Terra Conqueror = Top Force?

[Wandy]

Ok, I just had one of those impulse buy moments after browsing the site and bought a NIB Terra Conqueror body shell. This was after discovering that it comes under the same chassis type as the Top Force.

I have yet to build my Top Force re-re but I am still of the opinion that it's body is butt-ugly and, judging from the limited amount of photos in member showrooms, this Terra Conqueror looks a lot nicer to me. Infact I'm surprised there are not more of them, this looks it could have been Tamiya's answer (looks-wise anyway) to Kyosho's Optima Mid.

So have I just committed myself to yet another project or will this Terra Conqueror body fit straight onto the Top Force chassis? And what, if any, differences are there between the two cars? What bits would I need to convert the Top Force into a full blown Terra Conqueror?

Was the Terra Conqueror a higher spec car than the Top Force?

 

[Tipsy]

The Terra Conqueror used the Manta Ray tub, but had Bearings, Ball

diffs, black dampers (ala Top Force spec), along with a nice Dyna Tech

motor. Also had the desirable Top Force Evo wheels. I have a couple of

NIB

TC1

TC2

[Wandy]

Nice NIBs you have there, it's a pretty rare car isn't it? And it's a definitely a mean looking thing.

In terms of quality of spec, I'm guessing it's somewhere in between a Top Force and Top Force Evo?

So can I stick the Conqueror shell on my Top Force without needing to do any modifications?

[Tipsy]

I do actually like the looks of the car too. It's either rare,or not popular. I like to think it is rare[]

Spec wise, i'd say more closer to a Top Force from the Manta Ray, but with a good motor?

The Top Force gets the benefit of the frp chassis. (Evo with Carbon, titanium etc).

I think the shell should fit on anyway, as I assume the mounts are in the same postion for all 4 cars (MR, TC, TF , TFE)

[Gruntfuggly]

The shell will fit on your Top Force no problems - the front mount is in a different place, but it will still fit OK. I've done the opposite - added Top Force parts to my Terra Conqueror.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...id=23302&sid=32

The only thing that is different is that the Terra Conqueror doesn't have an undertray (cos the chassis is a tab, not FRP). I've got some lexan to make an undertray at some point - just haven't got round to it yet...

BTW, I fully agree - the Terra Conqueror is much nicer looking that the Top Force. It also shares the body and wing with the Blazing Star...

[Wandy]

Cheers guys. I think I will be driving a Terra Conqueror rather than a Top Force then, when the car gets built!

[mobias]

I think you may be fairly alone in thinking the Top force is butt ugly. I must admit I never thought much of its looks to begin with but after trawling through peoples showrooms I'm inclined to agree with those who think its possibly Tamiya's best looking buggy (or at least one of the best) There are some amazing looking Top Force Evo's out there in particular. I'm in the middle of doing a Dirt Thrasher to Top Force conversion, I'm starting to think i may have been better off just buying a NIB Top Force from Ebay

[Gruntfuggly]

Wandy's definitely not alone - I think the Top Force looks much less 'scale' than the Terra Conqueror - at least the Terra Conqueror has the cockpit in vaguely the right place - if you were the driver of a Top Force it would be like driving a sleeping bag!

As to the conversion - I think you're right - considering you can buy a NIB off eBay for around £100, it's probably cheaper. Not as much fun though. When I started converting mine I thought I might be able to get away with just the FRP decks. Then I found out about all the other parts needed, but as I said it was all interesting stuff...

[mobias]

To be honest I've never been a fan of Tamiya's faux futuristic buggies which I guess started with the Manta Ray (which of course the Top Force evolved from). I know the Top Force looks way over designed but there is something about it that just seems to work, its the Ferrari Enzo of off road buggies. Though I never appreciated that until I saw these examples...

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=9200&id=254

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...=45598&id=11329

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=7337&id=402

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...d=24643&id=5186

[Wandy]

Dont get me wrong, I've viewed that black Top Force many times and agree that it's a real beast but I think the body shell on the car is generally more difficult than others to make it look good. I especially think that the box-art green is a pretty awful colour, but it's all about opinions I guess!

It's certainly a car with a "look" of it's own. From some angles it looks really poised but in others it's all just a bit.....well....messy.

The Conqueror still gets my vote. [H]

[djmcnz]

Referencing a few posts...

It's far, far less expensive to buy a Top Force than to upgrade to one, I know from experience.

I've upgraded a Manta Ray to Top Force on to Top Force Evo spec and an presently upgrading a Top Force to Evo spec, I have both a NIB TC/MR and a NIB Top Force shell so will be able to try both for best looks - I'll need to modify the front of the TC/MR shell to fit the front Evo uprights tho.

I'm taking pictures of the build process as I proceed (slowly) and will post the lot when I'm near completion... sort of like that Dyna Storm thread but I'm not sure I'll match that for class.

My intention is to provide a photo-log of how to upgrade a MR/TF-class buggy to full TF Evo spec (with extras like lots of alloy) with Hop Up pics and part numbers too... it took me so long to work it out myself that I hope it will cut the learning curve for others.

My NIB Evo cost me about US$300, my fully upgraded TF will cost me about US$800... :-/

[mobias]

Depends on what you're doing though and much of a conversion you're making. I'm doing a Dirt Thrasher to Top Force conversion, so far I've got a TF body and decal set (£17) and a chassis (£15) all i really need now to have the TF together are the chassis mount and body mount pieces which are about £15 in total so I've spent a little bet less than £50 to have something resembling a TF.

I do agree that in the long run you get a better deal just buying a TF from ebay, chepest i could get one imported to the UK is about £95. I guess its just a bigger initial out lay, I suppose part of the reason people like myself build one from bits is that its easier on the wallet if you do it over a period of months as and when it suits your bank balance.

[Gruntfuggly]

It's certainly cheaper to upgrade since the re-release - I started mine a few months before so it was a lot harder to track down the parts...

Where did you find a body and decal set for £17?

Also, you'll need to change some of the steering components...

[mobias]

Just off the UK ebay. Decal set was £4.99 and the body £11.99. There's a full boxed body kit including decals for £24.99 here in the UK just now and body set from the US for $15 so shop about because prices seem to vary hugely.

There's stacks of Top Force bits on ebay just now though generaly.

edit. i got the body off these people on ebay, good service

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/ModelBuild-co-uk

[Gruntfuggly]

Thanks for the link. All I really need is an undertray and a wing. I'll have to keep an eye on the international sellers...

[djmcnz]

^^^ yes but you're talking about the cost to upgrade to a Top Force... I'm talking about the cost to upgrade to an Evo... I can assure you, significantly more expensive... especially when you add in an 02h... pics soon.

[Wandy]

So what are the full list of parts that convert a standard Top Force to an Evo...and what would be the cost if new parts were to be used??

[djmcnz]

I'll provide the full list, including part numbers when i post my build log.  The most expensive parts are:

Carbon chassis plates

Ti screw sets

Short Hi-Caps (x2)

Original wheels

Aluminium diff parts

Original decals

Tamiya sealed bearings

That's a few hundred pounds there...

On top of that mine will have:

Thrust bearings

Alloy hub carries and uprights

Alloy prop shaft

Alloy front lower gearbox

Hollow carbon gear shafts

Carbon suspension towers

Tuned springs

Plus more I can not immeadiatly recall... here's part of it: http://tamiyaclub.com/CS/forums/thread/175347.aspx