TOPIC:

Hi all, I'm new here and just have to say how glad I am to have found this site. Just Awesome! Anyway, I need some advice/opinions on a vintage Tamiya Fox build. I have a complete Fox from back in the day that I have been thinking a lot about lately. I'm just curious what others think. Should I go with a full on stock style vintage restore or should I do a cumtomized build? I do have the skills and means to do plenty of custom work. If I go the custom route, I was going to remake many of the parts from billit aluminum, like the A-Arms for example. I was also going to do some work on the drivetrain and put dogbone axels in it. Man, I really wish I had got the Thorp Dirt Burner's ball differential way back when they were available. However I am confident that I can, with aftermarket parts and some custom work, make my own. Part of me wants to make it into a total custom racer but the other part of me says to keep it original. Parts are so hard to find and expensive that I just hate to do any irreversable customizations, but it could be so badword cool. What are your thoughts? Keep it stock or go custom? Before I do any work I will take some "before" pictures and post the "after pics when done. BTW, if anybody does have a Thorp differential kit (the Ball diff, with dogbone's. Not just the hex shaft to dogbone one) for the Fox and is willing to part with it, please let me know. It would save a whole bunch of work.

Welcome on TB! Your Fox need a Customized build

Welcome to TamiyaBase!
I am what the custom guys call a "purist", only doing original restoration. That's what I like to do.
Reading your text above makes me think that you should do what you like the most. And my guess is that that is the full blown custom route!
Whatever you decide, we look forward to following the progress here

Lars

larbut, I'm with ya on the "Purist" level. Usually, that's the route I tend to take with any of my projects. If the parts weren't so rare and most of all EXPENSIVE, it wouldn't even be an issue, I'd just do the restore to stock. I'm in the process of tearing down the whole car. It will probably boil down to how many parts need to be replaced. If it turns out to be hundreds of dollars worth, I will just go the custom route. I have had the car for 26 years and know it intimately, it played a huge role in my childhood and nothing would bring me greater joy than to have it running at 100% once again. One other question; on the "purist" level, is replacing the speed controller with an ESC considered cheating?

jpar63 wrote:

One other question; on the "purist" level, is replacing the speed controller with an ESC considered cheating?

In my opinion:
For a runner; no
For a shelf queen;Yes

Hola & welcome on board

Your idea of "custom" seems to be a good one - making/upgrading bits - so I say go for it

Welcome on TB! Whatever you decide to do with your Fox, I'd be very interested to see what you make of it.

GREETINGS!
I have TWO[2] sets of NIP brand new Tamiya FOX rear C-TREE parts.
The last set just went for $46 on ebay....I'd take $40usd for mine.
let me know...

BTW I used to race all kinds of R/C cars in the golden era of the 1980's!
I had several very tricked out Tamiya FOX's....
I might be able to give you some tips on tuning or what not to do.

If there was some kind of vintage r/c buggy racing series, and you wanted to race.
I would say trick yours; TO-THE-MAX!
1980's lingo there!

Or just make yours a shelf queen 100% pure resto-original....
AND buy a HOT TRICK red-chassis FOX on ebay to race or go fast with no worries!!
BUT be ready to spend some good cash$$$$$! Like $300-up USD!

Either way, just have fun!

Robracer, Thanks for the offer but I don't think I'll be needing the rear swing arms. If I do decide to replace them, I think I will machine a set out of billet aluminum. As for the HOT TRICK Red Chassis, That is something I wish so badly that I got 20 years ago when I could have got it for $30, not $300 now (if I could even find one). There was one on Ebay that ended today but it was incomplete. It's really weird you mention that chassis, I've been thinking of making one myself. I have a bunch of pics of the Hot Trick one and I think I can duplicate it fairly easily. The hardest part will be the front piece that mounts the front suspension and steering. Man, That chassis is the S*^T! Sorry for the bad pic, I tried to do a quick cut out of the background of the immage. Just had to post a pic of it, that chassis is Bad A*#!

Here's an option 3 - if you're thinking about making chassis' & machined aluminium billet bits & like the look of the fox, why not do a scratch-build custom fox? - solves the problem of hard to source parts, & the inevitable "now I've done all this work, I don't want to run it for fear of damage". You could go for fox-looking 1-off home-machined chassis/suspension parts, with running gear (Gearbox, driveshafts, etc) from a current model. Addresses the MSC/ESC dilemma too....