Conbverting Blazing Star to Top-Force EVO?

[FC5687]

Hello Members!

I'm new to this forum and I am looking for converting the Blazing Star to Top Force EVO.

After gathering the information from different people and website (including the Tamiya official homepage), I found the Blazing Star actually is the same as the Top-Force with the "bath tub" plastic chassis instead of double deck chassis and gear differential instead of ball differential. The Blazing Star using the same gear box (same part number as the Top-Force kit) as the Top-Force. Am I correct?

I am trying to get some parts to modify the Blazing Star and turn this thing to Top-Force. I found a company still making carbon chassis, top deck, rear mount and front for Top-Force. Torque Splitter (53071) and Ball Diff (53070) is going to replace the original parts in the Blazing Star.

However, I read some postings from somewhere:

"The Egress replaced the FRP chassis of the 2001 with carbon fibre. It also came with titanium fixings, the Hi-Cap metal shocks, larger ball-joints on the suspension upper links, a brace of sealed ballraces, universal joints at the front and rear, and the "dual ball-diff & torque-splitter set"......... The Top Force came with the general hardware from the Manta Ray, but used an FRP chassis with some revisions to battery mounts, wheels and gearbox internals. The Top Force Evolution was equivalent to the Egress. Titanium, carbon fibre, ballraces etc."

These are my questions.

1) Considering the pictures of both Top-Force EVO and Egress, they are not using the same suspension. Do I correct? I think the Top-Force and Top-Force Evo is using the same suspension, right?

2) Other than the Titanium fixings, a brace of sealed ballraces, larger ball-joint on the suspension upper link, carbon fibre chassis, Torque Splitter and Ball Diff; what other features make the differences between the Top-Force and Top-Force EVO?

3) Can I use the Team Associated shock on the Blazing Star (or Top-Force EVO)?

4) Can I use the MIP Light Weight Ball Bearing Steering and CVD for this Blazing Star modification?

5) I found the Tamiya 9115041 (Part J ) play an important role to turn the Blazing Star into Top Force Evolution. However, I have a difficuty to locate this part. Any suggestion about this one?

6) Is the Blazing Star using same gear type as the Top Force Evo?

Thank you!

[spiff84(2)]

hi

how close to a real Evo do you want to make your Star? For a perfect replica you will need 2 light weight diffs (not just Top Force diffs), orange wheels, torque splitter, titanium screws, blue sealed bearings, front and rear damper stays (different from the Top Force), carbon upper and lower deck, metal Hi-cap dampers (similar to Egress, not sure if they are the same? but different from Top Force dampers), universal shafts front and rear, turn-buckle shafts (there are 7 of these), i think the wheel nuts are aluminium, and the Evo has different step screws attaching the front uprights to the arms. And of course there is a Top Force body (quite expensive)

Also you will need a way of holding the battery in place. If you are buying a non-tamiya chassis and the Star only has a tub, you will not have the plastic battery holder bits and the screws that attach the frp strips to hold the battery in place. These bits are on the J-tree, which could cause a problem if you can't find a J-tree.

And another thing that probably won't come with a non-Tamiya chassis is the aluminium chassis stays: 2 sets of 2 types, and the 2 aluminium steering mounts. Aluminium motor mount is recomended too, but not standard in the Evo kit.

You seem to be aware of most of these parts, i think finding the light weight diffs might be hard? and some of the parts to make it into a "true" Evo like the turnbuckles could be close to impossible to get(?). Turning a Top Force into an Evo would be a much easier job. That is quite a long list, but for a hopped up Blazing Star you won't need all of the above. Hopefully someone will come along and point out any errors i have made, and give you some suggestions on where to find these parts.

Thanks

P.S after looking at a picture of a Blazing Star: you will also need the wire rear-wing mount, and its holders. I don't know if the plastic mount will fit on the Top Force damper stay? it may do.

[retro]

Since you mentioned both the Egress and the Top-Forces, it's probably worth pointing out that these are two completely different chassis.

The Egress is based on the Vanquish type drivetrain, the Top-forces are based on the Manta-Ray type drivetrain, like your Blazing Star. There are very few interchangeable parts between the two types.

[spiff84(2)]

hi

yeah, what he said. And also, looking over the huge list of parts: if you are making an exact replica of an Evo, i would personally start fresh and leave your Blazing Star, because only a couple of gears, the gear-boxes, and the suspension arms will be left from the Star. You may as well go the whole hog, get these parts and have two cars. But i doubt that is what you doing, sounds like you are just hopping-up up your Star in a Evo-stylee. And i that case the main bits you need to find are the ones to make the carbon chassis fit the Star, and also the Top Force body, as you won't be able to use the Star's as it will need an under-cowl.

(if i had put as much thought into questions at school as i did here, i would have left with alot higher marks lol)

[oldfordguy]

Most tf evo parts can be had from ebay. What you will have difficulty finding are; correct tierods, correct rod ends, full titanium screw set, lightweight ball diff housings, evo shock towers, wing mount pieces, orange wheels. Your best bet is to get a genuine tamiya frp chassis set, and build from there. Genuine tamiya carbon chassis parts are still available as well. Good luck finding orange evo wheels and evo shock towers. I know a guy who has em, but he's rather a horder and will not part with them[:I] If you can deal with regular white tf wheels, then just buy a nib baja champ or baja king or what ever those cheapass buggies are. They come with top force wheels and tires.

[FC5687]

Hi!

First I am not going to do the "exact" replica because my friend told me some parts is available out there is better than the one use in the Top Froce EVO.

The screw I choose to use is coming from the www.rcscrewz.com which I saw their ad from the magazine, and they're offering screw in stainless steel. I read that the titanium screw has no shear point - so you will bust a part or chassis before a $1.00 screw would break.

I am going to order the chassis from: www.fibre-lyte.co.uk/fl/cars/tamiya/topforce.html

Refer to someone told, the 53070 ball diff is a hop up part mainly for top force (58100) upgrade. So what the differences between "light weight diff" you are mentioning and the 53070 ball diff. and these are the parts going to use for the mod.

1) MIP CVD for front and rear

2) Not remember the name but seen on the magazine a company from Hong Kong making Titanium turn-buckle shafts.

3) Associated Shocks

4) Of course, the car is going to use the sealed bearing from Tamiya.

Before I start, I need a instruction manual for Top Force Evo (58107). Unfortunately, this is not available from this website. And I have no idea where I can get it? Without this manual, I could not do a accurate work for the Star to Top-Force Evo.

Any suggestion?

Thanks all!

quote:Originally posted by spiff84

hi

how close to a real Evo do you want to make your Star? For a perfect replica you will need 2 light weight diffs (not just Top Force diffs), orange wheels, torque splitter, titanium screws, blue sealed bearings, front and rear damper stays (different from the Top Force), carbon upper and lower deck, metal Hi-cap dampers (similar to Egress, not sure if they are the same? but different from Top Force dampers), universal shafts front and rear, turn-buckle shafts (there are 7 of these), i think the wheel nuts are aluminium, and the Evo has different step screws attaching the front uprights to the arms. And of course there is a Top Force body (quite expensive)

Also you will need a way of holding the battery in place. If you are buying a non-tamiya chassis and the Star only has a tub, you will not have the plastic battery holder bits and the screws that attach the frp strips to hold the battery in place. These bits are on the J-tree, which could cause a problem if you can't find a J-tree.

And another thing that probably won't come with a non-Tamiya chassis is the aluminium chassis stays: 2 sets of 2 types, and the 2 aluminium steering mounts. Aluminium motor mount is recomended too, but not standard in the Evo kit.

You seem to be aware of most of these parts, i think finding the light weight diffs might be hard? and some of the parts to make it into a "true" Evo like the turnbuckles could be close to impossible to get(?). Turning a Top Force into an Evo would be a much easier job. That is quite a long list, but for a hopped up Blazing Star you won't need all of the above. Hopefully someone will come along and point out any errors i have made, and give you some suggestions on where to find these parts.

Thanks

P.S after looking at a picture of a Blazing Star: you will also need the wire rear-wing mount, and its holders. I don't know if the plastic mount will fit on the Top Force damper stay? it may do.

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[Bibbo]

If you ad up the cost of all this then even a NIB Top-Force Evo would be cheaper. Go to Jasons store on e-bay and he has one for sale at the moment for about $550.

I bet thats about what all the correct oarts would cost and you still don't have a geniune Top-Force Evo.

[ideal2k]

There is *NO* way to find the original top force evo ball-diffs, except with a top force evo.

These ball diffs are a very rare design..

And the red wheels are very difficult to get hold of, and the body kit is IMPOSSIBLE.

Anyyyywaaay

Good luck with your mission.

[spiff84(2)]

hi

there must have been some way to get more of these light weight diffs, because i have 3! 2 in my Evo and a spare. Maybe you could phone Tamiya and order them when the Evo was released. As for the difference, imho the lighter ones are a far better design, with a lovely aluminium housing that is much lighter than the standard ones. After looking at them, the standard ones look heavy and ugly, however, i doubt i could tell any difference in driving. I wouldn't even think about tracking down 2 (!) of these rare diffs for anything other than a perfect Evo copy.

As for the Fybre-Lyte chassis: i am sure you will need all the chassis mounts and steering mounts, as these won't be included, and i doubt will be with your Star. And the battery holders.

I was also thinking what Bibbo said about it costing less for a NIB Evo. I have seen one for £340 BIN: do a search. But you are not making a perfect Evo. Maybe finding a battered Top Force would be a better starting point?

I will try and scan my Evo manual for the site, but i have tried scanning it before with bad results. (where are tamiyaClub's instuctions on how to send a manual, i can't find them)

[Bibbo]

You can order the lightweight diffs from Rainbow ten. I have just got 2 for a TA01 Delta Integrale. They are about $10 each.

Also I have a new Top-Force Evo chassis set for the car so if you want a chassis set that has Top-Force Evo written on it and you have one with RC-Car written on it let me know and we can swap.