GF-02?!

[Busdriver]

14 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

I think that's where I am with this, too.  Yes, they could have built this with bigger wheels and solid axles for genuine monster truck appeal, but the MTX-1 would either be way cheaper or way better, depending on how much development Tamiya put in.  Or they could have made a more realistic licenced body and a proper solid axle chassis and proper scale wheels for genuine scaler appeal, but the CFX would either be way cheaper or way better, depending on how much development Tamiya put in.

I think this is aimed at the smaller-scale basher market - and there are plenty of those around from China too, but IMO this looks better and although it may not be a better performer or more reliable or cheaper, it does have that quirky Tamiya appeal that neither MST, Associated, Losi or the Chinese brands can compete with.  But, overall, this is another entry to the hugely successful stunt truck line-up that Tamiya has just about owned since the 80s, and so it's got to be a relatively low-effort winner for Tamiya.

I totally agree. The big issue may be when, if they haven’t already, announce the price. If it is to compete in the fun basher market it needs to be priced right. I really like it though it took me a while to get the Pumpkin/Squash bit🤔 . I have 2 G6’s, one runs a stock silvercan and one a 13.5t brushless and neither geartrain struggles. It will need a few bearings though as inevitably they will not be included. On a side note if the Blackfoot body fits then so will the Brat and the Scorcher/Blitzer bodies with perhaps a little rejigging!!!

[Morinstal]

Not really interested. I'd rather custom the g6-01 chassis, not using the mid wheels, make it 4wd and we have the same build like this GF02, except G6-01 have 313 wheelbase and have alot more body option coz its the same wheelbase like other reguler adv/crawling chassis.

[davidwj95]

I was quite excited when saw this but just seen on tamiyablog the spec says friction dampers. For me it's too expensive for a kit with friction dampers and no doubt bushings instead of bearings. 

[bavee]

3 hours ago, Busdriver said:

I totally agree. The big issue may be when, if they haven’t already, announce the price. If it is to compete in the fun basher market it needs to be priced right.

Modelsport has it listed for 216 pounds (RRP 245 pounds).

[Busdriver]

10 minutes ago, bavee said:

Modelsport has it listed for 216 pounds (RRP 245 pounds).

That means you’ve only got about £20 to bring it up to Madvan spec(brushed) which  seems as though it could compete with.

[Honza]

12 hours ago, toyolien said:

Both cracked at where the top of the front dampers mount. And, I wasn't using those horrible self tapping bolts.

This might be actually the culprit. Self tapping screws are usually smaller than the hole, so the material pushed out by the thread has somewhere to go. Plus, the holes are usually tapered. Machine threads don't have that extra space and might end up splitting the part.

[ChrisRx718]

25 minutes ago, Honza said:

This might be actually the culprit. Self tapping screws are usually smaller than the hole, so the material pushed out by the thread has somewhere to go. Plus, the holes are usually tapered. Machine threads don't have that extra space and might end up splitting the part.

Agreed - the shank of the machine screws is too broad, especially at the tip where the self-tappers are tapered and even narrower. On any vintage builds I try and use machine screws which are 2mm shorter than spec (so an 8mm in a 10mm location). Touch-wood this has worked out well so far, no more split shock towers on the TL01 builds.

[bavee]

The more I look at it the more I see this in our future. Our 6yo runs a GF-01, Blitzer and Grasshopper:

• The Blitzer is the perfect car for dry carpark bashing but doesn't have enough ride height for off road.
• Te Grasshopper is cool looking but almost retired because to slow and bouncy and not enough ride height for off road.
• The GF-01 was bought for wet off road as it is 4wd and has enough ride height but as he became a better driver the wheelbase proved to small.

The GF-02 seems a good candidate to replace the GF-01. Only problem is I already bought a Twin Detonator for his 7th birthday coming up .

[Mad Ax]

So looks like I was wrong about the wheelbase!  I saw the body and assumed it would be a reworked Pumpkin body in lexan, but I hadn't spotted that the wheels are Wild Dagger type.

Part of me was slightly disappointed, as I think this would have been cute in the smaller scale, and yet I'm always complaining that 1:12 stuff doesn't look right alongside my 1:10 stuff.  Plus only in my post yesterday, I was saying I wanted a good 1:10 4wd basher truck.  And this is totally it!

The price is typical Tamiya IMO, in fact it feels a bit high considering what you can find a G6-01 for these days.  £45 more and you're getting less wheels.  I wonder if the price will drop after release.  I was almost tempted to pre-order (for literally the first time ever) but I think I'll hold off and see if this is just short-term excitement.  I had been considering another G6-01 project, and I could get that right now way cheaper than I can get the GF-02 in (maybe) November.

But still, we don't expect bargain prices from Tamiya, and we know we'll need to replace the shocks and bearings as part of the build.  Plus I'd expect (having only seen one running once) the Kyosho Mad Van to be a better all-round runner for way less all-in price, but this is a way to get that kind of vehicle with the Tamiya build experience and quirkiness.  I'm sure I'll have one of these one day.

[Tamiyastef]

Probably just somewhere in 2024 (and I don''t know yet where to put it on) but I really want -and so have to buy one- a body set of this one ASAP. 

[toyolien]

1 hour ago, Honza said:

This might be actually the culprit. Self tapping screws are usually smaller than the hole, so the material pushed out by the thread has somewhere to go. Plus, the holes are usually tapered. Machine threads don't have that extra space and might end up splitting the part.

It's what Tamiya recommended when using the optional #54670 dampers. Plus I also used Tamiyas thread forming tap for the holes. 

Also with cars like the M07 and M07r they use the same plastic chassis and parts butTamiya switches between self tappers and machine screws....

[Saito2]

13 minutes ago, Mad Ax said:

Part of me was slightly disappointed, as I think this would have been cute in the smaller scale

Yeah, if I had only one minor complaint, its that its too big, lol. I was hoping for something I could make a 4wd Lunch Box out of. I saw those wheels and tires and immediately thought, this thing's a least Blackfoot size...too long. The GF01's too short. Like Goldilocks, I'm still looking for the wheelbase that's juuuussst right.

[Honza]

50 minutes ago, toyolien said:

It's what Tamiya recommended when using the optional #54670 dampers. Plus I also used Tamiyas thread forming tap for the holes. 

Also with cars like the M07 and M07r they use the same plastic chassis and parts butTamiya switches between self tappers and machine screws....

The balls fit better to the damper, but I'm not sure whether it's best choice for the chassis. Having built MF-01X with machine screws myself, I must admit it wasn't the best idea, some screws were very tight. Tamiya thread forming tap doesn't help in this case, it does the same thing as screws.

M07 doesn't use the same plastic - it's fibre reinforced nylon - nylon itself is softer than ABS/PC, so it's less likely to crack. 

[Gebbly]

When I saw the picture the first thing I thought of was a mock up using one of @Nikko85s great little builds. Then I realised it was a lot bigger.

Its a cool body and I can see that having a wheelbase that allows use of a lot of other pre-existing body shells is a nice idea.

However, for me I think just before the GF02 in the queue of cars for me to have a go at building would be the G601 which also has lots of gears but the added complexity of an extra pair of wheels. Also I really like my stumpy little GF01

[TurnipJF]

I wonder if it will include the bits required to install 4WS during the initial build like the G6-01 does?

[Kowalski86]

5 hours ago, Honza said:

This might be actually the culprit. Self tapping screws are usually smaller than the hole, so the material pushed out by the thread has somewhere to go. Plus, the holes are usually tapered. Machine threads don't have that extra space and might end up splitting the part.

You raise a good point, on any of my Tamiyas I stick with whatever type of screw that the manual reccomends, I usually don't have problems with the plastic cracking.

The GF-02 looks neat, I don't mind that it has friction shocks. I expect it to be a bit overpriced as usual.

Generally, for anything that's going to be jumped and off-roaded a lot, I prefer simple chassis. "Motorized bricks" are tougher than you'd expect, just tedious to service.

[Nikko85]

2 hours ago, Gebbly said:

When I saw the picture the first thing I thought of was a mock up using one of @Nikko85s great little builds. Then I realised it was a lot bigger.

Its a cool body and I can see that having a wheelbase that allows use of a lot of other pre-existing body shells is a nice idea.

However, for me I think just before the GF02 in the queue of cars for me to have a go at building would be the G601 which also has lots of gears but the added complexity of an extra pair of wheels. Also I really like my stumpy little GF01

Nope, I've only elongated by GF01 by 10 mm by flipping the rear arms - this is a fair bit more extreme.

[qatmix]

The GF01 dump truck and GF06 have been the most used bashers I've driven over the last few years. The drive train is bulletproof. Uncommonly for me they have zero hop-ups other than bearings.  They work brilliantly on dirt / grass with lipo and brushless with the friction shocks. 

The GF01 is great for stunts, nothing comes close in the Tamiya line up, or any other manufacturers. The G601 is surprisingly good for hard off road action, jumps etc but its a bit long and thin so its not great for high speed bashing

The GF-02 looks like the perfect addition to the GF range, wide and long and with large wheels.. I will be mounting a silly fast brushless in it (I have a 8.5 sitting around). It looks like Tamiya is making a full on basher truck, the shell is quality and adds a certain level of charm which is why I always gravitate to Tamiya stuff. 

I look forward to all of the alternative paint schemes people will make for the shell

[Busdriver]

Pre order in!!!

[davidwj95]

I wonder how it will handle with those tiny shocks.  They look shorter than the wild dagger shocks and a lot of people converted them to take longer travel shocks.  I'm half tempted by this one but think I'd have preferred it if it was lunchbox size. It might be too similar to my wild dagger as it is. 

[guggles]

 Was going to make a thread just for this but glad I found everybody already on the same page.

 

I like the shell but im not a big fan of the GF02 chassis. too many gears imo. It seems like a step backwards rather than forwards. Id rather have it on the twin det/dagger chassis. 

Also announced right before halloween but we wont be getting it until late this year? How cool would it be to get a special edition orange midnight pumpkin, and the squash before the holiday?

 

[Badcrumble]

I've got my own @guggles 

[guggles]

@Badcrumble That is awesome 

[bavee]

Tamico has it priced at € 189,99 including 19% VAT. 

[Albert Attaboy]

On 8/29/2023 at 7:04 AM, Honza said:

Tamiya nowadays uses PC+PA even for the cheap stuff

Polycarbonate (PC) isn't any better. I did break two Mud Blaster II chassis at the exact same spot. Luckily this POS is long gone together with my other Tamiya stuff. Now I am spending my hard earned cash on cars that use modern materials.