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Tamiya mini cooper

Old 01-07-2008, 10:22 PM
  #5836  
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Originally Posted by zipper
Hi Calvin
I know the brushless lap times were not as quick as the brushed but I did notice that the brushless (that was following me in the final) was catching me quite easily at the end of the back straight, and the initial acceleration was quicker, the power of the brushless seems to be more instant although it could be diff setup.
If we have to run a Tamiya body then there is another bigger expense over non Tamiya (Mini) bodies, a Tamiya Mini body will cost $60-$70 compared to a non Tamiya Mini body which cost $25-$35, and the Tamiya body doesn’t last as long. The bodies that we run are cheaper again at only $20 and were run in the US nationals (I beleve).
I don’t know what bought on all the rule changes all of a sudden, when we haven’t had anyone have a problem with the rules the way they were in the past, and Steve hasn’t asked the regulars for there views on the changes. I’m not against changes but there has to be some discussion before they are implemented (like they do with the other classes).
You must be living in Hell to have to pay $60.00-$70.00 dollars for a Mini Body. Who has been selling them to you for that price?
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Old 01-07-2008, 10:39 PM
  #5837  
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Originally Posted by doriftu
Thanks Tony.
Can I swapped bodyshell between a M03L and M03M after I shorten the L chassis according to your method mentioned in your site?
Sure can...you just need the 'M' spacers.

Originally Posted by bakaguyjean
You must be living in Hell to have to pay $60.00-$70.00 dollars for a Mini Body. Who has been selling them to you for that price?
Thats what genuine Tamiya shells cost in Australia. All Tamiya parts here cost a fortune, but they reserve a 'special' mark-up for bodyshells I think. It's outrageous....
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Old 01-07-2008, 11:13 PM
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Smile MINI BODIES AND RULES

G'day Glenn,

The body question was to run a Mini box style body. Personnally I can't see why you can not run any of the recognised Box style Mini shells. This leaves all the Tamiya MO3 bodies and the Frewer Mo3 body. However I believe they want Mini/Swift to be recognised as a mini class.

I know we can not run the Tamiya MO4 bodies or the HPI Honda Civic. The Mini rules will be discussed on Fri night, so I have been told.

Talk to you on Fri, if you want to discuss further send me a PM.

Later

Calvin.
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Old 01-07-2008, 11:29 PM
  #5839  
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Originally Posted by tony gray

Thats what genuine Tamiya shells cost in Australia. All Tamiya parts here cost a fortune, but they reserve a 'special' mark-up for bodyshells I think. It's outrageous....
Most countries have differing tariffs, duties or import taxes on products depending on the country of origin. It may not be Tamiya"s doing at all. You may have done it to yourselves. Politics is a PITA, but it can affect us in the darndest ways. I'm sure that Australia has as many screwy rules and regs as the rest of us do. You should see some of the crap we have to deal with in the USA.

Really like your web site. Find myself going back to it frequently just to refresh my memory on some things and to see what's new. Keep up the great work
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Old 01-07-2008, 11:52 PM
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Thanks for the nice comments....

The Tamiya problem here isn't Tamiya, it's the local distributor. They are renowned for this policy on all the products they import, not just Tamiya.

Hard to justify a $23 USD body selling here for $75 Aus. Someone's making some serious cash..and it aint me!

Some of the shops here buy off other shops online because its cheaper than buying from the dsitributor!
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Old 01-08-2008, 02:24 AM
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Tony,

You just need to know where to look for the bodies in Australia
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Old 01-08-2008, 02:52 AM
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Originally Posted by tony gray
Dec, have you ever thought that's why you're so slow.... Hee hee.

I don't hit enough of the other Minis, that's my excuse
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Old 01-08-2008, 03:37 AM
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Originally Posted by tony gray
Thanks for the nice comments....

The Tamiya problem here isn't Tamiya, it's the local distributor. They are renowned for this policy on all the products they import, not just Tamiya.

Hard to justify a $23 USD body selling here for $75 Aus. Someone's making some serious cash..and it aint me!

Some of the shops here buy off other shops online because its cheaper than buying from the dsitributor!
I agree that the Aussie distributor has issues, however a good proportion of the issues revolve around Tamiya Japan, they have dual pricing, the Aussie disties pre shipping price is only marginally cheaper than the japan cash sale price. I know this first hand from discussions with the importer as well as Mr S Tamiya himself.
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Old 01-08-2008, 05:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Besercoe
I agree that the Aussie distributor has issues, however a good proportion of the issues revolve around Tamiya Japan, they have dual pricing, the Aussie disties pre shipping price is only marginally cheaper than the japan cash sale price. I know this first hand from discussions with the importer as well as Mr S Tamiya himself.
How much can be expected profit for a Mini Body anyway? Here in Japan the profit isnt that much. No one expects to make $30 Australian or other wise off of one body. Even if Tamiya Japan priced the Body at $30 and then the wholesaler could make $5 and then the Shop could make another $5. Thats about what goes on here in Japan. Almost everything here that isnt a spare part only make a few dollar on top of the wholesale price. Body sets and Kits have the least mark up here.Nobody makes a living selling just these items. The bodies also come from PI now so the import taxes should be lower across the board. So i agree with Tony on this one someone down under is screwing you guys.
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Old 01-08-2008, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by tony gray
The Tamiya problem here isn't Tamiya, it's the local distributor. They are renowned for this policy on all the products they import, not just Tamiya.

We have similar problem here in Canada, but it also includes a silent partner - a corporation called the Gov't of Canada [it really is a corporation!]
It's cheaper for us to buy across the 49th parallel or offshore (even with the exchange rates, shipping and taxes, if charged).
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Old 01-08-2008, 12:18 PM
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I actually get around the problem anyway by just buying a complete new kit (usually from Champ), keeping the body, and then selling off the rolling chassis! Hee hee..
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Old 01-08-2008, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by wallyburger
We have similar problem here in Canada, but it also includes a silent partner - a corporation called the Gov't of Canada [it really is a corporation!]
It's cheaper for us to buy across the 49th parallel or offshore (even with the exchange rates, shipping and taxes, if charged).
same in the UK, except they keep it EXACTLY the same price as abroad (the taxes are huge!) so although things cost half as much in the US, we have o pay the rest in shipping and tax.
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Old 01-08-2008, 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted by zipper
We recently had some guys turn up at our track that were running 540 brushless setups in there Mini's and then was told that the track owner will allow 540 brushless motors to be run in the next season. It is a $200 upgrade that most of the Mini guys at our track can’t justify spending on a Mini.
What are your thoughts on running 540 brushless motors in the Mini class?
We just finished up the 2008 Novak Touring Car Championship race, and we ran 17.5 brushless motors for the mini class. It was fantastic for many reasons. First, no need to buy/collect 6 or more silver cans looking for a "good" one. Second, everyone had the same top speed, and the ability to have the same infield pull power (differential building techniques really showed up here). Third, absolutely no maintenance. Motor temp after a full race - about 80 degrees F.

We were going to run silver cans for this race, with a blind motor draw like we did for Mini Mayhem, which helped to equalize power/speed. Novak wanted to run an "all brushless" race, so we tried the 17.5's beforehand and found that they were almost identical in lap times to a silver can on our 100' x 50 ' carpet layout. Excellent silver cans have more top speed in this gear limited class, but brushless have more infield power, so it basically made them equal overall. At a track like Tamiya USA's Aliso Viejo track, the difference would give an advantage to a silver can (due to the very long straight/sweeper), but on your more typical track with 100 foot or shorter straight, they are pretty equal overall.

Only downside to the brushless: initial cost and ESC size/weight. We were able to use free "loaner" 17.5's and Novak XBR esc's for this class, courtesy of Novak (thanks Bob Novak and Charlie S.) for the weekend, and were able to buy them after the event for only $170. A brushless esc and motor definitely weighs more than a silver can and very small esc (like at GTX), and the footprint of a brushless ESC is so much bigger than a GTX that it is very difficult to put the brushless ESC anywhere other than on top of the chassis just behind the servo. (I mount my GTX low in the rear pod of an M-03 to keep the center of gravity low). Mounting the XBR on top of the chassis raises the center of gravity, which with high grip carpet situations, induces the possibility of traction rolls.

I'm hoping that Tamiya USA adopts 17.5's for the TCS mini class soon.
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Old 01-09-2008, 04:42 PM
  #5849  
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Kit number 58400 pictures(unbuilt):









I put some S-grips & some X-patterns on the Cooper S wheels, just to see how they'd look, and a put the Rover wheel in there to compare the styling...



Hope to have some finished pictures this weekend, as soon as I have a chance to sit down & build it.
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Old 01-09-2008, 09:08 PM
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^^^Black molded chassis I assume. Does it have the same bearing count as the Swift?
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