wtcc5's FF-01 addiction

[wtcc5 4900]

It was time to clean the chassis. I took nearly everything apart and washed it with soap water. The chalk and other dust sticks strong to the parts and just wiping them would make scratches

 

With the chassis in parts, I took the chance to make a closer picture of my steering and electronics layout (for you):

 

Before assembling the front suspension, I tried to do a little conversion:

I printed inserts and replaced the large original bearings with the standard 5x10x4 ones. And it was close to be a success, but the 42mm axle is to long. 40mm, maybe even 39mm could work. As far as I know there is a gap between 42mm and 33mm...

 

Oh well, maybe in the future. The car is shiny again and I am still waiting for the Mondeo body... 

 

Edit: I nearly forgot! The Mabushi can left the car and was replaced by a black Sports Tuned can. It looks so good!

[ruebiracer 1046]

****, a lot of work again to clean everything up! But for such a classic it´s fun and it deserves it.

Nice training area, reminds me a lot how we had fun in former times. Just create some track markers, 2 or 3 packs and the cars and it was so much fun.

As described in the trusty " Tamiya Funkfernsteuer Handbuch". We soaked it up and tried to learn the driving techniques. It was also the reason I was infected with the endurance race virus with some longer runs.

The black can is definetely needed for looks on this beauty.

Keen on your Mondeo design and what livery it will get...

 

[Tizer 606]

So happy I stumbled upon this thread. I love the look of your both FF01's, but the runner specially. It looks super clean but still purpose build. It makes me want to build one of my FF01's as a runner. Did you solder new black wires to the Tamiya ESC? Looks great!

[wtcc5 4900]

Thank you, both!

Yes I did. The TBLE esc is easy to open. I always reduce the cable length to have a cleaner look.

[Grotty Otty 868]

What a great restoration, good to see an FF-01 looking brand new! I did something similar to mine but that was over 20 years ago and I dare not run it hard now, plastics are way to fragile. 

The shocks are brilliant, they're still smooth as silk and have never had their seals replaced. The only issue with an FF-01 is getting a bumper replacement as it's so low and takes the brunt of the wear.. Maybe one of the talented chaps on here could design one for printing on Shapeways or some such. 

[wtcc5 4900]

That would be an easy task.

If I have the car in parts next time, I can design the original part and a fitting carbon brace in cad and offer the former on Shapeways.

P.S.: Your FF-01 is a beauty!

[Grotty Otty 868]

18 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

That would be an easy task.

If I have the car in parts next time, I can design the original part and a fitting carbon brace in cad and offer the former on Shapeways.

P.S.: Your FF-01 is a beauty!

That'd be great! Can't see Tamiya re releasing it so I'll keep an eye out and keep following this. 👍

[svenb 3778]

Really nice looking chassis and very neat wiring 👍. 

FWD isn't for me but your ff01 looks the business. 😉

 

[Tizer 606]

3D printed front bumper is already available actually Either on Shapeways or on Thingiverse. Just put the printed one on to smash into things while saving the original in your spare parts box.

[wtcc5 4900]

If you go back to the first picture of this thread, then you see a yellow Opel Vectra body with random decal placement. The body itself is undriven and was just bad prepared. From the beginning I planned to restore it and had bought the sticker set already.

 

Today I continued to work on it. I removed more of the yellow color and prepared it for the new colors:

In hindsight I should have removed all the yellow. The rear is not entirely covered with stickers. So the yellow lured through and I had to mask and spray once more.

It is not finished, yet. I already love the look of it. On many pictures it looks a little boring. Not so in real life and with the Mondeo wheels:

 

[wtcc5 4900]

Finished the body set today

Just one thing annoys me: No Michelin sponsor logos... Anyone knows where to get them?

[wtcc5 4900]

... and the Mondeo body arrived:

 

Together with another little treasure:

Tamiya 58151 Calsonic Nissan Primera wheels 

[svenb 3778]

3 hours ago, wtcc5 said:

Finished the body set today

Just one thing annoys me: No Michelin sponsor logos... Anyone knows where to get them?

These? 

[wtcc5 4900]

Yep, plus the big ones for the bumper and white one for the rear.

[svenb 3778]

I'll have a look at what I have spare 

[svenb 3778]

Which size are you after? 

Can't find any white. 

[Carmine A 2046]

I'm glad I stumbled upon this Thread!! After a series of M Chassis Cars, I can really appreciate FWD - in RC! 😜 My real ones have always been RWD. 

The FF-01 has always been that "one that got away"... 😞 I love the engineering that went into it. First time I saw one, I thought "GAWD!! Could they stick the Motor any farther forward!?" Getting to know it made me like it more....

When one of my closest Friends, Mark Bryan (not sure if he's on here, I'll ask), got the same FF-01 Civic that you showed. As I went through the Build with him, I fell in Love!! 

Especially after he took it out for a run. Nobody could believe that it was FWD!😲 It was so stable, and smooth. It's FAR from my miniscule Budget right now, but somehow, I'm GETTING one! Or TWO. 😊

You did such a good job, restoring that Opel Body! Most People would've written it off. I even sand New Bodies. It really helps with adhesion, the Bodies can take more abuse, because the fine scratches give the Paint something to "bite into"!! I still can't convince my Friends of that.

Those who have done it, know that the Lexan Shell acts like the Clearcoat on an outside painted Body. You don't see the scratches after the Color Coat goes on!! 👍👍

You are a Lucky Man indeed. 😉

[wtcc5 4900]

9 hours ago, svenb said:

Which size are you after? 

Can't find any white. 

Awesome decal sheet!

For the front I need two black ones with max 40mm width. For the rear one tire mascot with 10 to 14mm height, please.

[ThunderDragonCy 7886]

@Carmine A If you are looking for a runner rather than shelf queen, FF01 very regularly pop up on ebay in the uk for reasonable money. Good luck with your search! 

[Carmine A 2046]

2 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

@Carmine A If you are looking for a runner rather than shelf queen, FF01 very regularly pop up on ebay in the uk for reasonable money. Good luck with your search! 

I really wish I could.... I'm in the U.S., and don't see very many. There's no way I could afford one, but it would definitely be a runner. No Shelf Queens in my Stable!!😜 

I've had to buy my last 2 kits PIECEMEAL. One Tree at a time, one Parts Bag at a time. 😞  It does end up costing much more than if I could just go to a store and buy a new Kit.... I'm a Disabled Veteran, getting so little, that sometimes EATING is difficult. 

But RC has been in my life since 1984! These days it's literally the GLUE holding my Sanity together. Working on these give me great pleasure and satisfaction, that nothing else gives me anymore.

I've just had to become more creative in HOW I can get my next Build. 

[wtcc5 4900]

Sad to hear, that veterans get hardly enough to live after putting their live and health on the line 

But glad to hear that you still have so much fun in this hobby!

 

Now that the Mondeo finally arrived, I couldn’t wait to prepare it for runner FF-01.

The L&L decal sheet is a little strange. They made the lower front grille in an arc form, when it is straight, they forgot the upper front grille and number plates for sides and hood, but provide the sponsor logos for them, as well as more sponsor logos than needed. Also the door handles are wrong for the right side (not mirrored). Last, the window frame decals are missing. So that causes more work for the painter 

It came out pretty good. I made some painting mistakes, but nothing to worry about. Tomorrow I will add the mirrors, the number plates and the missing front grille decals. The latter will be made from black vinyl.

The blue color is darker than expected. Brilliant blue would be more fitting,  but that is what Tamiya suggested...

 

It has its nice perspectives 

 

 

[wtcc5 4900]

With so many decals missing, I tried my best to recreate them by hand. Making the white rectangles was no problem. Especially the number plates contain a lot of slim lines. I gave up on the super thin black lines around the number and just made the 1mm wide red lines. Then the black front lip and the upper grille.

 

I also added the mirrors. I left them white, because I don’t have XF-18 glossy black at home. With that, the body for the runner is finished. Now I hope for good weather 

 

 

[Nicadraus 6201]

Nice to see you here Kevin. Welcome to TC.

[Carmine A 2046]

WOW that REALLY looks good 👍👍

[Carmine A 2046]

.... I've never been a Sedan kind of Guy. But I've always liked the Mondeo. 😊 Ever since I saw my first on on Top Gear!

So much love, that when my Ship FINALLY comes in sometime next year, I'm likely getting a Ford Fusion (US counterpart to the Mondeo). 

YOURS just looks so good. I've been painting RC Bodies since 1987 - and I'm STILL not that good.