Team Associated prototype 4WD info.

[OldTimer]

Details from 4wdrc - http://4wdrc.com/news_05_28_07.htm

Sitting right out in the open in the pits at SoCal near the track on Thursday May 25 was an AE engineer with a car that looked so much like the BJ that we at first thought it was one and failed to take photos!

But it's not a BJ and it IS a Team Associated prototype car. Later, on Sunday at the Reedy race, we spoke with AE officials who confirmed that the car exists and said it would not appear at this year's Mod Nats in Albuquerque.

To us it looked very similar to a BJ, with different front diff cover and shock tower, possibly a different 1-way system, and new front arms. It was a flat carbon fiber sheet chassis with shaft drive and a top deck. 3 X 3 saddle packs were in the rear with a longitudinal motor near the center. The shell looked so much like a BJ that it may have actually been a BJ body.

That's really all we know. We were there with Paul and Frank working on several different things on our own cars, We noticed this car, thought it was a BJ, and only confirmed things on Sunday at the Reedy race. We'll put up more info as we get it.

[cabbynate]

I did not see OldTimer's thread. He beat me to it!!!!

[jimmy]

Merged the threads!


Interesting, I'd heard about this ages ago but still to see anything. Will any of the UK AE drivers be racing this prototype this year though?

[cabbynate]

I have a felling AE won't wast time on this one. I am afraid of what will happen to the J Concepts team though?

[jimmy]

Unless this is a co-op with AE ?
It will be interesting to see what else the AE team do, maybe a moulded chassis?

[bigred5765]

owwwww ae 4wd??

[BenG]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Well chuffed. Cant wait for it.

But.... how long have Ae said "We wont make a 4wd buggy, unless the market is right". Answer? Years. So the market must be growing., whoooooop

[cabbynate]

Originally Posted by jimmy

Unless this is a co-op with AE ?
It will be interesting to see what else the AE team do, maybe a moulded chassis?

I could be wrong but I think Team Associated is to big of a company to team up with another company on a project this big. I would bet they will have ready-to-run versions and all. I bet all they are seeing right now is $$$$. J Concepts is very small compared to Associated and I would bet AE would love to swallow them up or buy them out. I'm sure all the Americans AE team drivers will switch to the AE 4WD buggy. This means AE will dominate the 4WD class here in the US...

As for the chassis I would guess they will go with the flat carbon fiber like the BJ4,TRF501X and the MR4-BX. Similar to there new on-road car the TC-5.

[LEGEND]

I cant wait till it comes out, want to see if it as good as my BJ4we. If so i might get one as spares will probably be more widely avalible than the BJ4. That I would say is the only down-side to the BJ4 is the spares. That they are only in one or two shops here in the UK.

[cabbynate]

To me the hole appeal of this buggy is parts support. AE is the best at getting parts out. They will be everywhere.

[OldTimer]

I do wonder if its just a special for this years worlds ?

[PaulRotheram]

who would race it i wonder.. all the big name drivers have deals with other companys, yoko, jc and the like.. should be interesting for sure.

[tc2k]

Hopefully will lead to a mass free for all with Bj4's being sold for mere pennies.

Nah not likely.

I bet itll be just a JConcepts double with a few changes and all the AE loves will be all over it.

[k£v!n]

Any thoughts on a price?

Its going o be interesting to see how it compares to the bj4 on the track!

[HKP]

I knew that JConcept's Worlds win would make AE sit up and notice! I know AE and JC have a good working relationship from what it says on AE's site. I just hope JC get the recognition they deserve for the monumental work they've done in designing and testing the de facto standard in 4WD off road.

[cabbynate]

Originally Posted by tomstacey

I knew that JConcept's Worlds win would make AE sit up and notice! I know AE and JC have a good working relationship from what it says on AE's site. I just hope JC get the recognition they deserve for the monumental work they've done in designing and testing the de facto standard in 4WD off road.

I agree with you 100%!!! I Just hope AE is not going to be like all the other large companies here in the US and put the screws to the little guy.
I think as for the deals the top drivers have with JC that race AE car's and trucks, AE will give them an offer they cannot refuse. I do think JC will stay around as long as AE does no buy them out. Jason is a good guy and a smart on too. JC will do just fine one way or another........

[gazbaz2]

Originally Posted by LEGEND

I cant wait till it comes out, want to see if it as good as my BJ4we. If so i might get one as spares will probably be more widely avalible than the BJ4. That I would say is the only down-side to the BJ4 is the spares. That they are only in one or two shops here in the UK.

But every shop can order you any part you want for the bj4 as they can for anyother make.

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by gazbaz2

But every shop can order you any part you want for the bj4 as they can for anyother make.

Very true, parts availability for our car IS SOLELY BASED ON WHAT YOUR LOCAL SHOP WILL ORDER.

*lurks*

[jimmy]

If you have a spare shock tower and a couple of suspension arms, you're pretty much set with the BJ4we. Anything else that breaks is common stuff.

Lurking huh Andy? What do you know?!? *probe for info*

[Chris Doughty]

from a purely observational point of view, it does seem JC are branching out beyond just their BJ4 car, is that their new market?