A box-art ARTA

This is my ARTA Garaiya TB-03 'sleeper'. A bit odd to apply the 'sleeper' title to a GT-bodied car I know, but when the shell is off, there is little to distinguish this from a bog-standard TB-03, which of course it is not.

Visual cues to this being something different are of course the alloy threaded shocks and the carbon chassis brace, but both of these are in muted hues and don't really stand out as hop-ups unless one is familiar with the stock car. The chassis plastics are almost all carbon-reinforced, but unless looking closely at the texture, they too appear stock. The car is fully ballraced, even the steering and IFS bellcranks which come with bushings as stock. The ceramic diff balls are hidden in the gearboxes, as is the alloy spur adapter, and the alloy K9 part is only partially visible from below the car. Judicious use of shims has reduced slop to levels comparable with a well-built TRF.

All of which leads to a car that performs very well in club-level racing, but is frequently underestimated by drivers of blingy carbon and alloy machines.