Mardave Caterham Build

[HereBeMonsters]

OMG. Now I see why we're fans of Tamiya. These instructions are worse than the old Italian fake Airfix kits I used to get when I was a kid. They are completely incomprehensible, and I'm sure half the bits are missing.

Has anyone built one of these yet? I know they're based on the V12 kit.

I'm sure I'm missing two springs, a bunch of screws, a battery mount (unless it's a tiny plastic tub that would fit about 2 AA batteries?) and a piece of metal that's supposed to go on the rear somewhere. Trouble is, the parts bags are so badly labelled that I have no idea. What a pile of rubbish.

[twisty]

Aye,simpathys.the instructions are a bit pants,but the car is really very simple to build,stick at it,they look great finished and go very well indeed.

[HereBeMonsters]

Aye,simpathys.the instructions are a bit pants,but the car is really very simple to build,stick at it,they look great finished and go very well indeed.

I might just cut out the shell, glue the wheels on and leave it on a shelf. It's absolutely ****.

Where the hell are the rear springs?? Do you think if I email them they will be able to sort out my missing bits? They're only 10 mins down the road from me in Hedge End!

[BiggusDitchus]

The problem with the Caterham is it uses the same manual as the V12 which uses some different parts. You dont need the metal plate at the back the two posts bolt to the chassis behind the pod. The springs should be there in the bag with all the screws.. if not drop me a pm with your address I have loads of them I could send you a pair. If you like I could take a photo of my Caterham Race car, but its almost stripped down (no rear pod on it).

As for the battery box, its a little lexan tub, you do know the car runs on 4 cell packs dont you??

Read the Mardave 7 Supplement instructions it will help you a lot.

If you get really stuck I dont mind building the car for you

[HereBeMonsters]

The problem with the Caterham is it uses the same manual as the V12 which uses some different parts. You dont need the metal plate at the back the two posts bolt to the chassis behind the pod. The springs should be there in the bag with all the screws.. if not drop me a pm with your address I have loads of them I could send you a pair. If you like I could take a photo of my Caterham Race car, but its almost stripped down (no rear pod on it).

As for the battery box, its a little lexan tub, you do know the car runs on 4 cell packs dont you??

Read the Mardave 7 Supplement instructions it will help you a lot.

If you get really stuck I dont mind building the car for you

It runs on what now? Oh flipping hell. I was hoping this would be my new car park basher, as the TT-01 is geared for indoor racing now. It just looks too fragile for it to work properly.

It definitely came with only one set of little springs, which I have put on the front. I don't really get how the rear pod is supposed to work, do you have any pictures of it?

Thanks for the help!

[terry.sc]

The 'tiny plastic tub' is the battery holder, it fits a battery pack made of 4 sub-C cells instead of 6 in your usual battery pack. Like this

As for durability the chassis are used for banger racing, very much a contact sport, and they can handle a lot more bashing than your TT-01, but the limited ground clearance and rwd would make it interesting to use as a car park basher.

[BiggusDitchus]

Not really necessary for me to take a photo, on the blue instruction manual, open to first page and there is a photo of front wishbone (picture labelled 3) this is where you should have placed the springs you had, underneath a photo labelled 7 it shows the rear pod with 2 springs. If you dont have the 2 rear springs (bigger than the front ones) it wont work as the pod pivots about the front ball and the springs provide the suspension (it has a very basic damper in the form of an O ring that sits inside a holder about the rear pin. As I said I have plenty of the rear springs here I can send you a pair.

As Terry said they are very strong, durable little cars (the V12 is used for Banger racing) but also as Terry points out that they are designed for carpet racing and as such have a very low ground clearance, plus the foam tyres wont last long on tarmac. Although M03 Mini tyres will fit on the supplied wheels.

[HereBeMonsters]

Would this battery work for it then?

I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of parts. My instructions aren't blue either. I'll get a picture of all the stuff I have, and current progress. I just don't get how it can be durable when the suspension spring is nicked from a bic biro and held on with an e-clip?

[BiggusDitchus]

That battery is fine, and believe me the car is very durable I race the V12 version every week.

[HereBeMonsters]

That battery is fine, and believe me the car is very durable I race the V12 version every week.

Cool, well that's put my mind at rest then. Thanks!

Going to get a guy at my club who is great at bodyshells to cut the body out for me, I think. Might do it up like the 1:1 Caterham I have a share in...

[sgt.barnes]

Cool, well that's put my mind at rest then. Thanks!

Going to get a guy at my club who is great at bodyshells to cut the body out for me, I think. Might do it up like the 1:1 Caterham I have a share in...

Hi hows the build going ? any piccis ?

[HereBeMonsters]

Just waiting on the rear springs that BD kindly offered to send me, then I can resume progress. I managed to cut the shell out myself (very, very badly!) so it might be alright. Not quite good enough for the shelf, so it'll have to be a basher!

I will post pics up when I have some more progress. Currently stripping down my new Clod, finishing my DF-03 and trying to fix the TT-01, so a lot on my plate!

[HereBeMonsters]

Hi hows the build going ? any piccis ?

Just found this, still unfinished in the cupboard. Did think about revisiting the build and trying to get it finished, but it's such poor quality I think I'll leave it.

[30cms]

they are very different to tamiyas

i wouldn't call them poor quality though!

you do get what you pay for

the V12 chassis is based on an age old simple design - simple meaning cheap to run, and cheap to race.

tamiya is quite unique in that the instructions nurse you through every step. some other cars just have an exploded diagram to work off.

the caterham is uk made and is still only about 60-70 quid for the kit. if this were made in the far east, it would probably cost 1/2 that, retail.

the v12 chassis once set up is a blast to drive, and you can get running for about a hundred kit (give or take)

if you want a high quality 1/12 "pan" car go for something like a corally sp12x, but be prepared to spend 3 times more!

corally instructions aren't always easy to follow though!

[bakaguyjean]

Just found this, still unfinished in the cupboard. Did think about revisiting the build and trying to get it finished, but it's such poor quality I think I'll leave it.

You have to be jokeing, I dont have a Mardave but it looks like you could have it together in 30 minutes. Is it really that bad or are you missing alot of parts?

[HereBeMonsters]

You have to be jokeing, I dont have a Mardave but it looks like you could have it together in 30 minutes. Is it really that bad or are you missing alot of parts?

The main problems are:

1. Missing some parts. I don't know which ones because...

2. The instructions are based on a different model. The changes are not clear, and indeed not really even alluded to.

3. Therefore there is no parts list.

4. Even if the instructions were good, the parts are so poorly made they don't fit together like they should.

5. I'm rubbish at building stuff unless the instructions are good. This coupled with points 1-4 means I am never going to finish this. Might as well find all the bits I can and put them up for sale.

[bugjammer]

Are you still having bother with this? The V12 instructions cover the main bits - theres not much else! ignore the mechanical speedo, there's not enough room for it.

I build about 5-6 Mardave based cars each week so if you're still after parts PM me and I'll sort some out - I've always got at least 10 cars worth of spares

You have to be jokeing, I dont have a Mardave but it looks like you could have it together in 30 minutes.

We had a 12 hour endurance race for V12s at my local club, starting from an unbuilt kit with mechanical speedo, the first car (ours!) was on the track in 12 minutes

[HereBeMonsters]

Are you still having bother with this? The V12 instructions cover the main bits - theres not much else! ignore the mechanical speedo, there's not enough room for it.

I build about 5-6 Mardave based cars each week so if you're still after parts PM me and I'll sort some out - I've always got at least 10 cars worth of spares

We had a 12 hour endurance race for V12s at my local club, starting from an unbuilt kit with mechanical speedo, the first car (ours!) was on the track in 12 minutes

Looks brilliant! Maybe I'll just find all the bits I have, send them to you with some beer tokens and you can build it for me!