Toledo Report???

How was the Toledo show this year? Details of new C/L items? What did the rest of us miss?

>How was the Toledo show this year? Details of new C/L items?
> What did the rest of us miss?


"What did the rest of us miss?" Not much, I may not even bother next year.

The Swap shrunk more this year and the MECA Collecto had only 6 vendors. On the bright side, I spoke with Pete Bergstrom of Horizon Hobbies and he tells me the now have 4 stunt engines and are bringing out 4 models as well. ARFs only, which doesn't do a thing for me, but its what the market wants now.

Randy Ryan <><
AMA 8500
SAM 36
BO all my own M's

For R/C I bet ARFS sell 100 to 1 versus kits. But I bet this number is reversed for c/l. I have no desire to get another ARF after the time I've put into my yet finished Nobler. I could have easily built a Vector 40 for the same time and money.

ARFs are being built and sold for the price of kits these days. Why can't they put all those laser cut parts in a smaller box and sell it as a cheap kit? Seems any and all ARFs could be easily made into kits. Things that make you say hmmmm.

>For R/C I bet ARFS sell 100 to 1 versus kits. But I bet this
>number is reversed for c/l.

I bet it's not. Call Brodak and ask what they've sold more of, ARF's or Kits. Call Eric Rule and ask if his kit sales have declined in the past three years. Call Walter Umland. Call Tom N. If the market were indeed 100 to 1 in favor of kits do you really think there would be so many ARF's?


> I have no desire to get another
>ARF after the time I've put into my yet finished Nobler. I
>could have easily built a Vector 40 for the same time and
>money.

I don't understand, why didn't you build a Vector 40 to begin with? What were you expecting to get from an ARF that cost no more than a kit?

>ARFs are being built and sold for the price of kits these
>days. Why can't they put all those laser cut parts in a
>smaller box and sell it as a cheap kit? Seems any and all
>ARFs could be easily made into kits.

Seems RSM and Brodaks are doing just that. In addition most if not all cottage guys are going to laser cut parts. Just don't expect them to be cheap, however they are fairly reasonable for what they include.

regards,
Rick "catdaddy" Blankenship

Hi Rick,

I think you missed my point. I wasn't making the point that I should have bought the Vector but that I don't expect to purchase another ARF any time soon so I wish they would sell kits. Thats all.

BTW, I bought the Nobler ARF because I wanted it. Now I have it and I got the ARF thing out of my system. If I had wanted a Vector I would have bought one. I had no other expectations and I'm happy with how the Nobler is turning out. I just hate to see only ARFs discussed at Toledo. Nothing more.

Oh yea, I tried to call Brodak but the person who I needed to talk with had left for the day. I'll call tomorrow and for laughs and grins report what she says.

>>How was the Toledo show this year? Details of new C/L
>items?
>> What did the rest of us miss?
>
>
>"What did the rest of us miss?" Not much, I may not
>even bother next year.
>
> The Swap shrunk more this year and the MECA Collecto had only
>6 vendors. On the bright side, I spoke with Pete Bergstrom of
>Horizon Hobbies and he tells me the now have 4 stunt engines
>and are bringing out 4 models as well. ARFs only, which
>doesn't do a thing for me, but its what the market wants now.
>
>Randy Ryan <><
>AMA 8500
>SAM 36
>BO all my own M's

Randy,
I know ARF's aren't your thing in the least bit and I respect that, but did you get a sense that the new Horizon CL ARF's might be of the same quality as Horizon's RC line?

regards,
Rick "catdaddy" Blankenship

Rick,

I would expexct them to be since Pete is involved. I can't imagine them doing less with the CLers then they do with the RCs


Randy Ryan <><
AMA 8500
SAM 36
BO all my own M's

Randy:
Thanks for the Toledo report.

This was my fourth conscutive Toledo Show. As stated before, some of the weakies were weeded out, but it's still very big. There was a lot of redundancy in the past, and it's still plenty-big.

Brodak, Sig, Fox and the other usual CL vendors were in the house. A couple key losses were Harry Higly and George Cleveland.

On the plus side, several of the booths featured show girls, of which one was clearly best of show.

I would call the mix 67% RC, 3% CL, and 30% generic.
Just like any LHS or web order site.

We all use the same balsa, fuel, glow plugs, threaded fasteners, nonthreaded fasteners, cutting tools, decals, wheels, paint, and covering materials. Without the bulk of RC, we'd be in trouble.

Murphy's Bar still serves controliners.

Agree with Randy that the swap part of Toledo has really fallen off. Hardly any CL kits, many dealers of new RC stuff, emphasis on electric. What does show up is priced ahead of final high bid ebay valuations, often. Of course, this is the vendor's Perfect Right.

I can find much better swap stuff at tiny swap meets in obscure Michigan towns, such as Goodells (near Port Huron).

Currell

As Currel and Randy noted, the swap shop has receded a bit. It still occupies the whole upper level, but in the past it has overflowed into the stairwells and the bridge to the parking deck. Still, you cna't really call it "small".

Thankfully, a couple over-priced engine lovers finally packed it in. I say engine lovers cause they priced 'em so high they'll never have to leave 'em.

This year I snagged an 8-pound box of props for $20. The guy wanted 50 cents each. After I spent about 2 minutes sorting out good sizes, he said "20 bucks for the box". Case closed. One seller like this cancels out ten with $60 McCoy 35's.

I go on Friday morning only. My elders advised me that (like all flea markets), the early bird gets the worm.

Thanks for the report, guys. Yep, the swap shop has declined over the years unfortunately. It was good "back in the day". You are right... better opportunities locally.

Paul is right, I and my Buds were there early Fri. and got some good junk. Didn't see paul though. Was disapointed that JETT was not at the "Big Shew" Dubb is really good to talk to

Some Pix. You guys said it all.

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And $20 something for a McCoy Redhead needle valve. Currell