wtcc5

Today I took the TopForce apart: Chassis condition: The front is broken. At the rear both arm mounts are split at their base on only are held by the front part. Additionally one of the lower chassis mounts is broken. The rear diff housing cap is also damaged. Except for these the rest is unharmed. I am especially impressed by the front portion. Even though it is the original 90s part, it has no cracks, stripped threads or other damages. I went on cleaning every part and screw: At first, I wanted to rebuild it to the Manta Ray it was before with plastic towers, yellow dampers and put all the "performance" parts into one bag for if I build one DF-01 for racing in the future. But then I thought, that would be kind of sad regarding all the effort and time I put into this chassis. So I rebuild the car to its full potential, thereby replacing the damaged parts with new fresh ones and the highest build quality I could deliver. That also meant tapping all threads as deep as the part allows and using long screws. The rear section with new housing: And completed: Front completed: New tub: Tub & front section marriage: Chassis completed:

Yes, but the gears are level tougher and larger, than these of the DF-01. Up to now, the Sand Viper had no problems with stripping gears on this track. I hope I don't prove myself wrong though

Yesterday, I drove the improved Dyna Blaster in Laupheim. The overall performance stayed the same, but for me it was really calming, that I don't have to worry about the balldiff and the axle - aluhex combination any more. The car was fast, the slipper did a splendid job and I could carry the speed through the corners as I did last year. With a little more power, I could have easily competed with the modern 4wd competition buggy that was on track with me (that is how good the DB is, even with TorqueTuned). The day was not trouble free though. I had one damper coming loose during the run, even though I checked the screw before. One run, I lost a wheel, because of the same issue. The R/C god was also having his fun with me: Every screw I dropped disappeared immediately when touching ground. One time my friends and I were searching together and didn't find it again. @Sgt.Speirs was there with his DB, too. We exchanged spare parts. He got replacement front hubs for his chassis and I a rear hub for the one I broke during a run (good print, unsuitable geometry). Overall my issues and those my dad had with the DF-01 were a bit annoying, so overall my mood could've been better during the day. But I have to see the positive things: The car performed, is fun and overall trouble-free. Loose screws were my fault like the broken 3d-print rear hub. I also had one blade fail, that I replaced and that then endured the rest of the day.

@ruebiracer: To answer your first question: I have a quite a collection of 66T spur gears If I drove qualifying laps with the TopForce, it killed one spur gear in Laupheim per run with spool insert in the front diff and the standard gear diff in the rear. For yesterday's practice I installed a 66T spur and together with the balldiffs this spur lasted the whole day in dry conditions with my father steering. And that is the good news. The bad news is, that the chassis broke front and rear on my father's car: We had three more drivers with DF-01. Only @Quincy with his clean and efficient driving style had no defects (running only two or three batteries). On one other car the chassis broke at the steering post and the front arm mount. I forgot what was the issue for the third driver ( @Sgt.Speirs ), but he wasn't happy. So we might have found the "final boss track" for this car. With the other smaller issues that occurred yesterday on my fathers car, I am done with the DF-01 in combination with this track. I plan to revert the TopForce to the Martini Manta Ray. The electronics will leave the car for a 58473 DT-02 Sand Viper. This chassis proved to be well balanced and tough right out of the box. Then I have less wrenching to do and my father can enjoy more driving time, too.

I am not into these chassis, but what you have done here is amazing

This will work: https://tamico.de/HRC-Digital-Servo-HV-Low-Profile-20kg-0065-Brushless-waterproof

@Deadlysub: Your choices are decent. Can't do anything wrong with that motor and esc. I for myself like faster servos (0,09s/60°) and the low profile form. The Super Stock BZ was approximately 20-25€ when I bought it in an R/C shop in Tokyo. It is 48-51€ in Germany. Which I can understand after import taxes. But why it needs to be another 10€ more expensive in GB

@Pylon80: I hope he will! Better put the slipper and metal bevel gear Hop-Ups in your secret stash for the time it will happen. Regarding the ball diffs: That is what several people told me so far, so I will try it.

With the Tamico Offroad Cup (TOC) coming up big at the end of April and the weather so nice tomorrow, I prepared the Dyna Blaster for its first practice in Laupheim. To make it TOC legal, the plastic tub had to be installed again. Last year I also had the new rear plates produced and now installed them. Rear plate first: Because of the design of the new top deck, the front and servo came next. The front changed back to the older design front bulkhead, which brought a full disassembly and new assembly: Front unit and top deck installed: I also will use the original hop-up dampers, as they proved their worthiness: Now to the rear. The arms and gearbox went on to the new rear plate: Overview of the result: The electronic installation was surprisingly fast accomplished: Everything sits centered My standard vinyl protection was added, too. 3-6 layers protect the chassis and plate from wear and scratches: Fingers crossed, I have no technical issues tomorrow.

Whoops… Long time no news here… well my father had a good race last year in Laupheim. The track was a bit tough for someone who never raced on something so technical and hardly touched a transmitter in the last decades. The car withstand all traffic and errors. Last year I cleaned it and put it in the shelf. With the weather so nice tomorrow, my father, four more friends and I will visit the track again. I took the car and checked it. I stole the servo and fan for another project, the suspension needed adjustment and as I don’t want to change spurs all the time, I replaced the gear diffs with ball diffs front and rear: I hope no issues will occur

@GermanTA03Guy That is a nice comment! Thanks! I am still not so sure why, but the FF-01 became the chassis I love the most. For most people it is maybe just a silly plastic car. For me it has so much cool features like every model got its own wheels, the iconic bodies of 90s touring car series, then (not on the same level like the TA-03) the Hop-Ups that transform the look. And the icing on the cake: The balance/behaviour of this car. If you don’t have fun driving this, then I don’t know… Maybe, I know exactly why I love it so much If I could make a wish, I want Tamiya to do exactly this again. Looking forward to see you build one soon

@GermanTA03Guy: Yes, I will See also our german regional group.

Thanks! I didn’t even know those plushy tips exist for a Dremel.

What powered tool and paste did you use to polish the inside? Good work to save the body!

Thanks guys! @TamiyaD: Except for the Idemitsu Civic (which was an ok priced Ebay purchase), I found the mentioned bodies on regional/countrywide classified ad sites. Every now and then they pop up and you can negotiate the price.

The weather report forecasts warm dry conditions on Saturday. With my father and my friends, I will visit the track next to Laupheim to practice for the Tamico Offroad Cup. As I have to prepare two cars for that day, I was motivated to finish the Peugeot 406 STW body today. I started yesterday with cutting, sanding, washing, masking and painting. As often it looks so easy from the outside. But in reality seven colors are needed to make it happen properly: As you can see on the first picture, I bought additional sticker sheets to have the correct sponsor graphics. I understand Tamiyas approach regarding advertising alcoholic drinks, especially with the ban in the late nineties. For me it would be "wrong" to have just red lines on the body. I watched the races live on TV and the yellow Laurent Aiello 406STW with that branding is burnt into my memory in every detail. So these stickers complete the look. The first sticker sheet added to the body: Stickers finished, fiddling with the exterior parts: Three colors for the mirrors alone and looking for the right windshield wiper... ... and there she is :

Thanks! Yes it is! Except for the topdeck which has a different graphic. The TA-04 dampers are very nice (and silver). The older version I use here is nearly the same as the later dampers. Except for the threaded damper cylinder and the additional parts which were upgraded later on (white internals, o-rings…). But you can upgrade them with all these parts plus titanium shafts and aluminum spring retainers

@Sgt.Speirs: I don't know. The name suggests that Tamiya used stronger material, but I haven't tested it, yet, luckily... The servo also gets a blue servo saver to compliment this special color combination FF-01: Aluminum servo mounts are a must All three units coming together: Topdeck installation: Battery mounts installed: Chassis completed with tires

Ich dachte schon mein Browser übersetzt jetzt automatisch Sieht man sich zufällig beim Tamico Cup? LG aus dem Raum Ulm!

@Pylon80: The perfect path would be to remove the color from the springs and then use Tamiya Surface Primer followed by their TS-color. That’s how make it with arb wire. The color used by Tamiya for springs isn’t easy removable. So I just sprayed several coats of TS color after roughing the surface with 3000 sandpaper and then washing the springs. Motor and heat sink installation Now onto the rear. The camber links were exchanged also. I installed brass ballstuds for dampers and links. For the style, the black hubs were replaced with blue versions. Unfortunately I ran out of 1150 ball bearings, so the kit standard plastic rings will stay some more days. The rear axles were nowhere to be found. From a build, I had 50823 wheel axles left. I cut the outdrive portion off with a grinder and was left with the standard FF-01 rear wheel axle (I think this is how I will upcycle these leftover axles in the future) For now the pin screws will stay also: I dig the blue! Better than I imagined. With the damper cylinder still drying, the chassis upgrade came next. I cheated a bit with the topdeck. What you see is the Yeah Racing version I used on my runner before. I removed the TRF stickers and replaced them with the Tamiya graphic. The Tamiya topdeck stays in the box: The installation differs a bit from the TA-02, so TC had to provide the original manual: Before adding front and rear FF-01 units, the damper have to be installed. This is the result of my styling effort: Again I was short on parts. For now I had to install the dampers without oil and bladders:

While working on the Idemitsu Civic, I saw, that I don't have enough of the colors needed, at home. So this "project" is at a standstill for now. I don't want to be bored on my free time, so I started the Peugeot 406 build. I have one fine chassis already cleaned and rebuild. It was stored in a box with the rear axles "stolen" for another car. While searching for another set of axles (wasn't lucky), I went through all of my FF-01 stuff and found more Hop-Ups than expected: That just gave more motivation to start right away Tradition: Weight saving and friction reduction in the gearbox: A bit out of the normal build order, I fiddled with the dampers next. I have to be honest, the light pale pink is an awful color for Hop-Up damper housing. And having these, just shows, that I tried to avoid this color. This time, I didn't want to spent another 45€ for TRF414M2 damper cylinder and decided for a mix. I have lightly scratched cylinder caps in grey. The mix with the pink still looked awful.I had no choice, but to paint the damper cylinder. After several coats of primer, I used TS-17 silver: For the front damper I also painted the blue hard white Tamiya spring. Then those sat to dry for several hours. In the meantime, I continued with the build. A good friend always gets Anti-Wear grease from me. Some weeks ago, he surprised me with a used, but good condition black Sports Tuned motor. It got new cables first: Then, I switched to the front suspension. I removed the shock tower... : ... and replaced the camber links: The front suspension was upgraded with aluminum C-hubs, lightweight hub screws, ball bearings and pins:

@Pylon80: Sensational! So nice looking and I guess with that rear damper hop-up, very fast too. Great work! Exactly what R/C should be.

Thanks! Indeed, in this position the front shocktower is just a millimeter below the „Warsteiner“ logo on the hood (next to the windshield)

This thread is gold! Great work!

@Chris.B: I don't know a source, but you can look at the numbers on the belts and search for (Bando) 3m plus the number of teeth for the belt length (for example 239 for the R belt). If you are lucky, you find a seller that sells low numbers, too. Don't forget the width of the belt; it should be 4mm. You can also use 3mm width. Check in shops that sell "timing" belts for robots, small machines, 3d-printers. In other news: @GermanTA03Guy provided more aluminum hop-ups for me This time the lucky chassis is my TA-03R with Mercedes body. It was overall a very lucky day for this chassis. Today it got: 53238 M-Chassis Quick Release Battery Holder 53263 Dyna-Run Super Touring Motor 53288 TA03 Aluminum Rear Upright 53325 TA03 Aluminum Knuckle Arm I started with the quick release holder: My own design holder for modern square LiPos had to leave: This R had a red Super Stock motor before. I stole it for another project or my FF-01 runner one or two years ago. From my favorite hobby shop I bought all spares needed to build a full Dyna-Run motor months ago. It then was stored. Today I remembered it and it found a place in this R: Last week Simon provided me with the beautiful front and rear hubs for the TA-03. I cleaned them and replaced the brass ballstuds with new shiny golden ones. Then it was time for the installation: Even more than the TA-02 or even the TT-02, the TA-03 transforms to something extremely beautiful with its hop-ups