Reconditioned DF-01 Manta Ray

[Frankster 2033]

Greetings!

I found a used Manta Ray locally.  Condition was odd.  Chassis was assembled and well used. Body, rims and wheels are brand new.  Box has the model number for the 2005 re-release (Manta Ray was released in 1990, 2005 and 2018). Not expecting much as the box art was only mediocre but the used price was great. 

[Frankster 2033]

Box content

Inside the original box

 Body was partially cut.  Could not have been mounted onto the car.  Opening for the old school heat sink

Wheels and Tires are brand new and wrapped up

Chassis is used without any major issues. 
Decals included as well

Problem:  missing rear drive cup and dog bone   No motor   Plastic bearings visible.  Dampers appear to work and are not leaking  

[Frankster 2033]

Inventory

List of outstanding items I need to purchase

-universal

-drive cup

-metal motor mount

-bearings

-540 motor

-misc screws

-servo mounting posts (from another kit)

-servo / ESC/ receiver

-PS-5 black paint left over from another project

-added new driver cockpit (I think from Avante)

 

[Frankster 2033]

Deconstruction

Taking the car apart was quick and fun

note the plastic and brass brushing 

[Frankster 2033]

Deep cleaning (not shown)

used dish soap and elbow grease

[Frankster 2033]

Reassembly

I had to print up the manual as one was not included. The manual on Tamiya website was the original 1990 without any English.  Luckily Tamiya kits are easy to understand and the instruction graphics are great   

All came together. Relocated the receiver so the antenna will peek through the heat sink opening

[Frankster 2033]

Body

The silver on the box art did not do it for me… silver paint on silver wheel was too monochromatic.  I like the factory dish wheels too much to change them.  Alternative solution was to change the body paint color. Dark Blue was considered but the blue stock decal would not work.  In the end went with classics PS-5 black. 
 

Clear body on chassis

with driver

painted body and driver 

considered to change the dampers to black for the “murdered out” look

Edited March 30, 2022 by Frankster
Spelling

[Frankster 2033]

Decals

I wanted to use as much as the factor decals as possible. Started in stalling them.  Had to remove any black text logos as they would not be visible.  This kept the look simple.  The side intake are 2 decals and hard to installed in a concave surface. The blue stripe running lengthwise is 2 pieces each side.  I only installed the single blue linear section to elongate the body.  The black Manta Ray working was ditched but I kept the small Manta Ray fish on the front quarter panel

Driver was painted.  Kept it simple. TS gloss paint for the driver viser

Final car.  Kept the yellow dampers as it matches the Devilsome logo on the rear wing.  

I will try to take better photos and upload them soon  

[Sgt.Speirs 1253]

The Manta Ray was my second RC car after my Grasshopper II in mid 90s and I still own these cars.

Due to all the re-releases of the Manta Ray, Top Force (Evo) and TA02, spare parts will be save for the next decades

 

[Frankster 2033]

1 hour ago, Sgt.Speirs said:

The Manta Ray was my second RC car after my Grasshopper II in mid 90s and I still own these cars.

Due to all the re-releases of the Manta Ray, Top Force (Evo) and TA02, spare parts will be save for the next decades

 

Thanks for the info. I understand there is a road car version which also uses many gear box and tub parts.  Love the interchangeably of Tamiya kits  

No mods other than bearings and metal motor mount (I hear it is a weak point) 🤞

[matisse 1581]

Nice work. Feel having a DF01 of some sort is a right of passage for Tamiya Buggies, so versatile.

had more than a few over the years and enjoyed all of them.

[Frankster 2033]

Better photos outside.  3 of 4 damper towers broke due to 17 year old brittle plastic but @DGunn1 has a quick fix solution.   Hope the fix lasts

[Frankster 2033]

Took the Manta Ray out.  Great to drive and light compared to my son’s TT-02B.  Better ground clearance did not hurt either.

Unfortunately the front damper tower separated from the gear box.   No thread left in the plastic gearbox and I will need to pick up a new parts tree to keep the car running.  
Photo of the bumper and chassis sitting on the ground.  

[Grumpy pants 4485]

What a great way to spend time with your son, shame the thread gave way stopping play. 
 

[Frankster 2033]

Fix the front suspension with new parts for my Manta Ray.  Good as new and need to find time to test it this weekend.  

[Kol__ 3377]

Got to say I love the DF-01 chassis. There's something about it that is just very pure Tamiya 👍😎

Did you get much running in over the summer @Frankster?

[Frankster 2033]

1 hour ago, Kol__ said:

Got to say I love the DF-01 chassis. There's something about it that is just very pure Tamiya 👍😎

Did you get much running in over the summer @Frankster?

Yes and the dish wheels look great to me against the black body.  Hope to take photos with the Madcap once I get the bearings and cockpit in the mail.  Both were from the same era. 
 

I was driving the Nissan Titan truck more as I wanted to test my upgrades.  Weather is cooler now so I should be able to get more driving time outside family time on the weekend. 

[Kol__ 3377]

22 hours ago, Frankster said:

Yes and the dish wheels look great to me against the black body.

I think a good option could be a couple of sets of Madcap rear wheels (exactly the same as the Manta Ray wheels, just the colour is different) with say yellow, red, blue or silver aftermarket Speed Disc wheel decals to match colours in the rest of the buggy. Would look amazing with the black shell mate!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124218345723?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qW7tzbxUQuK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=tZpl78SaSly&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=EMAIL

[Frankster 2033]

New outdoor photos