CC's Feeding my Mini Cooper Obsession! (Tamiya Monte Carlo Mini))

[Collectible Cars 115]

Hi. Let me give you some background for this build.
I've had the desire to buy a real Classic Mini for ages, even going as far as looking at a few. But my sensible head soon kicks in having owned a few and recalling how much work they are! I also don't own a garage and live in a nice village, so the idea of restoring a car on the driveway and having it in pieces wouldn't go down well. It didn't stop me dreaming whilst browsing through images on Google though!
But whilst casually browsing the web one evening I spotted this beauty! A 1/10 Tamiya Mini Cooper '94 Monte Carlo Rally RC Car in perfect red & white! My dream spec!
I didn't know Tamiya made such a nice range of Rover Mini Coopers! They must have come after I finished racing RCs in the early nineties and got into real cars, but before I got back into Vintage Tamiya stuff with my Juggernaut 2.
After a nervous spurt of furious bidding it was mine! For a good price too!
It only took a few days before a nice marge box arrived and the fun began!
 

[Collectible Cars 115]

It is one of the early releases, the 1995 Monte Carlo Rally Version number 58163 based on the M-01 FF chassis.
I was most excited by the body shell. It was absolutely perfect! Seeing how expensive these bodies are this was a real find! The cost of a new clear shell, bumper parts and decals wold already have been twice what I paid for the whole car!
The other bonus was the previous owner clearly had an appetite for Tamiya Hop Ups which was great news! I could see it had the following:

• 52239 Front & Rear Stabiliser Set
• 53155 Aluminium Low Friction Damper Set
• 53205 M Chassis Universal Damper Set
• 53206 M Chassis Ball Bearing Set
• Tamiya RS-540SD Black Sprint Motor

It was clear the chassis had been used, it had the usual scratches on the bottom, especially the bumper. One had been replaced but the other was tatty along with the bottom of the gearboxes and main battery section.



So immediately the search for New Old Stock parts began, which revealed they are RARE! I couldn't really find any spares that would restore the chassis to new. Parts such as:

• 50651 M Chassis A parts
• 50652 M Chassis B parts

In the end I decided the cheapest answer was to buy an unused model with a M-01/M02 chassis and rebuild it using parts from that.
So I started searching evil bay for something that wouldn't break the bank! Quickly enough I came across this:

It wasn't used so I could see the chassis was perfect. Just what I wanted. Research showed the parts I wanted were the same on the M-01 & M-02 so I could switch them across. A shame the body had been painted in the wrong shade of a blue otherwise another project may have started here!

I enjoyed a nice evening rebuilding both chassis whilst using the best new parts for the Mini. The Alpine and the used chassis went back on ebay and sold for only a little less than I bought the Alpine for!
 

[Collectible Cars 115]

Now we have a perfect New Old Stock M-01 chassis with the Tamiya Hop Ups listed above. Whilst rebuilding it I noticed the previous owner had fitted the Manta Ray Ball Diff too! Result! I left the bumpers off as it'll only be zipped around the living room/kitchen on a smooth floor now.

The original kit came with Acoms Techniplus a Radio Gear but I wanted something a bit higher end such as Futaba. So I ended up with a Tamiya Adspec Sport with the P-80F ESC & RX combo. It'll certainly keep it all cleaner when wired up!
 

[ChrisRx718 4136]

Very cool. I wish we could get a re-release of the Mini Cooper (or Racing Mini Cooper) bodyshell. I remember when they were everywhere and readily available for £23.99 (because they were smaller than the touring cars). The reality now is that the bodies go for £100+.

Even if I could just get some wing mirrors... 

[Collectible Cars 115]

While I wait for that to turn up I'm turning my attention to the body. The mirrors had yellowed somewhat over the years and so they were removed, primered and sprayed with Halfords Wheel White Acrylic rattle can paint. I like Halford rattle cans, they are powerful and the paint is thin so goes on well. Once it hardens I'll finish off the black & red parts with the airbrush.
I also powered up Fusion 360 and CAD designed a bumper that screws onto the existing rear bumper mount. This was 3D printe d and then sprayed with Alclad Polished Aluminium through an airbrush.

[Collectible Cars 115]

23 minutes ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Very cool. I wish we could get a re-release of the Mini Cooper (or Racing Mini Cooper) bodyshell. I remember when they were everywhere and readily available for £23.99 (because they were smaller than the touring cars). The reality now is that the bodies go for £100+.

Even if I could just get some wing mirrors... 

Do you have one Chris? Yeah, the parts are eye wateringly expensive and I hear of rumours that because of licence issues the bodies are unlikely to be released again.
Just have to watch ebay like a hawk. I do see parts come up for good prices sometimes.

[Willy iine 17797]

 

Tamiya MiniCoopers rock!  

 

[Collectible Cars 115]

On 11/21/2023 at 2:39 AM, Willy iine said:

 

Tamiya MiniCoopers rock!  

 

 

Gorgeous collection my friend! I think I'll end up adding a few others when I get the chance too!

[Collectible Cars 115]

Whilst waiting for my radio gear to arrive (still waiting - thanks Parcelforce!) these two turned up!

One is the little nitro powered pocket rocket, the other is an unbuilt electric version. I also ended up with an extra clear bodyshell and a set of chrome body parts! Lots of fun.
I'm not sure what I'll keep and what I'll sell as I'm not into collecting boxes and the instructions are in Japanese! I'd love to get that little engine running on that 33 EJB Nitro though!

[svenb 3540]

Excellent build

I've just bought a new built unused M02 with a load of hop ups, your absolutely right spares are very thin on the ground.

[Collectible Cars 115]

The radio gear finally arrived and it's amazing! It's brand new and feels special to be installing it so many years after it's release!
I love that it mimics the set up on the side of the box and because there is no receiver it slots nicely next to the servo and in the chassis space under the roll bar.
Now I just need to route the wires so they look nice and tidy.

[Collectible Cars 115]

On 11/23/2023 at 10:44 PM, svenb said:

Excellent build

I've just bought a new built unused M02 with a load of hop ups, your absolutely right spares are very thin on the ground.

Very nice! What shell will you run on it? I've a real hankering to do a nice Alpine A110 in Monte Carlo colours on that chassis

[svenb 3540]

3 minutes ago, Collectible Cars said:

Very nice! What shell will you run on it? I've a real hankering to do a nice Alpine A110 in Monte Carlo colours on that chassis

I'm doing a mk2 Escort body for it