Nicadraus

Check out shocks by ZD Racing. They're cheap but very nice and sturdy. I'm using 100mm for my CC-01.

Looking at the picture, you can customize a mount that will hold the body. A carbon fiber board perhaps or 3D print something.

Can you share some pics please?

I use polyurethane paints of my projects for RC/models and many others. Polyurethane is very sturdy and shiny when done in the proper procedure and volume mix of paint, thinner and catalyst.

I have some pending orders from China. Some were ordered Jan 8, 15 and 22. It only usually takes 10-12 days to get the items here. But many of them haven't arrived yet. I'm tracking them but it says "processing" until now.

W12 is my code model when I have customized the 1200s. It stands for "Works1200". You can check out my page in FB, Works1200 (Works Twelvehundred).

You can either use acrylic sheet about 1mm or polycarbonate/lexan sheet 0.5mm to use to extend the body and create side panels. It would also require using putty for a cleaner look after painting. For display, it would work. But for bashing/racing, those fabricated panels won't last especially when the car crashes.

For performance, Top Cat. For fun, Super Astute. I had an Astute back in the 90s and upgraded it. Hi-cap shocks, parallel battery placement, fabricated top deck from a 1.5mm carbon fiber. I loved that kit. I wished I never gave it away.

Looks like a Grasshopper (1st edition) that has a modified body side panels and modified suspension too.

Not too intricate but my own designed paint schemes I did back in 2005/06 for my HPI Pro4.

For anodized effect, you will need to paint bright silver first on the part/material then top it with clear blue. Finish it off with clear top coat to protect the paint. I have done this method with some of my turntable projects. Use either acrylic or polyurethane paint. Enamel won't last and will easily fade or scraped off. Not TRF blue but the shade can be mixed to lighter or darker.

I just saw this and all I can say is... WOW!!! I'd like to see more of the kits underneath those nice painted bodies. They all seem to be heavily modified.

Platform - This is important. I buy a kit that is first stable, have nice adjustable parts in it and have good spare parts support or availability. I would rather get a TA/TB/TRF/XV kit than a TT. It's always easier to downgrade than upgrade. Less cost too. Like make a TB chassis to a basher or rally car than upgrading a TT chassis which is limited to it's capabilities and will require to spend so much on parts upgrading it just to get at par with a box stock TA/TB. A fully upgraded TT-01/02 for example won't probably keep up with a box stock TB-04/05 or a TA-05/06 on an on-road track. A fully upgraded TT-01/02 won't keep up with a box stock XV-01 on a rally track. Spare parts - I've stocked parts especially for my FF03 (one for on-road and one for rally) kits. From main chassis, suspension arms, c-hub, knuckles, rear uprights (all of which have in regular plastic and carbon reinforced), gears, gearbox, and a few other parts. I got several of those spares brand new and used (from kits I've bought as spare parts donor). I also have stock extra spares for my CC-01, both new and those that I have replaced with upgrades. I have another non-Tamiya kit which is the LRP S10. I've upgraded it so many of the stock parts are spares now. The new kit only costs $65 including shipping. So instead of buying individual parts for it, I'd get another full kit as parts donor later. But as of now, the car is pretty sturdy and have been running it as a basher and a rally car during races.

Where did the aluminum center shaft go that was included in the TT-02D and S? Tamiya should have at east included aluminum steering sets and dampers too. This is the fannoying thing about Tamiya. They release "incomplete" kits but as they all know (and obvious), people are willing to pay more for the extras. It's this department that X-Ray, Yokomo, AE, HB/HPI, and a few other brands are better than Tamiya when it comes to releasing "competitive" or "race ready" kits. This TT-02SR, which is suppose to be the top of the line in the TT-02 series is just a frustrating. Tamiya had manipulated their patrons but downgrading a supposed to be upgraded kit. This is the very reason why using aftermarket parts are wiser than buying everything Tamiya. YR (Yeah Racing) alternative parts for example are built well, priced very reasonable (almost half Tamiya's cost), and sometimes designed better. Same goes for 3R (3Racing) and HR (Hot Racing)parts.