New TA04 and TT01
 

I've been wanting to get one of these for a while now, but it wasn't until recently that I brought my younger brother to a hobby shop to see an r/c race and he said he wanted to get an onroad car....finally had my excuse....LOL

I was looking around for a while trying to decide what I wanted to get. Both cars needed to be somewhat similar so we could run/race them together. Although we'll spend most of our time running them in parking lots, driveway, street, etc we'll likely try our hand at spec racing in a touring spec class at our local track at some point. While looking around I thought of getting a few different cars, but when I saw Tamiya was having a sale for a TA04S ($100) I couldn't let it go.

The TA04 I got came with a finished Corvette race car body. The body comes completely painted, trimmed, and partially stickered. The only decals left are a bunch of little sponsor decals which I have yet to decide whether I'm going to use or not. This is actually a TA04S which I believe the difference between it and a regular TA04 is that it comes with turnbuckles, and bearings.

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/6304/touring1kj5.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8392/touring2ct6.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3504/touring3up1.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1079/touring4wl9.jpg

For my brother I got a TT01. I found his car on ebay. It's a brand new TT01 XB which is of Tamiya's line of "expert built" cars. It's basically the same as a regular TT01 but it comes RTR with an ESC, radio system, and finished body. I didn't think Tamiya could do any better than the awesome Corvette body that came with my TA04, but I was wrong. The finished Enzo body is absolutely gorgeous! I'm almost afraid to let him run it...LOL

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8430/touring5ry5.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1958/touring6sr8.jpg

That's all for now. I'm planning on building the TA04S this weekend, and he's getting his on his birthday next weekend. After we get a chance to run them both I'll post how we liked them, and some more pictures. BTW I wouldn't really call this a build thread, but I will be posting the progress on each of these cars as time goes on.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

That enzo is sexy.[8D]

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

I like those wheels:D

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Agreed! The Enzo wheels are really sweet. The Vette ones look really nice too, assuming the picture on the box is what comes in it.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Yep, the wheels pictured on the box are the ones that come with the kit. I'm going to build it this weekend so I'll post some finished pictures in a few days.

The wheels on the Vette are nice, but I think it's the color of the Enzo wheels that really make them stand out. The Corvette's wheels aren't coated with anything so they look like plastic, while the Enzo's wheels have the appearance of real alloy.

I'll have to take some better pictures, because the Vette pictures don't do it justice. The body is gorgeous, and the checkering on the sides is actual paint, not decals! I believe I read on Tamiya's website that they paint it like that with some sort of screen printing process.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

A little update on the TT01 Enzo. I finally got the chance to look it over, and overall everything looks to be made pretty well, but there are two things that I wasn't too crazy about.

1. The steering system. For whatever reason Tamiya didn't put any type of ball links on the steering tie rods so the tie rods create alot of bind on the front suspension. It's one of those things that I look at it and wonder how the heck they thought that design would be OK. The way it's set up the front suspension can compress about half way and then after that it literally has to twist other parts of the steering for the suspension to compress any more. It's got to have an affect on the handling.

As a remedy I've created a set of tie rods with ball links I had laying around. I know Tamiya sells optional tie rods for this car, but I figured since I had all the parts laying around from other projects I might as well make up a set myself. I'm not going to install them just yet though because I'd like to see how it handles before and after.

2. The tires don't have inserts in them. Not sure why they decided that would be OK.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

I'm right with you Eman77 the Enzo and the vette look Nice.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

I finally got the chance to put the TA04S together this weekend. Like all Tamiya kits it went together nice and quick without any problems or missing parts. I hope to get to run it (and the Enzo) next weekend so I'll post some updates then.

Here it is assembled. I definitely have to chop those body mounts, but I may wait to see what other body I get first.
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6407/vette1ap7.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1076/vette2bi3.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Well I gave the TT01 to my brother for his birthday yesterday and he loved it! We ran both cars on our driveway on a road course we made with cones. Considering they are both equipped with stock 540's they're pretty quick. I think we're going to go with a set of aftermarket stock motors soon though.

Driving impressions: His TT01 seems to be a little more "darty" then my TA04. I assume that has alot to do with the TT01 having treaded tires, and the TA04 having slicks. Either way both cars handle pretty good, and with just a little tuning I got the TA04 to take the corners a little better. Overall I had a blast. I like offroaders alot, but I love the competitive feeling of racing these onroads.

The body on the Vette is still holding up pretty well, but after a few moderate crashes he's got a few cracks in the front of the Enzo. As much as that kills me (it was such a beautiful body) in reality it doesn't matter because I didn't buy these to be shelf queens.

Here are a few pictures of the TT01. I didn't get a chance to take any of the Vette because I was the one driving it. I guess I'll have to hand the controls over to him tomorrow so I can get some pictures of it in action.

Enjoy!

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/3...zospeedry7.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3...ospeed2ye6.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6...ospeed3mm7.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Sweet photos:D Cut off the ariel and it would look real;)

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Thanks

Here are a few more pics. This is the TA04S chassis. As you can see I'm running a Duratrax Streak ESC and can motor. The reason I put a can motor in there is so both cars would be even when we raced them. We'll be going to something a little hotter soon enough. The Streak seems to be working out pretty good. It's got traction control and ABS functions but I found I liked it better with both off. The ABS works pretty good and I could definitely see it coming in handy in the right environment, but I could barely notice the TC.
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4088/chassis1jq8.jpg

This is the TT01 chassis. It's running all Tamiya gear including ESC.
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/4360/chassis2gm6.jpg

As you can see my brother has worn the hell out of the tires on the TT01 already. I guess the combination of us running them all weekend long, no inserts, and crappy stock tires = premature wear.
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6513/chassis3rc8.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

A couple more pics...

Here are the custom tie rods I made for my brother's TT01. Although they aren't actually turnbuckles they still allow him to adjust toe in/out and they do wonders for the suspension bind that the stockers create.
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8273/chassis4mi1.jpg

Duratrax Streak used in the TA04S
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/79/chassis5bt8.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7253/vette3di1.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Like this.....
http://image.rcuniverse.com/forum/up...68/Ca82667.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Update: We've run many many packs through these cars over the last few days and they're holding up great. The tires on the TT01 are on their last legs, so much to the point that some of the tires have the treads separating from the sidewalls.

We've changed out the motors in both cars. At first we were going to go with 27t stock motors, but I stumbled upon a deal I just couldn't pass up. Stormer Hobbies had these 21t Team Orions for only $7.99 The ESC in the TT01 is a Tamiya TEU 101BK which is rated at 23 turns, but it's been running fine with the 21t in there. We could have actually gone with even lower turn motors, but I didn't want to risk burning out his ESC.

The motors are technically modifieds, but they have bushing and a sealed endbell, but even so for $7.99 I could pass them up.

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7053/motorjz3.jpg

BTW I think I created a monster because my brother has been looking on ebay for oil shocks for his car.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

hi, how you have experience in running belt on normal roads? I always seems to get stones in it and already killed one engine. I built a clear cover for all gearbox and motor and installed additional fan to resolve those issues.
Nice ride with both cars, i wish to have somebody i can race more often than once a week too.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

7.99? that is a bargain.. my Tamiya sport tune was 12$...

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Yep. They've got even lower turn versions of the same motor for $9.99
http://www.stormerhobbies.com/pdf/motor2.pdf


I've been running the TA04 on my driveway which has alot of pebbles, gravel, rocks, etc. Overall I haven't had many problems, but I did have one point where a small rock got stuck under one of the belts but I could instantly tell by the difference in the way the car sounded as it was running. You could cut slots in the bottom of the chassis under the diffs to allow any rocks to fall out, but I haven't tried it yet. Its what Tamiya did with the TA05.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Yup:D

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

I have TA05 and actually have to glue them out, because it is getting dust and stones from bottom too, and once you leave the track to some dust or grass, you have it in complete gearbox. In differential it wasnt yet all that bad, but central gear takes a lot of stones and dust because front tires are throwing everything under chassis. it is even so bad, that main gear's lowest position is on the same level as the bottom of the car, so once you manage to hit something with your bottom, the wheel can be easily dead. I had to build some protection for it too. I did so many mods on my TA05 that started seirously think about that i will build one with cardan gearbox because my offroad car needs no care at all and i drive it even in sandbox.

I also managed to damage central gear that way, that small stone got stuck between teeth and pinion virtually beated it in so hard that car still drove but until i realized (it was in middle of race) central gear is elipse.

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Any pics of the lexan covers you made?

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

it is off now since am trying to solve that ESC problem (in other thread) but will post pics as soon as it is on again.

i also made some ALU faraday mesh for it, but this one i used only when we was trying to how far it will reach on remote without losing signal. i have to yet work on it before i will use it for racing (plan to use some clear metal coated plastic from some antistatic product cover) while the plastic only i am using until this is finished.
http://iidb.net/members/~ms/mesh.jpg

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Great cars, both of them! The Corvette was a steal, I've been eyeballing that deal on TamiyaUSA ever since they set the price to $100. That ENZO is SUH-WEEET!!!!!!! I'm a Tamiya Tourer fan from waaay back. I've had a half-dozen TT-01's and am not really wild about them, but would surely by the Enzo kit just for parading around the pretty body. HAVE FUN!! :D

BTW, very nice photography as well!

eric

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Thanks for the good words!

RE: New TA04 and TT01
 

Mike, keep us posted on how well the belts keep from fouling on unprepped parking lots, I'm curious. I had really good luck with the base TA05 I had last year. In over 75 runs I never fouled a belt or pulley. The pulleys were still snow white when I sold it. Now that I've moved, I have some great parking lots to run tourers in again. I only have a TL-01 as far as tourers right now, but have been contemplating getting another TA05 or maybe even that TA04S vette kit. Looking forward to more of those nice photos!! :D