Marciatelli's advice and points are very sound.
For servos his recommendations on the torque specs are right on. In my opinion though .12/sec is pretty darn fast, as long as you have enough torque to go along with it you don't really need to go faster on the steering servo. Just my opinion. Also servos get pricey when you want faster than .12/sec combined with 200oz or more of torque. The throttle/brake servo on the other hand should be faster though as you'll notice it more, here I'd definitely go for something around .10/sec if you can.
I also like like his engine recommendations, specifically not going right for a .28 engine. A smaller .21 does give up some power but unless it's a really big track where you can gear for more top speed you won't really notice it much. The .28 may be too much to power out of low speed turns without spinning the tires. They also don't rev as high due to the long stroke and their fuel mileage is worse. There are some in between .24 and .25 racing engines if you're doubtful about which way to go.
I have an 8ight-t 2.0 and love it. I completely understand buying more and better than you may need, it's your coin to spend and if you're happy with it why not. I haven't tried them yet but the Losi can obviously take a Smart Diff which are supposed to be really good on a track as well. Personally the only other high end truggy I'd consider is a Mugen, they have a well deserved reputation for being built like tanks and proven on track performance as well.
The only build tip I have is to take your time. The better built it is the less headaches you will have. You'll want to pay particular attention to the shimming of the rear diff. It was a bit of a trouble spot on earlier versions but Losi did make some improvements in this area.
Last edited by Maj_Overdrive; 08-17-2014 at 09:11 PM.