Team C 1/10 bodies, recommended?

[OoALEJOoO 3127]

I am a sucker for nice high-quality bodies. Tamiya's 1/10 renditions are very good looking to the point sometimes they rival their 1/24 counterparts.

While browsing AsiaTees.com, I came across bodies made by Team C. Their price is quite low and they do not have screenshots of actual finished bodies to show as example, which raises some red flags. Google searches come fairly dry as well.

Anyone with experience with Team C bodies? Would love to hear your thoughts

Some examples of what caught my attention:

[M 800STD 586]

I have the two Mclaren variants, not painted yet.

These bodies are very detailed and seem a good thickness, not thin or flimsy.

I think they are excellent quality and thinking of purchasing more.

[BelknapCrater 179]

Team C's website have photos of some but not all finished bodies. I wonder if they have licensing for everything they offer. Reproducing the Apple Computer sponsored Porsche for a stateside company would be complicated, to say the least.

[OoALEJOoO 3127]

@M 800STD and @BelknapCrater thanks for the input!

I went to their webpage with more time and indeed some of the models have actual body screenshots. It seems the quality, or at least the accuracy, of the bodies is quite variable.

You see a full spectrum, from awful abominations such as the Audi Quattro S1 Rally, to quite good that seem to be a direct copy from Tamiya such as the BMW M3.

Their webpage is odd though. Some models have poorly photoshopped pictures of the real car, static models or even a different car altogether, I am willing to bet these are knock-offs...

[svenb 3774]

The f40 looks a lot like the products that L&L models sell.

If it is beware of any yellow decals as they are almost transparent.

[sosidge 624]

5 minutes ago, svenb said:

The f40 looks a lot like the products that L&L models sell.

If it is beware of any yellow decals as they are almost transparent.

Yes, most of the bodies that L&L sell as their own brand are the TeamC bodies. They also seem to have acquired some of the old Frewer moulds.

Can't tell how original the TeamC bodies are and how many are copies of existing designs. Maybe a combo of both. Team C used to be a fairly well known manufacturer of cars and buggies, but they seem to have done an almost complete switch over to lexan bodies. No idea if it is the same firm or just the name that has been sold on.

[Albert Attaboy 141]

If you want to support a company that's ripping others off go for it.

Have a look at their Pro-Line Power Wagon counterfeit if you don't know what I am talking about...

[M 800STD 586]

There's a lot of interesting comments here.

Here's my take on it...

If Team C is a China manufacturer, then copyright laws are non-existence.  Team China?

Whether or not they are a direct copy is open to debate.  What we have to remember is that most shells produced are scaled to 257mm wheelbase and 190mm width.  Also there is only one shape of an M3 otherwise it would not be an M3.  Hope that makes sense.

If they are knock offs, I would like to know of who, as  I have not come across another manufacturer selling the McLaren P1.  Maybe I have not looked hard enough.

L&L Models are selling Team C products.  This is evident by the TC part number. 

I don't believe L&L Models are trying to pass them off as their products.  They are just a vendor selling a product line.

I don't think L&L Models have Frewer moulds, just acquired old stock.  I make this comment because they only have a couple of styles.  I could be wrong here.

If I see a product that suites my requirements and is of a good price, in the realms of RC cars, then I will buy it - irrespective of who made it and/or whether it is a copy/counterfeit.

In conclusion, I am very happy with my 2 McLaren P1 purchases.

 

 

[BelknapCrater 179]

50 minutes ago, M 800STD said:

If I see a product that suites my requirements and is of a good price, in the realms of RC cars, then I will by it.

In conclusion, I am very happy with my 2 McLaren P1 purchases.

 

 

Whether or not they respect IP, they’re selling product. You have their product, so that’s proof that it’s not just vaporware.

I probably won’t buy any, because I limit myself to what’s available stateside. So I limit myself to Tamiya, Killer Body, TBG, or Delta Plastik. I wouldn’t mind a spec series based on this, though:

 

605F72B5-7541-4658-BF35-C34D23ECB327.webp

[OoALEJOoO 3127]

Thanks for the comments guys.

As somebody who works in engineering new product development and who appreciates both the process, creativity & art behind getting great things done, I am strongly against counterfeit goods. This is irrespective of whether they sell and/or their quality.

I guess we can't prove if they are counterfeit, but chances are they are.

[Ryz82 160]

You see these bodies all over the place.

They must be a wholesaler as such, and just offer their shells out to anyone that wants to be a re-seller.

Here in Australia im pretty sure they are sold under the Body Worx brand.

I've used a couple. Look, they arent great, often lacking finer detail and moulding. But for a basher, or shell you arent going to care to much about, then they are fine.

I have post of a Civic body from Body Worx here (https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/96717-a-photo-of-your-most-recent-tamiya-rcbuild/&do=findComment&comment=835553) 

I also have their Ford Sierra as was the only one i could find which i am yet to work on - will be trying to reproduce a local AU Touring Car livery form late 80s with it, so hopefully it looks ok - TBH the Sierra doesnt look too bad from unpainted, so hopefully finished is the goods.

...

Personally, outside of Tamiya, i find Killer Body to be decent, and the MST Honda Civic EK9 to be good. ABC can be hit an miss, again the finer details of the cars body lines can be lacking.

[kiasukid 52]

I am intending to buy one of those Team C F40 bodies to test out.  It is my favourite Ferrari and no other R/C manufacturer currently makes one.

Some are obviously Tamiya copies, others are copies of HPI.  I would prefer to buy the originals if they were available but if not, they're the next best thing.

No one beats Tamiya for decals however.

[Ryz82 160]

The other thing I've found with their bodies, is that if their is additional parts that need to be attached - particular front/rear bumpers due to the body being a specific shape, the additional parts may not always be as clearly marked for trimming, and there are no instructions or even a visual print out/guide on how to best position against the body.

[M 800STD 586]

@Ryz82  I am 99.9% sure that Body Worx brand is not Team C items.

[Truck Norris 2237]

On 10/20/2021 at 2:18 AM, OoALEJOoO said:

Thanks for the comments guys.

As somebody who works in engineering new product development and who appreciates both the process, creativity & art behind getting great things done, I am strongly against counterfeit goods. This is irrespective of whether they sell and/or their quality.

I guess we can't prove if they are counterfeit, but chances are they are.

They absolutely are. No licensing and half the models that actually show an RC body rather than a 1/24 scale model or a real car are using photos of Tamiya bodies to advertise something that's not. The Volvo 850 saloon looks really good because it's my detailed build (https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=133142&id=43050) using a genuine Tamiya body and stickers, with a plastic wing and mirrors, not the Lexan ones actually supplied.

The Celica and Altezza are using photos from TC member Victorious Secret: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom.asp?id=22525

In my book the quality is irrelevant if the product is illegal

[hIghQ 149]

Yes it's sketchy AF. One of the Mustangs clearly is the HPI body (even the photo is the same here, too).

[Ryz82 160]

10 hours ago, M 800STD said:

@Ryz82  I am 99.9% sure that Body Worx brand is not Team C items.

@M 800STD You could be right. I've never been able to find any information on the Body Worx stuff outside of the what my LHS has on their shelves.

They do look like they share an awful lot of the bodies that I see posted around, and the samples above. 

Do you have more info on the Body Worx brand ? A link or anything ? As they predominantly what I can source easily (and cheaply) here so wouldn't mind any extra info.

[M 800STD 586]

No sorry mate.

Came across these years ago and never bothered saving info on them.

Maybe just buy the Team C items, as they are cheap.

If I get time I'll post pics of the McLaren P1, so you can see the quality/detail.

[M 800STD 586]

lol, Tamiya copy.  

 

[M 800STD 586]

 

[M 800STD 586]

[InsaneJim69 1584]

Tbf considering the cheap prices that's not bad.

I know L and L do a heck of alot of bodies that no one else offers. I have tried a few and they are ok, not great, but if you put the effort in you can make them better, i.e. paint the window trims, detail the exhausts etc yourself, etc. Just simple things really. They offer some bodies that no one else does or ever will again so no offence but I have zero conscience in buying from them at all !! 👍

James.

[Ryz82 160]

1 hour ago, InsaneJim69 said:

Tbf considering the cheap prices that's not bad.

I know L and L do a heck of alot of bodies that no one else offers. I have tried a few and they are ok, not great, but if you put the effort in you can make them better, i.e. paint the window trims, detail the exhausts etc yourself, etc. Just simple things really. They offer some bodies that no one else does or ever will again so no offence but I have zero conscience in buying from them at all !! 👍

James.

Agree. Particularly on those hard to find, or no on else does bodies. 

Of course if I can get the same from another more quality brand then I will.

 

[Ryz82 160]

7 hours ago, M 800STD said:

No sorry mate.

Came across these years ago and never bothered saving info on them.

Maybe just buy the Team C items, as they are cheap.

If I get time I'll post pics of the McLaren P1, so you can see the quality/detail.

All good.

Some of the Body Worx ones are unique and I haven't seen as TC, but I do believe some are shared or at least just from picking them up in the LHS and having a quick look, are dam close.

[Room335 738]

Wanted to share my experience with the Team C bodies. I have the Apple Porsche 935, Ferrari Dino, and BMW 2002.

 

I'll start with the 935. First thing I noticed was the lack of detail around the rear end. Also seems like the wing was an afterthought, and I'm afraid it looks nothing like the actual Apple 935 (wing not yet attached):

 

 

 

2nd issue I had was after cutting out the body, the wheel arches flared out:

 

 

Finally, I've noticed that the decals are not Tamiya or MCI quality, and are peeling in several areas (you can see the white gap on the nose...it would be continuous rainbow if not for the peeling):

 

 

At this point I'm debating whether or not to even finish the 935, with the lack of detail and the issues mentioned above.

 

On the bright side, the Dino looks to have much better detail. And I might skip the decals entirely and do a custom look like the Camel car below: