Please help with rebuilding TL01 Impreza

[MDifficult]

I realise my ask is a pretty common one and there’s lots of threads out there but most are pretty old. Would really appreciate some bang-up-to-date advice please!

Sitting in a box in my garage is a lightly used but untouched for 20 years Tamiya Impreza TL01 that I’m feeling the urge to re-build and re-use with my daughter. Nostalgia + Entertainment + A rainy day project.

Checking it over, it’s in good condition but I’m going to do a full nut-and-bolt rebuild because God knows what gunk is lurking inside.

So far my list is pretty simple:

1. Replace all the bearings with generic steel ones (ebay special)
2. Install a 53342 Tamiya speed tuned gear set (for strength and reliability)
3. Install some oil-filled dampers to keep it on the ground/go around corners
4. Brushless Motor and ESC (the silver can was old hat 20 years ago!)
5. New batteries and charger

I plan to keep the radio gear - I know the game has moved on but it appears perfectly serviceable and I believe there’s no issues using it.

So to the questions..

1. Is there anything I’m missing?
2. Is the gearset the right choice? Or is there something tougher?
3. Which brushless motor and esc combo? I’ve been looking at standard Tamiya so the 45057 ESC with with 54611 10.5 turn motor but recognise there may be much better value/performance/price options but the choice is bewildering!
4. Depending on which motor & ESC you recommend, then can you recommend me a battery and charger combo to suit?
5. Radio gear, have I made the right choice?

I only plan to do this once and as I want to build it with my daughter I’m keen for it to ‘work first time’ after we put it all together

Cheers

[MDifficult]

The_Jackal said:

Go for a cheap 2.4ghz trigger controller, it will make it a lot easier to control and be less susceptible to interference (about 30 quid online).
It is quite an old entry level kit so is not worth throwing much money at. Do the minimum to get it running and see how it goes.

Cheers, appreciate the help. Some questions if you don’t mind...

My assumption is that a new controller would come with a new receiver but that’ll work with my existing steering servo? But why replace it when the original worked perfectly well?

I definitely need to move to an ESC as the failure of the original servo speed controller was the reason it went into retirement.

I also need new batteries and charger so would welcome suggestions here. I guess needs to be compatible with whatever ESC I go with?

Cheers

[MDifficult]

Right-oh, think I know what I’m going to do now then...

1. Bearings (must have)
2. Oil-filled shocks
3. Tamiya ESC (keep standard 540 motor for now)
4. Absima CR2S Radio Set
5. NiMh battery & charger

That should get me up and running.

[MDifficult]

Cheers guys,

All the above (plus a few other little bits) ordered up. Proper excited!

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generationx said:

All this is good advice but it’s possible you could simply buy a new kit featuring most, if not all, of your proposals for a similar or cheaper outlay. The TL-01 chassis is probably one of the least sophisticated Tamiya has ever done and the latest, such as TT-02, run and handle much better. Take a look at bundle deals on line and then you get the pleasure of a complete new build.

On the other hand, and I’ve done it several times myself, bringing one of these older plastic gems back to life is very satisfying

You’re absolutely right on both counts! Almost certainly I should have bought a second hand, more modern chassis but where’s the nostalgia value in that?

My daughter and I completed the deconstruction over the weekend - absolutely fantastic and she loved it. The TL01 came apart beautifully and the chassis is pretty representative of how a ‘proper’ car actually works so a great learning experience. It’ll be cleaned up, re-assembled and suitably ‘hopped up’ once all the goodies arrive.

[MDifficult]

Rude-boy said:

I missed out on the pleasure of rebuilding old ones as sadly they tended to get binned or given away.

Now I have a couple of broken nitros to rebuild one day, a rere Super Clod buster, a tarmac spec TT02 and a very enhanced TT02 buggy...

Might as well get a torque tuned 540can for the he'll of it.

Funny you say that, I’m umming and ahhhing between a Tamiya tuned motor (the kind of thing I lusted over as a kid) or going brushless for the hysterics of it.

For now though, will stick to the standard 540 while my daughter learns (and I re-learn) RC driving.

I’m definitely delighted I didn’t bin it. I remember the speed controller going pfffft and thinking ‘I’ll just put this away for a month until I get around to changing it out’. Thankfully, I had the good sense to put it in an ex-military storage tin so it was completely protected, despite multiple house-moves and garage clearouts over the 20 years.

Amazingly, neither the NiCad nor the AAs in the controller ruptured over the time, so nothing harmed. The gearbox grease had gone hard but we’ve cleaned all of it out ready for new stuff. Tyres look a little perished but should be fine for a while.

[MDifficult]

Rude-boy said:

Tyres.

Save the old ones.

Amazon, £10-£15 a full set, wheels included.

Woah, you’re not kidding! Found a set of wheels and tyres for £8 delivered on Prime. Any particular reason to save the originals?

[MDifficult]

Rude-boy said:

No massive one but at that price why bother risking shattering old plastic the first time it hits a kerb with any omph?

If saved they can always be spares.

Good point - ordered.

Rude-boy said:

Don't get too carried away though.

I'm pretty certain that ship has sailed!

A whole bunch of the bits arrived today. Few more to come but nothing that inhibits the start of the rebuild!

[MDifficult]

nellyleelephant said:

Example of old and brittle, what 27 year old part do we think failed here?

My guess is one of the dampers, or a shock tower?

On the plus side, re-assembly of the TL01 commenced this evening with my ‘junior mechanic’ taking responsibility for most of the assembly. She’s now rattling off words like gearbox, drive shaft, bearings and radio receiver like a professional.

Everything went back together easily, with the pinion swapped out for a steel one, the hopped up gearbox innards and bearings all going in smoothly. Little dabs of threadlock and grease in all the right places.

The ESC and 2.4Ghz receiver were both a revelation to me, blowing my mind with just how compact and low-cost compared to the old stuff ‘back in the day’. Worked perfectly with my ancient steering servo.

We got as far as wheels on, and ran a very brief test around the living room to prove all the electricals and trim out the throttle, brake and steering and I’m pleased to announce IT’S ALIVE!!

After 20 years locked in a box, it’s now screaming across the living room and banging into furniture like any good RC does on it’s first outing.

So far, so good. Need to fit the rest of the chassis parts, paint up the bits of the body that remained unpainted all those years ago in my rush to get it running, do a little fettling then it’s off to the nearest carpark...

[MDifficult]

nellyleelephant said:

Metal damper rod snapped cleanly at the start of the thread, never seen that before!

Ouch!

Our first proper test drive will be tonight, so I’m going to be on high alert for brittle parts and screws stripping the threads out of 20 year-old plastic. Fingers crossed!

[MDifficult]

Well, what was supposed to be a little gentle spin around on the road outside the house turned into two batteries-worth of screaming around the park...

Goes like a stabbed rat!

Absolutely brilliant fun and feels so good to see my old car back to life - brings back so many great memories.

All it needs is a bit of bodywork painting, and the oil-filled shocks installed once they arrive. It’s pretty understeery and the front pogos pretty well on anything other than perfectly smooth tarmac - hopefully the shocks will help with that.

For anyone who’s got one of these squirrelled away somewhere... I can heartily recommend a rebuild!

[MDifficult]

sgrimshaw said:

Lots of fun can be had by sticking a set of drift wheels on these cars, eg:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tires-Blue-Wheel-Rims-f...

No. More. Spending

[MDifficult]

nellyleelephant said:

Haha, yeah, ok.

I said that a few months back!

The latest broken part. Hit a tree in the garden at high speed. 3 new parts needed, one carbon. Track only I think from now on.

We’re off to find some wide-open spaces tomorrow. Ideally with some jumps

Might take the GoPro too for a chuckle.

[MDifficult]

For anyone who'd like to see some pictures of the rebuild, I've added the Impreza to my 'Reader's Cars' thread for a bit of a laugh

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thanks all for your help.

[MDifficult]

The Impreza’s had a busy few days over the weekend, with a couple of trips to a big local carpark and the local BMX track. My daughter has perfected the donut!

We managed to have a couple of pretty spectacular ‘moments’ but luckily nothing beyond a few cosmetic scrapes and some pretty battered wheels.

More worrying though, the car clearly has a problem with dragging it’s ass on the ground. First big bump or jump, the rear settles and never comes back up. My assumption is that the springs have lost whatever ‘spring’ they had and now they’re no match for the weight of the car. This, combined with a sag that allows the gearbox to touch the ground is a recipe for disaster.

The good news is that the oil-filled shocks arrived today and seem to be pre-fitted with some more substantial springs. I’ll fit these up this week and hopefully the ass-draggin’ will be cured.

[MDifficult]

superkarl said:

Thread revival

Any more progress on this?
I'm considering rebuilding my TL-01 with more modern parts. It's not seen the road in probably 15 years

Firstly... DO IT! It was great fun.

I actually added a fuller write up in my Readers Cars thread so you can see it here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I did add oil-filled shocks later on to try to keep the damn thing on the ground (and it’s arse off the ground).

No doubt I probably spent more than was sensible and any later model would have been better value for money but... me an the little ‘un had a cracking time.