Tamiya F104 Pro Project

This is my first ever RC Formula 1 car which is kind of amazing given what a huge percentage of vintage models were based on Formula 1.  The chassis of a Formula 1 model differs substantially from anything I've built before.  The chassis is basically just a flat plate and the suspension movement is very limited.  There is no gearbox as such; the motor drives the spur gear which is directly on the rear axle.  There is a ball differential incorporated into the spur gear.  The ground clearance is extremely low and the suspension hard with barely any travel, so this model is only intended to be driven on very smooth paved surfaces.  The vast majority of F1 models have been based on real race-winning cars, but this particular model uses a generic body.  The body seems to be very similar to that used for the McLaren MP4-24 but with different markings.  The F104 is the fourth generation F1 since they started being numbered in 1990, or about the seventh overall depending on how you count.   Each chassis type has had variations in length, width, and trim, and there have been F1 TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) chassis as well.  There are at least six versions of the F104 including the original, the F104 Pro, the F104W, the F104X1, the F104 Version II Pro, and the F104 Pro II.  Those last two are confusingly named because the Version II Pro and the Pro II are not the same thing.  The 58652 kit from 2018 I have is the only to use the Pro II chassis.  The Pro II is basically the original kit with some upgrade parts included, while the Version II Pro is an updated version of the chassis itself with quite a few detail changes.  Many of the chassis-only kits do not come with a body or tires, but this one came with everything which is the primary reason I chose it first.

This is a Rear Wheel Drive direct drive pan chassis.  It uses rubber tires unlike many F1's which use foam.  The steering system is direct with no intermediate linkage.  The chassis plate is FRP and the single rear shock is TRF spec.  The combination of these things makes for challenging driving.  The speed is quite high even under stock power, and it is very easy to oversteer under throttle or even spin out.  The downforce generated by the various ground effects is very noticeable so the cornering gets better as you speed up.  I put an upgraded Formula Tuned motor in mine, but the model is otherwise stock.

Update:  This model was destroyed in the 2022 fire.  It has not been replaced.