959, whey!

[kingeddie]

just got my 959 together, 90% complete chassis off the bay, a used body found in my LHS,some gold(soon to become white)6 spoke 1/10 wheels with rally blocks, nib headlamps+bulbs, and a std 540[:I] as i can't afford a technigold and nothing cheep fits[]. took it out last night and was pleasantly suprised with performance especialy with de-spec'd motor, and the handling is awsome[]looks so scale drifting through loose gravel[8D], cant wait to see what its like with a proper motor. the body is only good for a runner but is origional and has interia,decals,and most of its paint[:I] but at least im not scared to use it[]

[ukzz4iroc]

Good to hear you're happy with it! They are superb cars so sorted in so many ways. You wait until you get the technigold- Jeez Louise these things really fly []

[Martin71RS(2)]

I agree...have one in my traderoom now that I prepared as a runner (with technigold)

I was amazed at the speed and handling...specially since this car is almost 20 years old![^]

I think it's the combination of the smaller size (and relative low weight) with the powerfull motor.

I think you can still give the modern rally cars a run for their money with it[]

[maxHiLux]

Look in my room i've got a movie of the 959 on gravel with technigold! I really love those cars. A tip: If you have the original front suspension, get the torsion bar of the Celica. This helps the life time of the under guards of the suspension and makes driving even better! You can get them on ebay for about 10 euro.

By the way! You can also install the mid differential of the Celica (this car was even better then the Porsche) but that is only nessecary if you are driving on pavement. On gravel fix mid shaft is fine

[miramar]

quote:Originally posted by maxHiLux

By the way! You can also install the mid differential of the Celica (this car was even better then the Porsche) but that is only nessecary if you are driving on pavement. On gravel fix mid shaft is fine

---

id="quote">id="quote">

In terms of load on the drivetrain, you are of course right that "On gravel fix mid shaft is fine". However, in the 959 I consider the Celica center diff to be a big improvement under all conditions as it "calms down" the otherwise quite nervous handling somewhat. Being a balldiff with limited slip, there are hardly any drawbacks in fitting it other than that acceleration under certain conditions suffers a little. For instance when accelerating from standing still, weight is shifted rearwards and power is transferred through the center diff to the front axle. This is especially noticable on a high traction surface, but the lost acceleration is more than compensated for by the improved handling.

Fitting or not fitting the center diff is of course a personal decision, but I would recommend any 959-owner to at least try the center diff and make up their own mind, also those who just drive the 959 on loose surfaces.

[maxHiLux]

Hey Miramar,

I think you are completely right and the center diff makes the car even easier to handle. I am dying to test this (i have now a good runner Porsche without the diff and a Celica with the diff) one-to-one but I need a driver for one of the cars! I think the Celica will beat the Porsche.

[kingeddie]

well it best be good advice you two[], cos i just bought one off the bay for a whole £10, seemed a fair price to me[]. i fit it as soon as it arrives and let you know how it goes. now if i could just get my hands on a technigold for the same price.................[]

[hornet69]

Hi, I also have a 959, i was wondering if the Front Stabilizer Set is the same thing as the torsion bar mentioned above? I purchased one, but have yet to install it. Thanks in advance! []

[miramar]

quote:Originally posted by hornet69

Hi, I also have a 959, i was wondering if the Front Stabilizer Set is the same thing as the torsion bar mentioned above? I purchased one, but have yet to install it. Thanks in advance! []

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Yes, it is. Once installed, you will probably never want to remove it again.

[mud4fun]

Is this the only proper Rally chassis Tamiya made? I mean rather than using a touring car or buggy chassis? I can't think of any others were Tamiya went and spent money on development of a specific chassis?

Does anybody know why they made them 1/12the scale rather than the more popular 1/10?

Cheers,

Ian

[miramar]

quote:Originally posted by mud4fun

Is this the only proper Rally chassis Tamiya made? I mean rather than using a touring car or buggy chassis?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Yes, but it depends on your definition of "proper". As great as the 959's/Celica's are in terms of authentic looks and impressing engineering, they are rather mediocre in other respects. In my opinion, any Tamiya touring car chassis is more robust and handles better, also as a "rally" car.

quote:Originally posted by mud4fun

I can't think of any others were Tamiya went and spent money on development of a specific chassis?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Maybe Tamiya had plans for further models on the same chassis back then. Also, with regards to specific chassises, I can't think of anything more specific than the B2B Sidecar and the FAV, although the B2B was based on many already existing parts.

quote:Originally posted by mud4fun

Does anybody know why they made them 1/12the scale rather than the more popular 1/10?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

I don't know, but I would guess for cost reasons. If it had been 1/10 scale, the touring car craze just might have started earlier!

Interestingly, the first 959's that were delivered had "1/10" printed on the box lids underneath "1/12" stickers. We used to joke and say that the guy who did the blooper of printing "1/10" on the boxes was told by Mr. Tamiya to bring his entire family to the Tamiya warehouse in the weekend and tell them to tape the "1/12" corrective stickers on all the boxes. Maybe that even happened! []

[mud4fun]

LOL, Cheers Miramar!

[maxHiLux]

Good question Mud4Fun. As you allready probably know I am a great fan of my Celica and Porche(s). But what I really want to know: If I want to have as much joy as I have with these two models what should I buy/build? What chassis, what tires, what body? It has to be real life looking (I do not like buggies and certainly not those monster truck things) and fun to drive. And challenging, I just like the Porsche & Celica with the brute force of the Technigold!

Any suggestions?

[tamiya_89]

CrisB made a nice really project of an m-04 converted to normal length width etc. With a hot engine that should also be an realistic and fast car. It must be challenging to drive with a hot engine and rear wheel drive.

[miramar]

quote:Originally posted by mud4fun

LOL, Cheers Miramar!

---

id="quote">id="quote">

Just in case someone misunderstand, the story is completely true except for the part about the poor bloke and his family who had to put on "1/12" stickers during the weekends. Early 959 did really come with box lids with "1/10" printed on them, covered by "1/12" stickers!

[mud4fun]

Well MaxHiLux, I'm the wrong person to ask really as I don't like touring cars but do like buggies - This is primarily because I don't have any tarmac areas close by where I live but do have lots of fields, mud and rocks so Buggies and MT/crawlers are a requirement. Touring chassis just aren't made for the terrain around here.

I must admit though that I'm not that keen on most buggy or MT shells as they don't look very realistic. I like rally cars but as they are generally based on touring car chassis they aren't much good to me. That is why I'm surprised Tamiya didn't produce a more rugged rally car chassis in a larger scale suitable for more varying terrain. I'm having to resort to building my own based on a buggy chassis which is a reasonable compromise.

I guess the avante/vanquish/Egress chassis are all close to the ideal for a rally car base because they didn't really have the enormous suspension travel of earlier buggies, their longer wheelbase and low CoG gave good handling and they drive on tarmac extremely well too. Their mid mounted, longitudinal motor design and longitudinal battery placement also matches many modern touring cars but with that little extra ride height to handle gravel/dirt tracks. Sadly they are pretty scarce and parts are pricey otherwise I'd be making more use of them.

[kingeddie]

tamiya 89, rear wheel drive? m chassis? hot motor? hard to drive but fast? seen my imp???

[kingeddie]

ggggggrrrrrrrrrrrr, much stress. the ball diff came with the later hardened prop fittings but unly for the rear box, my LHS had the slotted shaft for the front box, and tonight i have won the hardened prop off the bay, so i now have all relevent parts to fit[8D] it better be worth it[]