear with equally impressive sized knuckles, uprights and captured hinge pins. At the very front of the kicked up chassis is a solid piece of metal for a bumper braced by a solid metal bar running behind it to ensure maximum protection, something as strong as this I’ve only seen previously in a Volvo I stripped for parts a while back!

I was approaching pleasure overload but managed to keep calm enough to gawp at what is surely the best bit and the thing which really pushes this model above the competition - the four wheel drive system. Drive is delivered to both ends via a transfer box and hardened drive shafts; up to 12 different gear ratios are then available by swapping around the easily accessible reduction gears on the side of the motor. Talking of the motor, I decided to switch out the stock air filter and replace this with a Sikk filter and off road sock as I’m not a fan of the plastic ones and this one will guarantee less dirt making its way through to my carb. All this is mounted bang in the centre of the chassis for excellent balance, with the fuel tank, that has a hollowed part in the middle to allow for the rear centre driveshaft to pass through, sitting behind it.