Sparko F8SE: the 1/8 nitro buggy Special Edition broken down on video

Photo: Sparko Racing / PowerHobby (source)

Sparko F8SE: the Special Edition of the 1/8 nitro buggy broken down

The Sparko F8SE gets a full video presentation by Jacob Hardison, of Adrenaline RC Racing. The exercise is useful: this Special Edition of the 1/8 nitro buggy from Sparko Racing is not merely a different livery, it fits as standard a series of options that until now were only sold separately.

A 7075-T6 chassis designed around flex

The basis of the Sparko F8SE remains a hard-anodised 7075-T6 aluminium chassis, narrow in design, directly inspired by the brand’s electric platform. The stated goal is twofold: lower the centre of gravity and, above all, allow fine tuning of stiffness. The driver can soften the whole assembly to attack a rough, low-grip track, or stiffen it on a very high-grip layout where the chassis must stay stable under load.

The wheelbase adjusts over a 323 to 327 mm range, with a plus or minus 2 mm adjustment that shifts the car’s overall balance. Front and rear track widths are set at 301 mm. The drivetrain remains shaft-driven four-wheel drive with a reinforced centre driveshaft and three gear differentials. The gear ratio is quoted at 11.7 and race-ready weight is around 3,420 grams, without engine and electronics.

The factory options included as standard

The main difference between the standard kit and this Special Edition lies in the contents. The aluminium front spindles with 4 degrees of KPI are fitted from the factory, as are the CNC-machined plus 2 mm rear inserts. The front and rear shock towers adopt revised geometry, intended to gain steering precision and stability under braking. Add to that carbon fibre chassis braces, aluminium shock towers, Big Bore shocks and a competition fuel tank with an integrated pickup.

The kit supplies the polycarbonate body, the wing, the air filter, the hardware, the decals and the manual. The engine, radio system, servos, receiver pack, wheels and fuel remain to be supplied. Part number F80001-SE, the Sparko F8SE is listed at around 682.50 dollars at distributor PowerHobby, and is also found at European dealers under part number SPKF80001-26.