90s TA03R-S 911 GT1 content (nostalgic project requiring assistance!)

[GTJames 45]

Hello all, 

New here! I’m looking for some help regarding a few elements of a small nostalgic fuelled project I’m playing around with. 

It’s essentially a shelf queen TA03R-S 911 GT1. I had this car back in the 1990s but the original got totally destroyed. Thought I would rebuild another but with some decent Tamiya upgrades (the sort of things I would have bought at the time if I weren’t a penniless 8 year old)

I have a few technical hiccups - one being the dampers. It sat perfectly on the standard dampers, but they leaked so I bought some pretty TRF fluoride coated dampers. However, there are too short so it sits way too low at the back. How do I raise these?

Additionally I bought a few parts to upgrade the old silver can, but in hindsight I have no idea if the motor and speed controller I bought are even comparable! Can anyone advise if a TEU-105bk will be melted by a Formula Tuned motor. Probably won’t run this much, but nice to have something that would run at least in theory! Hopefully the pictures won’t come across too massive…

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[GTJames 45]

Saggy suspension and parts…

[GTJames 45]

Bonus content is the HPI Nitro RS4 racer that I upgraded to after I destroyed the original Tamiya (this is my original one in surprisingly good shape. Pantera body added and 2 piece Tamiya rims added a couple of years ago).

I should add that the 911 GT1 has the original dampers in the top pics, but the TRF dampers in the pic below - looks very tail heavy now!

[wtcc5 3665]

With you upgrade shocks came two different length lower ballcups. If you use the longer ones for the rear shocks, it should be fine.

[GTJames 45]

3 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

With you upgrade shocks came two different long lower ballcups. If you use the longer ones for the rear shocks, it should be fine.

Thank you, I used the longer ones but still too short 

[wtcc5 3665]

Then please post pictures of your chassis.

Because 62mm damperlength should work fine. 

[svenb 3254]

29 minutes ago, wtcc5 said:

Then please post pictures of your chassis.

Because 62mm damperlength should work fine. 

Agreed 

Are they the springs that came with the damper set? 

[svenb 3254]

The Formula tuned motor will be fine with your 105 esc but it's not a quick motor! The ta03 deserves something more powerful at least a Sport tuned. 

[GTJames 45]

56 minutes ago, svenb said:

The Formula tuned motor will be fine with your 105 esc but it's not a quick motor! The ta03 deserves something more powerful at least a Sport tuned. 

What would you suggest? Happy to throw a bit of money at it 

[svenb 3254]

54 minutes ago, GTJames said:

What would you suggest? Happy to throw a bit of money at it 

All depends if your keeping it period! 

If so a nice dyna run is very fitting but very expensive and most are keep on the shelf. 

Tamiya Sport tuned good starting point or go brushless combo for easy maintenance. 

[Bash 278]

I'd also suggest one of the super stock motors. They are inexpensive for a nice rebuildable motor, look great, and have plenty of speed. 

[TamiyAddict362 60]

Regarding the shock options, mind you, the TA03R and RS have lower front damper mount to clear the body, so if you look carefully, front shocks are shorter than rear.

Front shocks are common size nowadays, the super mini CVA as you would found on newer kits, say TT02D or S. These TT02 cars should use 50 or 55mm shocks.

The rear of TA03R(S) should be around 58 or 60mm as found on the older TA01/02.

Another point to note is that these lengths are measured eye to eye using the short eyelets (V1 in the pic), but TA03 has to use the long ones (V2) due to its triangular lower arm design.

 

You have two solutions.

1. Buy 55 mm shocks to use both front and rear.

For the front, put an o-ring in the shocks to shorten it by around 2-3 mm to make it shorter than the rear. I've tried, and the result should be good. It's shorter than stock a bit so there is less preload and springs need to be a bit harder to hold the car above the ground for a desirable distance. (60 mm will be too long for the front!)

If you don't mind going old-school, get #53155 (it's still widely available). The TA03R/RS TRF use them (although a different shock body colour), and you can download the manual easily for your reference as to how to install them perfectly to get the desired lengths.

 

 

2. Buy two sets of shocks, a set of 55mm and another set of 60mm. If you don't mind other brands, try YR (Yeah Racing). It's cheap and yet the quality is not bad. For the price of a set of TRF, you can get two sets of YR.

 

If you stick to Tamiya, then you may need to do a bit more research on the damper lenghts as they are sometimes not specified clearly on the packages.

 

For Tamiya products, the eyelets V2 should also be included so you have to use it. For other brands, you have to use those eyelets fron your original car. If they are too old to retire, buy spare parts #50598 and you'll need two packs.

 

As for the motor, the formula-tuned is 32T?! It's a bit too slow. Even with its bearings and open end bell design, it should not be much faster than a silver can, especially on a heavy car like TA03. It's designed for light direct-drive vehicles (F1 cars!) so putting it in a heavy TA03 should be too demanding. It will work and won't fry your 105 ESC, but isn't a good choice.

Get a Sport-tuned as suggested by some fellows above. It's safe for your 105, officially okay according to Tamiya. With a larger pinion to gear it more aggressively, the speed should be much faster than stock.

If you want to go a bit faster, then try the Super Stock RZ, it's also 23T and is marginally usable on the stock ESC like 105. But be careful not to gear it tall, or your ESC is going to die. I would use the stock gearing to relieve the burden on this hot motor so as to keep the 105 alive.

[TamiyAddict362 60]

6 hours ago, GTJames said:

but they leaked so I bought some pretty TRF fluoride coated dampers. However, there are too short so it sits way too low at the back. How do I raise these?

 

Okay you have bought a set of TRF already. So the current deal should be better stick with them and have some easy remedies. Here you go, just but a pair of longer damper shafts for the rear. If your stock shafts are not damaged, swap them with the TRF for the rear. They should be of the same diameter. If you need to buy new but have no luck finding just shafts, perhaps buy #50519 to just get the shafts.

It may look a bit strange upon full compression (it is still too long to be outside the shock body), but is workable given how little suspension travel the chassis needs to have.

[GTJames 45]

Thank you for your help everyone, got some parts on the way so will update with progress! To follow up on some of the earlier posts, I used the longer ball cups all around but it seems the rears on the TA03 are indeed longer than the fronts. 

Good info on the Formula Tuned motor and why it is absolutely wrong for this car!

 

[GermanTA03Guy 861]

Hi, I think you should probably not raise the rear but lower the front. Main thing is that front and rear are even. 4 to 7mm ride height depending on your surface you drive on is what you're looking for. How to lower the front: disassemble the front dampers and put 2-3 o-rings on the shaft, before you put it in the damper case. They will sit right below the piston plate (the one with the holes) and limit the amount that the shock shafts can go out (which is called droop and is very setup relevant) look up Tamiya ta03rs-trf manual 58243 as a reference. Here, 1 o ring is used in the back and 3 in the front as the trf uses the same length dampers front and rear (53280, basically the same as yours but without threaded shock bodies) In the standard kit, the front dampers are shorter (mini cva) and this comes down to the same.  If you don't put the o rings and level the height using only softer shocks / shock oil or less preload via the threaded bodies, then you might have the front raise too much on acceleration ("droop") , as the weight shifts back. This looks weird and probably drives weird. Curious to hear about your progress. Always use the long shock ends all around on the ta03, there's no alternative. 

[GermanTA03Guy 861]

By the way, let me suggest a nice brushless combo : Carson dragster 3 16t. Is is around 80-110 pounds, is the official Tamiya euro cup combo, a mild brushless which in my opinion is plenty quick if paired with the right pinion (25teeth on ta03 module 0.6 which is the black gears.) I used to race the ta03 with the dyna run in the 90s. Nice motor but technically not worth the money they go for now. And generally, Too much motor maintenance for me on such a brushed 13t. .... And I wouldn't go brushless under 14t / over 3300kv because it is not nice on the ta03. All these 6600kv ta03s with slippy kit tires end broken with cracked bodies in the ditch because they can be (ab) used for nothing else than silly speed runs. 

[GTJames 45]

Hi everyone, sorry for the delayed response. Thank you so much for all suggestions. As I know is common, my quest for a few parts led to buying another car…

TL-01 Calsonic Skyline that I always wanted when I was younger!

Back to the parts… I did buy a Super Stock RZ motor that is currently in the Skyline and have a Dyna Run ready to go in the 911. The rear shocks on the TA-03 are indeed longer than the fronts so I swapped some parts over from the original CVAs

[GermanTA03Guy 861]

Hi beautiful cars. What make is that nice Pantera body? 

[GTJames 45]

1 hour ago, GermanTA03Guy said:

Hi beautiful cars. What make is that nice Pantera body? 

Thank you! The Pantera body on the RS4 Racer is an HPI body - always loved a Pantera and they got the proportions pretty good (a lot of their ‘retro’ bodies are way off IMO!). Just need to fit wheels with some good dish and the right offset - the only pictures i’ve seen of this body on the internet look terrible as people paint them badly and put ill fitting wheels on.

I’d actually like some better, more ‘period correct’ wheels (higher profile / more chunky rubber) if anyone can suggest anything? Was thinking group c type but doubt they’ll fit?

Better pics (with older wheels I had on a few years back)…

[svenb 3254]

HPI vintage wheels (5 spoke) look good with Pantera body. 

[GTJames 45]

So I went a bit overboard with Tamiya upgrades…

Couple more things to add but almost done!

Would certainly be a quicker / cheaper process if I weren’t so pedantic about NIB 😂

[GTJames 45]

Can anyone recommend any other nice hop ups for a ta03rs? Enjoying upgrading this so happy to set some eBay searches to source nice bits. 
 

Seem to be missing a retainer plate and also need to secure the stabilisers - I have some carbon supports on order, but can I just use screws instead?
 

Was hoping the stabilisers would help with some of the play in the suspension (when secured obviously) but other than looking pretty, can’t really see what they do?

[svenb 3254]

Stabilizer stoppers may help with the play.

Hop up bumper is a nice addition but then again so are the aluminium hubs/steering/knuckles just expensive and quite elusive.

Large washers with screws will hold the stabilizer bar in place 👍

[GermanTA03Guy 861]

14 hours ago, GTJames said:

Was hoping the stabilisers would help with some of the play in the suspension (when secured obviously) but other than looking pretty, can’t really see what they do?

Hi, what they actually do is not reduce play at all. Stabilizing means reducing roll in the corners. When the outside dampers compress, inducing roll, and in certain conditions causing the car to roll over even (grippy tires on carpet race tracks e. G.), then the stabilizer connects both sides and pulls the inside damper down as well. So it doesn't roll as much. This actually reduces grip a little. So you can adjust the driving behavior like that. If your car spins out easily, it can help to put a harder stabilizer in the front. Just like springs... Red is soft, yellow is medium and blue is hard.... 

 

 

I also never like the slop in the suspension, but after time I think it doesn't really work or bring a benefit to try and reduce it. A lot of methods can create binding, like the stoppers or shims, etc... I know of only one good method to really reduce it, it was some Japanese tuning parts that are unobtainable, only work with doubledeck chassis and look strange... Not to mention weight etc... So in the end, I'd just accept it.

By the way, I think a nice addition is to put suspension shafts in instead of the standard screws. As well as putting flange tubes inside the steering and camber links, like on the 58177 pro version (refer manual).... And of course Alu c hubs, hub carriers, steering, etc... Haha 

[Lee1075 281]

14 hours ago, svenb said:

Stabilizer stoppers may help with the play.

Then again so are the aluminium hubs/steering/knuckles just expensive and quite elusive.

Any idea where i can find those stoppers? Seem to only available in blue, which i don´t want.