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GTodd

Childhood Astute RUNNER restoration

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Slight change of plans, I decided I wanted to go with the yellow CVAs that was on it when I was kid.  Im missing one short CVA. Being that I was short a shock and I was itching to do something I experimented a little.  I installed the rear shocks upfront with shorter piston rods and spacers get 70mm eye to eye upfront. The extra length adds some needed suspension travel and alows me to keep the stock front shock tower.  Out back I used a spare set of King Cab shocks that I shimmed and got to a length of 90mm which is just a little longer than stock.  I utilized different springs front and back as well.

Dug up my old wheels as well, took the old bald tires off and installed.  Im still going to cleaned them up, just ordered tires for them. I also installed a stock motor, I might run it might not. I wanted to see how the car sat with a motor in it.  Looks good!!!! Getting there!!!

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Alright, CRP tires ordered for the front, rear Astute spec adjustable hubs for the rear on the way, and Tamiya paint ordered!

 

I still need a body, receiver, battery, MCI stickers, ESC, and chose which motor to run. Do I go 540 black, BZ, Brushless.....

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Good evening, another week and another step closer to having a running Astute again.  This week parts arrived that restored the rear suspension to the original very over engineered but completely Tamiya 1989 OG Astute spec.

Adjustable hubs:

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Brackets in their original MRC Tamiya bag!

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In all of its complicated goodness!!!

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Thanks boss!!! Super stoked that I have the rear end the way it was designed again. First time in 20 years!

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   More goodies arived. Who wants to guess what it is?

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1 hour ago, NWarty said:

An MRE heater bag...

Hahahaha, nice very well played. As a United States Marine I enjoyed that comment alot!.

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51 minutes ago, GTodd said:

Hahahaha, nice very well played. As a United States Marine I enjoyed that comment alot!.

I knew you'd get the reference ;) 

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Back for an update, this was inadvertently placed on the back burner when the Kingcab and then Avante projects showed up. Those are waiting for some finishing parts. Ive collected some more parts this that will bullet proof it and add some more originality.

NOS CRP front tires, NOS Tamiya are impossible to find.

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Alloy front and rear goodies! Now I don't need to use the madcab stuff upfront, the printed rear pieces look good, but these intrigued me too.

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Rere Super Astute guts.  I like the original and I like the ball differential, I have the stealth in one of my king cabs. Interested how one of these drive. Now Ill find out!

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The front wheels have tires with spikes on them again, first time in nearly 20 years!!!

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So I was going to upgrade the gearbox to Super Astute rere specs, alas the gearbox housing is difference, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  Just ordered, more to come!

 

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Getting closer! I now have a body!!!! I purchased a Super Astute body set, I wont be using the decals, if youd like them PM me.  

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Man this thing is a BLAST!!!!The differential works GREAT, the metal hubs have reduced the slop that was in the rear suspension due to the camber adjustment.  I might take it to the locat indoor track, but Id need to invest in Super Astute wheels in order to mount modern tires for clay tracks.  Its just nice having it runinng again.  

The Astute was fun on the track, didnt win a worlds, but it was fun and looks amazing.  I think thats the formula Tamiya needs to focus on with its "Track" cars.

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