WOW! Awesome! I've been reading this forum for a while (and some serious binging on Dave's YouTube channel too), but this response rate is awesome! Thanks for the ideas, guys!
It has two 12V dc motors (generic kind, NSD B motor RS550S), each is wired through 2 relays (SARB-S-112D4U), I'm assuming for bi-directional control. The steering "servo" (although I haven't gotten that thing apart yet) consists of something similar, because the control board has two more smaller relays (SARM-S-112D4), which are wired in the direction of the front... I ASSUME (and we all know that when someone ASSUMEs they make an @$$ out of U and ME) that it is basically a DC motor with a couple of end-switches to tell the "brains" that the steering wheels are turned one way or other.
I've gotten into it superficially today, just to have a look-see and now I'm thinking a full-on tuning job on this thing. Like PIMP-MY-RIDE type thing. Proper remote control with ESC for the drive motors, servo for steering (I'm thinking one of those 1:5 scale types, with about 20kg/cm of torque should do fine), battery upgrade (higher capacity, not power), perhaps some protection/monitoring circuitry for the battery compartment and the motors. Now 2 questions remaining - do I build from scratch (Arduino-based, with something like an NRF24L01) and motor drivers and all that business OR should I cheat and just buy a RC kit (transmitter/receiver, ESC and blah-blah)...
I'm leaning towards the first option, considering that I can get help with all the circuitry.
This is going to be more or less a summer project for me, and I've been looking for something like this to do for a while now. Considering that I have a half dozen different Arduinos and bare-bones MCs laying around...
This is going to be fun.
Attached the photos of what I have discovered so far. Seems like this is pretty much the brains of the operation. I'll have to dedicate some time to actually figure out how and where all the switches come from and to, and all the LEDs on it and all the other stuff. There are two tactile buttons on the steering wheel, one honks, the other turns on and cycles through 4 tracks (one of which is Gangnam Style... go figure). There is a volume knob, an AUX IN 1/8" jack. A "gearshift" for forward and reverse (SPDT switch?), a lights on/off switch, manual/rc switch and slow/fast.
Oh, and a micro switch for gas pedal (motor on/off).
Doesn't seem too complex.
Wow, this is a lot of words. Sorry guys. Just excited about this project