Running all my cars

[Pylon80]

2 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

the completely standard Tamiya bodyshell and wing set

Which body would that be then? I am aware that F103 bodies have become extremely scarce and collector items but I'm curious nonetheless. 

As far that last post, a nice car and an even nicer story!

[TurnipJF]

1 minute ago, Pylon80 said:

Which body would that be then? I am aware that F103 bodies have become extremely scarce and collector items but I'm curious nonetheless. 

As far that last post, a nice car and an even nicer story!

Thanks! The chassis is wearing the Tamiya 50898 F103 "M body", very closely based on their McLaren MP4/13 shell, but with a slightly different shape and means of attachment to the winglets ahead of the rear wheels, and generic decals that I substituted with Modelsport ones as they didn't come with the set.

Tony was able to find it for me a few years back without too much difficulty. Trying to find one now would be a lot harder.

[TurnipJF]

Back to the buggy shelf for this evening's runner:

 

DT-02 Sand Viper

Some buggies are born great, some have greatness wrought upon them. Unlike my Desert Gator which arrived pretty much as you saw it earlier in the thread, this one arrived as a humble Super Fighter GR - a base-spec DT-02 with plastic pogo sticks in place of shocks, chunky plastic drivetrain bits, a heavy injection-moulded bodyshell, etc. I built it stock apart from bearings, just to see what it was like, but quickly decided that it warranted some upgrades.

Over the course of several iterations, starting with the Big 3 and moving on from there, it was transformed into the masterpiece before you - a full Sand Viper spec DT-02 with a lightweight polycarbonate body, oil shocks, all-metal outdrives, dogbones and axles, adjustable camber links and track rods, etc. I'd even go as far as to say that it has gone beyond Sand Viper spec, as it has turnbuckles instead of standard threaded rods as links, and alloy shocks rather than CVAs. Powered by a 13.5t Surpass sensored brushless motor, it has plenty of oomph, and the Carson wheel and tyre set hold up nicely to spirited tarmac running.

It was initially just a black-and-chrome buggy, and earned the nickname "The Black Knight" because of it. However when we started following Bob Bledsoe's excellent Green Room Pythons YouTube channel, we added the decals and swapped the black alloy wheel nuts for green ones. I'm probably a bit biased, but I think the touches of green make it look even better.

The evening's run was mostly sliding around for the fun of it. While the Carson tyres are great from a wear perspective, they don't have a huge amount of grip so don't make for a great RBP lap count. However what they lack in competitiveness, they make up for in fun factor, and the run left me grinning from ear-to-ear.

I really should try to keep the momentum going when I have completed the "Running all my cars" challenge and continue to use them - all of them - as each is beautiful and special in its own unique way, and running every one of them has brought me joy.  

 

[Re-Bugged]

This has been a great read thank you @TurnipJF, it’s felt like I’ve been sitting up on the roof of those garages with a thermos of hot tea spectating these events 😎

[Re-Bugged]

(Weird double post thingy??)

[Andreas W]

@TurnipJF. Apart from what you have mentioned this has also been a great inspiration for us others. I don't have such a huge collection, so most of mine is ran regularily,  but the Dragons are the exception. I did not finish the rear body mounts for the Boomerang body on my Thunder Dragon last summer,  so it's been sitting still for a year now. They have been degraded to kids spec anyway, so nothing I want to run when I can do the same with a rally car. But after daily reading your thread I put the ST into the Terra Scorcher and gave it a spin around a randomly set up course the other day. With a 13t pinion and 8,4V NiMh it's simple and carefree fun for a middle aged guy right before bedtime . 

[JimBear]

10 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

While the Carson tyres are great from a wear perspective, they don't have a huge amount of grip

I can relate to that - bought a set for Junior and they are still good - except for the fact that the chrome seems a bit brittle; one of the rears has a bit of the rim gone to whereabouts unknown.  I have no idea if the black version is better in that respect but on your Python the chrome ones fit really well. 

[Please step out the ray]

On 6/26/2025 at 1:16 AM, TurnipJF said:

F103

 

Super basic car and single colour paint, but, absolutely Stunning! Love it. Much. I have a 103 & a R8R, both to rebuild. This one picture makes me want to run out right now and start building!

[TurnipJF]

Thanks for all the positive feedback!

Let's meet tonight's runner:

 

FF-02 VW Scirocco

I have had an FF-01 and FF-03 in my fleet for a while, which clearly meant that I also needed to add an FF-02 otherwise there would be a gap. I was able to pick up basic 2nd hand chassis quite affordably off Ebay, and thus this project was born. The chassis was hardly used, but I pulled it apart and cleaned everything anyway, then put it back together with full bearings, Mini CVAs, turnbuckle track rods and a FWD-appropriate shell in the form of the VW Scirocco. I also put in a relatively mild 27t motor with a steel pinion. I figured that the FF-02 is basically an M-03 stretched to fit under a standard touring car body, and all an M-03 needs is a standard silver can to be a fun drive, so the FF-02 would be much the same.

I was mistaken however. Somehow, in lengthening the wheelbase and increasing the track width, Tamiya have completely changed the character of the chassis. It is no longer a little bumblebee of a thing, darting around from corner to corner. It is now a significantly more elegant and refined ride, happy to remain stable at speed, corner smoothly and generally behave in a far more polite manner. It runs well enough on the 27t motor, but I am confident that it could easily handle more.

Tonight's run was a mixture of general driving and RBP, and the car acquitted itself very well. It felt, mature, planted, almost sedate. It was as if the car was gently reminding me that it is happy to handle more power, so I am now plotting various swaps of ESCs and motors to see what I might free up for it. Lower turn brushed maybe? Or maybe a 17.5t brushless? I have a spare TBLE-04S on my shelf... 🤔

[shingle5722]

1 hour ago, TurnipJF said:

Thanks for all the positive feedback!

Let's meet tonight's runner:

 

FF-02 VW Scirocco

<pic>

I have had an FF-01 and FF-03 in my fleet for a while, which clearly meant that I also needed to add an FF-02 otherwise there would be a gap. I was able to pick up basic 2nd hand chassis quite affordably off Ebay, and thus this project was born. The chassis was hardly used, but I pulled it apart and cleaned everything anyway, then put it back together with full bearings, Mini CVAs, turnbuckle track rods and a FWD-appropriate shell in the form of the VW Scirocco. I also put in a relatively mild 27t motor with a steel pinion. I figured that the FF-02 is basically an M-03 stretched to fit under a standard touring car body, and all an M-03 needs is a standard silver can to be a fun drive, so the FF-02 would be much the same.

I was mistaken however. Somehow, in lengthening the wheelbase and increasing the track width, Tamiya have completely changed the character of the chassis. It is no longer a little bumblebee of a thing, darting around from corner to corner. It is now a significantly more elegant and refined ride, happy to remain stable at speed, corner smoothly and generally behave in a far more polite manner. It runs well enough on the 27t motor, but I am confident that it could easily handle more.

Tonight's run was a mixture of general driving and RBP, and the car acquitted itself very well. It felt, mature, planted, almost sedate. It was as if the car was gently reminding me that it is happy to handle more power, so I am now plotting various swaps of ESCs and motors to see what I might free up for it. Lower turn brushed maybe? Or maybe a 17.5t brushless? I have a spare TBLE-04S on my shelf... 🤔

Wow what a stunning car! My vote goes for brushless because of cooler temps and better battery efficiency.

Thanks for writing all these experiences down. Makes me get stoked to drive and could always helpful for me and others when looking to choose a next chassis.

[TurnipJF]

Today we have a very close relative of yesterday's runner:

 

M-03 Mini

I was very hesitant to run this car with this body, given that its re-release has yet to be confirmed, but given the precedent I set with the FF-03 and TB-03, I figured that I probably ought to bite the bullet and give this one a run wearing its display shell too. It was a rather short and very gentle run, and I breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief when it was over, but at least I can honestly say that this chassis/bodyshell combo has seen use as more than just a display piece. The run didn't do the chassis justice, so once I was done with the photos, I took off the display shell and put the runner shell on instead. I then proceeded to drive the car as it was intended - with great enthusiasm - and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Although not a recent release, the M-03 is still a capable little thing and isn't far off the pace of a well-sorted M-05 under most conditions. It is light, nimble, well-balanced and a lot of fun to drive. This particular example is fitted with the Big 3, and a "heatsink" that is more of a motor counterweight than a cooling aid as it relies on the motor mounting screws to transmit heat to it from the motor. The upper shock mounts have been tapped and fitted with studs running their full depth, to which I have attached ball nuts for the shocks to clip to. This spreads the load throughout the length of the hole, helping to prevent cracking.

The club at which I used to race this chassis specified a Sport Tuned motor for the class, so this is what it has fitted. I think it is right at the borderline of what this chassis is comfortable with. It can handle the power, but if it had much more, I think it would just accelerate front tyre wear rather than make the car appreciably quicker. One already needs to be careful with the throttle coming out of corners otherwise the front wheels will spin up and it will go wide. Lots of fun, but not great for lap times!  

[chris.alex]

@TurnipJF Thank you very much for this wonderful thread , I really enjoy reading it.  I am also a proud owner of an M03 Mini Cooper Racing, but mine has been driven a lot and looks worn out. Fortunately I found a new original chassis some time ago and have collected all the other parts that go with it, so I'm going to build a new M03 somewhen in winter. I am very interested in your method of attaching the dampers. Could you perhaps show one or two photos? This could help me to avoid the cracks on the chassis.

[TurnipJF]

9 hours ago, chris.alex said:

I am very interested in your method of attaching the dampers. Could you perhaps show one or two photos? This could help me to avoid the cracks on the chassis.

Sure. I'll take some this evening and do a little post about it. 👍

[JimBear]

@chris.alex the esteemed Mr. @TurnipJF told me a year ago about the M-03 ... 

... but maybe he has come up with some other things in the past year?

[TurnipJF]

We have something a bit special for tonight's runner:

 

F103 15th Anniversary Edition

This is an F103, like the two yellow F1s featured previously in this thread. However at the same time, it is almost nothing like them, with the only parts they have in common being the two aluminium bolts that secure the front wing, and the two E-clips at the bottom of the kingpins. Everything else on this 15th Anniversary Edition has been upgraded somehow. Tamiya went all-out on the included hop-ups when they released this kit, and then I added a few more myself.

For example, the chassis plates are carbon fibre instead of fibreglass. Almost all the other chassis components that are plastic on the standard model are alloy on this one, the exception being the front arms which are carbon reinforced mouldings. The rear axle is carbon. The kingpins are titanium coated. The roll damper plates are machined Delrin instead of injection moulded plastic. The pitch damper is a full TRF shock. The ball nuts are fluorine coated alloy. The bearings are ceramic, as are the diff balls, which sit in the same ball diff as seen on the latest TRF104. It is held together with titanium hex hardware. Even the body posts are blue alloy. I can't think of any way in which one could build a higher-spec F103 using Tamiya parts, or even aftermarket ones for that matter.

This car is special to me not just because of its rarity and awesome spec, but also because it was an anniversary gift from my awesome wife. This is not a common kit by any means, and I have no idea what lengths she went to in order to find one, but find one she did, NIB. She also managed to find it a proper rare Tamiya "T-body" and matching wing set, as the chassis does not come with body or wings.

This is not a car that I would ever want to come to any harm, so before the run I covered the underside in duct tape to prevent it from getting any scratches or marks on it. I then proceeded to drive it, delicately at first, but then with growing enthusiasm as I remembered how it handles. Like its lower-specced siblings, it is impossible to grip roll on all but the grippiest of surfaces, so running it on smooth, clean tarmac posed no threat of a rollover, and there was nothing around to crash into, so by the end of the run I was driving it at full race pace, and loving every second of it.

The car is low, wide, grippy, weighs almost nothing, and is incredibly responsive as a result. It is one of those cars that seems to anticipate your inputs. You have to be careful - it does exactly what you tell it to do, even if you tell it to do something silly - but it rewards smooth and precise driving with almost supernatural cornering speed reminiscent of a slotcar, as well as virtually instantaneous reactions to throttle input. The car is way, way better than the driver in this case, and I doubt I will ever find its limit, just like I doubt I will ever find a limit to how much I adore my wife. 

[njmlondon]

You are a lucky man Turnip!

I really enjoyed your description of driving that gorgeous F103.

I have never owned or driven a Tamiya  F1 or C but there is a brand new bit of smooth tarmac at my local station and on Sundays it is empty, so I am getting more and more tempted.

 

 

[Tamiyastef]

47 minutes ago, njmlondon said:

F1 or C

Go for it!

[TurnipJF]

Today's ride is another that is simultaneously old and new:

 

The Hornet - 1980s OG

We have seen two Hornets in this thread already - a re-release and a Jun Watanabe Edition, but this is the latest addition to the fleet - a proper old-school 1980s Hornet (albeit one with a new body, bumper and tyres) that I finished restoring earlier today after picking it up at an autojumble a few weeks ago. It has a couple of small upgrades such as bearings and a hardened alloy pinion, and modern electronics of course, but in all other functional aspects it remains just like it was in the '80s, even down to the clickety-clack from the gearbox under acceleration and braking as I decided to leave the front of the gearbox stock rather than add a brace like I did on my other two Hornets.

The bodyshell is from Penguin RC. I chose this one partly due to the affordable price, and partly due to the windscreen. The stock Tamiya item comes with the windscreen and vents pre-cut. The TBG one comes with them in place, but the windscreen is a big ugly blocky thing that pretty much has to be cut out if the car is to look any good. The Penguin RC one has a nice neat flat windscreen which can be left in-situ without ruining the looks. I wanted a usable windscreen as muck tends to enter the tub though the open windscreen on my other Hornets, and I wanted this one to be a bit more muck-resistant and usable in winter.

This morning I buttoned up the last few bits on the electronics side, bound it to my TX and took it out for its first drive under my ownership. It was interesting to compare this to my other two, primarily in terms of how the clickety clack delete brace (or lack thereof) affects things. This un-braced Hornet is noticeably bouncier at the rear, and I'm pretty sure that this is because the shocks only start working once the front of the 'box has hit its stops. So not only does the brace eliminate the annoying noise, it also improves the handling. Nice one AmPro!

Based on the test drive, I am happy to call this project complete. With the bouncy un-braced gearbox, I'll keep it with its standard 540 silver can. It won't be getting a Sport Tuned or Dirt Tuned like my other two. Having restored and test-driven my mate's original Thunder Shot with an MSC, I am quite happy to do without that particular part of the OG Hornet experience so it will be keeping its ESC, but other than that, I am pleased to be able to experience this car very much like I would have if I'd had one as a kid back in the '80s. 

[Grumpy pants]

A fantastic variety of well put together Tamiya, with real world use and experience - Bravo 👏

[Pylon80]

Pictures of the 103 15th anniversary under the "hood" please 🙂

I have an "West" M body missing it's rear wing and a Tyrell 023 body with both front and rear wing but no stickers. I'll have to choose which one goes on top of my F103 RX! Seeing yours in all black is certainly bending my judgement towards the T! I'm thinking... White front wing... PS-54 body... Black rear wing... 😍

Thanks for sharing all this with us!

[Please step out the ray]

2 hours ago, Pylon80 said:

Pictures of the 103 15th anniversary under the "hood" please 🙂

...

Thanks for sharing all this with us!

Ahhhh i second that request & thanks! Please Can we see under the lid? Pretty Please!

[TurnipJF]

10 hours ago, Pylon80 said:

Pictures of the 103 15th anniversary under the "hood" please

 

7 hours ago, Please step out the ray said:

Please Can we see under the lid? Pretty Please!

 

Certainly! I've put some in the "Written content ain't welcome here" thread.  

[TurnipJF]

10 hours ago, Pylon80 said:

Seeing yours in all black is certainly bending my judgement towards the T!

Thanks! Although the shape of the shell is very much Tyrell-inspired, the colour scheme and decal layout was inspired by the Sauber C12, which features a black body, white front wing, white text for most of the sponsor stickers, and red-and-blue "Liqui Moly" stickers where my car has red-and-blue Tamiya ones. 

[Please step out the ray]

Does the pretty blue rear suspension mount on the 15th anniversary use balls or o rings? I kinda looks like o rings, but that would be a step backwards. Are there balls somehow recessed in?

[TurnipJF]

32 minutes ago, Please step out the ray said:

Does the pretty blue rear suspension mount on the 15th anniversary use balls or o rings? I kinda looks like o rings, but that would be a step backwards. Are there balls somehow recessed in?

Do you mean the attachment between the chassis and T-bar?

If so, then yes, the F103 15th Anniversary Edition uses O-rings, and I wouldn't call it a step back. The 53273 rear suspension ball mount set was a bit of a developmental dead end for the F103 IMO. It may have paved the way for the PBLR arrangement seen on modern F1s, but as for being used on the F103, I'd call it a hop-down.

With the O-ring arrangement, you can adjust how strongly the pod wants to return to centre after being articulated in the roll plane by changing the hardness of the O-rings and how tightly they are clamped between the T-bar and chassis. No such adjustment is possible with the ball arrangement. Modern PBLR rear ends overcome this by having separate adjustable roll springs on either side of the pod, but with no such springs on the F103, switching from O-rings to balls sacrifices adjustability.

(I was curious as to whether it actually provided any benefit, so I tried it on my mid-range hopped up F103 and wasn't impressed. When I cracked one of the ball-specific crossmembers in a shunt, I switched back to the standard O-ring setup and never looked back.)