Kickin' Dirt!

Text and photos by
Erick Roos

I attended an SCCA Pro Rally and was instantly addicted to the dirt throwing, 4WD action of pro-level rally cars. From tarmac to dirt, rally cars are pure all-around high-performance racecars. With the release of the 2003 WRC Rally Japan Impreza, I knew I had to get in on the rally-style RC action it had to offer and add yet another Tamiya vehicle to my ever-growing collection. This car is going to be fun!

DRIVE TIME

ASPHALT—The TB-02 is tuned perfectly out of the box for some killer parking lot racing. It handled an un-prepped parking lot with ease and has the perfect balance of power and handling to please any rally car enthusiast.

DIRT—After a little tarmac action, I moved to a better place for a WRC car, dirt! I had an extra set of HPI rally tires lying around and came up with an idea. To accommodate my tires, I adjusted the droop set screws to provide the most ground clearance possible and packed in a few pre-load spacers. Then, after some quick prep work to protect the electronics, the TB-02 was ready to kick up the dirt and get some air under its chassis!

I was worried that the tarmac inspired setup wasn’t going to handle bumps well, but the TB-02 proved me wrong. The chassis handled great in the dirt and soaked up the small bumps and ruts in my test lot. Jumping the car was fairly predictable; it flew flat and level and landed with just some chassis slap. With lots of air and great landings, I was having a blast! After two full packs in the dirt, a rock got stuck in the driveshaft and beat it up a bit, but that was the only damage. My only suggestion for those who want to take the TB-02 off-road is to make some Lexan dirt shields and to attach them to the chassis to deflect rocks flying off the wheels.

INFO CENTER

STYLING—Yet another amazing body from Tamiya. In my opinion, Tamiya does a truly awesome job in capturing scale realism in each body they create, and in this WRC Impreza body, not a single detail was missed. From the perfectly engineered hood scoop, to the one of a kind spoiler, it’s a replica of the full-scale car. Finishing off the body is a stunning set of decals that perfectly replicate the very well-known Subaru rally look.

WHEELS—You can’t have a WRC Impreza without a set of gold OZ Racing rally wheels. Just like the body, the wheels are meant to replicate the full-size counterpart and they look great.

CHASSIS—The bathtub style chassis is well braced and has plenty of room for electronics. Tamiya went the extra mile and designed the chassis so it will accommodate a stick or side by side battery pack.

DRIVETRAIN—The drivetrain is great for an entry-level tourer: from a full set of ball bearings to an aluminum drive shaft, it has the goods racers want in their car. Tamiya has even gone the extra step and included front and rear ball differentials.
 
SUSPENSION—The suspension offers many adjustments: the droop screws allow for adjustable ride height and a full set of adjustable turnbuckles let you adjust the front toe, and front and rear camber. Finishing off the suspension is a set of oil-filled dampers that help soak up nearly all the small bumps your local parking lot or track has to offer.

RADIO AND ACCESSORIES—The only electronics included with the kit is the 540 silver can motor. To keep things simple, I used a Tamiya Teu-101bk ESC, a Futaba S3003 servo and an Ace R/C AM pistol grip radio—a basic setup that works worry free.

TECH SPECS

SCALE: 1/10

DRIVE: 4WD

WIDTH: 7.4 in. (189mm)

WHEELBASE: 10.2 in. (259mm)

OVERALL LENGTH: 16.5 in. (420mm)

WEIGHT: 2.3 lbs. (1062g)

RATINGS

CHASSIS—The chassis has a good, basic layout that flexes a little. The flex and be cured buy purchasing an optional chassis brace from Tamiya.
Rating—8.5

DRIVETRAIN—The shaft drive is great; it has no slop and handles the power. With the entire drivetrain rolling on ball bearings, it’s very efficient and smooth.
Rating—9

SUSPENSION—The oil-filled dampers are really good; they’re smooth and get the job done. They can be upgraded with Tamiya’s optional tuned springs.
Rating—9

BODY, WHEELS AND TIRES—The body is amazing, and I am nearly speechless. It’s a work of art—a true replica down to the smallest detail. The decals include every sponsor from the real WRC car. With the stock motor, the included tires are perfect. Once you start to add more power though, you might find them lacking a bit of traction.
Rating—10! Just because of the body!

DURABILITY—I was really surprised with the durability of this touring car. I have thrown it off-road, subjected it to my off-road adventures, and run numerous packs, and I have yet to break a single part. The only thing that has happened is rocks get stuck under the drive shaft—nothing that a little time and a plastic sheet couldn’t help prevent.
Rating—10

EASE OF USE—Just like any other Tamiya product, this was an easy build. Tamiya has great build and setup instructions.
Rating—10

WHAT WE LIKED

1. The awesome detailed body
2. Easy to follow directions
3. Lots of included hop-ups typically not found in an entry-level kit

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Nothing. This kit is great as is

ADDITIONAL ITEMS NEEDED

2-channel radio, a standard sized servo for steering, an electronic speed control, a 6-cell battery pack and charger

CONCLUSION

Whether you’re a first time RC enthusiast who was drawn to the hobby by the joy and excitement of owning your very own WRC rally replica, or an experienced racer, you will enjoy the great package that Tamiya has put together. From the bearings to the heat sink, the smooth suspension to the efficient drivetrain and awesome styling, your Tamiya WRC Impreza will provide you with hours and hours of WRC tarmac action!

Ace Hobby Distributors Inc., www.acehobby.com, (949) 833-0088
Futaba, distributed exclusively by Great Planes Model Distributors, www.futaba-rc.com, (800) 682-8948
Tamiya America Inc., www.tamiyausa.com, (800) 826-4922

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