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thegorf

TRF ReRe?

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Does anybody know if Tamiya have ever done a ReRe of a TRF buggy?  If not, what do you think are the chances that they may do one in the future some time? 

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Do we talk about 211 mk1/mk2 and 411x or the later versions like 201/501/801? I am afraid no, there have never been any ReRe. Even spares are discontinued, which is so sad.

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Seems a shame, and perhaps a bit of a missed opportunity bearing in mind the high regard that most TRF models seem to be held in.  

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They are made for specific racing classes during specific eras. The engineering takes into account all the cutting edge electronics of the day. As the electronics changed, the cars evolved in reaction. You can't get matched round cells anymore, so all the older chassis would need a ton of mods to run lipos.

I know cause I ran a 415 MRE when lipo first took off. Filing expensive bulkheads was the only way to make even the smallest of lipos fit (3800mah). Not to mention how off balance left/right the entire car was (due to extreme battery weight difference).

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2 hours ago, 94eg! said:

They are made for specific racing classes during specific eras. The engineering takes into account all the cutting edge electronics of the day. As the electronics changed, the cars evolved in reaction. You can't get matched round cells anymore, so all the older chassis would need a ton of mods to run lipos.

I know cause I ran a 415 MRE when lipo first took off. Filing expensive bulkheads was the only way to make even the smallest of lipos fit (3800mah). Not to mention how off balance left/right the entire car was (due to extreme battery weight difference).

I guess that depends on the TRF model inquestion. With offroad cars, my 501x was easy enough because it had a saddle pack battery. I got a saddle pack lipo to replace them, and made a retaining thingy to help holf them it. It would possibly need some weight aft to counter the loss from using lipos.
201 series of buggies don't need mods at all to run lipos.

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It would be nice to see a few of these, but i doubt it will happen. 
 

 

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On 12/16/2022 at 10:20 PM, 94eg! said:

They are made for specific racing classes during specific eras. The engineering takes into account all the cutting edge electronics of the day. As the electronics changed, the cars evolved in reaction. You can't get matched round cells anymore, so all the older chassis would need a ton of mods to run lipos.

I know cause I ran a 415 MRE when lipo first took off. Filing expensive bulkheads was the only way to make even the smallest of lipos fit (3800mah). Not to mention how off balance left/right the entire car was (due to extreme battery weight difference).

100 percent on how they were developed and why changes were made but that wouldn’t preclude them from being rere’d. The 502 and 503’s J/K parts (and the 511 upgrade kit as well) make for easy use of lipo saddle packs that are still readily available.  I run a standard 511 with saddle lipos with a TRF upgrade part for lipos.  A 502 and 503 could easily be placed back in production as a limited run “rere”. The same could be said about the 201/211 line any of those could use currently available batteries.  

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TRF’s will never be re-released. They are niche to begin with.

Just wait for the new ones.. 

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Even when I raced, I couldn't/wouldn't buy a new one. MSRP of $1k USD for a touring chassis? I bought my 415 MRE for $200 used with spares.

TamiyaUSA had to blow out 201s for $199 for a really long time to move them. Only reason I purchased one.

Personally I think the only reason they produced these kits was to chase down world titles, which creates brand recognition. There's no way they're making money on them.

Of course a re-re would have zero development cost which is probably where all the $$ originally went.

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Never say never.  Perhaps the TRFs will be released again if there is a craze for classic cars.  After all Tamiya are on-road world champions x 4.  It would be like Kyosho rereleasing the Ultima or AE rereleasing the gold pan RC10.  As long as there is big enough demand.  Maybe in another 10-15 years when the then touring car audience reach 45-50 years old when their spending power has increased.  So never say never.  

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Tooling? Most of the parts are machined. The molded suspension trees are few and shared with common mid-level performance chassis of the day.

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Would be interesting if they re-release a version of the TRF414 

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I will be very surprised is this ever happens. There really isn’t any point. It’s not like old buggy’s that were iconic etc.

 

TRF’s are race cars, they don’t come with Tamiya shells (apart from some of the off road ones). 
 

they would also be around £700.. (414 etc) as that is the going price for a cf touring car. I think it would be a bit niche.

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Interesting to agree if we’re talking road or off road here ?

Off road the 201 / 501 / 801 each have (minor) traits in Tamiya’s modern buggys - but they lost the World Champs to Associated’s RC10 long ago and never recovered / don’t see a commercial return to re re 

On road there’s a fairly strong argument that the 414X / 414M2 IFMAR 2002 car still ripples through every chassis since - esp the TAs / 05+ ?

Even the TRF 420 draws on it - admittedly in minor ways these days 

If TRF re re is more a pastiche, I’d offer the 934 30th Ann Edition as the ultimate - which is a race bred TA05 underneath and a stunning shell atop 👍

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Just to add to the conversation.  I ordered a trf211xm from Amain hobbies.  I messaged them before back ordering.  They said they can order it and it will be here in about two weeks.  so I ordered it. I placed a separate order for the white TRF wheels so as to not tie up shipping. If it arrives ill post and if the order is canceled ill post.  probably the last chance to get a trf211. The best part is it will be an original and not a re-re.

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On 2/13/2023 at 9:49 AM, danimaldaisy said:

Just to add to the conversation.  I ordered a trf211xm from Amain hobbies.  I messaged them before back ordering.  They said they can order it and it will be here in about two weeks.  so I ordered it. I placed a separate order for the white TRF wheels so as to not tie up shipping. If it arrives ill post and if the order is canceled ill post.  probably the last chance to get a trf211. The best part is it will be an original and not a re-re.

What! Really! Please Update if this actually occurs!

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On 2/18/2023 at 8:14 PM, GTodd said:

What! Really! Please Update if this actually occurs!

So far the current status is showing waiting for stock when I click on ordered for Amain. I don't think its coming from the USA and here is why.  I emailed Tamiya USA and questioned them on parts trees for the TRF/zahhak telling them I placed an order on amain for a TRF211xm and am looking for spare parts trees particularly the N parts and the L parts.  All I got back was that the car has been discontinued and to look for vintage parts on ebay.  NO acknowledgement of ordering on amain and tunnel vision that its specifically about that buggy when the zahhak was last sold online in 2021 which is not too long ago and as soon as that sold out they straight up discontinued those parts trees immediately. That's why I think its not coming from the USA.

We will see.

If my kit gets canceled I'm just going to order a b6.4.

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I just received a notification that my order was canceled from amain.  The page for the TRF211xm that once showed backorder now shows discontinued.

Whatever.  I ordered a TLR 22 5.0 roller on sale for 259.00 and also ordered a Team associated B6.4

Both kits cheaper than the TRF if it actually shipped.

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So some weird stuff going on.  All happened shortly after my order was canceled.

trf211xm removed from Tamiya USA website. This seems pretty normal

however

Trf201 discount price of 175.00 (been on there forever) removed and the price of 585.00 has been updated.  You would think they would remove that also but they UPDATED it.

maybe they are working on something to compete with the kyosho dirt master.

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I hope tamiya makes a whole new competition car somwhere between the 501x etc. cars and a fully trf'ed up db01 durga/baldre. I actually like plastic chassis because I dont fret about miniature marks and dents. And plastic cars can win races, like the lazer zx5-SP and later the zx5-FS from kyosho. The zx5-FS is made up of plastic and could beat most cars in competent hands i think. Two of my all time fav's in my collection are my fully carbon, and 8,5t brushless, zx5-SP, and my zx5-FS with 10turn lrp brushed and lrp ipc v6 no limit esc, its ballistic. The brushed motor car is MUCH faster, almost too fast. They are both perfect now IMO.

But a new trf car with both cheaper AND more expencive solutions in perfect unison, each in the right place. I hope for belts in an enclosed space like the db01 has. Some carbon alloy but mostly plastic, but REALLY fantastic!! Or a full carbon and blue alloy beast with 12mm hexes and oil filled gear diffs AND ball diffs included, center diff or slipper, both included. And there should be a front oneway in there as a tuning option, and FULLY ballraced, not every place except the steering or similar. As long as tamiya puts all their experience, with both good cheap cars and expencive cars, into it and dont rush it, they would have the worlds new track demon now, and in 20 years, every collectors wet dream unicorn buggy. Prefferably shorty pack or sadle pack. I love saddle packs myself, but shorty is the new standard it seems. Maybe be very different and use slim batteries....... Hmmmmmmm. I hope they rere the latest trf buggy or make a new demon, and sooner rather than later. I am saving my big money for when tamiya makes a right move again, but  the new schumacher draws my eyes to the completely alien way of building an rc buggy. Its built like no other 1/10 buggy..... And the build is most likely very involved and very much time spent doing what I love most. Building new kits that need no upgrades at all. Or building a cheap tamiya kit with huge potential and changing everything I dont like from the get go. Like my new db01, I wanted a db01rrr. I even offered to trade my barely used 501x with blue screws and a parts car for the db01RRR kit sealed. Glad nobody answered. Then I saw japaneese sites selling durgas through ebay for itty bitty prices. Ordered one, ready for a month of waiting, four days later i had it. Luckily it had the flat brick lipo tray. Somehow i also had the gear diffs, trf big bores, alloy front and rear arm mounts. alloy casterblocks and rear hubs. alloy steering. double slipper, blue motormount(it hits different), 10turn fantom motor with round orion style brushes, and the tiny novak gtx speedo with no limit. So **** the RRR, no matter how stealthy and sexy it looks.

Now tamiya, give us a double dose of innovation=)

t

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Surely it's the 1992 TRF211X.  The first TRF, much desired and really not that difficult to put together as a re-release....

 

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I would be all in if Tamiya does a TRF off-roader.  Also if Kyosho did a new competition level buggy. 

But I think the trend is more focused on the survival of the industry.. the entry to mid-level mid-priced mediocre cars people can enjoy bashing..  I'm no racer by any means, but I do appreciate high end stuff in my collection of cars.  I am assuming there are others like me, but the majority appear it makes no sense to them to have to pay $x,xxx for an RC 'toy' car.  :(   

 

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