Associated Electrics

Lore & Background

The company was founded in 1964 by Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada, technicians at the Douglas Aerophysics Laboratory in El Segundo, California. They initially opened a slot car track as a side business during the height of slot car popularity, then began producing slot car parts and accessories. The venture became a full-time business named Associated Electrics, specializing in slot car parts, chassis, and accessories. By 1969, the business had grown and moved to a small building in Paramount. Personal issues between Curtis and Yurada led Curtis to approach early RC racer Gene Husting, who bought Yurada's share in 1970. At that time, Associated had just introduced the RC1, a 1:8-scale gas-powered racer designed by Mike Morrisey, which became the most successful car on the circuit.

In 1971, Associated moved to Santa Ana, California, and began production of the Husting-designed RC100, a 1:8-scale nitro vehicle. The RC100 swept the first five places at the IFMAR World Championships in 1977 at Pomona's Thorp Raceway. The RC12, a 1:12-scale electric onroad racer debuted in 1978, credited with much of the hobby's growth. In 1980, electrical engineer Mike Reedy joined Associated, and his motors powered 28 IFMAR World Champions. Roger Curtis's 1984 design of the RC10 buggy, a 1:10-scale electric offroad car, led to explosive growth and a 1-2-3 IFMAR sweep in 1985. The success forced a move to a larger facility in Costa Mesa in 1987. Cliff Lett joined in 1987 as R&D manager and later broke the RC land speed record of over 111 mph in 2001 with a modified RC10L3 touring car.

In 2000, Gene Husting retired and sold his share to Roger Curtis. In 2005, Curtis sold Associated Electrics to Thunder Tiger. The company's cars have inspired conversions from small companies, such as JConcepts' BJ4 and the Associated B44, which debuted at the 2007 EP Off-Road World Championships and took all three podium positions. The RC12 series front suspension became industry standard on competitive 1:12-scale racing chassis.

Reader's Guide

Associated Electrics' significance lies in its sustained competitive dominance and its role in shaping the RC car hobby. The RC100 swept the first IFMAR World Championships in 1977, establishing the company's early reputation. The RC12, introduced in 1978, is credited with much of the hobby's growth as a sport due to its simplicity and lower cost compared to gas-powered cars. The RC10 buggy, designed by Roger Curtis in 1984, made the single biggest impact on radio control racing, according to the article, and forced the company to expand its facility. The partnership with Mike Reedy in 1980 led to Reedy motors powering 28 IFMAR World Champions, the most of any RC motor manufacturer. As of 2006, Team Associated held 27 IFMAR World Championship victories, making it the world's 'winningest' RC car manufacturer. The company's cars have also appeared in popular culture, such as the modified RC10 used in the chase scene of the 1988 film 'The Dead Pool'. The company's designs have influenced other manufacturers, with the RC12 front suspension becoming industry standard and the TC3 chassis serving as a base for conversions like the JConcepts BJ4, which won the IFMAR World Championship.

Did You Know?

• A modified RC10 with a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette body was used in the chase scene of the 1988 film 'The Dead Pool'.
• Cliff Lett broke the RC land speed record of over 111 mph (179 km/h) with a modified RC10L3 touring car in 2001.
• As of 2006, Team Associated held 27 IFMAR World Championship victories, the most of any RC car manufacturer.

From Slot Cars to the Open Road

Associated Electrics was born out of a side hustle. In 1964, Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada—both technicians at the Douglas Aerophysics Laboratory in El Segundo, California—decided to capitalize on the slot car craze sweeping Southern California. They opened a slot car track as a secondary venture, and their background in fabricating precision aircraft parts naturally carried over into producing slot car components and accessories. The side business quickly outgrew its origins, becoming a full-time operation specializing in a complete line of slot car parts, chassis, and add-ons under the name Associated Electrics. By 1969 the company had settled into a small building in Paramount, but friction between the two founders forced a restructuring. Curtis turned to Gene Husting, an early radio control racer, and pitched him on buying out Yurada's stake. Husting saw the future in radio control rather than the fading slot car market. The timing was remarkable: Associated had just unveiled the RC1, a 1:8-scale gas-powered racer designed by Mike Morrisey that was already dominating race circuits. Husting closed the deal in 1970, and the company went forward with just six people—Husting, Curtis, Husting's wife Midge, and three others.

Conquering the Circuit

In 1971, Associated relocated to Santa Ana, California, and began producing the RC100, a 1:8-scale nitro-powered vehicle designed by Gene Husting himself. It was only the company's second remote control vehicle, yet it would become a force of nature in the sport. The RC100 claimed the ROAR Nationals title in 1976, and then delivered a stunning performance at the inaugural IFMAR World Championships in 1977 at Pomona's Thorp Raceway. Associated drivers Butch Kroells, Bill Jianis, and Gene Husting himself took the first, second, and third places, sweeping the top five spots entirely. The car's dominance was not a fluke but a statement of intent. The following year brought the RC12, a 1:12-scale electric onroad racer that was simpler and far more affordable than its nitro predecessors. This accessibility proved transformative: the RC12 is widely credited with fueling the rapid growth of radio control as a mainstream sport, and the company doubled in size as a direct result. Together, the RC100 and RC12 established Associated as the benchmark against which all competitors would be measured.

The RC10 and a New Era

Roger Curtis's 1984 design of a serious 1:10-scale electric offroad buggy changed the trajectory of the entire hobby. Built on a 6061 aircraft alloy chassis, the RC10 was unlike the Japanese offroad cars of the era—it was a genuine, purpose-built racing machine. The proof came almost immediately: at the first IFMAR 1:10 Electric Off-Road World Championship in 1985, Associated drivers claimed a 1-2-3 sweep, cementing the RC10's reputation. The car is often cited as having made the single biggest impact on radio control racing of any vehicle before or since. The explosive demand forced Associated to outgrow its Santa Ana space, and in 1987 the company moved to a larger facility in Costa Mesa. That same year, Cliff Lett—a former Yamaha technician and professional RC racer—joined to lead the research and development department. Working alongside Roger Curtis and Gene Husting's son Curtis, the R&D team produced the RC10 variants that won the IFMAR World Championships in Australia in 1989 and in Detroit in 1991. A family of related cars, including the RC12LW, RC10L, RC10LSS, and RC10T, kept production lines running for five years and required the Costa Mesa building to be extended.

Records, Pop Culture, and a New Chapter

Associated's influence extended beyond the racetrack. In 1980, electrical engineer and avid RC racer Mike Reedy joined the company, and his development of Yokomo-based motors paired with carefully matched battery packs propelled Associated to dominance in electric racing. Reedy-powered cars have since claimed 28 IFMAR World Championships, the most of any RC motor manufacturer. On January 13, 2001, R&D manager Cliff Lett shattered the RC land speed record, pushing a heavily modified RC10L3 touring car past 111 mph (179 km/h) at Irwindale Speedway. The brand crossed into Hollywood: a modified RC10 wearing a Parma International 1963 Chevrolet Corvette body starred in the chase sequence of the 1988 film The Dead Pool, where Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry is pursued by an explosive device disguised as a radio control car. IFMAR world champion Jay Halsey drove the electric vehicle through San Francisco's streets, while nitro engine sounds were layered in during post-production. By 2006, Team Associated had accumulated 27 IFMAR victories, earning the title of the world's winningest RC car manufacturer. In 2005, Roger Curtis sold the company to Thunder Tiger, a Taiwanese RC model maker hoping to become the fourth-largest in the industry behind Tamiya, Kyosho, and Futaba/O.S. Engines.