My Tamiya BBX Build

[Kpowell911]

As most of us know, Tamiya seems to tug at our nostalgic side. So I decided to apply that logic to buying a model, being as this is Tamiya's nostalgic release. 
 

These days, I (and others Im guessing) are guilty of just ordering things online, paying with Apple Pay/Paypal/Credit Card and it turning up a few days later. I decided to do this differently. I couldve got this sooner with "online" methods, but I went to my local model shop, and ordered the BBX from them in person. I put the actual cash away in an envelope, put it in the cupboard and a few weeks later I got the call to say it was here..... I got out of work as fast as I could, and I went and picked it up. Bizarely, because Id put the actual cash away for this (from Sales of RCs I might add, this felt effectively a free RC.....

 

Today was that day. Thanks to Bobby @ FTD Models in Coventry..... They also had a Boomerang ReRe on the shelf but I'm already pushing my luck as we are expecting our first child in January but....

 

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Kpowell911

[Stormbringer]

Spend now as when January comes you wont be able to 

well within reason lol 

[Kpowell911]

Now I enjoy doing bodies, Im just not very good at it..... so I decided to start with that first. Was quite complicated to cut out, but nothing too crazy. Ive gone boring box art..... I was tempted to go with a more vibrant Blue, but I stuck with PS4 Blue and PS1 White for the roof as per box. Hasnt came out too bad.....

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Kpowell911

[Stormbringer]

Looking good and its a nice dark blue 

[Kpowell911]

Decided to make a start tonight. Not really planned this much, just going for it. 
 

First up, a ball diff. Probably going to actually use this RC, and Ive gone a bit crazy with the motor as youll see later, so this may need upgrading to the TA06 Gear diff. But for now

https://i.imgur.com/pQLmzCz.jpg

 

 

Simple so far, we have a gear box. 
 

 

I normally leave electronics till last, but Mr Tamiya wants me to fit it now. Originally was going

1060/BZ Motor. Still might, but a quick check of the stash.....

 

 

I had a brand new Max 10/5400kv Sensored Combo. This may be too much, this also may not fit. But hey.

 

 

Now heres something else. I originally planned this build with a gear diff, the Slipper Clutch and TRF Shocks. However, whilst this was on order, I bought an Egress Black (and an Avante Black, but thats another story......) which has took a massive chunk out the budget. Im not sure wether to stop the build till funds recover and at least go with the slipper and diff (and go with stock shocks). The diff and slipper wont leave much change out of £100..... but I have gone OTT with the motor.....
 

The gear cover is a weird material, kinda rubbery?

 

 

Thats mounted to the chassis with some very small screws. Chassis is nothing special, not actually as good as usual Tamiya stuff IMO. Seems to have a few mould markings etc

 

 

I then built up the 4 Links and added the brace. Everything is going together very smoothly to be fair

 

 

I finished Bag B which was the steering. But Ive not decided on a Servo yet. I may go and pick up a nice snazzy Savox Low Profile one tomorrow, if not Ill use my SRTs I have. Either way Im not using the stock servo saver. 
 

 

C Bag next. But thats enough for tonight......

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Kpowell911

[Kpowell911]

16 minutes ago, Stormbringer said:

Spend now as when January comes you wont be able to 

well within reason lol 

Im fully aware of that haha. Its space thatll be the issue I think as we only have a 2 bed, and the RCs are in the 2nd bedroom. Ill probably sell my Revo Summit and Maxx. Good thing about Tamiya's is theyre small ish. Ill probably take them all round my parents and put them all in my old bedroom, but thats 40 miles away. We will see. 

[Stormbringer]

If you got a garden buy a shed 

[Kpowell911]

27 minutes ago, Stormbringer said:

If you got a garden buy a shed 

Weve got an almost triple Garage that just needs a tidy. Just dont feel its secure enough for a fairly expensive RC collection 😕

[Stormbringer]

if you can upgrade the locks / anchor points for door 

at end day if you can save an 80 mile drive to play with rc's its worth it

 

[lorrylemming]

Interested to get your thoughts on this. I love the look but most of the reviews online are either the paid kind or from people who seem a little too tamiya if you know what I mean.

[Lone-wolf]

Coming on well, i totally get what you say regarding space and you have a little one on the way, for me i will not let my hobby encroach into the house so all my stuff is tucked away, my cars mainly live in a little space above stairs in little bedroom, i am at just about max capacity hence if i want another model i have to sell stuff to make room, i dont like doing it but thats how it is 

[53HRA]

Looking good so far. Finally something out there from Tamiya that can take decent BL system without blowing the gearbox (fingers crossed)  

[Kpowell911]

So onto Bag  C

 

Front Arms and Bumper

 

 

Then onto the cage sides. You have to read the manual carefully as you need to add bits to the back of the cage:

 

 

Both sides on:

 

 

Next, was time to mount the ESC. As I said earlier, I dont normally mount my electrics till the end. But things are getting tight. My ESC of choice is the new sensored Max 10 G3, provided it all fits:

 

 

 

I was going to stop now, and order some bits but instead I decided to take the servo saver off my SRX which I still havent ran 🙄 so I could fit my servo. It needs to be a low profile servo, so I went with an SRT one. My radio of choice is a Noble NB4 so I picked up a reciever. 
 

All working and centred

 

 

 

The receiver mounts to what I believe is the battery flap. Its made of a weird rubber type plastic? Im also meant to add the driver here, but being as I cant paint them Im either going to get a professional to paint me one, so Im not adding that for now:

 

 

Wiring will be sorted once I know everythings gonna fit

Edited September 30, 2023 by Kpowell911

[Kpowell911]

7 minutes ago, 53HRA said:

Looking good so far. Finally something out there from Tamiya that can take decent BL system without blowing the gearbox (fingers crossed)  

I think Id have liked to see the Slipper (£55) and Gear Diff (£30) included for that. There is a lot to it mind, I did feel yesterday that £320 felt a lot for a 2WD kit, but it is substantial. My Egress black is 4WD, full of carbon fibre and alloy and was cheaper when bought on sale....

[Kpowell911]

Got the front hubs/axles on. The body clip is temporary to hold the axles in, theyll be hexes eventually. One thing that caught me out. The battery tray hinge has some "top hat" inserts that you put in the cage. These are bigger than the ones required for the front hubs. I got them mixed up and had to go back and swap them. 
 

 

 

Looks almost 8th scale thickness. Its getting heavy mind!

 

I then built and fitted the front shocks. They seem quite nice so Ill save my money and not upgraded to Big Bores.  At least for now haha

 

 

[Stormbringer]

Your making good progress on it mate 

[Lone-wolf]

Good build coming on nicely, some of the newer Tamiya buggies are getting rather good

[Kpowell911]

Ordered the Slipper Clutch and Gear diff. At a cost of £82.93. Quite expensive, but couldnt be bothered importing. Beer may have been involved with this decision. However. I need help from you guys here. Please make, by force if necessary, me actually use this buggy!

[Alex97]

How's this comparing build/quality wise to a TT02?

 

It seems like a big step up for tamiya but still has the usual tamiya quirks. 

 

[Kpowell911]

45 minutes ago, Alex97 said:

How's this comparing build/quality wise to a TT02?

 

It seems like a big step up for tamiya but still has the usual tamiya quirks. 

 

If anything, the TT02 is the outlier. Most Tamiya stuff is high quality, the TT02 (because of the price) is low quality. This is a strange one however. Its IMO very expensive. £320, no slipper or electrics, for a 2wd buggy is race car money. That said. The more I get into it, the more I realise how much there is to this. Theres ALOT going on.  Its a very enjoyable build, its already very heavy. The plastics are quality, other than what I think was the B parts tree. It felt very cheap and didnt look brilliantly moulded. Hard to explain, but it felt like if this plastic was used in an area that would be involved in an impact, it would rip/tear as opposed to break? Its not a problem as its a gear cover and parts like that. You also summarised it  beautifully. Tamiya quirks. You can tell its a Tamiya without seeing the box. But for example, The entire build is hex head. Mainly 2mm, the odd 1.5mm. Then suddenly I was getting frustrated as I couldnt grip a certain screw (on the back of the cage). A closer look revealed that screw was a phillips/JIS head 😂

[Alex97]

31 minutes ago, Kpowell911 said:

 The entire build is hex head. Mainly 2mm, the odd 1.5mm. Then suddenly I was getting frustrated as I couldnt grip a certain screw (on the back of the cage). A closer look revealed that screw was a phillips/JIS head 😂

They can't help themselves   🤣

 

For me it's the shocks, why aren't they threaded in 2023!!!!

[Kpowell911]

17 minutes ago, Alex97 said:

They can't help themselves   🤣

 

For me it's the shocks, why aren't they threaded in 2023!!!!

I intended TRF Aeration Dampers (54028) but PJ now charge VAT and im Tight =/

[PraetoR]

On 29/09/2023 at 22:50, Kpowell911 said:

Now I enjoy doing bodies, Im just not very good at it..... so I decided to start with that first. Was quite complicated to cut out, but nothing too crazy. Ive gone boring box art..... I was tempted to go with a more vibrant Blue, but I stuck with PS4 Blue and PS1 White for the roof as per box. Hasnt came out too bad.....

 

 

Looks cracking! I'd say you've done a fair amount better than you're giving yourself credit.

[Alex97]

8 hours ago, Kpowell911 said:

I intended TRF Aeration Dampers (54028) but PJ now charge VAT and im Tight =/

I heard something about that, it's still gonna be cheaper than the UK however another 20% is wasn't what was needed. 

 

RcJaz doesn't add vat? 

Edited October 1, 2023 by Alex97

[Kpowell911]

2 hours ago, Alex97 said:

I heard something about that, it's still gonna be cheaper than the UK however another 20% is wasn't what was needed. 

 

RcJaz doesn't add vat? 

Ill see. Ive bought the slipper and gear diff now, and to be honest its not a very blingy build. The TRF's may look out of place