Associated Electrics
Encyclopedia
The acronym TC5 redirects here. For the American rock band, see The Click Five
.
Associated Electrics, Incorporated of Lake Forest, California is one of the world's leading manufacturers of radio controlled cars, trucks and accessories. Associated Electrics is now owned by Thunder Tiger
Corporation from Taiwan
.
Also known as Team Associated.
. Slot car
s were at the height of their popularity in Southern California at the time, so Curtis and Yurada decided to open a slot car track as a side business. Their experience in fabricating aircraft parts soon led them into producing slot car parts and accessories. So successful was the venture that it turned into a full-time business which they named Associated Electrics. The new company specialized in the manufacturing of a full line of slot car parts, chassis and accessories.
The business had grown by 1969 and was located in a small building in Paramount
. Personal issues arose between Curtis and Yurada, leading Curtis to approach early RC racer Gene Husting in hopes that Husting would buy Yurada's share of Associated. The popularity of slot cars was on the wane, but Husting was certain that radio control would flourish as the technology grew. Almost as if in anticipation of the fact, Associated had just introduced a 1:8-scale gas-powered racer, the RC1. Designed by Mike Morrisey, it soon became the most successful car on the circuit. Husting agreed to the buyout in 1970. Still very much a small business, Associated had a grand total of only six employees: Husting, Curtis, Husting's wife Midge, and three others.
where they began production of the Husting-designed RC100. The first IFMAR
race at Pomona's
Thorp Raceway (later to become the Ranch Pit Stop, temporary home of Team Losi
) saw the first five places swept by the RC100. The prestige of sweeping such a prestigious race was not overlooked by the world's top RC drivers. Before long, the RC100 was winning races all over the world.
Roger Curtis's 1984 design of a serious 1:10-scale electric offroad car not only led to explosive growth within the company, but within the world of R/C racing as well. This new vehicle was the now-famous Associated RC10 buggy. Built on a 6061 aircraft alloy chassis, the new car was, unlike its Japanese counterparts of the time, a serious offroad racing machine. Another 1-2-3 IFMAR sweep would follow in 1985 at the first 1:10 Offroad IFMAR World Championships. The RC10, possibly more than any R/C vehicle before or since, is credited with making the single biggest impact on radio control racing. The success of the RC10 forced Associated to move to a larger facility, which they found in Costa Mesa in 1987.
That same year, professional racer Cliff Lett joined Associated to head the research and development department. This department, consisting of Lett, Roger Curtis and Husting's son, Curtis, were responsible for the RC10 cars that won the IFMAR World Championships in 1989 in Australia, and in 1991 in Detroit. The success of the RC10 coupled with other cars of the time, namely the RC12LW, the RC10L, RC10LSS and the RC10T kept production going for five years and prompted the necessity of extending their building in Costa Mesa.
Gene Husting helped develop cars for Associated until 2000, when he retired. He is responsible for the lineup up to the RC10B3, RC10T3, TC3 and GT RTRs. Five years after his retirement, the company introduced an entirely new line of offroad racers with the introduction the 1:18 scale electric RC18T and RC18MT
miniature trucks. In 2006, with 20 IFMAR victories in all, Team Associated is the world's "winningest" RC car manufacturer. Reedy motors, a division of Associated, has powered 23 IFMAR World Champions.
R&D manager and world-class driver Cliff Lett broke the RC land speed record of more than 111 mph (179 km/h) with a heavily modified Associated RC10L3 touring car at Irwindale Speedway
on January 13, 2001.
A modified RC10 with an off-the-shelf Parma International 1963 Chevrolet Corvette body was used in the famous chase scene in the 1988 motion picture, The Dead Pool
. In it, Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry is being pursued through the streets of San Francisco, California by a highly explosive bomb disguised as an RC car. The "bomb" was actually driven by IFMAR world-champion race driver Jay Halsey. The car was in fact an electric; the sounds of a nitro-powered engine were added in post-production.
, a Taiwanese RC model manufacturer. http://www.rc10.com/misc/thunder_tiger_announcement.htm
Thunder Tiger expressed hope that the buyout of Associated would make it the fourth largest RC model merchant in the world, following the big three (in order) Tamiya, Kyosho
, and Futaba
/OS. http://www.ettoday.com/2005/04/07/185-1774551.htm
All these cars are based around the TC3's solid transmission, which uses two bevel-geared differentials (or "diffs"), with a prop shaft connecting them. On the BJ4, JConcepts used AE diff cases and diffs, and modified the shaft to include a slipper unit. Since then, JConcepts have updated the BJ4 to the Worlds-winning 'Worlds' edition. In Summer 2006, JConcepts "turned the drawings over to Team Associated, which took over and fine-tuned the design for fit and finish" (RC Driver magazine, Dec. 2007). The Associated B44 debuted at the 2007 EP Off-Road World Championships, where it not only top qualified, but took all three podium positions.
Also, Durango has produced multiple cars based on Associated buggies, the latest debuting at the 2006 Euros.
X-Factory, creators of the X-5 4WD Team Losi
conversion, released the X-6 conversion kit which converts the B4 Buggy into a mid-motor 4x2 cell configuration chassis.
In the onroad scene, the Associated RC12 series of cars have long been a base for other manufacturers. The unique front suspension from the RC12L3 (and updated on the RC12L4) has become industry standard and is now featured on the majority of competitive 1:12-scale racing chassis.
The Click Five
The Click Five is an American power pop band from Boston, Massachusetts. The original members, most of them students at Berklee College of Music, started on January 1, 2003 and played in various local venues. They then quickly got the attention of talent scout Wayne Sharp...
.
Associated Electrics, Incorporated of Lake Forest, California is one of the world's leading manufacturers of radio controlled cars, trucks and accessories. Associated Electrics is now owned by Thunder Tiger
Thunder Tiger
Thunder Tiger Corporation is a Taiwanese manufacturer of radio controlled model airplanes, helicopters, cars, boats and model engines including jet turbines....
Corporation from Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Also known as Team Associated.
Early history
The company was founded in 1964 by Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada, aircraft workers at the Douglas Aircraft plant in nearby Long BeachLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Slot car
Slot car
A slot car is a powered miniature auto or other vehicle that is guided by a groove or slot in the track on which it runs. A pin or blade extends from the bottom of the car into the slot...
s were at the height of their popularity in Southern California at the time, so Curtis and Yurada decided to open a slot car track as a side business. Their experience in fabricating aircraft parts soon led them into producing slot car parts and accessories. So successful was the venture that it turned into a full-time business which they named Associated Electrics. The new company specialized in the manufacturing of a full line of slot car parts, chassis and accessories.
The business had grown by 1969 and was located in a small building in Paramount
Paramount, California
Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...
. Personal issues arose between Curtis and Yurada, leading Curtis to approach early RC racer Gene Husting in hopes that Husting would buy Yurada's share of Associated. The popularity of slot cars was on the wane, but Husting was certain that radio control would flourish as the technology grew. Almost as if in anticipation of the fact, Associated had just introduced a 1:8-scale gas-powered racer, the RC1. Designed by Mike Morrisey, it soon became the most successful car on the circuit. Husting agreed to the buyout in 1970. Still very much a small business, Associated had a grand total of only six employees: Husting, Curtis, Husting's wife Midge, and three others.
Radio control takes off
In 1971, Associated moved to Santa Ana, CaliforniaSanta Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
where they began production of the Husting-designed RC100. The first IFMAR
International Federation of Model Auto Racing
International Federation of Model Auto Racing is the world governing body of professional radio controlled racing.The organization was created in 1979 by professional racer and RC model entrepreneur Ted Longshaw. At that time, many different governing bodies operated under their own rules...
race at Pomona's
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
Thorp Raceway (later to become the Ranch Pit Stop, temporary home of Team Losi
Team Losi
Team Losi is a USA based radio-controlled car manufacturer founded by Gil Losi in the late-1980s and is owned by Horizon Hobby.- History of Team Losi :...
) saw the first five places swept by the RC100. The prestige of sweeping such a prestigious race was not overlooked by the world's top RC drivers. Before long, the RC100 was winning races all over the world.
Industry develops along with the RC12
Associated would double in size thanks to Roger's next design, the 1:12-scale RC12 electric onroad racer, debuted in 1978. Simpler and far less expensive than the gas powered RC100, the RC12 is credited for much of the hobby's growth as a sport.Expansion into Reedy electric motors
As electric racing continued to grow, 1980 would see one of Associated's most important partnerships come to fruition when electrical engineer and avid R/C racer Mike Reedy joined Associated. Reedy's development of Yokomo-based motors and carefully matched battery packs led Associated's dominance of electric racing. Reedy-powered cars are credited with 23 IFMAR World Championships to date, the most of any R/C motor manufacturer.The RC10 generates a new phase of expansion
That same year, professional racer Cliff Lett joined Associated to head the research and development department. This department, consisting of Lett, Roger Curtis and Husting's son, Curtis, were responsible for the RC10 cars that won the IFMAR World Championships in 1989 in Australia, and in 1991 in Detroit. The success of the RC10 coupled with other cars of the time, namely the RC12LW, the RC10L, RC10LSS and the RC10T kept production going for five years and prompted the necessity of extending their building in Costa Mesa.
Gene Husting helped develop cars for Associated until 2000, when he retired. He is responsible for the lineup up to the RC10B3, RC10T3, TC3 and GT RTRs. Five years after his retirement, the company introduced an entirely new line of offroad racers with the introduction the 1:18 scale electric RC18T and RC18MT
Associated RC18T
The Associated RC18T is a 1:18 scale, ready-to-run electric stadium truck made by Associated Electrics of Lake Forest, California. A mechanically similar monster truck version with slightly different bodywork similar to the 1:8 scale, nitromethane-powered Associated "Monster GT" and all-terrain...
miniature trucks. In 2006, with 20 IFMAR victories in all, Team Associated is the world's "winningest" RC car manufacturer. Reedy motors, a division of Associated, has powered 23 IFMAR World Champions.
R&D manager and world-class driver Cliff Lett broke the RC land speed record of more than 111 mph (179 km/h) with a heavily modified Associated RC10L3 touring car at Irwindale Speedway
Irwindale Speedway
Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is a motorsports facility located in Irwindale, California, United States. It features banked, paved 1/2- and 1/3-mile oval tracks and a 1/8-mile drag strip. It opened on March 27, 1999, as Irwindale Speedway and held that name until Toyota purchased the naming rights...
on January 13, 2001.
A modified RC10 with an off-the-shelf Parma International 1963 Chevrolet Corvette body was used in the famous chase scene in the 1988 motion picture, The Dead Pool
The Dead Pool
The Dead Pool is a 1988 American action thriller film about the manipulation of a "dead pool" game by a serial killer, whose efforts are foiled by a hardened detective. It is the fifth and final film in the Dirty Harry series, set in San Francisco, California and starring Clint Eastwood as...
. In it, Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry is being pursued through the streets of San Francisco, California by a highly explosive bomb disguised as an RC car. The "bomb" was actually driven by IFMAR world-champion race driver Jay Halsey. The car was in fact an electric; the sounds of a nitro-powered engine were added in post-production.
New Ownership
In 2005, an announcement was made that Associated Electrics would be purchased by Thunder TigerThunder Tiger
Thunder Tiger Corporation is a Taiwanese manufacturer of radio controlled model airplanes, helicopters, cars, boats and model engines including jet turbines....
, a Taiwanese RC model manufacturer. http://www.rc10.com/misc/thunder_tiger_announcement.htm
Thunder Tiger expressed hope that the buyout of Associated would make it the fourth largest RC model merchant in the world, following the big three (in order) Tamiya, Kyosho
Kyosho
is a model car company based in Tokyo, Japan. The brand operates internationally under the name KYOSHO. The company's main office is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and the production headquarters are located in Atsugi, Kanagawa....
, and Futaba
Futaba RC
is a Japanese company that is most known for designing and manufacturing hobby-grade radio control systems including transmitters, receivers, servos, electronics and model aircraft...
/OS. http://www.ettoday.com/2005/04/07/185-1774551.htm
Off shoots & Conversions
Team Associated cars have inspired various conversion from small companies. Several offroad buggies have been developed from the TC3 chassis, most notably the TC3 'o', the Durango range, and recently (and most successfully) JConcepts with their BJ4 and Worlds-winning BJ4 'Worlds'.All these cars are based around the TC3's solid transmission, which uses two bevel-geared differentials (or "diffs"), with a prop shaft connecting them. On the BJ4, JConcepts used AE diff cases and diffs, and modified the shaft to include a slipper unit. Since then, JConcepts have updated the BJ4 to the Worlds-winning 'Worlds' edition. In Summer 2006, JConcepts "turned the drawings over to Team Associated, which took over and fine-tuned the design for fit and finish" (RC Driver magazine, Dec. 2007). The Associated B44 debuted at the 2007 EP Off-Road World Championships, where it not only top qualified, but took all three podium positions.
Also, Durango has produced multiple cars based on Associated buggies, the latest debuting at the 2006 Euros.
X-Factory, creators of the X-5 4WD Team Losi
Team Losi
Team Losi is a USA based radio-controlled car manufacturer founded by Gil Losi in the late-1980s and is owned by Horizon Hobby.- History of Team Losi :...
conversion, released the X-6 conversion kit which converts the B4 Buggy into a mid-motor 4x2 cell configuration chassis.
In the onroad scene, the Associated RC12 series of cars have long been a base for other manufacturers. The unique front suspension from the RC12L3 (and updated on the RC12L4) has become industry standard and is now featured on the majority of competitive 1:12-scale racing chassis.