CompetitionX hops up HPI's Vorza 1:8 Scale buggy. We touch on 6 different areas and give you suggestions as to the best upgrades.

1. Hop Up Corner: HPI Vorza 1:8 Scale
www.competitionx.com/hop-up-corner/hop-up-corner-hpi-vorza-18-scale/
Performance Parts for Your HPI Vorza
For this installment of Hop Up Corner, we’re going to check out some of the best upgrades for your HPI
Racing Vorza. As of this writing, this buggy is still pretty new but we’ve come across some cool upgrades
that are sure to catch your eye! Let’s check them out!
Suspension
The Vorza already comes with a really good suspension
system that has alot of tuning adjustments. The one area,
however, that has been addressed by the people that race
them is the rear suspension, mainly the rear tower and
rear shocks. Adding the #67210 High Mount Rear Shock
Tower and HPI Racing 112mm Big Bore Shock Set adds
more droop to the rear of the car, something that helps
stabilize the buggy on slicker surfaces. The parts bolt on
without any issues – simply remove the old tower and
replace with the new; same with the shocks. You’ll notice
an immediate difference in the rear droop when the buggy sits static as well as a much easier attitude
when driving on slippery surfaces.
Electronics

2. The Vorza comes loaded with a brutally fast 2200kV Flux
power system that is capable of shredding the tires right
off the wheels. The pull the most performance from this
system, you need a healthy dose of LiPo power – thus the
reason I chose the MaxAmps 6500mah 14.8v LiPo
Battery. I’ve used the MaxAmps packs in quite a few
projects and have never been disappointed in their power
or longevity. You can get them with a number of different
plug configurations (I suggest the Deans for the Vorza)
and they have a JST-XH connector for easy balancing.
The hard outer case also stands up to quite a bit of punishment and fits snugly in the battery tray on the
Vorza. Note that if you do decide to go with a single 4S pack, you’ll need to pick up a Single Pack Deans
Adapter.
Drivetrain
The drivetrain on the Vorza is pretty solid – it needs to be
to handle the brutish Flux system. That doesn’t mean,
though, that it can’t benefit from some lightweight parts.
To help reduce rotating mass and increase acceleration, I
suggest picking up a full set of WCE (World Champion
Edition) universal axles. There are two in the center
(Front: Hot Bodies D8 78mm Center Driveshaft Set; Rear:
Hot Bodies D8 105mm Center Driveshaft Set and a set for
all four corners of the buggy (Hot Bodies D8 92mm WCE
Universal Drive Shaft Set These are made from aluminum
and will bend alot easier than the stock steel parts, so these are only suggested if you plan on racing or
backing off a bit from your supreme bashing moments.
Body
Unfortunately, the Vorza didn’t make the cut when it came
to aftermarket bodies. I’m sure with a little persuasion you
could make a few other bodies work, but for now I would
suggest getting a Clear HPI Racing VB-1 Buggy Body.
Paint it how you like and sticker it up, but know that this is
a direct fit and won’t give you any trouble when it comes
time to mount it. It comes with a decal sheet and window
masks and is extremely durable, being made from thick
Lexan. The wing is sold separately in black (HPI Racing
1/8 Deck Wing Black), but a white version (Hot Bodies 1/8
Deck Wing White is available from the Lightning Series that works as well.
Wheels/Tires

3. The kit tires are great for everyday use, but if you want
something with a little more traction, I suggest checking
out any of Proline 1/8 Scale Tires. If I were to choose, I’d
really look at something like the Pro-Line Racing Blockade
M3 Off-Road 1:8 Buggy Tires. These tires work great on a
variety of surfaces and the M3 compound is soft, but not
too soft that they wear out fast. They come pre-mounted,
but when you’re going for style who likes the boring dish
wheel. Thankfully Proline has a solution for that as well –
check out the Pro-Line Racing Split Six V2 Black Wheels.
These wheels will mate up perfectly with the Blockades for a more custom look.
Accessory
If you’re going to invest in a new battery (or pair of
batteries), you might as well pick up a charger that is
going to take care of them. The Hitec X2 AC Plus Dual
Charger is a perfect solution, allowing you to charge one
or two packs at a time. It has a very intuitive LCD display,
easy button-through menu and a built in power supply. It
can charge up to 6S LiPo, 15 NiCd/NiMh cells and even
lead acid batteries, has adjustable charge current (up to
10A) and even has a place to plug in your phone (via USB
port). I’ve used Hitec charges for a long time and have to
admit they are one of my favorites. Plus they look good in red!
HPI did a great job with the Vorza and, as you can see, there isn’t much we could do to make it ‘better’ –
just a little more fun. Hopefully this article has helped you achieve that.
Like to see another car featured? Shoot us a message using the form on the Hop-Up Corner Request
Page and we’ll get it added to the queue!
Links
HPI Racing – www.hpiracing.com
MaxAmps – www.maxamps.com
Hitec RCD – www.hitecrcd.com