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Mokei Kagaku

New release: Tamiya DT-03 Neo Fighter Buggy

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In terms of value for money this does look an interesting chassis and excellent spec if the reported 80euros is correct. It puts it at the bottom end of the DT-02 range, price wise, but at mid/upper end spec wise. That can only be a good thing to get people into the hobby and keep Tamiya fans happy with budget kits - after all we all complain about plastic bushings, but in this Tamiya gives a better ESC, oil filled shocks, turnbuckles etc - you'd have to go for a Sand Viper in the current DT-02 offering to get similar specs, at 25%+ more money

What it isn't though is a sorted, budget racer - when you compare to something like the Durango DEX210 its way behind, ditto against the Losi, or even a 3Racing Cactus. However all three of those will relive your wallet of £140+ even with brushed electrics, £160+ with budget brushless.

I don't think that was Tamiyas intention anyway - they may have a race series in Japan for this (as they do for the DT-02) but it doubt they intended DT-03 for multi brand racing.

Tamiya still don't have a DEX210 equivelent at the £100-£120 kit mark, the DN-01 is flawed (but fine for the money as a runner) and really you need a TRF201 to get to the same sort of level of design and capability as Durango/Losi

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A little update:

Suggested retail price in Japan: JPY9.000 => EUR80,- in Germany, as communicated by rc-news.de, seems feasible. As usual, that translates to at least GBP80,- in the UK.... :P:wacko:

Edit: suggested retail price in Germany is confirmed: EUR 74.99! (including 540 Torque Tuned, CVA's and the BL/brushed ESC, but spec might be different in other markets, as indicated in previous posts)

Wheelbase: 287mm* according to a very credible source

(*27mm more than the DT-02 when using stock front uprights and not the race trick of flipping the front suspension arms).

Suitable hop-ups from the DT-02 and DF-02 (just in case someone still wondered if the gearbox really is a carry-over from the DT-02) ;) :

53831 DT-02 Aluminum Motor Heat Sink

53832 DT-02 Spring Set

53863 DT-02 Ball Differential Set

53791 DF-02 Assembly Universal Shaft Set

54395 3x22mm Low Friction Suspension Shaft (4 Pcs. / DT-02,TT-01)

As this thread is meanwhile quite long, I don't exclude the possibility that this information has been covered already. If so, I deeply apologise for the inconvenience.

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I like it. I think it has the humps in the 'bonnet' section where the front suspension mounts are - a lot like the Frog body.

So we reckon this will be a sub-£100 beginners buggy then? Always sold a lot of the Super Fighter series at Time Tunnel, they never appealed to me then but now they do, as they're tough and fun - better & quicker than a 'toy-grade' car but with similar DNA.

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http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXEDMX&P=7

As always, the price will settle to around 65% of MSRP or so before it is shipped.

$195 x 0.65 = $127 (which is $25 higher than EUR 75) Oh well.

If you're shopping at Tower, subtract a $20 Super Saver club discount, and wait for a week when they have free shipping on $99 or more. $107 in the USA if you want it.

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Wheelbase: 287mm* according to a very credible source

(*27mm more than the DT-02 when using stock front uprights and not the race trick of flipping the front suspension arms).

Interesting to note that this is 4mm longer than the TRF201 with the pricey XR extended chassis. :o

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However, I think a TRF201 will drive rather differently from a DT-03!

Even that assumption needs a caveat since nobody has as of yet driven one of the latter...

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Some more pictures from Tamiyablog.com:

dqrxkt8v.jpg

DT-02 Fighter Buggy SV next to DT-03 Neo Fighter Buggy

8ar5kbk2.jpg

Fully equipped chassis. Notice the brace that mounts the lower front arms to the front bulkhead.

Source: http://tamiyablog.com/2014/02/tamiya-news-at-international-toy-fair-nuremberg-2014-part-14-bonus-material-1/

Driving video:

Member 'Running' of fighterteam.de had a chance to get his hands on the DT-03 Neo Fighter Buggy. He mentioned that the DT-03 has a better handling with less understeer in comparison to the DT-02, despite the longer wheelbase. Although in my mind you should take this with a grain of salt, since the steering characteristics are heavily dependant on what toe angle has been set up on front. Rear toe-in is fixed as on the DT-02.

Unfortunately there's no confirmation about the dampers yet - there'll be either friction dampers or CVA oil dampers with fixed piston plates (similar to the DT-02 Nissan Titan's dampers).

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I'm sorry but I don't like this model. Too much plastic, I don't like the technical chooses, I don't like the look... probably a model I'll never own.

The only thing I like about it is the front angle of 25°.

Max

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The top down view of the chassis leads me to think that shiny plastic is probably quite brittle ? At least parts will be cheap :D

I also think it'll come with friction shocks at that RRP - just no way Tamiya will put all those 'extras' on, mismatch to the DT-02 hierarchy and lost hop-up sales.

Will I get one - most likely at the price, and I have a spare set of TRF201 shocks that might just be the right size :o

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hmm - anyone notice those square-ended nubs sticking out from the sides of the chassis front and back? look an awful lot like those used on other models to attach tall body mounts. i wonder if T has some future plans for this chassis involving a truck conversion. which, given how narrow it is, sounds a little crazy. but...

one other thing i can't help but notice is how similar geometrically this chassis is to the TT-Gear GB-01 chasses. it's uncanny, almost like they said "ok designers, make a 1:10 scale version of the GB-01 chassis and that'll be our starting point for the DT-03." or "wouldn't it be cool if we made a version of the TT-Gear frog that was 1:10 scale? but then stretched it out... etc, etc..."

to illustrate:

12252647783_1dd13260e8_o.jpg

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Whelp just placed a pre-order at Tower for 2 of these DT-03 kits. $135 ea plus some RC10 parts and a $45 member coupon. OK deal.

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... not sure if the M-series would count as buggies.

Maybe not, but they jump surprisingly well... ;)

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EDIT: Guys, keep an eye on the German Dickie-Tamiya product site of the DT-03 Neo Fighter Buggy. They're most times the first to upload the kit build manual and close-up pictures, preceding Tamiya USA and maybe even Tamiya Japan:

http://www.tamiya.de/de/produkte/rcmodellautos/bausatzelektro/produktdetails.htm?sArtNr=300058587

Guys, the manual is now ONLINE! Feel free to download it! "Bauanleitung DT-03" and "Beiblatt Neo Fighter Buggy" in the right column!

http://www.tamiya.de/de/produkte/rcmodellautos/bausatzelektro/produktdetails.htm?sArtNr=300058587

Please have also a look at the US specifications for the Neo Fighter Buggy kit and RTR:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/items/radio-control-kits-30/off-road-buggies-36450/rc-neo-fighter-buggy-58587 (kit)

http://www.tamiyausa.com/items/radio-control-kits-30/rtr-xb-expert-built-35700/rc-rtr-neo-fighter-buggy-57872 (RTR)

Awww... somebody just had the guts to paint his Neo Mighty Frog in pink:

tamiya-58587-dt-03-neoaxbg.jpg

Source: http://tamiyablog.com/2014/02/tamiya-58587-110-rc-neo-fighter-neo-frog-buggy-dt-03-chassis-official-description-and-photos/

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Well I have to admit it looks nicer in the video than in the static pics.

Ground clearance looks poor though with the long wheelbase - looks like chassis hit the top of the ramp...

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Plastic bearings and friction dampers. But the on/off switch is in a neat location - under the rear wing. Many hop-ups ensue...

I wonder how long that wheelbase is...

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Thanks Greg for the heads-up about the manuals.

They've done the same thing for the DT-03 as they did with the TT-02.

There is a generic "chassis" manual and a specific "body" manual supplement to go with it.

So confusing about the specs, though. Some pictures show friction dampers, and the US specifications say friction dampers, but Special Feature 6 is CVA shocks.

I interpret this mess as:

The "default" DT-03 comes with friction dampers, but the Neo Fighter DT-03 comes with CVA shocks as an upgrade (among other items like the Torque Tuned motor and ESC).

Since the "long wheelbase" is Special Feature 3, I'd guess there will be other DT-03 models with a shorter wheelbase released in the future.

EDIT: OK, it's even more confusing because the chassis manual describes building the friction shocks, not CVAs. Either there will be yet another supplement or an alternative chassis manual. :wacko:

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Very cheap to make a DT03 from a DT02 just 2 parts trees and a body.

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intrigued by the square body mount attachments front and rear on the side of the chassis.

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Very Excited about the DT-03 .. It's now available to pre order at Fusion Hobbies. Expected 10th March for £89. I've gotta do a bit of creative banking first but my pre-order is going in soon.

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Grabbed a flyer on Saturday,
here´s a scan that maybe was not seen so far.
I totally like this one for the little ORV spirit and the "Neo Frog" look.
With this price and a 2 way ESC it will be a nice fun runner, with lots of Tamiya spirit. For sure, it´s no real Race buggy, but hey, it´s a Fighter and Entry Level, o.k. for me.


img34024_05022014225327_1.jpg
http://www.tcphotos.com/getuserimage.asp?t=n&id=img34024_05022014225327_1.jpgimg34024_05022014225327_1.jpg

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The above link, put into an image:

img34024_05022014225327_1.jpg

This now vaguely reminds me of the TRF Frog that was completed here some time ago on TC.

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