Tamiya TA03 Chassis

Summary

• Galleries: View
• Introduced: 1996
• Scale: 1/10

• Primary use: Onroad
• Config:FA (TA03F) or MA (TA03R)
• Driveline: Belt

• Body: Polycarbonate (except Lancia 037)
• Susp. front: Wishbone
• Susp. rear: Wishbone

Tamiya is often credited with inventing the modern 4WD "touring car" with their TA01 chassis, but it was the TA03 series that rocketed them to the top of the competition ranks in this class they helped create. David Jun, won the ROAR, NORRCA, and TCS championships in 1997 with a modified TA03F, leading to his invitation to the Tamiya factory team. The 'F' stands for front, which is where the motor was mounted in the first version of the chassis, utilizing the configuration of the existing FF01, but adding a second gearbox at the rear, connected via a fiber-reinforced rubber belt. In typical Tamiya realistic fashion, only bodies of cars that were front-engined in full scale were sold on the TA03F chassis. For mid-engined cars, a TA03R version was created (pictured above), attaching the motor to the rear gearbox instead of the front. Short-wheelbase "-S" variants (20mm less wheelbase) of both the F and S were also released.

Pros: Improved handling & durability over the TA01/TA02, good front/rear balance Cons: High center of gravity & drivetrain drag by modern standards, limited adjustability and space to mount electronics