Potential Project Help - A 257WB/190 Wide TC/Rally body that might clear a modified TRF201?

[ThunderDragonCy]

Couple of things have been ticking over in my mind recently. Firstly, there was a potential to run rally cars on a new track which meant looking at on-road type cars. Then there is this shed of a TRF201 chassis I have which I bought as a wreck to pillage for parts for my other TRF buggies. There's still quite a lot of it left though. Lord Tony of Tamiya Parts reckons he can get the parts I need to complete it for sensible money. Ever since spotting those large scale touring cars based on Ultima buggy chassis over on the 90s Touring Cars thread it really got me fired up for possibly using the TRF201 as a basis for a rally car. I can't find any large scale bodies that would fit the 201 as it is, but I also loved an old build thread where a guy build a M04XL-RR Zakspeed capri which just looked ace.

Yesterday I received some TA05 suspension arms (as used on the TT02 Type S, TA05, FF03 etc) to try on the TRF201 tub. And they fit! There would need to be some minor modifications but broadly speaking I am pretty sure I can build a narrow stance suspension for a 190mm TC body onto the 201 chassis. Wheelbase is about 20mm too long, but I could chop the tub in two, section out 20mm and then glue it back together using carbon plates. There would still be plenty of space for a shorty battery. So, I would potentially be left with a shortened rear motor touring car size chassis. What I am completely unsure of is whether I could get a rally style 1/10th 257 wheelbase shell to actually fit the chassis. My main concern is the rear end. It has the tall shock tower and rear motor. A saloon style shell like a Lancer or Imprezza would have the boot to cover the motor, but probably not the height for the shock tower. A hatchback shell probably doesn't have enough rear overhang. Any ideas? The tall tower easily works with the suspension, I just need to build the short eyelet cofiguration of CVA short shock. Does anyone have a TT02 they could pop a TT02B tower on and see what the potential issues might be? Any help or suggestions more than welcome. 

Cheers!

[Badcrumble]

I was going to suggest the Touareg but the wheelbase is too long. Then I re-read your post. The wheelbase is 267mm. Any good?

If someone in Germany can help you with postage...

https://www.modellbau-seidel.de/index.php?firma=Tamiya&best=9804426

The body from the DF-01 Racing Lancer 58421 might work but I think it is really hard to find one. A Kamtec Bowler is the right wheelbase but is a lot lot wider. 

[ThunderDragonCy]

@Badcrumble Cheers for that. 267mm is doable. The bases buggy is 272mm so that's actually really close. Interesting. 

Anyone got any thoughts on more rally car type shells? 

 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Some pics for reference. Narrow arm TRF201 chassis. What body will fit over that shock mount and that motor? 

 

[Kevin_Mc]

7 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Lord Tony of Tamiya Parts

😂😂😂👍🏻

[Grastens]

"Rear-wheel drive" made me think of the Tamiya Datsun 240Z, but despite the height of the rear shell, the shock tower might still be too tall. Wheelbase for that would also be shorter, though not by much at 251 mm instead of 257 mm.

One other solution might be to lift the shell and use buggy tires, creating a rally-capable car like the TL-01RA. That would be at the obvious price of scale looks, though...

[ThunderDragonCy]

@Grastens Thanks for the recommendations. That tl01ra is interesting but the wheels do make the body look weird.

What about if I did change the shock tower? I could design a 3D printed mount to fit in the footprint of the TRF201 rear tower which I could then bolt a stock tamiya touring car tower to. I suspect this might be the solution. Then I can get a saloon body and see if this will work. 

[Jonathon Gillham]

This is a great project and I hope you make it work. I think these sorts of cars were used in the kiwi series Hotshotz (pretty sure it had a z) back in the late 80s, google it.

I have nothing to add except if that Touraeg shell is like a real Touraeg then expect half the usual runtime from a battery and a lot of random things breaking. You probably need a whole kit as spares because the breakages will be completely unpredictable. Also, don't look at it funny...

[Honza]

I think that you can use almost every shell available

I have RWD car based on 2WD buggy. Even porsche 911 fits over rear shocks. I'll check if my Lancia Delta can fit over motor, but I think there's enough space for it.

[ThunderDragonCy]

43 minutes ago, Honza said:

I think that you can use almost every shell available

I have RWD car based on 2WD buggy. Even porsche 911 fits over rear shocks. I'll check if my Lancia Delta can fit over motor, but I think there's enough space for it.

Amazing! Would be great not to have to muck about with custom shock towers. If you have something along the lines of an impreza /saloon I would be really interested in that. Thanks. 

[Honza]

Sorry for late answer

Unfortunately, I don't have any saloon body, I'm into coupe Only exception is Delta, which fit.

I tried GT86 and 370Z too and they fit. However, I've different base chassis, so dimensions can be slightly different.

[ThunderDragonCy]

@Honza This is great news! Thank you for checking. I am going ahead with the project now. 

[Juls1]

Yes I’d say only hatchbacks will work, so delta integrale, Ford Focus, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Peugeot 206/306, Citroen xsara to make a few Tamiya shells.

hpi make some rally shells in 200mm wide if it turns out too wide for Tamiya 185-190mm shells