Ford Escort MK2 - Building an RC: Tamiya MF-01X
106.7 هزار بار بازدید -
3 سال پیش
-
This is a time lapse
This is a time lapse build of a custom Tamiya Ford Escort MK2 (MF-01x #58687 chassis). At the end of the video I show the complete results. I never thought of getting this chassis (MF-01x) because I was unsure if I would like the chassis design, the rally setup, and components. But when Tamiya released this particular kit, I was very interested because of the Escort MK2 body. When I was a kid we had a neighbor who had an MK2 RS1800. It was white, low, had minilite wheels, and motor modifications. Whenever it would drive by the neighborhood, I could hear the loud NA engine and I would run out to take a look.
My initial plan was to build it as intended—the rally version and box art. But as I saw completed builds from others, I felt that the kit itself didn’t do the actual rally car justice. Sometimes, it looked goofy or very toy-like. I was also unsure if I wanted a rally car setup. So the kit was stored for months before I decided what to do with it—eventually, I decided on-road with drift wheels and tires. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone post something like it yet so I thought it would interesting.
The 4WD MF-01x, I think, is an underrated chassis. It can be set to two different ride heights (low and high) and three different wheelbase lengths: S (210mm), M (225mm) or L (239mm). Another interesting characteristic is that this chassis has a playful rear end. I noticed on some run videos the rear has less traction. Probably has to do with a few things but two that stand out are how far the motor sticks out in the rear, and the dampers’ position. On the front, the dampers lay down closer to the center chassis which helps steering. On rear, it’s more upright—giving it less traction but increases damping. Then you have the sealed front and rear gearboxes which helps when running in dirt and dusty surfaces. I think it’s a versatile chassis for those who don’t have the budget to buy many kits as it can be adjusted for various setups.
Of course, this kit/chassis is more for bashing and just general “Tamiya” fun. There are some downsides and those that stick out for me: almost all the chassis parts are hard plastics that uses self-tapping screws—might be an issue with rebuilds; transmission/gearbox is quite loud; comes with plastic bushings; the dampers are friction style (no oil) so if you don’t replace it, it’s quite bouncy and drives more like a toy; body is pre-painted white (the color isn’t a problem for me as I actually wanted white) but the quality of the paint job is not what I would do if I painted it myself. Some areas had just enough paint and so it’s not the white finish I’m used to. Then the windows are smoke painted and I typically prefer a darker smoke finish—this one looks light and murky. There are other minor things but I think most who would buy this chassis are aware of the limitations. Some of these issues are irrelevant on my build because I upgraded some of the parts.
As for the theme, I wanted it to look simple in a classic way. Not overdo things and just focus on the stance if possible. One of the challenges I had were the wheels. I didn’t want to use the smaller M chassis wheels. I wanted larger diameter ones—somewhat like what Ken Block’s team did with his Hoonigan Escort. I was also limited by wheel offset. I believe the Turbomacs are 6mm and RS Watanabe are 9mm—and pairing that with a shorter and narrow M chassis Escort body is an issue. To help solve it, I used fender flares for a different car, so I had to do some trimming and figuring things out. I also had to trim a lot off of the wheel arches to accommodate those flares and full turn steering on the front wheels. As part of the fun, I added a sound simulator with something close to an Escort 2.0 NA engine.
Performance-wise, I upgrade the following: oil-filled dampers with hard springs and adjustable pistons so I can set different damping for the rears and fronts, replaced the Torque Tuned motor with a GT Tuned, Tamiya ball bearings, aluminum knuckles and hub carriers from Square Japan, and so on. Kept it to a minimum. Aside from Turbomac wheels, generic BBS style wheels, I also used RS Watanabe drift wheels with Yokomo Drift Competition DRA tires. Made a difference and made it so much fun to drive. On the short run video, the surface isn’t entirely smooth, it’s very abrasive and has little bumps but the dampers made it drive smooth and tires made it glide. In the end, I think this chassis and setup ended up being a hoot to drive.
Additional Parts:
Tamiya GT Tuned motor
Tamiya TBLE-02S ESC
Tamiya Hi Torque servo saver
KO Propo KR-212FHG gyro receiver
MKS 1210 Servo
Tamiya MF01X ball bearing set
Stainless hex screws
Magnetic body mounts
Square Japan aluminum hub carriers, knuckle arms, servo saver
Square Japan aluminum washers, ball ends
HPI Turbomac Wheels
HPI tires
Speedworks Japan RS Watanabe Wheels
Yokomo Drift Competition DRA tires
BBS Style wheels
Integy Tires
Lunsford Titanium Turnbuckles
YR Qutus dampers
3 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1400/04/30 منتشر شده
است.
106,742
بـار بازدید شده