Snappy1 966 Posted November 15, 2018 I am patiently waiting for some spares too, I have a mint Super Astute with a broken front arm, although I have Madcap arms here spare I refused to fit them, all good things come to those who wait lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 16, 2018 16 hours ago, Snappy1 said: I am patiently waiting for some spares too, I have a mint Super Astute with a broken front arm, although I have Madcap arms here spare I refused to fit them, all good things come to those who wait Exactly! This will enable us to run our vintage Astutes with out fear and have new builds as well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
djmcnz 754 Posted November 16, 2018 I have a NIB original so if I could get a re-re for a decent price I would just for the sake of building it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fruitfly01 596 Posted November 19, 2018 Snapshot_rccars on Instagram has posted some pictures of the Super Astute from the Tamiya Fair at Twin Messe in Shizuoka. 7 photos in all, mostly close ups of the new slipper clutch. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snappy1 966 Posted November 21, 2018 So is anyone considering building a TRF version ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MICHAELs TopForce17 586 Posted November 21, 2018 https://tamiyablog.com/2018/11/tamiya-47381-super-astute-2018-details-and-parts-photos-tamiya-fair-2018/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderDragonCy 7878 Posted November 21, 2018 16 minutes ago, Snappy1 said: So is anyone considering building a TRF version ? I hope someone does. That would be a cool build. Get some Aeration dampers and blue turnbuckles on there. Carbon chassis, 2.2" wheels. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaminagayuchi 41 Posted November 21, 2018 I found this pic on FB Tamiya Astute/Madcap page : Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fruitfly01 596 Posted November 21, 2018 Is it me, or does the aluminium gearbox plate look really thick? Just had a quick look at the original gearbox plate. The screw holes are extended beyond the thickness of the plate. On the new one, the whole plate looks as thick as the old screw holes. I dare say that the new plate will be heavier than the old one, and certainly stronger, although I don't think that strength was ever a concern of the original. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaminagayuchi 41 Posted November 21, 2018 We speak about 6mm for the thickness Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hobbimaster 190 Posted November 21, 2018 12 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said: I hope someone does. That would be a cool build. Get some Aeration dampers and blue turnbuckles on there. Carbon chassis, 2.2" wheels. I'd simply like to mount up the SA body on my TRF201 and call it done! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Champ85 609 Posted November 22, 2018 6mm?! That will certainly not flex under load. Is that stock or a hop-up item? Edit: Never mind, it's stock after looking at the enlarged photo of the gearbox on TamiyaUSA's site. https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/-road-buggies/rc-super-astute-2018/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
t3garett 268 Posted November 22, 2018 Sorry to say this but after close examination of all available photos the plastics don t look to be fibre reinforced. Why make a 6mm thick motorplate which never bent or broke in the first place yet not improve the most obvious failures of the car : the front bulkhead, front arms and steering plates ??? I was really hoping to grab some fibre reinforced arms and bulkeahds instead of using 3d printed parts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fruitfly01 596 Posted November 22, 2018 2 hours ago, t3garett said: Sorry to say this but after close examination of all available photos the plastics don t look to be fibre reinforced. Why make a 6mm thick motorplate which never bent or broke in the first place yet not improve the most obvious failures of the car : the front bulkhead, front arms and steering plates ??? I was really hoping to grab some fibre reinforced arms and bulkeahds instead of using 3d printed parts. I think you're right. There is far too much shiny plastic on show. Tamiya have gone in a really funny direction with this release. I don't get it. I don't want to sound contradictory, but after the correct upgrades made to the Avante/Egress cars, this one seems like a misfire. Again, the TTC - the most unique feature of the car - Tamiya's first true slipper clutch - has been done away with, in favour of a modern slipper clutch. Boring! The original TTC can handle some fairly hairy brushed motors. I'm sure it can withstand comparable brushless motors too. There was no need to change the design, and I see it as a money saving excersise. Maybe Tamiya (or third parties) will release different size spur gears for a wider choice of ratios. The original TTC was a bit limited, in that regard. Ball Diff? Nothing's been mentioned, so we don't actually know, but if the diffs on the Egress have been upgrade, so I don't see why a similar upgrade couldn't be made on the Astute, given both car's shared ancestry. Everyone welcomed the new diffs on the Egress, as far as I know. Chassis is still FRP. After Tamiya upgraded the Avante with it's own carbon chassis, I hoped similar treatment would be given to the Astute. How cool would a flat pan carbon chassis Astute be? For the £240 asking price, I don't think a single sheet of carbon fibre is too much to want. Shiny plastics everywhere? I am still hoping that well known weak spots have been attended to. Fibre reinforced parts will would certainly make a difference, if not additional ribbing or webbing where needed most. It was done for the Egress and Avante, why not for the Super Astute? It doesn't make sense to ignore this car's weak points entirely, but change the main thing that made the Astute super. For me, it's saving grace is spare parts. I can obtain all those known weak parts without paying over inflated prices, because these parts are very rare or non existent at the moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 22, 2018 I wouldn't worry about the shiny plastic and assume It's week or not reinforced. The Egress plastic looks the same way and is incredibly strong. I haven't broken a part yet and I swear it's reinforced. I think the thicker motor plate is for heat. I'm still excited . I'm building mine with a 3mm fibrelyte chassis and Big Bore shocks. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 22, 2018 .... With a red Astute body, Astute black wheels and decals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 22, 2018 I just don't get ALL the complaining. Even if it's fragile, and my guess is it won't be, we have a new Astute with spare parts galore! New slipper is awesome, battery box for lipo, and a thick motor plate to help deal with modern Brushless motors. I'm at least buying 2, probably three. In going to purchase an additional gearbox for my Monster Racer as that was that models only weakness. This is going to be AWESOME! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 22, 2018 2 hours ago, Saito2 said: The Egress and Avante plastic is reinforced on certain parts trees. If you look at the trees, they have the material type stamped on them. The A and B trees (gearbox parts) are PC-GF which is polycarbonate-glass reinforced. The C and N trees are just PC, polycarbonate and looks like the typical "shiny black plastic" folks like to criticize Tamiya about. The G, J, and K trees are PA, polyamide (bumper, suspension arms) This is the plastic family that nylon fits into. What I don't know is if Tamiya changed these materials from the original Avante series cars or not. The trees from my original Vanquish kit are long gone. I don't always understand Tamiya's theory behind their upgrades. The Avante uprights were a no-brainer and a welcomed addition but I'm not sure why the Avante needed a graphite chassis upgrade. Of all the things that broke on the original, I don't recall snapping chassis plates being one of them. Being double deck, it was stiff enough. Perhaps weight reduction is the reason (the original was overweight) but the re-re Avante is no longer a competition car, so why bother? Why offer universal driveshafts on the ORV monster truck re-res? They seem to have caused more trouble than good and the standard Frog re-re dogbone setup worked fine. The real issue was the gearbox spreading and that wasn't even addressed. Tamiya remains a mystery. As far as the Super Astute, it does indeed seem pricey for what you get, but the original was the same way (and MAP pricing certainly isn't helping the outlook). The Super version could have used a graphite chassis, as the mono-plate FRP original was a little "flexy", and HiCap shocks certainly would be nice as would a ball diff. However these criticisms were leveled at the Super Astute way back when it was first introduced, so really, nothing's changed. The car contained(s) a lot of fixes that made it better than the normal Astute in many ways (like mounting the battery properly for competition purposes) but didn't go the whole way, like the Top Force Evo did for the standard Top Force. This seemed to be the major issue magazine reviewers had with the car. In the end, I wish it was more affordable but its not and that's just the way it is. Aside from the obvious slipper upgrades (again confusing to me, as the original seemed fine) it's a fairly accurate re-release. For those that can afford it, I'm glad Tamiya is making it available again and having some spare parts floating around again for awhile is great news. Tamiya does what Tamiya does, so as confusing as it may be, its best to just accept it. Take it leave it. Great info on the plastic! As long as the front suspension mount and rear arm mounts are stronger we will be good to go. I understand the disappointment for you die hard fans with the slipper. I just want a modern fun to build improved version of the Astute family and this looks like it. Some sources point toward a Egress style ball differential, that'd be fantastic as the Egress is pretty bomb proof now. We will know soon enough. Mine will be built with OG Astute Red and Decals, with either big bore shocks or aerarion dampers, and a fibrelyte graphite chassis. Can't wait! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thommo 1217 Posted November 23, 2018 8 hours ago, GTodd said: Great info on the plastic! As long as the front suspension mount and rear arm mounts are stronger we will be good to go. I understand the disappointment for you die hard fans with the slipper. I just want a modern fun to build improved version of the Astute family and this looks like it. Some sources point toward a Egress style ball differential, that'd be fantastic as the Egress is pretty bomb proof now. We will know soon enough. Mine will be built with OG Astute Red and Decals, with either big bore shocks or aerarion dampers, and a fibrelyte graphite chassis. Can't wait! Don't forget your taller front shock tower to make the damper upgrade possible ! I have an original NIP - Astute stickers..... To sell or to keep, that is my dilemma ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 23, 2018 11 hours ago, Thommo said: Don't forget your taller front shock tower to make the damper upgrade possible ! I have an original NIP - Astute stickers..... To sell or to keep, that is my dilemma ! Already ordered! 😊 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTodd 1348 Posted November 24, 2018 I might have to get this too! These old cars have so much more heart and style then the modern blobs driving around. https://www.bigsquidrc.com/schumacher-top-cat-classic-buggy-re-release/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dc-arena 81 Posted November 29, 2018 Manual for Super Astute available to read. Would be interesting to know if it's any different from the original? https://tamiyablog.com/2018/11/tamiya-47381-super-astute-2018-assembly-manual/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grastens 2795 Posted November 29, 2018 It's even better than I remembered! Speaking of which, that one plate for the gearbox looks much more sculpted than the original, if I remember enough about building up a TTC... I believe that fans of the original car will not be disappointed, though - especially with ball bearings being cheaper than back in the day Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterbok 1282 Posted November 29, 2018 If that differential gear is available separately that may solve some monster gearboxes problems on its own. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
