Blista's TT02R Subaru WRX STI NBR Challenge

[Blista 1100]

This kit hasn't been as straight forward as I expected, so I figured I should put it all together in a build thread.

I bought a standard 58645 Subaru WRX STI NBR Challenge kit during 2017.  As soon as Tamiya advertised this kit I knew I'd own one.  I'm not particularly into Subarus but the detail on this kit is great.  If only it came with light buckets.

When the kit arrived I have to say that while I really like the body, I wasn't that keen on the TT02 chassis.  At least in stock form.  A local club races a TT02 class, which allow for some basic mods but is largely stock, so I sold the chassis for something else.

At which point I bought another TT02.

If that seems counter-intuitive, then you're probably right, but there was some reasoning behind it.  I wanted another XV01 as an on-road chassis to go with my rally XV01, but the XV01 chassis body-mounts don't suit low bodies and it would cost a fair bit to get it how I wanted.  I looked at the TB04, TA05, TA06, and TA07 but ultimately they're overkill or getting harder to find parts for.

I decided on either a 47326 TT02R or a 58600 TT02 Type S.  I honestly could have gone either way but the TT02R has the upgrades you really need right out of the box (like ball bearings, the aluminium driveshaft and joints, and motor mount).  The TT02S has a lot of nice parts too and when one came up for sale near me I almost crumbled and bought it as well.  Sanity prevailed, and I just have a TT02R... for now.

The TT02R chassis is an easy build.  In the above photo it was mostly finished except for shocks and electronics, plus the wheels and tyres are from the WRX kit.  A few things to note:

1) The steering comes with the adjustable turnbuckles but is otherwise the same as a basic TT02.

2) The rear 3 degree uprights are nice, but you can't use them for the wide rear necessary on the Porsche 911 RSR.  I wish I had known that beforehand, but it wouldn't cost much to pick up some standard TT02 parts to convert it.  You can't do that on the TT02S without losing the better suspension arms.

3) You can still use the shorter body-shells, unlike the TT02S.

4) The TT02R is a "limited edition" kit, but I'm not sure this means anything.

When building the kit I didn't pay enough attention and bungled one screw in the rear bumper.

They should both be like the one on the left.  I had to unscrew the bumper, take off the bumper then remove the screw on the right before reinstalling it correctly.  I just wasn't paying attention, this kit is a breeze to put together.

The WRX body on the other hand isn't as straight forward.  Having a lot of detail is nice but it does mean it requires a bit of effort.  The wheel arches have a small raised section in front of them.  You need to trim around these and also mask them as they will be painted black.  There's also the front splitter which will also be painted black and is going to take a beating being stuck right out front.

The rear end is awkward.  There's a lot of angles there and it is a little tricky to both trim and mask as well.  You can see in the stock photo below that it's not a typical rear bumper.

Here it is sitting on the TT02R chassis.

I've test fitted the electronics and a stock 540 motor.  I'm undecided on what I'll put in there permanently, but I might get a Sport-Tuned for this and the TT02 aluminium heatsink.  I had a spare TBLE-02S ESC and the servo is just a Futaba S3003.  I'll need to decide on a receiver too, but because of the design of the TT02 chassis I will have to mount it to the top of the servo.  With the electronics so close together there's a bird's nest of wiring that will need tidying.

Back to the body shell, I washed it and lightly scuffed it with a 3M scourer, avoiding the windows.

It took a bit of effort to get the masking right.  I used the 87178 3mm masking tape for curves along the edges of the roof to try and get a smooth edge.

The roof needs to be painted separately from the PS16 Metallic Blue on the rest of the body.  The instructions say to use PS48 Semi-Gloss Silver Anodized Aluminium.  I'd probably recommend you just use PS41 Bright Silver.  The Bright Silver is both cheaper and easier to use, and should still suit it.

Front and back I also used the curved tape for the longer edges.  I tried using it around the grille but I actually found it easier to use basic masking tape and then trim it with a knife.  You can see the small leading edge on the front wheel arches and how I masked them off in the photo below.  Because it's such a small bit I initially masked over it then trimmed it with a knife.

It's a little unusual that the lower front grille doesn't need painting in black but the areas beside it do.  Again, just mask and then trim to fit.

For the rest of it I masked a couple of layers upwards, and then I get some cling-film and tape that to the masking.  It saves having to mask the whole body and works great if you make sure not to leave any gaps where paint can get under.

Being summer, I wanted to get a bunch of painting done so I added another body.  As you can see, this isn't another WRX.

It's a 51376 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.  This was going to be a rally body for my XV01 but between ordering it and it arriving I had a change of mind.

It was hugely different to the WRX when trimming and masking.  It was really simple.  The hardest part is the front grille as it is slightly indented and has a couple of sharp curves.  I managed to do it with a single bit of the curved masking tape and then fill the rest.

After adding the stock kit window and light masks (the lights are a touch fiddly) I also masked off the bonnet, roof, and boot.  Same technique with the two types of tape.  The bonnet ends in a tight curve towards the windscreen which meant the tape kept lifting, but everything was otherwise fine.

I should also mention that I will typically get a cotton-bud, dip it in the Tamiya body cleaner, then wipe over the clear body before painting at each step.  That way any stray finger prints when masking are removed.

Being the darkest colour, the first step of painting the WRX is the PS5 Black.  I usually paint one very light coat, then two thicker.  I actually left a fair bit of time between masking and painting so the tape lifted a little at the edges in a couple of spots.  I tidied it up with body cleaner but just behind the front arches there's a little in a hard 90 degree corner which I had to leave.  I could've tried getting to it but I'd probably end up accidentally getting some body cleaner on the wrong spot.  I expect the decals to cover it anyway.

Next step was the PS16 Metallic Blue.  Now it is starting to look like the WRX I want.  The blue is quite transparent even after a few coats.  I then backed it with PS41 Bright Silver.  The instructions don't mention this, but it helps makes the blue opaque.  Just two coats were needed for this.

I am painting the Evo X at the same time and here it is with the PS45 Translucent Purple.  I've never used a translucent paint before so it's a bit of a learning experience with this body.  I did the one light then two thicker coats and got coverage is fairly good.  It came out looking a touch thinner in some areas but you'd end up dumping the whole can in the body trying to even it up.  I trusted I did a decent job and moved on.

Back to the WRX.  After the blue and silver had cured I peeled the roof masking off and, in the below photo, you can see the lines came out nice and smooth.  I really recommend the masking tape for curves for this kind of stuff.

I added the PS48 Aluminium to the roof.  I've had mixed results with this paint so I'm not sure if this is going to work out how I want.  I painted a bumper on my Bronco using this and it came out a little bit disappointing.  It didn't really look too metallic.  So this time I've gone for more coats.  One light coat and then three thicker coats.  In the photo below you can see how it paints quite clear so you're never really sure how it will come out.  It looks dull and slightly opaque.  Hopefully when I back it with black, which is necessary, it'll get that anodized metal look.

One thing you can see, if you look at the roof towards the windscreen, is that the light scuff marks from the scourer didn't disappear when I painted the PS48.  It normally disappears when painting every other colour, but I never thought beforehand that because PS48 is so reflective it could affect it.  Fingers crossed it won't show up later on.

Backing the purple on the Evo X was one of those moments you start thinking "I might need to clean out the whole body if this doesn't work" but it actually came out how I wanted.  I backed the purple with PS23 Gunmetal so I'd get a metallic effect but a darker colour than a silver.  I am looking forward to peeling off the plastic to see just how the final colour looks.

Before that can happen I still have to paint the rest of the body.  I'm going with black for the grille, the masked off bonnet, roof, boot and the lower rear bumper.  Why so dark?  Since the TT02 is quite versatile, this is going to be my drifter body.  I've ordered a set of wheels and tyres which I hope will suit.

The Evo X has been really nice to work with so far.  It comes with light buckets and a rear spoiler, but I won't be fitting the spoiler.  I'm not sure about going to the effort of putting in LEDs but I'll see how much I like drifting when it is up and running.

All this painting has got me wondering if I could squeeze in one more body before autumn kicks in, and I have a very complicated idea for a Mazda Demio.

[Badcrumble 1940]

Thanks for doing this thread. I would love that Subaru bit I don't think I could do it justice! 

The Evo looks good too!

[Bdongyface 3]

Great thread, they're both looking very tidy so far! I'll be interested to hear how you get on with drifting the tt02, I'm currently contemplating a very similar project.

[Blista 1100]

5 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

Thanks for doing this thread. I would love that Subaru bit I don't think I could do it justice! 

The Evo looks good too!

Cheers.  It is a great shell.  A bit challenging, but still fun.  You could always learn from my mistakes and end up with a better looking one.

4 hours ago, Bdongyface said:

Great thread, they're both looking very tidy so far! I'll be interested to hear how you get on with drifting the tt02, I'm currently contemplating a very similar project.

Thanks.  I haven't any experience with drifters so I figure this is the easy way to try it.  I'm not even sure if I've got the right tyres but I guess I'll find out soon enough.  The TT02D isn't going to compete with the specialized drift chassis cars, but if you're just starting out it seems like a nice low-cost entry point.

There's a great review on the TT02D Type S that The RC Racer did which inspired me to give it a go:

http://www.thercracer.com/2015/09/tamiya-47301-tt-02d-type-s-build-and.html

He's on this forum, although his username escapes me at the moment, so he might be able to give you some advice.

Now back to the WRX.

The painting is all but done.  I just have to tint the windows.  Unfortunately the scuffing on the roof did stay visible after backing the roof.  It's not the end of the world but I wish I'd engaged my brain before scuffing the roof panel.

The good news is that it means I have an excuse to buy another WRX shell to get it right.  I'll do that next summer though.  It also means I don't feel too bad about actually using this shell instead of having it sitting on a shelf.

The PS48 came out pretty good otherwise.  It seems like you'd want to do at least four coats if you're using this paint.  I couldn't find much information about using this colour, and a lot of photos have died since Photobucket ruined a lot of forum threads, so maybe this will help someone else out.

[Blista 1100]

Thanks to some wet weather today I had time to decal the EvoX.

Just need to wait for the drift wheels to arrive and it'll be done.

I've used the decals over the lights for now.  The LED lights look much better but I'll wait until I get an LED kit to use them.  There's only 80-odd decals for this car and at least a dozen I didn't need to use.  The only difficulties were the lights being a bit tricky to get correct due to the various angles they cover, and the window decals were filled with a solid colour so I had to trim that out.

There's still a couple of tiny bubbles to be squeezed out, but I'm happy with the outcome now it's done.  There's a lot more decals on the WRX so that'll be a project for Easter weekend.

[Jason1145 3836]

Great work on both shells, the Subaru one does look nice but yeah it’s a lot of work to get there... not sure I could complete it properly! Good luck

[dc-arena 76]

Looking fantastic! I’ve been building my TT02 and it’s all finished, except painting the body. Now it’s gettjng warmer I should get out in the garage and get on with it.

I noticed with my TT02 (A Raikiri GT) that the wheels have play in them. You can hold any wheel and move it in and out slightly, kinda weird. I’ve checked and re-checked to make sure everything is assembled correctly and it looks like it is. Does yours have this? It might not be an issue on the TT02R versions 

[Blista 1100]

2 hours ago, dc-arena said:

Looking fantastic! I’ve been building my TT02 and it’s all finished, except painting the body. Now it’s gettjng warmer I should get out in the garage and get on with it.

I noticed with my TT02 (A Raikiri GT) that the wheels have play in them. You can hold any wheel and move it in and out slightly, kinda weird. I’ve checked and re-checked to make sure everything is assembled correctly and it looks like it is. Does yours have this? It might not be an issue on the TT02R versions 

Thanks, mate.  Mine has very minimal movement which might be due to the metal axles, dogbones, and gearbox joints that come with the TT02R rather than the mostly plastic ones on the standard TT02.  What you could do is add some shims to the axles.  Have a look at this guide:

http://www.thercracer.com/2014/08/tamiya-tt02-guide-mods-tuning-and-tips.html

You can see he adds shims to the driveshafts.  Doing this should cure any movement.  The parts are slightly different on the standard TT02 but if you look at step 17 in the manual you'll see where they should go.

A small update on the WRX.  I got a few decals on during a spare moment.

It's looking better with every decal, but when there's so many I wish they'd sorted out the order better.  They're not pre-cut and some have quite tight tolerances for where they need to go also.

For example, you can see in the below photo that there's several angles and you need to align the dark stripes.  This is one of the first decals, but the other decals that will be added nearby around the window are about number 60 for some reason.  It looks like I might need to move it just a couple of millimeters towards the window to get it right, but I don't want to get the brand names much closer.  This is designed as a single decal but I think dividing it might work better.

[dc-arena 76]

19 hours ago, Blista said:

Thanks, mate.  Mine has very minimal movement which might be due to the metal axles, dogbones, and gearbox joints that come with the TT02R rather than the mostly plastic ones on the standard TT02.  What you could do is add some shims to the axles.  Have a look at this guide:

http://www.thercracer.com/2014/08/tamiya-tt02-guide-mods-tuning-and-tips.html

You can see he adds shims to the driveshafts.  Doing this should cure any movement.  The parts are slightly different on the standard TT02 but if you look at step 17 in the manual you'll see where they should go.

A small update on the WRX.  I got a few decals on during a spare moment.

It's looking better with every decal, but when there's so many I wish they'd sorted out the order better.  They're not pre-cut and some have quite tight tolerances for where they need to go also.

For example, you can see in the below photo that there's several angles and you need to align the dark stripes.  This is one of the first decals, but the other decals that will be added nearby around the window are about number 60 for some reason.  It looks like I might need to move it just a couple of millimeters towards the window to get it right, but I don't want to get the brand names much closer.  This is designed as a single decal but I think dividing it might work better.

 

Brilliant, thanks dude

Your car is looking ace!

[Badcrumble 1940]

Oh wow. This is really coming together. It makes me want one even more!

[Blista 1100]

3 minutes ago, Badcrumble said:

Oh wow. This is really coming together. It makes me want one even more!

Cheers.  I'm really happy with how it's turning out.  I need to sort my camera out to get better photos as I don't think they do justice to how good it looks in person.

Drift update today.  The MST wheels and tyres arrived from rcMart.

The wheels are MST Five Spoke (102018FS).  The wheels are +5 offset.  I wanted to try the MST changeable offset wheels but there weren't any stocked in the flat silver that I was after.

The tyres are MST CS-R Medium Tyres (101025).  You can tell the hardness from the little paint spot (gold in this case).  I have no real knowledge about drift tyres, so I did a little research and ended up deciding to just shoot for the middle grade and see how it goes.

The wheels come with a thin adhesive foam strip.  This is supposed to stop noise from the wheels rather than act like a normal tyre insert.  The drift tyres are so hard they don't flex.

I decided to put them together straight away to see how it all looks.  The foam doesn't quite fit the circumference of the wheel.  You have to give it just a slight stretch when you fit them.  They fit perfectly between the ridges inside the wheel.

Fitting the wheels is quite simple.  MST sell a device for mounting tyres, but you don't need it.  I boiled the kitchen jug then emptied it into a pot.  I placed a single tyre in there for one minute, then fished it out with a spoon handle onto a towel.  I quickly wiped off the water then pushed it down onto a wheel.  I had the wheels face up so the sidewall writing needing to be facing upwards, as in the photo below.

There's supposed to be a click when you install drift tyres according to what I've read but these didn't.  I can only guess it is because of the foam inner.  They certainly seem to be on there properly.  I still need to run a bead of glue around the inner-side before use, but I'll leave that for another day.

Obligatory shot of them on the chassis.

And here's them with the Evo.

Drifting on the cheap was the goal and I think I've achieved exactly what I wanted.  I now just need to get a better motor and a receiver to have it up and running.

[Blista 1100]

That's one decal sheet done and one to go.  It's all been fairly straight forward so far.  I still need to decide whether I paint the rear spoiler.  Seems excessive to buy a can of black TS paint just to paint a part that's already black.

The more I look at the little overhanging bit in the middle of the rear bumper, the more I'm tempted to just trim it off.

[InsaneJim69 830]

That over hanging bit looks like the diffuser so technically the middle part of it should be trimmed, looks like there is even a line that curves down that shows where to trim?

 

Looks good though. 👍

James.

[Blista 1100]

42 minutes ago, InsaneJim69 said:

That over hanging bit looks like the diffuser so technically the middle part of it should be trimmed, looks like there is even a line that curves down that shows where to trim?

 

Looks good though. 👍

James.

Thanks.  Yeah, that was how I figured it should be done as well, but I've gone with the Tamiya instructions for now.  There's also a small additional step beside the main instructions saying to cut it off if you want.  I don't see it lasting very long so chopping it off might be the best option.

[Blista 1100]

I didn't get the WRX finished over the Easter weekend but I have gone around the decal sheet with a knife so they're ready to go on when I get the chance.  Hopefully this week.

I also cleared out the garage to give the drift tyres a test run.  I was surprised at how much fun it was even in a rather cramped space.  There's rain for the week ahead so I might try to find somewhere under cover I can actually get a bit of speed up and practice controlling drifts.  A rear diff lock and a heat sink could be on the cards.

One thing that bothers me about the WRX is the wheels.  Here's the kit wheels:

They're a gun-metal shade of the same mesh wheels Tamiya always use.  And here's the real car:

The Tamiya design isn't quite right, so I went looking.  My first stop was MST and they had exactly what I was after:

That's **** near perfect design wise.  They're available in black or silver, not gun-metal though.  As they're 0 offset, rather than the +2 offset on the Tamiya ones, a little adjustment may be necessary.

[MICHAELs TopForce17 321]

10 hours ago, Blista said:

My first stop was MST and they had exactly what I was after:

That's **** near perfect design wise.  They're available in black or silver, not gun-metal though.  As they're 0 offset, rather than the +2 offset on the Tamiya ones, a little adjustment may be necessary.

those are 24mm I was thinking of getting for my m05. if you find a tire that fits let me know.

[Blista 1100]

7 hours ago, MICHAELs TopForce17 said:

those are 24mm I was thinking of getting for my m05. if you find a tire that fits let me know.

I might try some of the MST tyres:

I think the real WRX NBR runs slicks though, so I may have to look into something else depending on how accurate I want to be.  I'll see how the Tamiya kit tyres look first as I've never tried putting 26mm tyres on a 24mm rim.  It might not make much difference since this isn't going to be for racing.

Are you sure you want to run touring car wheels on an M05?  24mm is the width, which I think Tamiya refer as medium-narrow, so there's plenty of tyre options.

[MICHAELs TopForce17 321]

Oh right nvm.

[Blista 1100]

It took a lot of time last night but I finally got the decals finished.  And after about 15 years solid service I think my camera is about to die.  I thought I'd better take a photo to post before that happens.

There's still some tidying up to do with the odd bubble or wrinkle I missed last night but they're done.  Most were not much trouble.  The thin rear spoiler (part of the shell, not the attached one) took some time to get right.  I've got several other thoughts but I'll write about them when I've got more time to spare and I can type a bit easier (I used the hairdryer so much last night I think I lightly cooked my finger trying to get the decals smoothed out).

The rear wing supports still need doing.  You have to drill 8mm holes in the brackets that get stuck inside the shell.  Guess what size drill bit I don't have.  I ended up not painting the wing and it looks fine.  To cover the white spots where it was attached to the parts tree I just used a permanent marker.  If you're going to paint it there's some lines from the mould that need sanding down.

[Grotty Otty 707]

That's fantastic, looks great. Apart from a hairdryer to soften and mold the stickers after you've placed them do you use any other tricks to get such an accurate finish? I really struggle with large stickers no matter how careful I am! 

[Blista 1100]

27 minutes ago, Grotty Otty said:

That's fantastic, looks great. Apart from a hairdryer to soften and mold the stickers after you've placed them do you use any other tricks to get such an accurate finish? I really struggle with large stickers no matter how careful I am! 

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out.

As with most things, the biggest factors are patience and practice.  I think this is my seventh body and I'm way better than I was with my first, but I still don't think I'm at the point of being able to finish a body that warrants only being kept on a shelf.  I'll give you an explanation of everything I do.  Hopefully there's something in there that helps.

I found that using a super-sharp knife to cut the decals out made a difference just by allowing a bit more precision when trimming.  I use the Tamiya knife (#74020) which comes with spare blades.  Cutting right on the edges of a decal often gives you just a fraction more space to move it into the correct position.  I also like to cut them all before starting so I'm not switching between tasks.

I try to completely avoid touching the adhesive side too.  For that I will lift a corner of the decal from the sheet with the dull knife edge and then grip it with tweezers.  I use the Tamiya angled tweezers (#74003) for this.

When putting decals in place I use a small spray bottle filled with water and a couple of drops of liquid soap.  This makes a world of difference.  You have time to get them just right, and then when it's where you want it you can carefully squeeze out any water trapped underneath.  If it's not quite right and the decal is starting to stick just add a bit more water and keep adjusting until you get it right.  The larger decals trap water much easier so you've got to take your time.  Spray the soapy water around where you'll be placing the decal on the body first and then drape it approximately where you want it.  The water will allow you to move it about easily.  As you get it into position you can start pushing the water out.  It'll stick where water is pushed out but you can often still lift it if you need to.

With decals that cover curved areas you might want to get it in place but not try to push all the edges down straight away.  Get an idea for how it needs to curve and then you can gradually add heat to slowly get it right.

I had to split the WRX decals over several nights to do all of them.  I'd recommend it for almost any body though.  Concentrate on getting a small number just right each time.  I also check to see how Tamiya have numbered them to see if there's a reason to do them in order (usually there is).

That's everything I can think of right now.  Good luck.

[Grotty Otty 707]

I'd never have thought of using soapy water, that makes so much sense. I'll have to have another go with a knife, always scared of slipping with it, but that's a great point using a blunt knife to lift, I've always just peeled a little back, cut off the little flap and tried to position the decal as best I can by eye on a dry surface. I've a HPI Lancer shell that I've been putting off but I'll have a crack at this weekend and post pics when done. Thanks for the help and info

[Blista 1100]

A small update today.  Some parts arrived and, as luck would have it, I have some time spare while a computer does a back up.

I decided on a Sport Tuned motor just because this is supposed to be a cheap build.  I also got the TT02 heat sink, although I haven't done any investigating as to whether I actually need it.  Last is the diff lock for the rear to help with drifting.  It could also be used up front for racing but I doubt I'll ever put this car in a race.

I had been intending to get the TT02 Blue Hard Chassis but apparently they're not stocked anywhere.  The white version are also quite hard to find.

Installing the diff lock is a breeze.  Take the rear differential apart, take out the gears, pop in the block, put it all back together.

Next up is fitting the Sport Tuned motor.  I always forget whether running the cardboard gasket against the aluminium mount is a good idea or not.  Yes, no, maybe?  I installed it for now anyway.

Now the heat sink.  Another simple addition.  Just make sure you get it facing away from the driveshaft.

Here it is in the chassis.  It only took a few minutes to get it all done.  I forget how easy it is to work on the TT02 chassis.

[ejtnt 5]

On the subject of wheels, what about these?

http://firebrandrc.com/index.php/on-road-wheel-tires/hypernova-rt9tm-race-treads.html
 

They look spot on for what you are looking for.
I am pretty sure they are 26mm and ABC plastic. The price is ok for coming with tires. I have generally good things about this brand.

 

[Blista 1100]

12 hours ago, ejtnt said:

On the subject of wheels, what about these?

http://firebrandrc.com/index.php/on-road-wheel-tires/hypernova-rt9tm-race-treads.html
 

They look spot on for what you are looking for.
I am pretty sure they are 26mm and ABC plastic. The price is ok for coming with tires. I have generally good things about this brand.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  They look pretty close to what I'm after but they've got a 9mm offset so they're too wide.