Show #349 The No Name RC Podcast - RC Hobby Shop to Power Wheels Modification PowerHouse ML Toys

Show #349 The No Name RC Podcast - RC Hobby Shop to Power Wheels Modification PowerHouse ML Toys

From The No Name RC Podcast by thenonamercpodcast

April 17, 2026 · 1h 25m · Episode 368

About this episode

This episode features an interview with Alan Placer discussing his journey from RC hobby shop to founding ML Toys and insights into the Power Wheels industry.

00:00 Intro00:37 Episode overview05:27 Alan’s RC beginnings08:10 Hobby shop & early RC racing13:06 Northeast RC history21:43 EMS career & return to hobby23:18 Decline of hobby shops30:15 Birth of ML Toys34:51 Product growth & R&D38:25 Leaving the hobby shop42:07 ML Toys today44:19 Power Wheels industry insight49:30 Racing vs bashing57:55 Power Wheels shutdown (Mattel)1:00:43 Building new ML Toys cars1:07:12 Back to RC racing1:11:08 Motorama & racing scene1:15:50 Battery swap innovation1:20:24 Final thoughts 🔥 Show #349 – From RC Hobby Shop Roots to a Power Wheels Empire! 🔥 What is going on RC Racing World!!! This week on The No Name RC Podcast, Lefty sits down with Alan Placer and this one is a WILD crossover episode you don’t want to miss! We’re talking RC racing in the 80s, the rise and fall of hobby shops, and how Alan turned a small side hustle fixing Power Wheels into ML Toys — a multi-million dollar powerhouse in the ride-on world 💥 We dive into: The OG Northeast RC racing scene The truth about why hobby shops struggled How ML Toys was born The hidden world of Power Wheels mods & racing And why Alan is now building his OWN ride-on vehicles from…

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