Happy Birthday TC3
03-09-2004, 01:16 AM
#1
Happy Birthday TC3
Hi friends. Greetings from Malta.
In less than 1 month's time the Associated TC3 will be 5 years old.
Yes. That's right. 5 years with hardly any mods and still doing more winning than any other car, the World over.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate Cliff Lett and the boys at Associated Engineering for producing the World's finest and most successful 1/10th touring car.
I don't drive a TC3 myself - I'm a Yoke man, but I can recognise an outstanding piece of engineering when I see one.
Regards
Joe from sunny Malta.
In less than 1 month's time the Associated TC3 will be 5 years old.
Yes. That's right. 5 years with hardly any mods and still doing more winning than any other car, the World over.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate Cliff Lett and the boys at Associated Engineering for producing the World's finest and most successful 1/10th touring car.
I don't drive a TC3 myself - I'm a Yoke man, but I can recognise an outstanding piece of engineering when I see one.
Regards
Joe from sunny Malta.
03-09-2004, 03:05 AM
#2
It is hard to believe it's been 5 years....
As Johnbull said, I have great respect for the car, even theough I drive Tamiyas.....
As Johnbull said, I have great respect for the car, even theough I drive Tamiyas.....
03-09-2004, 03:26 AM
#3
I own 2 TC3's wich i race regurarily. After 4 years of using them i still love them, and altough i've tried other brands in that period, i still use them. They do make a difference for me on the track!
Great job Asso!!!
Great job Asso!!!
03-09-2004, 03:59 AM
#4
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I have only been using my TC3 for about 4 months of that 5 year period and have tried alot of other cars and the TC3 out of all of them is by far the best car I have used. Like John said alot of other cars are nice but the TC3 is 5 years old and still wins almost every big race they enter. It is a great feat to make a r/c car that can be 5 years old and still on top of its game. Tough to change success like that.
03-09-2004, 04:06 AM
#5
Man, where did the time go! I had a couple of TC3's myself, but now I managed to jump from the Tamiya bandwagon (cant afford a car every year) To the Losi camp. As soon as the TC4 FT is out I'll jump back onboard. Associated definately has the knowledge and engineering down to a science that allows them to keep a TC around for a long time!
03-09-2004, 05:08 AM
#6
Tech Addict
I agree it's very good car. Brilliant design. Fast and stable. Congratulations Associated.
I'm in the market for a new car and TC3 FT is near the top of my list. But I've owned a couple, and think the design is getting a little dated.
Now if they'd only design new chassis with the batterys closer to center, steering system that is not constantly jammed with small rocks and better front arms (if they'd make them half again as wide, inboard, it'd double the strength). Then I'd not hesitate any longer and buy TC3 again. Oh yeah, I'd like them to convert the fasteners to metric. (The US standard is one of my pet hates
)
Rumour has it that TC4 is right now on the TA-RD computer screens. TC3 is, if I remember correctly, the oldest design in the TA stable, so it'd be natural to be redesigning it now. However, given TA long design records the new car would at the soonest be on sale sometime in the middle of 2006, maybe just before Xmas 2005.
I'm in the market for a new car and TC3 FT is near the top of my list. But I've owned a couple, and think the design is getting a little dated.
Now if they'd only design new chassis with the batterys closer to center, steering system that is not constantly jammed with small rocks and better front arms (if they'd make them half again as wide, inboard, it'd double the strength). Then I'd not hesitate any longer and buy TC3 again. Oh yeah, I'd like them to convert the fasteners to metric. (The US standard is one of my pet hates
)Rumour has it that TC4 is right now on the TA-RD computer screens.
TC3 is, if I remember correctly, the oldest design in the TA stable, so it'd be natural to be redesigning it now. However, given TA long design records the new car would at the soonest be on sale sometime in the middle of 2006, maybe just before Xmas 2005.
03-09-2004, 08:37 AM
#7
Happy Birthday!!!
May you have many more, world champions, podium finishes to come!! May you continue to make racers happy, may you have all the strenght in the world to face up to newer chassis and competitors!! May you have many more flourishing years to come!!!
Peace and Happy Racing!
Peace and Happy Racing!
03-09-2004, 06:04 PM
#8
2 years of TC3 for me now, before that I had a Yokomo Pro/Worlds, and then a Special. That car could be fast, but was nowhere near as durable, easy to work on, or drive as the TC3.
03-09-2004, 06:21 PM
#9
NOT SO FAST
you might wanna fact check that statement about in LESS than on months time the TC3 will be 5 years old. The car went on sale in September of 99 thats about 6 months from now. While i would agree the car is revolutinary the TC3 of today is not close to the one from 99. The chassis is different,the a-arms,front shock tower,drive shaft and dont forget all the stuff the factory drivers do like milling the chassis,losi hub carriers front and rear, gas car steering,etc.
03-09-2004, 08:51 PM
#10
"you might wanna fact check that statement about in LESS than on months time the TC3 will be 5 years old. The car went on sale in September of 99 thats about 6 months from now. "
The TC3 is closer to 6 or 7 years old: Car released Oct 99, 1st race 1999 on road nats in Ripon CA
A. The almost 1 yr. wait for the gear problems. The gears had to be reworked due to some production problems. 1998?
B. There was the famous "So when's Associated going to come out with a sedan?" ad in car action. When was that maybe 97?
. While i would agree the car is revolutinary the TC3 of today is not close to the one from 99. The chassis is different," ???? Not that I can tell, and I had one alsmost as soon as it came out.
"the a-arms," droop screws( not a big deal) and an extra hole, which is really only used on the front arms.
"front shock tower,"No, they sometimes put the rear one on the front
"drive shaft" ok its aluminum now, didn't they say they changed because it was cheaper to make??
" and dont forget all the stuff the factory drivers do like milling the chassis" ok you got me there but 3300s weight a lot more than 2000s
"losi hub carriers front and rear" It was nice of Losi to make toe in adjustments so easy. Not to mention adding the option of 6* of caster. Why should associated spend thousands on molds when Losi makes it for them???
" gas car steering,etc." Blame that on Josh Cyrul and the fact that he likes spools. Apparently the way he mounted the nitro rack, it reduces ackerman, important on foams with a spool. Of course since everybody has to have what Josh has, they all put 'em on their rides.
BTW I drive an HPi now, but let me tell you this car changed everything.
The TC3 is closer to 6 or 7 years old: Car released Oct 99, 1st race 1999 on road nats in Ripon CA
A. The almost 1 yr. wait for the gear problems. The gears had to be reworked due to some production problems. 1998?
B. There was the famous "So when's Associated going to come out with a sedan?" ad in car action. When was that maybe 97?
. While i would agree the car is revolutinary the TC3 of today is not close to the one from 99. The chassis is different," ???? Not that I can tell, and I had one alsmost as soon as it came out.
"the a-arms," droop screws( not a big deal) and an extra hole, which is really only used on the front arms.
"front shock tower,"No, they sometimes put the rear one on the front
"drive shaft" ok its aluminum now, didn't they say they changed because it was cheaper to make??
" and dont forget all the stuff the factory drivers do like milling the chassis" ok you got me there but 3300s weight a lot more than 2000s
"losi hub carriers front and rear" It was nice of Losi to make toe in adjustments so easy. Not to mention adding the option of 6* of caster. Why should associated spend thousands on molds when Losi makes it for them???
" gas car steering,etc." Blame that on Josh Cyrul and the fact that he likes spools. Apparently the way he mounted the nitro rack, it reduces ackerman, important on foams with a spool. Of course since everybody has to have what Josh has, they all put 'em on their rides.
BTW I drive an HPi now, but let me tell you this car changed everything.
03-10-2004, 12:57 AM
#11
Hi friends. Greetings from Malta.
Aren't we being a bit petty here, saying the chassis has changed, though you can't even recognise the differences. Yes, we now have droop setting, we have an alloy centre shaft too. Big deal!
Yes indeed we have had changes. Small ones, and all for the better.
But now look back to 1999 and see what other manufacturers cars were like. How many different cars have Tamiya, HPI, Losi, Yokomo, Schumacher, X Ray, Corally had in that time. Their 1999 cars are unrecognisable from todays.
As for dates. Associated announced the car officially in April 1999. That's according to an influential RC magazine I read. First batches were in the shops August, September.
My first 2 arrived with the first batch to reach Europe - September 99 I think.
Regards
Joe from sunny Malta.
Aren't we being a bit petty here, saying the chassis has changed, though you can't even recognise the differences. Yes, we now have droop setting, we have an alloy centre shaft too. Big deal!
Yes indeed we have had changes. Small ones, and all for the better.
But now look back to 1999 and see what other manufacturers cars were like. How many different cars have Tamiya, HPI, Losi, Yokomo, Schumacher, X Ray, Corally had in that time. Their 1999 cars are unrecognisable from todays.
As for dates. Associated announced the car officially in April 1999. That's according to an influential RC magazine I read. First batches were in the shops August, September.
My first 2 arrived with the first batch to reach Europe - September 99 I think.
Regards
Joe from sunny Malta.
03-10-2004, 01:18 AM
#12
kudos to Team Associated for coming out with an awesome car. i must say that my lap times improved as soon as i had the tc3. i was so impressed and happy with it that all three of us, my wife and son have decided to stick with it. other cars will come and go but definitely tc3 is here to stay. 
03-10-2004, 01:18 AM
#13
kudos to Team Associated for coming out with an awesome car. i must say that my lap times improved as soon as i had the tc3. i was so impressed and happy with it that all three of us, my wife and son have decided to stick with it. other cars will come and go but definitely tc3 is here to stay.
ooops! sorry for the double post.
ooops! sorry for the double post.
sorry just had to try
03-10-2004, 02:26 AM
#15
Well, I think this is more about marketing and selling strategy, than about the quality of the chassis.
The TC3 definately have proven it's value, period. But I believe that a lot of the other chassis' from '99 could be doing well, if the companies had other strategies about evolution on ideas, which basically were good.
The market scream for new gadgets, and that's the main reason for designing new chassis'.
Just my 2 cents.
The TC3 definately have proven it's value, period. But I believe that a lot of the other chassis' from '99 could be doing well, if the companies had other strategies about evolution on ideas, which basically were good.
The market scream for new gadgets, and that's the main reason for designing new chassis'.
Just my 2 cents.