Tamiya TA02

[Dangeruss]

In 1993, just two years after debuting the TA01, Tamiya took the next step in the birth of the Touring Car class when they released their new 1/10 4wd parking lot racing platform, the TA02. Easily mistakeable for its predecessor the TA02 was more evolutionary than revolutionary yet resulted in a lineup with nearly thirty models that would be available in standard, short wheelbase, wide track, and truck variations. Constructed of primarily molded ABS plastic the revamped racer sported a familiar looking, but shorter, open tub chassis to which the previous generations bright red gearcases served to attach the four-wheel independent suspension system with longer front and rear swept lower a-arms under fixed camber links. The double bellcrank steering system with spherical ended adjustable tie rods and direct mounted servo saver then connected to new shorter blue front hubs and the entire car was suspended by a set of plastic bodied oil-filled coilover CVA's with clip-in spring spacers hung from red plastic towers. Mechanical speed control was abandoned for electronics in the TA02, which along with the radio gear, resided just ahead of the side loaded transverse battery and supplied power the mid-mounted 540 motor. A shorter double eyelet propshaft connected the otherwise unchanged driveline that consisted of a rear mounted ball differential transmission and front mounted bevel gear differential spinning plastic dogbones, however new metal dogbones could be found out back. Wheels, tires, clear lexan bodies, and lexan interiors varied by model though each unassembled kit included a Mabuchi RS540 motor, front and rear bumpers, and full bushings: