Tamiya TRF511 restore.

[ralphee]

Beginning this here as its turned out to be a restore. Picked up this "mint" TRF511 chassis last week from N7ELA, on giving her a quick shakedown, i thought well why not run riot and throw a bit more money at it.

On being informed the complete drivetrain was NEW, shaking it all down left a few nasty surprises, but nothing I've not seen before, much like my YZ10 project.
There are the new driveshafts removed from the roller.....ive now ordered, really, really new ones. These were reputed to be from a car recently fully rebuilt.


Heres one of the brand new diffs, again, really new ones ordered, along with outdrives, that aren't slotted from dogbone wear.

Front bearings....again, these are brand new, hmm i see a pattern forming, i mean, when i see a bearing like this, i replace it on even a simple rebuild, so, luckily, i have most of the bearings for this car in stock at home.

Here we have the "custom" gold TRF alloy......custom, love that word, but, to drive away the legacy of this car, these very faded parts from the same "mint" chassis, are being sent away to be stripped, polished, de burred and anodised back to TRF blue. Anybody's wallet pocket aching yet?


Thats all for now folks, parts are starting to arrive, so soon as i have the alloy back, and the new chassis plate (that too looks like it was used as a sanding block) i can really start to move.
Then i can do what i intended, just mount my electrics in this minter and run it.

bests........lee

[Naushad]

Vintage?

[SimonW]

Unlucky mate.

[peetbee]

Not vintage and if you're putting it back to standard why not just sell it on again and wait to buy a NIB 511? Surely it would be cheaper and satisfy your desire to have a new car

[James]

Vintage? I've just finished building my brand new 511 with upgrade pack ready for this season.

[ralphee]

Originally Posted by peetbee

Not vintage and if you're putting it back to standard why not just sell it on again and wait to buy a NIB 511? Surely it would be cheaper and satisfy your desire to have a new car

No, its not vintage you are correct, bing, but seeing as its a restore, best place for it, i guessed.
Where has 511's in stock now? I struggled to find one TBH, and I've spent out on parts for this at this stage due to may being just horrible.

lee

[ralphee]

Originally Posted by James

Vintage? I've just finished building my brand new 511 with upgrade pack ready for this season.

If i could have found one, id have jumped, instead, trusted an Oople member.

lee

[ralphee]

Originally Posted by SimonW

Unlucky mate.

Ah, it happens, im guessing Karma may work the other way someday

lee

[Rich D]

I dont wish to jump down your neck Lee because there has obviously been some miscommunication between you and Neil. I admire your fastidious approach to your vintage Yokomo restorations too

You cant be complaining that it has turned up gold though. Its not to my taste either but i think that comment was a bit unfair. It was gold when you first laid eyes on it.

Its a used car, the diffs and shafts dont look knackered to me from what i can see of them. New unused is very different to newly replaced. You see full sized cars listed with new brakes, new tyres etc. That doesnt mean that the wheels havent turned since they were fitted, it means that you wont need to replace them in the near future. Clearly there was bad understanding between you guys or your expectations exceeded what is reasonable when purchasing a used model. Maybe would have been best to hold out for someone selling a NIB one, they do come up from time to time.

Best wishes

[djmcnz]

Originally Posted by ralphee

Beginning this here as its turned out to be a restore. Picked up this "mint" TRF511 chassis last week from N7ELA, on giving her a quick shakedown, i thought well why not run riot and throw a bit more money at it.

On being informed the complete drivetrain was NEW, shaking it all down left a few nasty surprises, but nothing I've not seen before, much like my YZ10 project.
There are the new driveshafts removed from the roller.....ive now ordered, really, really new ones. These were reputed to be from a car recently fully rebuilt.

Heres one of the brand new diffs, again, really new ones ordered, along with outdrives, that aren't slotted from dogbone wear.

Front bearings....again, these are brand new, hmm i see a pattern forming, i mean, when i see a bearing like this, i replace it on even a simple rebuild, so, luckily, i have most of the bearings for this car in stock at home.

Here we have the "custom" gold TRF alloy......custom, love that word, but, to drive away the legacy of this car, these very faded parts from the same "mint" chassis, are being sent away to be stripped, polished, de burred and anodised back to TRF blue. Anybody's wallet pocket aching yet?

Thats all for now folks, parts are starting to arrive, so soon as i have the alloy back, and the new chassis plate (that too looks like it was used as a sanding block) i can really start to move.
Then i can do what i intended, just mount my electrics in this minter and run it.

bests........lee

Ouch. I saw that one and TBH thought it looked sweet (although the gold was a matter of personal preference). I'm sorry it didn't turn out as you expected... those costs are going to rack up I'm afraid.

I hope the chassis plate I sent you is okay for the job! I'm assuming it's arrived by now.

Edit: no, not vintage...

[ralphee]

Hasn't arrived as yet Dave, going by your hi res pics though its perfect for the job, like new compared to the lower plate on this car.
Costs are about done now, all parts bought, waiting now really, even had some new bits from Frederik.
Its cost a lot, but i was tied in initially as the seller ignored me for a few days, so i began buying bits, and, found more and more ropey stuff heh, i did ask the seller to help me out with a few parts from the huge stash he has as a good will gesture, but that didn't happen.
Anyway, I'm eager to rebuild her now, it'll be the most expensive 511 on the planet i feel

lee

[ralphee]

Originally Posted by Rich D

I dont wish to jump down your neck Lee because there has obviously been some miscommunication between you and Neil. I admire your fastidious approach to your vintage Yokomo restorations too

You cant be complaining that it has turned up gold though. Its not to my taste either but i think that comment was a bit unfair. It was gold when you first laid eyes on it.

Its a used car, the diffs and shafts dont look knackered to me from what i can see of them. New unused is very different to newly replaced. You see full sized cars listed with new brakes, new tyres etc. That doesnt mean that the wheels havent turned since they were fitted, it means that you wont need to replace them in the near future. Clearly there was bad understanding between you guys or your expectations exceeded what is reasonable when purchasing a used model. Maybe would have been best to hold out for someone selling a NIB one, they do come up from time to time.

Best wishes

Rich you misread mate, i LIKED the gold...its the fact its watered down and faded to hell, as in NOT mint at all.
AS for the other parts, want me to send you the CVD's and you can feel the slop for yourself........along with the rust, on a mint rebuilt car mate.
In other words, these wheels turned a LOT since the WERE new.

lee

[Rich D]

Originally Posted by ralphee

Rich you misread mate, i LIKED the gold...its the fact its watered down and faded to hell, as in NOT mint at all.
AS for the other parts, want me to send you the CVD's and you can feel the slop for yourself........along with the rust, on a mint rebuilt car mate.
In other words, these wheels turned a LOT since the WERE new.

lee

Fair enough mate. If they were sold as new unused then i think you`ve got every right to be unhappy. The axles dont look too badly ovaled from what i can see thats all, any wear on the outdrives cant be seen easily from this angle either. It doesnt look mint you`re right, but its not a dog either from what can be seen.

No need to send the CVD`s . Mine tend to last about a full season before i need to swop them. I regularly rebuild them with Tamiya anti wear grease which slows down the wear rate. Im sure you`ll enjoy it when shes done. I have had mine for three full seasons now and have no immediate plans to change Great car !

[ralphee]

So I've read Rich, its rated a superb car, and i really cannot wait to run it now, it'll be a big reward.
Got a shell and wing to send out to Jon too when i get chance, Satoshi pink/blue all the way i think.

lee

[Naushad]

There is one place that may have a trf 511

Rc champ in Japan. They have the limited edition ball/gear diff kit when I checked a few months backs. They quoted £430 without shipping but they were prepared to send as gift...

I didn't go for it as I managed to bag one here.

[djmcnz]

Originally Posted by ralphee

Hasn't arrived as yet Dave

That's quite disappointing considering it was sent as a registered package and only had to travel a few hundred kilometres. According to the track and trace it's nearly there but there's no description of the actual location/status.

Oh well, it should be there early next week. At least I suppose you need the aluminium back before you can actually use the chassis!

Originally Posted by ralphee

...going by your hi res pics though its perfect for the job, like new compared to the lower plate on this car.

Yes, I think you'll be happy.

Originally Posted by ralphee

Anyway, I'm eager to rebuild her now, it'll be the most expensive 511 on the planet i feel

It's quite amazing how the costs rack up even if you don't have to recover/replace parts... I avoid trying to calculate how much I've spent on mine since I got it (release day 1 - pre-order). Electrics, spares, Hop-Ups, wings, wheels, tyres, inserts, oil, lube, upgrade kits etc, etc.

But it's a lot of fun...

[keithrc]

Originally Posted by ralphee

So I've read Rich, its rated a superb car, and i really cannot wait to run it now, it'll be a big reward.
Got a shell and wing to send out to Jon too when i get chance, Satoshi pink/blue all the way i think.

lee

Nice project there Lee. Do you have any problems contacting Jon at all? I've sent him a few emails in the last week regarding an Optima and Optima Pro body but I haven't back yet. I know he's busy but still....


Keith

[ralphee]

Well i got my parts back from the metal finishers, not amazing, they failed to match the TRF blue, wish they would have said before as id have maybe just had them natural, but hey ho, they look a bit better now, more AE blue than TRF lol.....a few marks from the original usage, but better.
I can now move on a build her up from here, its shocking some of the things I've found on this "mint" race car..........but then its idiots that are in abundance and not TRF chassis kits.
Anyhow...what do you guys think....reckon its looking the part? Im still really bummed about the whole thing, but trying to see the finished article.

lee

[N7ELA]

I think you've wrecked a great car tbh, you should have just put your electrics in and ran it as there was nothing wrong with it.

Or taken the refund I offered you instead of trying to be a clever cu*t and playing up to an audience of none existent followers you have.

If you wanted a brand new car you should have just went and bought one. They are still available to buy.

I await the next build installment with baited breath however you could have just posted a link to the manual and saved yourself some time.

[ralphee]

Speaking of idiots.......

Lee