[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Just a little update with some more action we had lately...

...and a still with the latest addition to the fleet, even though the Manta didn't make it to the car wash on time for the picture 

[The aftermath of racing for 275 km in 8 hard hours. (long post, many photos)]

Great story and great writing, congrats for such an accomplishment!

[What's on your shopping/wish list?]

PThat's a good one! 

My personal wish list at this time of my life would be this (not necessarily in order of interest/fascination, but pretty much):

1. Marui Shogun

2. Hirobo Alien mid

3. Kyosho Turbo Optima (I'd have some ideas about an alternative but still vintage looking paint job...)

4. Tamiya Avante 2011

5. Marui Ninja

6. Tamiya Lancia Delta Integrale

I could go on 

Oh... and in the event they re-re the Optima Mid it would bounce right at the top of my list!

[So, What Have You Done Today?]

Thank you guys, glad you like it! 

[So, What Have You Done Today?]

 Today the Samurai is finally finished. I only did light interventions on this one to keep each component as original as possible while getting it back to life again. Considering that, I think it turned out ok.

I love this buggy, technically and aesthetically. Building a NIB one must be a delightful experience.

Speaking of which, there is one available right these days on ebay, but man the price...

 

[So, What Have You Done Today?]

Getting closer to the end of this mild, non-invasive restoration

[So, What Have You Done Today?]

Just finished the lettering on the tires of a Marui Samurai I'm working on (front and back).

This proved to be a tough one as the tires, even if in overall good state, are used so the letters were faded and partially gone, which made it pretty hard with the paint. The result is not perfect, but good enough for the purpose.

End of a little nightmare!

[Hello!]

The one suggestion I can think of at this stage is... dig in, and have fun 

 

As you said, you'll get going right away with the Super Fighter, and in the meantime you can start the kit.

I've recently built a Manta Ray 2018 myself, pretty straightforward and enjoyable kit. Should you have any questions or issues along the way, just ask and there will be many here glad to help. Good luck with your Tamiya start and welcome to the forum!

[Favourite livery - out of the box?]

Totally agree with the above.

The Hornet SCREAMS '80s and is absolutely delightful in box art.

Come to think, it's indeed the Hornet with its brilliant color scheme that got me right back into the RC world after 20+ years. I saw a kit on ebay, old dreams resurfaced, got the itch again and after a few tormented nights trying to resist temptation I bought it. And Pandora's box was open...

 

In my humble opinion, any -clumsy-attempt to add features such as cow spots, millennial logos, flames or pink tires to it only ends up underlining how perfect it already is without these wacky extras. Since 1984. A real RC icon.

 

[Favourite livery - out of the box?]

I find the Avante in box art pretty hard to beat. I think Tamiya definitely nailed the right color scheme on that one! 

Same thing for the 2001, while I'm less of a fan of the black special color version but that's just me.

[Post a Picture]

Lazy on a Sunday afternoon

[Post a Picture]

Please forgive this non-Tamiya contribution, but my Kyosho Big Boss wants to show he's still got it after 30 years.

It was given to me second hand when I was 8. Flash forward some 25+ years and a few thousands km (an ocean and a continent away...I'd like to share the whole story whenever I find the time) and he's still with me, now more in shape than ever!

Airborne at a freezing -30 last winter...

...and airborne a couple days ago at around +30:

This guy gets A LOT of action and never spends too much time on a shelf

[Post a Picture]

My Hornet briefly left its shelf today to pay a visit to its old bashing grounds

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Good thing is, besides the obvious scratches on the rims which were to be expected, the graphics and overall aesthetics are lasting and still look great, regardless of the serious bashing the Manta had to undergo lately.

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Jump

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

@Juggular Thank you for such kind words.

I'm happy you like it that much, as you really helped me out with great technical advice and hints at the beginning of this build. I love how this Neon Manta Ray came out, and driving it really is a blast!

I was only used to the Hornet and the Kyosho Big Boss so far. Lots of fun for sure, but this is another level, it drives with surgical precision.

Here are some shots from today, thanks to my wife that kindly agreed to take some footage under the scorching heat

...jumping over the Big Boss 

[What motor for a Hornet/Grasshopper?]

Good times coming 

[What motor for a Hornet/Grasshopper?]

I totally agree with the above. Get a Sport Tuned (540). Faster, no hassle, real bamg for your buck. I too have it on my Hornet and enjoy it big time, you won't be disappointed.

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Thanks so much!

Enjoyed a few more runs last week end, can't resist sharing at least a couple snapshots...

Getting dirty

Resting after a successful hill climb

...and catching a lil'air!

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

A little update, now that I've finally had a few real, full-throttle runs with the Manta Ray. 

My hobby grade rc experience so far was limited to the Tamiya Hornet and the Kyosho Big Boss and, even though I love them both (because of all the fun and bashing) well... as most of you already know, this is another level! So zippy and precise. Silent, sharp, agile... wow.

Only one thing: the lock nuts loosened on each wheel. After the first run I thought it might be normal, I just re-tightened them and went straight back to driving, but it keeps happening, even though less and less with each run.

I have noticed back when I built it that the holes on the wheels are unnecessarily larger than the axles, so that the wheels can't really sit on them on the other side of the hex hub. Could that be the reason? Makes sense to me. But again, why such large holes when the axles are narrower?  Is there something I'm missing?

It is also true that I've painted the wheels, so primer and paint sandwiched between the lock nut and the wheel itself amd chipping off might have been a reason, but after three runs or so there was none left and now, while the nuts lock straight on the wheels with nothing in between, it's still happening.

Any shared knowledgle or point of view on the fact will be appreciated.

Anyway, this definitely increases the itch for different, lighter wheels...

 

Hare are snapshots of some action, sorry for the low quality and the low jumps, I'll strive to get way better ones in the next days.

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

One last bunch of pictures of the finished project.

I'm very happy with how it came out! I hope you will like it too.

Thanks everybody for your help nd input. And now, finally, time to go kick up some dirt.

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

I've decided to cover the receiver, which looked way too "naked" and exposed to the weathers in that position. I've used part of the plastic blister that some of my wife's products came in (a cream maybe), crazy how female accessiories are so easily turned into a great source of parts for random, self made solutions and touch-ups  at least that's it in my case... I've glued it to the chassis with a low-temperature glue gun, which already proved to be as effective as not invasive the other times I've used it. Far from waterproofing the receiver, it will at least provide some basic shelter and protection against direct splashes of water and dirt.

the Driver has also being installed.

Now the Manta Ray is 100% complete, but the instant I put the body back on the sky became overcast. This is quite the worst light possible to take pictures of such colors, so I'll have to wait  meaning that I can't run the buggy yet (no way I'm getting it dirty before the final pictures, after waiting this long!).

So for now here's a few more with the driver and no shell. I'll take the ones of the finished project whenever the next beam of direct sunlight comes out, hopefully later on today or tomorrow.

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Yes it is indeed the Avante driver, Paranoid Perry -no kidding he's paranoid with all these little screens to watch- which turned into the Manta's Slippery Sam for the occasion (loving those silly names lol).

It fit very well under the hood. All I had to do was trimming the front end of the cockpit a few mms. I did the fitting/placement before I started painting it, so now all I need to finish my car is, like, 5 minutes to screw it in, hopefully soon today..

 

I am sure it will fit in your Vanquish, at worst you'll just have to do some light trimming. But desn't the Vanquish come with an awesome looking driver to begin with?  The ones where you can see the face under the helmet are my favourites 

Btw, the Vanquish is a sleek looking buggy. I wonder sometimes if we can hope for a re-re (the originals being kinda out of my budget).

[Building a new Manta Ray... with driver?]

Driver done! Here's my Slippery Sam, to be installed anytime soon, last thing to finish the project. It's about time as I can't wait to drive it