ApexPredator

With few exceptions it appears the Pro4 seems to be everybodies fave.

I wouldn't mind hearing from the Tamiya shafters, or about the Baracuda.

StasI

my old barracuda R2 was the best for stock because the drive train was SO FREE it could spin for over 30 secs with one spin no jokes and my was quite compared to the pro 4s that i know of also mines for sale see Austraila FOR SALE thread

Hebiki

iTrader: (26)

Ive driven both an EvoIV and Barracuda R2, and R3. All three are awesome cars and performed very well. I'd place the R3 last just because of the steering rack. BUT the new drivetrain was easier to free up on the R3 instead of the R2 So they are tied for 3rd. EvoIV was fast out of the box. Tamiya box setups are always close to what i needed for racing (outdoor med. bite asphalt)

So thats in 2nd. so what's first? The Yokomo SDW Replica was hands down had the most free drivetrain with minimal work out of the four cars. Plus it comes with upgraded bearings already. Ti screws and such. So thats #1 in my book for stock racing. (I cant say how good it is for 19T or mod, i race mostly stock)

I will validate that Mr. DeRosa (sorry if i butchered the spelling of your name Mark)... his pro4 is wicked fast

sweet wasabi

pro4 is good.

Hebiki

iTrader: (26)

Forgot to answer your questions..

box stock: SDW is the fastest and has the most free drivetrain

most expensive to hopup: evoIV, you need the alum. drive cups, and lightweight input shafts. but the evoIV MS solves that problem.

best after mods: it will go to SDW. once i add ceramic bearings. the drivetrain will only get smoother.

Disclaimer: never owned a Pro4...so i cant comment.

JDM_DOHC_SiR

iTrader: (31)

Did somebody say "FISH" ... I"m a firm beliver that the Cuda has what it takes to be up there with any of the cars that are out today..... but it just needs a little better support...I.E. US drivers... ....

but then again ALEX is coming out with a new car soon.. that will not be a Cuda
-Dave

lickrim

THIS CAR IS SO GOOD IT WORKS EVERYWHERE,PARKING LOT,4FUNHOBBIES,SOCAL,EVEN ROAD RUNNERS SAME SETUP .
IT NEEDS THE RIGHT TIRE FOR THE JOB, ITS ALL DRIVER AFTER THAT. THIS CAR DON'T SUCK

Lonestar

iTrader: (14)

pro4 eats up to many conic gears with oneway or spool... Not a beginners' car. The SD isn't either (I drove one till a month ago). The TC4 I've yet to see win races in joe schmoe's hands.

Want a kickass, reliable, inexpensive shaft driven car? Get a FTTC3... seriously.

Paul

fathead

I'd say TC4, then Pro4.

My TC4 was way better straight out of the box than my TC3 ever was.

I'll have to agree about the Pro4 eating diffs, my team mate has one and has done a few diffs in it.

ChrisP

iTrader: (11)

So the Pro4 isn't a beginners car because you have to work ont he gear mesh of the diffs...but the FT TC3 is, because all it needs is the have the chassis milled, shock towers reinforced and drivetrain fully blueprinted????

If you get the TC4, you save a little of the headache of modding it..but you still need to massage the diff cases to free it up....and then there's the added expense of slapping the Carbon kit on the car, getting the aluminum suspension mounts, Ti turnbuckles, etc..the bargain TC4 is no longer such a bargain...

Most shops have access to parts for the Pro4, as it is carried by several major distributors. Yokomo is trickier as the distributors don't carry all of the parts all the time (but you CAN order direct from YokomoUSA and their service is fantastic)

Why the hangup on shaft though? Don't ignore the belt cars..there's a reason everyone is making one.

ah_liang

I say, you can go wrong with any one of them.

I myself is running the Pro 4 and the car has been rock solid compared to my previous TA04. Tamiya cars are quite fagile, once hit the settings and steering all go nuts. Cars can be as smooth as new only if you maintain them. Any cars that are not maintained properly cannot be used as an excuse that they are no good.

Really this type of advice that u are seeking has been asked many times. U should consider the one that ur LHS has good support. All cars are not crash proof and the worst is that there are no spare parts support.

CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

PRO4 without question or hesitation. it's fast on rubber tires, it's fast on foams, carpet or asphalt. Outta the box the car is pretty dialled in for asphalt racing. Drop on a 2.5 mm. top deck, some different pivot pin blocks and a front diff and suddenly the car's really good on carpet with foams.

I've seen no other touring car that needs less modification to be competitive. And lets be brutally honest here, any shaft car is hard on the front ring and pinion with a spool or one way. The Tamiya's are by far the worst about this in my opinion.

So in summation: you should GO PRO FO, MOFO!!!

koabich

I have never run any of those cars but can tell you that at my local carpet track we run foams. The track is tight. All the guys that bought the Pro4 and tried to run them there got rid of the car shortly after.

The only shaft drive cars you'll see on my track are the TC4 and the Yokomo CGM.

I guess it all depends on what kind track you plan on running on!

brad shearer

For foam the pro4 sucks-I have tried it.The tc4 is good for foam.And for rubber the tc4 is better in the tight turns,the pro4 is better on a open track.I just got rid of a pro4 and got a tc4

Jack Smash

iTrader: (35)

Apex - You got PM.