Grastens

I think the re-re well nuts and the vintage pieces are different sizes; the re-re types are from a more-pliable rubber and a bit larger in diameter, I believe. But I did manage to fit vintage pieces onto my re-re Buggy Champ. The slightly-softer rubber should mean that even if the original radio box has smaller openings, it should still fit. The re-re well nuts should be able to work!

Maybe he is including the CNC machines and alloy stock...?

Looking very sharp! Love the fact that Vanessa is now a redhead... Any mechanical changes to note yet?

There are so many diffs now... From experience they are not the easiest to work with, but set up right they can perform very well. The bigger problem is the positive rear camber; any positive effect the diff has on handling, especially cornering, is negated due to the minuscule contact patch of the rear tires.

The postman brought me a COD charge close to $50 for a package that I was supposed to sign off on, except being on a university residence that is somewhat impossible... So no package; just bills. That was supposed to be my Astute, too!

The batteries make the look of that car; I still think it would be cool if a 1:10 version had spaces for stick-packs or Li-Pos. I would also actually buy it if it was ever released in that scale!

I too was amazed by the car's tendency to oversteer, especially with wide front tires like those. Must be a hoot to drive...

It may be sold exclusively on the TT-01 chassis - if I understand Tamiya's policy on new body shells correctly - with a 'limited-edition' body set to be released later.

Come to think of it, I have seen aeration dampers before, having used the GB-01 units on my Buggy Champ. I had no idea at the time why they had to be filled with the damper at 2/3 stroke... A small script about aeration dampers does seem to indicate that the air content is better for handling small bumps while the shock oil disperses the heavier impacts. To me, then, it would appear to make more sense as an upgrade on an entry-level vehicle as on-road bashers usually deal with imperfections on their cars' running surfaces. Maybe their appearance on the new TRF chassis is to gather more input on their performance, or is there a growing trend for street circuits? Are they still making TB-03s? I have only seen new developments for the TA-series chassis, even though I have admittedly not been following Tamiya that well. Is it because the same design is proven to be very effective, or a lack of interest in shaft-driven on-road cars?? On a more-related note: a good strategy, but I have to wonder if the advent of the XV-01 means the end of any DF-03ra development.

Oh, I see now. Maybe the instructions will rectify this shortcoming - recalling the entire discussion about geared differentials compared to ball types a while back, Tamiya's solution was to have the differential partially-filled in order to compensate for extra volume in the diff itself, or something like that. Not saying that they would call for the dampers to be only partially-filled(!), but my point is that there could be a solution within the chassis' instructions, one which would strike a balance between tuning precision and the desired qualities the design team strove for.

The article did seem to roughly state the aeration dampers would optimize the tires' contact with the track surface, which was what I was thinking as well as some cars' setups are stiff enough to lift a wheel in a corner. Aeration dampers are usually used for off-road racers where suspension travel and a good damper system are paramount to performance. I think in this application could be an improvement so as long as the track surface is consistent; over rougher surfaces the car would bottom-out. What had you at a loss for words?

Maybe not in the right hands... Either one of the road cars you listed seems infinitely more accessible than a road-going 962! I wonder if the new owner will make it a trailer queen, if one is found.

Some wicked full-size cars in this thread! I will admit I thought that ukulele was an acoustic bass at first... I used to draw and read a lot; now I just do that as part of my courses. I play ice hockey instead: Figures; I was an oddball enough in my neighbourhood because I liked radio-controlled cars, so I had to be a goalie...

The ultimate Lunchbox; this would be a very fitting way to commemorate this model. Being less optimistic, though, it is probably just a black shell and coloured wheels... ... and a box like the Avante Black Special! Would this also lead to pink wheels?

It depends on the type of wheel adapter you have fitted to your Grasshopper 2. If you have the 12 mm hexagonal types, you can fit a number of aftermarket buggy wheels as many use this adapter. This of course opens up options for colours, and from there you can find a set of wheels that can match the original Super G types in colour. Though from what I see in the manual, the Grasshopper 2 only uses unique adapters in the rear and runs 1150 bearings inside the front wheels. In that case, you can source front wheels from at least any buggy using a similar axle diameter as your car (there are lots from the Tamiya lineup, like the Frog, Grasshopper, Hornet, Striker, etc.), while using the stock adapters you can use the rear wheels from the Frog. To use any other wheel on the rear, though, you will need to change the adapters to fit. If using stock Tamiya wheels in white, you can also dye them yellow to match the original Super G wheels.

A very nice setting for a car with some cherished memories. Hopefully I can look forward to reminiscing about my original cars when I am older - and still have them!

Looks fun! I was happy to be able to recognize the FAV!

But I thought the Sand Scorcher and Bruiser had ABS bodies similar to the originals... Though shells like the Celica Gr.5 were given the polycarbonate treatment and dropped on TT-01s. At the worst I would expect a modified Buggy Champ shell in lieu of the original Super Champ body if it ever gets re-released.

Like I said, I do not have the resources to do so. I am on a university campus, and so I lack the necessary items required to dye anything, most importantly a stovetop/heat source. In fact, the thread specifically requests the re-re white wheels dyed black. Perhaps I should have just listed this as a request for a service, or I could just pay full price for an original set...

A head-turner for sure when it is built! Some good fortune with the M1 part too!

Greetings: I am trying to find box-art-type wheels for my Astute; the one I bought has already had the Jamie Booth-style modifications which make it a better runner but I would like to find some Tamiya lightweight wheels in black. If my paint scheme idea works out for my repro shell, I should then have a nice team thing with my Avante, which also uses lightweight black wheels. Already I have the front 2WD lightweight set and some aftermarket Team CRP spiked fronts, and the rear spike tires are ubiquitous. I am only missing the wide lightweight wheels for the rear. There is one listing on eBay for these special wheels; however I am not prepared to drop $60 for a set of rear rims. I know that dyeing the standard white wheels works very well, but I do not have the resources to try it. So I would like to ask if anybody would be willing to dye black a pair of wide lightweight wheels. We can discuss payment, though I am optimistically looking for a $30 fee that includes shipping. Please note that I do not have a set of said wheels, though I understand the white sets are rather easy to find. Thank you very much! - Grastens

Oddly enough, after seeing those pictures of the chassis and the Aero Avante, I actually do see how it could work. Granted, the nose clearance would still be an issue, but the bodywork could be extended slightly to fit the DF-02 tub in a manner similar to the Avante 2001's bodywork extensions to fit the modified lower deck. Other than that, should I feel bad for mentioning the Avante 2001 and this upcoming release in the same paragraph? Edit: I guess I just keep thinking that somehow the Aero Avante's original concept will be retained, even though the DF-02 does not appear entirely accommodating to a diffuser or cooling apertures...

I read the 'Asuterion' release as an Astute re-release the first time through... But the most intriguing ones for me would be the Aero Avante on the DF-02 and the R390 GT1. Me, I actually liked the Aero Avante as a Mini 4WD body and look forward to what the RC version may look like, even if the DF-02 is not that impressive.

I have a light workload for the winter, down to getting the Astute running again, sourcing box-art wheels and tires, painting a repro shell, and maybe weatherproofing the Avante for winter running. In the meantime, I will be following Percymon!

Love the presentation and the colour! I always admired the Grasshopper II chassis for its looks. Your car does look like it would be a lot of fun for the money!