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I would also second the XV-01 if you can make the budget work. When I got back into the hobby I also wanted a car that could do both on-road and drift. I picked up a TT-01R Type E, as opposed to the higher spec TB-03 I was also considering. I was never happy with the slop in the TT chassis and have never enjoyed the car. I can’t speak for the TT-02, but the XV-01 is fantastic.

I believe most 540 motors use R2ZZ bearings, but I’d make sure to measure before you buy. I’ve been thinking about doing this with a CR-Tuned just for kicks, but haven’t got around to it... mostly as I’m unsure how to best bend out the metal tabs that secure the end bell.

Love it!

We can only hope so!!

I’d make sure to check the tightness on the ball diffs as well. You won’t want them slipping and getting too hot or melting as the larger wheels will be placing more strain on the drivetrain.

I'd love to have a room where I could put some hooks/pegs on the wall and pretend I have a little hobby shop that actually stocks Tamiya. Although I have so few spares that my shop would appear to have really low Tamiya stock. A little like most hobby shops I visit. Hmmm.

If E1 is an “aluminium frame member”, then yes!

These the ones you’re after? https://www.rcbearings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=161_68&product_id=358 Edit: I believe bearings are measured inner diameter by outer diameter by height.

Whichever way you go, I would not recommend the DF-03 for racing. Along with the other caveats mentioned above, you may end up with some significant gearbox wear issues/costs depending on how much power you're running. The DF-03 is notorious for eating the soft alloy in the top shaft (both the stock part and the slipper), which is discussed in several threads on TC (for example: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/49262-df-03-gearbox-failure/). Tamiya never issued a fix for this, and while there are some do-it-yourself solutions available, you'd still be setting yourself up with challenges out of the box.

Banzai still stocks the 19T version for ~$30: https://banzaihobby.com/Yokomo-YM-D1SP and some versions are also sold in Japan on the Yokomo web site: https://shop.teamyokomo.com/shopbrand/ct76/ I picked up the 35T version a while ago (as it is cheap) to use in a crawler build. I don't have many miles on the motor, so can't say much more than "it works". While the brushes are replaceable, it is not really intended to be rebuildable as the end bell is locked in by metal tabs. I don't get the feeling these are particularly high end or desirable from a collector's standpoint.

You're right! I loved that game and spent way too much time playing it on SNES!!

The Levant also has metal gears, but is geared lower than the TB01 to accommodate the larger wheels. The first picture in this reply shows the difference in bevel gear size: Edit: you can see the Levant’s smaller gear with the crescent shaped hole as opposed to the splined hole on the TB01. Edit 2: I suppose it’s also worth mentioning that the Enzo version of the TB01 also used the larger gears, but in plastic with a crescent shaped hole. Yay consistency!!

@Juggular I quite like the idea of the front wheels pawing away at the dirt for traction! And who can't appreciate the legacy of the 2CV?! If you end up reconsidering the XV01, rcMart has 58528 for $160 (where I got mine), although shipping might be a deal breaker...

To answer the initial question, definitely run it! I never had a Hotshot growing up, but I had a single issue of Radio Control Car Action that featured the Hotshot II. I thought it was the coolest thing EVER. I didn't discover the re-release until 2011, but even then it was the sole reason for me getting back into the hobby. I've since picked up a few vintage Hotshots as well as that HSII I dreamed of as a child. If there's any love lost for the Hotshot, it definitely hasn't lost mine I think they're quite fun on loose dirt and small jumps, but then again I'm generally a "silver can" kind of guy

OP also mentions "very unsmooth" surfaces, which makes me question if a 1/10 rally car is best for the need or a good playmate for his SCTs. I have a 2WD Slash that will fly over mixed terrain, but none of the rally-prepped cars I have (TL01, TB01, XV01) can keep up. There's also a pretty significant difference in scale, so I never run them together as a crash would clearly favor the SCT.