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Originally published on CompetitionX
Tamiya touring cars are a very rare site – maybe it’s the price – it’s a pretty huge chunk of money for a product when there are other options available for less. That, however, sometimes doesn’t matter if the car is worth it. Working at Tamiya now, I thought it was probably time to pick one of these unicorns up and give it a go. The current TC is the TRF419XR, a carbon-equipped, blue-aluminum shod high-end road rocket that is of top-notch quality and design. It comes with Tamiya’s stellar TRF shocks, double cardan universal shafts, front spool, all kinds of aluminum bits and 2.25mm lower/2mm upper carbon decks. It even has a cool little aluminum fan mount!
I’m excited to get this car outside and see if it’s as good as the price says it is. But first, we need to get it built.
Before we start the build, let’s go over the support parts we’ll be using:
Transmitter:If you’ve seen any of our builds, you’ll know that our go-to radio system for any race car is the Futaba 7PX. This system is by far one of the best on the market and has so many features, it’ll make your head spin. SR (Super Response) Technology, backlit 4.3? LCD touch-screen display, full-telemetry compatible, 40-model memory, programmable mixing, assignable push buttons, 7 channels, steering mixing – the list goes on and on and on. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve used half of the features on this thing, but it’s nice to know they’re there and, well, this radio just feels right in my hands. Definitely a must have it you want a radio system that has it all! FUTK4908 Futaba 7PX 7-Channel Transmitter
Servo: Touring Cars require servos with both speed and torque (more speed than torque) – high speed corners and quick switch backs mean a servo that can help the car change directions on a moments notice. That’s why I went with the Futaba BLS371SV Servo. This unit touts a .13 speed and a whopping 219.5oz of torque, both excellent numbers for a Touring Car. On top of that, this is an S.BUS2 system, meaning you can connect it to a PC to change various characteristics. FUTM0151 Futaba BLS371SV S.BUS2 Servo
Battery: Power comes from one thing – a stellar battery pack. So, to feed the hungry R1 ESC and motor, I opted for one of R1 Wurks new LCG Enhanced Graphene LiPo battery packs. This pack features a slim profile, lowering the CG of the car. It’s also a 2S, 6000mAh pack, so there should never be any issue with run time, even if I decide to bump the TRF419XR to the modified class. 030007 R1 6000mAh 120C 7.4v 2S LiPo LCG Enhanced Graphene Batter
ESC:Any ESC can extract juice from the battery and transfer it to the motor, but doing it efficiently and with some major vigor is a whole notha’ story! That’s why I chose the R1 Wurks Digital-2 200A ESC. I’ve used this unit before in other projects and it’s a beast. Couple it with their programming card and you can turn this ESC into a complete monster! The throttle and brake feel are amazing and even while pushing it as hard as I can, it still remains cool to the touch. I definitely recommend this to anyone in the stock or 13.5T classes! 040001 R1 Wurks Digital-2 200A ESC
Motor: R1 Wurks new line of V21 motors provide brutish power in almost every application; offroad, Touring Car, 1:12 scale, oval, etc. It is comprised of ROAR-legal components with proprietary ingredients to make them incredibly fast. External timing ensures you’ll never be left behind on the straight and the improved internals (to the V16) help increase top end and punch. This is the first time I’ll be trying the new V21, but it certainly sounds like a winning combo with my TRF419XR – I can’t wait to take it to the track and see! 020010 R1 Wurks 17.5T V21 Brushless Motor
Body: The PROTOform MS7 has proven itself at a number of races. I love the body lines – it reminds me of the MS6 body from years past (one of my favorite lids). Like the R1 Wurks Brushless Motor, this will be the first time using this lightweight version – I figured a super light body will make me have to concentrate more so I don’t destroy it! Instead of wussing out and going with a single color look, I sent it over to my buddy at Sharkbait Designworks to lay down my standard paint scheme. Ya, it looks off the hook! 1555-20 PROTOform MS7 Body (X-Lite) for Touring Cars
Tools:
Here’s a list of useful tools that will help you build this car. - Tekno RC 4mm/5mm Turnbuckle Wrench
- MIP Metric Hex Driver Set (contains 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5mm drivers)
- MIP 1.5mm Hex Driver
- MIP 2.0 Hex Driver
- MIP 2.5 Hex Driver
- Pro-Line Tire Mounting Glue
- TrakPower TK950 Soldering Iron
- Xacto Hobby Knife
- Duratrax Curved Body Scissors
- Duratrax Body Reamer
- Neiko Digital Calipers
- Scotch Mounting Tape
- Tekton Needlenose Pliers
Use the links below to follow each step.
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Opening Page
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 1 – Chassis/ Bulkheads
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 2 – Rear Differential
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 3 – Driveline
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 4 – Steering
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 5 – Suspension
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 6 – Anti-Roll Bars
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 7 – Shocks
Tamiya TRF419XR Touring Car Build – Part 8 – Final Assembly |
