F104 Pro

[Singapore_959 18]

Indeed close look at the photos and more tellingly the video from a show visitor shows that there look like to diff kits. Mainly one with blue alloy rear motor pod and one without.

The panning shots in the video show the parts sprue with the plastic pod. And the blue parts display shows parts for the hole pod in blue metal and a WHITE T bar unlike the black one shown in the Tamiya video.

Hopefully there will be one kit with all the options as that usually works out as a better price for buyers.

Fantastic car!

[highflyer 73]

Well, I missed out on the 15th anniversary F103RM (which I probably would not have run anyway). Just might have to buy this one, I like it.

[pagedm_f350 3]

Any ideas on the differences between the cars in the 2nd pic and the 5th pic? I'm guessing the one in the 2nd pic is fully optioned while the one in the 5th pic is the standard kit. They dont look like they have huge differences but it would be interesting to know. Any ideas Pagedm f350?, you seem to have your finger on the pulse

Could be, the sign both says F104Pro but I don't know Japanese. I think what Singapore_959 says is probably right, I don't think the F104 Pro will only come with all the blue alloy, I think they will have a std version aswell with just plastic parts, which the photos seem to give away.

Indeed close look at the photos and more tellingly the video from a show visitor shows that there look like to diff kits. Mainly one with blue alloy rear motor pod and one without.

The panning shots in the video show the parts sprue with the plastic pod. And the blue parts display shows parts for the hole pod in blue metal and a WHITE T bar unlike the black one shown in the Tamiya video.

Hopefully there will be one kit with all the options as that usually works out as a better price for buyers.

Fantastic car!

[twisty 8]

This new Tamiya chassis looks superb and a real treat for the purist racers who understand about restraint.

I do love the 4WD F201 cars though,they are aimed at beginners to scale F1,being much easyer to drive/learn about racing RC,because they handel very much like a 4WD touring car,i saw it as the step between Tough tourers and fragile F1,everything has it`s place really

[Tamiyameha 0]

Does anyone know when this awesome kit will be released in the US?

[L8apex 0]

+1 here highly anticipating this new chassis. Although from the looks of Tamiya's video, the F104-Pro will have most of the hop-ups, excl. the aluminum rear pod. Which I find unusual for Tamiya to be listing all the hop-ups separately in their website. Maybe a base model without a body will also be available. And that auminum rear pod better be more than just shiny eye candy. I predict height-adjustabilty.

As for the touring car vs. F103/4 chassis, like someone says, apples and oranges. I own a TA05 and while it handles great and offers a lot of adjustabilty, it doesn't require nearly enough finesse and skill to drive, provided ideal track conditions.

It's like comparing a modern Grand Prix car to a tarmac-spec WRC car, in my opinion. In their respective elements, they are incomparable. So while my TA05 will handle predictably even in the worst parking lots, on carpet or fresh asphalt, a good driver in an F103/4 should outdrive a touring car chassis.

But back to original topic, can't wait for this chassis.

[bakaguyjean 7]

+1 here highly anticipating this new chassis. Although from the looks of Tamiya's video, the F104-Pro will have most of the hop-ups, excl. the aluminum rear pod. Which I find unusual for Tamiya to be listing all the hop-ups separately in their website. Maybe a base model without a body will also be available. And that auminum rear pod better be more than just shiny eye candy. I predict height-adjustabilty.

THe F103RM and The F104R both have plastic height adjustable gearboxes. They both will explode if you slam the left side hub hard enough. The F104 is even thinner plastic than the F103. At least TAmiya was nice enough to finally make a left side alloy gear box. The part is extra and not included in the F104Pro. A soft "T" bar is also optional, Alloy diff is included in the kit %100 agree with Terry on the diff,but might be a bit heavey for the right side. TRF Shock is also included. Teflon king pins are optional. Different shore tires are optional. Titanium screw set is optional.I forget if the alloy servo saver is included or not. There are also a few F103 parts that are optional.

The D-Drive Blog has some more info in English.

http://d-drivesportsenglish.blogspot.com/

[RcTT01 0]

how much would one of those set me back in the UK then?

£?

RcTT01

[Taman 3]

Great video of the F104 at the show. Seems to have very good grip and really gets up and goes. Is it June yet....

And heres another link with a close up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS8eYWaDS4M...feature=related

And how the battery is removed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rq-bq2xQGY...feature=related

[L8apex 0]

Great video of the F104 at the show. Seems to have very good grip and really gets up and goes. Is it June yet....

And heres another link with a close up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS8eYWaDS4M...feature=related

And how the battery is removed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rq-bq2xQGY...feature=related

So what keeps those pivoting ESC and receiver platfroms from moving? Or do they just flop around as you drive? I know the battery's held in with snap pins. Also, not too crazy about the wheel/tire setup. Lower profile tires and larger diameter wheels? And the wheels have part of the tire sidewall molded into them? I guess I'll have to see it (and drive it) before I start complaining. Is it July yet?

[Origineelreclamebord 45]

So what keeps those pivoting ESC and receiver platfroms from moving? Or do they just flop around as you drive? I know the battery's held in with snap pins. Also, not too crazy about the wheel/tire setup. Lower profile tires and larger diameter wheels? And the wheels have part of the tire sidewall molded into them? I guess I'll have to see it (and drive it) before I start complaining. Is it July yet?

Did you see in the video that you have to take off a body pin and then some part (probably plastic) which is probably some retainer of the pivoting sides

[Taman 3]

Roll on June 18th, not long till the F104 is released

[Deanej10 6]

Can't wait to get one of these and do custom Vodafone Mclaren colours

[94eg! 837]

Their already selling them at MuchHobby.com in Canada...

http://www.muchhobby.com/shopping/advanced...amp;x=0&y=0

[Zaurusman 0]

Anyone come across this yet?

TamiyaUSA page

Tower Hobbies shows it as order pending, same as F104 stuff.

[Taman 3]

Their already selling them at MuchHobby.com in Canada...

http://www.muchhobby.com/shopping/advanced...amp;x=0&y=0

Wow they beat RC Champ at stocking them Well thats good news now even less time to wait

[94eg! 837]

Wow they beat RC Champ at stocking them Well thats good news now even less time to wait

MuchHobby has beat everyone to the punch on the last year's worth of Tamiya releases. Seems they have something special worked out with the distributor or something...

BTW: The F104 Pro is now in the hands of the people. Check out the beginning of this build on RCTech.net:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric-road/...f104-pro-9.html

[terry.sc 16]

Seems they have something special worked out with the distributor or something...

Yes, they ignore the worldwide release date.

Tamiya tries to release them worldwide on the same day where possible, so no one buys them from Japan because they aren't stocked locally yet. This means distributors are sent them in advance and are expected to keep hold of them until their official release. It doesn't seem to happen like that in Canada.

[G-rem 5]

Hi everyone,

sorry for bringing up such an old thread back to life but I was wondering some questions regarding the body genuinly coming with this chassis : whith the optional pontoons mounted, how large was the space between both sides of the body ?

Pics for illustration of what I am looking for : 

 

Many thanks for helping me finding out !

Regards,

G-rem

[ImALlama 1507]

@G-rem

here’s what I got, both pro bodies with optional pontoons on:

f104 pro (pink one) is 11cm at drivers head, 9.5cm at rear body posts

f104 pro 2 (copper) is 13cm at drivers head, 11cm at rear body posts

 

[G-rem 5]

Super valuable information, many thanks for your help @ImALlama

Cheers !