Vintage Tamiya budget build

[Crazy L]

Hi all

After a recent visit to the Iconic gig at the Surrey and Hants club, to which I've been a number of times before but this time I actually had a good day due to its relaxed atmosphere, I decided (again) that I needed a vintage car in my life. What to get however.

I thought maybe a Cougar 2 or even a Bosscat, but after my Nitro 21xtr a number of years ago, I remember vowing not to buy another Schumacher, so...

A Lazer? Pricey, and with a normal ZX sport going on that auction site for stupid money, not likely, so what about
a Yoke? Hens teeth.

I want to run the thing, I want to be able to crash it and know I can get spares with a browse on ebay or some shop in Hong Kong, so I peered through the rose tints and and plumped on a Tamiya as I had a Manta Ray when I was a kid, and having saved up my pocket money for about a year, it was a car that brought much fun, and was even the car I first raced with, having, by this point, become a Jamie Booth fan due to his, and RCMC ed Alan Harmans antics as Tamiya team mates.

A few cars came into my head, all the obvious ones but I decided on the Top Force. Common now as classic, and prices are frankly, stupid. Even a Re-Re goes for the price of a real car, absurd.
Upon having my Tamiyaclub application "approved" I discovered why. There are people out there with brand new ones in boxes. Not that I didn't know this sort of thing went on, but come on, it's a model, it deserves to be built at the least. If you want a box, sell the contents and keep the box, let someone get pleasure out of the bits you're not prepared to let see the light of day. Alas, that's the way I see it and I digress.

With such silliness in mind I set about a way I could have a Top Force and not spend daft money. I looked all around at the various incarnations and having watched them all go, again, for daft money, I found this Blazing Star and won it from a chap in Austria for about £30.


Let the project begin......

[Crazy L]

So, with the car in front of me and with it being only the basis for my project, I whipped the shell off to reveal what I was already aware of as it was shown in the auction, a hacked about chassis, which looked like a cack handed, hacksaw wielding buffoon had had a fit on it.


Not to worry though, as that was going to be sacrificed regardless, and with that in mind I set about the stripdown. So, with phillips screwdriver in hand and dinner still in the oven, it came to this.

[Crazy L]

With it all in bits, and having eaten my dinner by this point. It was time for the initiation of washing the plastics. This is a little thing I like to do with 2nd hand cars, as doing so makes the car "mine", if you will, silly bugger that I am.
Here we are, all nice and clean, having been scrubbed with a toothbrush and Unilevers finest.



Next up, was to marry up the gearbox' to the other ebay find. An OE Top Force chassis, which I got for about £20. It is missing all hardware though, no matter.


Aside from a couple of bits going on backstage, that is as far as I have got with it all for now.

Before I go, and while I remember, I'd like to give thanks to Trevor, aka J'mm'n, for the Top Force shell, wing and undertray, cheers mate.

That's it for tonight folks, stay safe and thanks for reading.

and remember, whenever a tree falls, an otter wipes his arse with a tabloid paper.

[bretts]

I love reading these ebay finds to racing machine rebuilds. Keep it up.

Might try this http://screwz4rc.co.uk/screwkit-request/ to make it top notch.

[OptimaFan]

Nice project. So if I get this well, you are going to fit the parts of the Blazing Star to a Top Force chassis? Can it still be considered vintage enough, as I understand the Blazing Star is a fairly recent car?

[Crazy L]

Originally Posted by OptimaFan

Nice project. So if I get this well, you are going to fit the parts of the Blazing Star to a Top Force chassis? Can it still be considered vintage enough, as I understand the Blazing Star is a fairly recent car?

Will it matter? The transmission, suspension and driveline are all the same. It's really only the chassis and shell which make a car. Otherwise, the dirt thrasher, terra conquerer, and this blazing star thing would all still be called Manta Ray.

[Crazy L]

A badge from a late 90s VW is exactly the same shape as one from an early 90s VW.

[Dazzieboy]

An interesting thread as I have also always wanted a top force and thought about going a similar route using a manta ray as the base. Look forward to seeing how you get on.

[Crazy L]

Cheers Dazzieboy :-)

[OptimaFan]

Originally Posted by Crazy L

Will it matter? The transmission, suspension and driveline are all the same. It's really only the chassis and shell which make a car. Otherwise, the dirt thrasher, terra conquerer, and this blazing star thing would all still be called Manta Ray.

I don't know much detail about Tamiya cars, so I wasn't expecting these cars to have stayed about the same over such a long period of time. I mean, the Top Force is 1991, that's over 20 years between it and the Blazing Star.

Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting project to see a modern car to be fitted with a vintage shell, and some other vintage bits, but somehow it doesn't feel fully vintage to me. But that's just my initial thought, and I know I myself have also considered making a modern car look vintage, like fitting an old shell, or use a signature boxart paintjob on a new shell, so I'm not judging. Having fun with the hobby is what matters most.

Looking forward to more updates.

[Crazy L]

Originally Posted by OptimaFan

I mean, the Top Force is 1991, that's over 20 years between it and the Blazing Star.

Having fun with the hobby is what matters most.

According to the manual I got with the car, it's 1997. So only 6 years. Though Tamiya are still using the transmission in their cheyenne thing or whatever it is.

And yes, it is about having fun.

[OptimaFan]

Ah, I see. I saw the Blazing Star listed on a webshop page, when I googled it, so I got the impression it's a modern car, still available. But now I understand that this webshop forgot to remove it from their current inventory, as it's indeed from 1997.

[Crazy L]

Little update for you. I've only got a little bit done as, like most of you, I have a job, house, wife, other hobbies etc. Alas, enough of this chit chat, on with the show.

As you can see, the hardware-less chassis is now starting to be made use of. Here it is test fitted to the reassembled front tranny. Just these standoffs made so far. I milled them up at work, and tapped them by hand at home. I know it's long winded but I have no access to a lathe currently and all the mills have fixtures on, with full turrets and no room for a vice.

So I cut a bit of scrap so it would fit in a fixture, then milled these out with an emill, and drilled the hole. Had to carefully bandsaw them off then dress the ends to size. A right caper you may think, but it's in keeping with the title and theme of this build.

I got the chassis from ebay for £20. The standoffs, cost nothing. nada, zip, zilch, sweet fa. A time tunnel models full ballrace kit for £11 too sees the whole car ballraced so it stands half a chance of something hotter than a 540.



Ignore the XR400 rear spindle in the background. That's the other thing I'm working on, and is where I'm off to now, to show pics on another forum on how the bike is coming along.

And remember, in the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight.

[OptimaFan]

Looks nice, and the other occupations sound very familiar.

When you work with CF, do you take precautions for your lungs? CF dust can be very dangerous, when inhaled.

[Crazy L]

I don't work with carbon fibre, only ali. I believe that answers your question.

[OptimaFan]

I thought you mentioned drilling in the chassis as well.

[Crazy L]

hi all

A little update here. I have now made a rear chassis/gearbox brace, so the top deck can be attached.





Also fresh in is the Ball diff. I knew a ball diff in the rear at the very least would be essential as the plastic that makes up the diff casings may come under very quick scrutiny once brushless is let loose.



Talking of plastics and gears. Many thanks to Neil at RW Racing for supplying these little beauties, brand new and in stock. Again, if I remember correctly, an essential upgrade. I repeat, RW still stock these gears, and will no doubt make more if required. Spread the word.



That's all for now folks. Keep 'em peeled.

And remember, every time you say goodbye, I die a little.

[OptimaFan]

Looking good. Clean rebuild.

[Crazy L]

Good evening

Another little update from yours truly. Started on the shell this week. It's box art colour. I can't remember the code (ps17 maybe?) and the shell is a Team Blue Groove repro item which was dealt to me by a very helpful chap on here called Trevor AKA J'mm'n. Will need a few stickers once it's been tidied up with the Dremel. Not bothered about originality as far as they're concerned, "oh no, that sticker is not correct for the period (said in a trainspotter voice)



Next up are my cell locators which I got round to machining at work this week. Made of finest 6062. Not perfect, but they look good in this pic I must admit.



That's it for now. The mission continues in the days/weeks to come.

And remember, always tell your mum or someone who knows you where you're going.

[Crazy L]

Wow

Been a while, but considering the Iconic RC Revival is but days away, I thought it best to pull my finger out and get the car into it's final stages of being a usable model.....what with having booked in and paid an' all.

Here we are earlier today. Modding standard rear shock tower to accept plain screw in ball studs so I can use the 3 Racing DF03 turnbuckles very kindly donated to me by SuperGripper. For anyone interested, I've taken 2mm off each end of the rears to get a working length, and 1.5mm off each end of the ones placed on steering duty.



Here it is with the shell on, and plain wheels, awaiting tyres. Not fussed with too many stickers.



I've also had to make the front body mount too as I couldn't find one. Not bad considering. Other "free" mods include a carbon brace on the front shock tower, made from a scrap bit of carbon I cut off my 500 size heli about 18 months ago.

So, Come sunday, a 3.5 hour drive to Grantham. Hope it all turns out ok.