Show us your TA03!

[Raman36]

4 hours ago, Juhunio said:

Custom anodising 

[Juhunio]

10 hours ago, Raman36 said:

Custom anodising 

No, all off-the-shelf parts 👍

[Raman36]

This week, I decided to finally run my TA03R-S.  This is the re-issue from the 911 GT1.  I have a new in box and I also picked up a chassis that was parted out. I built the parted chassis and used it as a shelfer with my Lancia 037 body from re-released in 2013.  Boredom set in so I started tinkering with it and installed at HW WP1060, JX short servo from amazon $14.  Installed a tactic receiver, while Ali Express ships me a Futaba FASST compatible receiver.  Picked up a GensAce Stick LiPo 4000 mah from tower.  Motor I started out with a RS540-SH.  Geared it to 24T.. was impressed with the speed of the car but concerned with the heat of the motor.. it was a tick over 200º F.  I swapped it out for the Torque Tuned and geared down to 20T and after some spirited driving by my son, it was temping 220º +.  So I devised a fan mount and we went out again.. this kept motor to 150º on end bell and 170º on the can.   We did however note serious fade from the motor and LiPo had not hit low voltage yet.. it was 7.75 v.  We retired for the day.
 

This morning, I decided to swap motors again to Super Stock RZ that I had recently picked up.  So I never owned any of the Super Stocks.  I made the switch over to brushless in 2005 and never really looked back. So this was a new territory for me. I first swapped out the bearings as they were the same size as my brushless motors, I had a fresh pair so why not.  Installed motor with 16t pinion per the super stock manuals recommendations.  I trimmed the throttle up and let the motor run for 5 min to get the brushes settle.  Then I took it out for a mild run up and down the street and was pleasantly surprised with the torque and speed.  I ran it gently for a little while longer before I handed it over to my son.  

He was very happy with the speed of this motor and after some spirted driving, motor was around 120º on end bell, 150º through the slits on bottom of chassis.  He drove the car well until the low voltage kicked in.  I am now officially sold on the Super Stock motors.  They're a gem! 

As for the TA03, I forgot how well this chassis drives. You would think that the heavy ABS Lancia 037 body and those funny semi slick tyres would really make it un-drivable but the opposite was true.. it drives fantastic.  Im running it with kit springs, fixed kit camber.. I did shim out some of the play from steering. Only change I made was 400wt (yellow) shock oil..but that's really it.  

 

[M 800STD]

Do enjoy this thread, seeing the various TA03s

[94SRUNNER]

This is a good thread. Lots of great builds. 

[OoALEJOoO]

On 9/2/2022 at 4:02 AM, Juhunio said:

Stunning work on this one! 

Where did you get the sticker set?

I recently got a kit and was thinking of reproducing this livery. My usual method of printing the sponsors on regular paper, then sticking it with transparent tape should work but perhaps it would be best to buy a sticker set.

[svenb]

First time I've both of mine together 

[Juhunio]

On 12/30/2022 at 1:59 AM, OoALEJOoO said:

Where did you get the sticker set?

I found a scale blueprint of the real car and then worked with Nathaneal at MCI to create the sticker sheet:

https://mciracing.ca/products/1-10th-tam-58193-porsch-911-gt1-marlbo-decals
 

cheers! 

[OoALEJOoO]

@Juhunio Thanks for the link. It will be a bit pricey to ship to the other side of the world, I'm on the fence.

Questions, did you paint your Marlboro Porsche with PS20 Fluorescent Red? How did the red sections of the stickers color-match? From the pictures it looks like a good match. If that's the case I might pull the trigger on this one

[Juhunio]

9 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

Questions, did you paint your Marlboro Porsche with PS20 Fluorescent Red

Yup! Then when I did the white coat I also backed the red with the white 

9 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

How did the red sections of the stickers color-match

Close enough for me, but not perfect. In MCI's colour pallet the red is billed as 'Neon Red' but it isn't as fluorescent as the paint. Good enough for me though 😃

9 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

It will be a bit pricey to ship to the other side of the world,

Yeah, the shipping is a bit pricey. Like most global shopping I always wait until I have two or three things in the basket to make the shipping a bit easier to swallow!

Also, MCI regularly do offer weekends, normally around national holidays in the US and Canada, usually 20% off. So if you wait until one of those it also helps to offset the shipping a bit 👍

9 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

I might pull the trigger on this one

If you do, one thing to note. The livery includes two 'SONAX' logos to go on the side of the wing mirrors, but on the MCI sheet the SONAX letters are scrambled all over the place (rather than one complete logo). I bought it up with Nath and he sent me a sheet of SONAX logos by way of apology, but looking at the link I just sent you he hasn't actually fixed the sticker sheet. If you use the magnifier to view the sheet you will see there are random S...O...N... etc letters around the sheet 🙄

So before you buy you might want to message him and tell him that the SONAX logos are broken and ask him to fix them before he ships it. 

[Juhunio]

Calling all TA03 aficionados! 

Does the wealth and depth of experience across this thread and forum know if:

1. Tamiya ever made the TA03R chassis tub (50768) in black? Looking at Tamiyabase it looks like all the TA03R kits are grey plastics. But was there ever a separate spare or Hop Up in black or am I chasing rainbows?
2. Are the K and J parts in the TA03R FRP conversion set (53358) black or grey? I think the TA03F conversion set is grey but not sure on the TA03R set

If anyone can advise on both points it would be hugely appreciated, thanks in advance 

[jonboy1]

is this what you're after?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114679071407

 

I cant tell if thats black or not, but might be worth an ask of the seller

 

edit: just realised I didn't tag you @Juhunio so don't know if you saw this or not?

[Juhunio]

On 7/25/2025 at 3:04 PM, jonboy1 said:

I cant tell if thats black or not, but might be worth an ask of the seller

Thanks JB, I did see that Friday morning shortly after mine had arrived...I messaged the seller and they've replied that it is black, so I've ordered it. Fingers crossed it is black, if not I'll at least be able to fall back on eBay buyer protection 🙏

[Sgt.Speirs]

48 minutes ago, Juhunio said:

Fingers crossed it is black, if not I'll at least be able to fall back on eBay buyer protection 🙏

I hope for you that it is black, but to be honest for me it looks like the standard TA03 grey plastic😬

[Juhunio]

1 minute ago, Sgt.Speirs said:

I hope for you that it is black, but to be honest for me it looks like the standard TA03 grey plastic😬

Yup, I agree, but I have it in writing from the seller that it's black so if it turns out to be grey then I'm comfortable that eBay will make it the seller's problem, not mine 

[futureworks]

I do know that Tamiya made the TA03F FRP set in two versions under the same item number, one with grey plastic, the other with black. I’ve never seen black plastic parts in the TA03FS, and TA03R versions, so will be interested in what you find when you get the set!

[Juhunio]

6 minutes ago, futureworks said:

so will be interested in what you find when you get the set!

All I've found so far is another TA03R tub, which looks to be grey but the seller has confirmed in writing is black. We'll see what happens when it turns up. No signs of any TA03R FRP conversion sets anywhere but my gut feeling is that they're grey anyway 

[Raman36]

Referencing the TT02 - the gray is supposed to be stiffer / better material. Wonder if that holds true to the TA03?

[Juhunio]

4 minutes ago, Raman36 said:

Referencing the TT02 - the gray is supposed to be stiffer / better material. Wonder if that holds true to the TA03?

Quality of plastics is moot, it'll only ever sit on a shelf anyway!

I've already built black / silver front and rear gearboxes so need a black tub to go in between them.

Or carbon / FRP plates with black J/K parts. But they aren't actually made of plastic at all, they're crafted from purest unobtanium!

[Sgt.Speirs]

1 hour ago, futureworks said:

... I’ve never seen black plastic parts in the TA03FS, and TA03R versions, so will be interested in what you find when you get the set!

Maybe it‘s a typo, but I had in mind that the last TA03 models Peugeot 206 (TA03F-S) and the Penzoil Skyline R34 (TA03F) has also black parts.

And all the TA03 chassis with carbon double deck anyway, except for the TA03F Pro with FRP deck (58177)...but the re-release of the TA03F Pro (49377) again.

And please correct me if I‘m wrong😊

[futureworks]

My post, referencing the different ‘versions’ was only referring to the plastic parts that come in the three FRP Hop up chassis sets Tamiya produced for the TA03, not any of the actual car kits 👍.

[Juhunio]

@Sgt.Speirs You are correct, the Pug 206 (TA03F-S) had a black plastic tub, as did the recent TA03R-S 911 Street Edition. I'm not sure about the later TA03Fs (eg Pensoil Skyline), Tamiybase doesn't have a photo of the naked chassis.

However, I'm looking for a black TA03R solution, and my understanding is:

• plastic tubs for TA03R (50768) and TA03F (50719) are different parts 
• all TA03R kits were grey plastics 
• unclear if Tamiya ever released a black TA03R tub as a separate spare / Hop Up 
• TA03F FRP conversion set had grey plastic J parts 
• you are correct, TA03F-Pro was FRP plates and grey plastic J parts
• TA03F-Pro Drift had FRP plates and black J plastics
• TA03F-Pro David Jun had carbon plates and black J plastics
• both TA03R-TRF / TA03RS-TRF had carbon plates and black J and K plastics 
• unsure what colour plastic J and K parts were included with the TA03R FRP conversion set (53358) but most likely grey

So it would seem, unless the TA03R FRP conversion set has black plastic J and K parts, the only way to build a black TA03F is with carbon plates and black plastic J and K parts, and only then if someone breaks a TRF kit and sells the J and K parts