Geez, why does everyone on here hate Traxxas?
Not hate. They just don't offer a the same value as others at a given price point. They're kinda toy grade vehicles, but they're popular with the youngsters because they have all the gizmodery with telemetric data and fully digital tuning from the TX. If you understand that you're paying $500 for a $250 car and are OK with the other $250 paying for the technology that gives you instrumentation on your iPhone, then great. Me? I'd rather the car perform, don't have time to look at engine temp, etc while I'm flying off a jump or drifting a corner.
Traxxas does make certain things that I'm fond of, though. Not whole cars, but parts. Love the Talon tires, and the beefier camber links worked out well on my 10GT, as the factory Associated parts are made for light weight, not durability through abuse.
I'm thinking of picking up an older used RC10 here lately. I figure the parts should still be available, and the aftermarket parts should be plentiful. I remember wanting one really, really badly back when I was first getting into RC. Which version of the RC10 should I look for? Will I need to change anything to convert it to brushless power? How are the new brushless motors rated? What should I look for in a motor/ESC?
I think you'd be hard pressed to find another kit, discontinued or current, with as much parts availability and aftermarket support as the gen 2 (blue chassis) RC10GT. They had a long production run and were tremendously popular. I still have 2, just sold one, and they are my platforms for crazy builds. I know the guys here are probably getting sick of seeing these pictures, but I'm gonna post 'em anyway:
RC10GT FT, with OFNA .32, many custom hand made parts, 2.8" TRX Talons:
RC10GT RTR chassis, currently running a Picco .21, about to get crazy modded with OFNA LX2 rear sub chassis and an LRP ZR-32 engine:
As for making one brushless, I believe there are a couple of sources for motor mounts.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Associated-G...item1c33d8b454
Just a plate that bolts to the trans. Personally, if I were going to make one brushless, I'd build the tranny with RRP gears and a GPM alloy housing, put a 2,650 KV 1/8 motor in it, and run 6s. But as you can see, I like to overpower everything. Heck, I built an RC18T nitro and stuffed a .15 in it. I do it with real cars, too, like my '78 Dodge Aspen coupe that I shoe horned a 440 into.