Make the Tamiya 2020 Ford GT Mk II More Race-Ready

Paul Onorato July 31, 2021 Stories

ABOUT THE REAL FORD GT40

The first Ford GT40 was developed specifically to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1964. Then in 1966 the Ford GT40 Mk II dominates the historic endurance race and take first, second and third places. Fast forward to the 2000s and the development of the GT40 was reignited leading to the overall win again at Le Mans in 2016. Now the car has been further honed to what you see here with the 2020 version of the Ford GT MK II. It was built to celebrate Fords historic success at the well-known 24 Hours of Le Mans race back in 1966 with the famed GT40 Mk II. The full size Ford GT is limited to only 45 hand-built supercars, but you can own your own in 1/10-scale thanks to the crew at Tamiya.

ABOUT THE TAMIYA TT-02 CHASSIS

The Tamiya TT-02 chassis is quite a versatile platform. For one, it is very easy to build and makes it ideal for someone just starting out in RC. Tamiya gave it many features to help ensure the chassis ends up being built correctly like keeping the assemblies uncomplicated. For example the left and right suspension arms and uprights are identical and the friction shocks are simple and quick to build. The TT-02’s design and layout allow for easy maintenance like the easy to access front and rear gearboxes. As for having adjustability, Tamiya covered that as well. The chassis offers two different wheelbases, two ground clearance settings and two tread setups in addition to a range of ten possible gear ratios.

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Like its predecessor, the TT-01, it utilizes a shaft drive system for full time 4WD which is a proven setup and is used on numerous Tamiya kits. Tamiya designed the chassis with cornering and overall speed improved over the TT-01 chassis and ensured that it can take full advantage of the new electronics available. Once you have mastered the TT-02 in its stock form, its overall performance can be increased by adding the numerous hop-up option parts available from Tamiya as well as ones offered by aftermarket manufacturers.

The body is clearly the standout feature on this kit and Tamiya did a fantastic job with recreating it. It is made from crystal clear polycarbonate and comes with rear wing and mirror pieces molded in ABS plastic. Once painted the included stickers will complete the look and really bring it too life.

Make the Tamiya 2020 Ford GT Mk II More Race-Ready

SPECS

Item #: 58689
Scale: 1/10
Type: Build-up kit
Length: 18.86 in. (479mm)
Width: 7.40 in. (188mm)
Height: 4.41 in. (112mm)
Wheelbase: 10.12 in. (257mm)
Chassis: Molded tub
Drivetrain: Enclosed 4WD gearbox
Differential: Bevel gear diffs
Bearings: Metal and plastic bushings
Suspension (F/R): Lower A-arm w/ fixed upper / Lower H-arm w/ fixed upper
Shocks: Molded plastic, friction type
Motor: 540-brushed type
Speed control: Tamiya TBLE-04S electronic speed control

REQUIRED TO COMPLETE

2-channel radio system
Steering servo
Battery pack
Battery charger
Paint

HOP-UP OPTION PARTS

Once you are ready, there are numerous upgrades you can add to the chassis of the Tamiya 2020 Ford GT Mk II that will make it more race ready. Including new tires, wheels, hotter motors as well as drivetrain, suspension, steering, and chassis upgrades. There are enough hop-up options out there where you can drastically change the performance and looks of your Ford GT, however in this article we will focus on just the upgrade option parts that will improve performance. Below are 14 Tamiya Hop-Up Option parts that we would recommend and they are broken down into groups: drivetrain, suspension, steering and chassis. As a suggestion…it makes most sense to start slowly with adding upgrades so that you can see how the changes work with not only your driving style but also the race surface where you will be driving the car.

DRIVETRAIN HOP-UPS

High Speed Gear Set (#54500)

Tweaking the gearing is a great way to get more performance out of any car, especially the Tamiya 2020 Ford GT Mk II with TT-02 chassis. The Tamiya High Speed Gear Set features a newly-designed aluminum spur gear mount and spacer. This allows you to have gear ratio options from 9.82:1 to 6.55:1. Then you can fine tune the gearing to match the motor system you are using as well as the type of track you are racing on. This set can also be used with separately sold 64-tooth spur gears that will open the door to lower gear ratios.

TT-02 Ball Bearing Set (#54476)

Adding a full set of ball bearings is something that is worthwhile doing when you first build the TT-02 chassis since there are bearings throughout the drivetrain. This way you won’t have to do a complete tear down later. Ball bearings are much better components than the stock plastic and metal bushings that come with the TT-02. Installing the Tamiya TT-02 Ball Bearing Set (#54476) makes the drivetrain more efficient thus improving overall performance enabling faster speeds and higher durability within the drivetrain.

Aluminum Propeller Shaft (#54501)

Since the ultimate goal here is to make the Ford GT Mk II faster than stock, there are some parts that should be swapped out to handle the new demands that come with more speed and power. The propeller shaft that comes with the GT is made of plastic resin which can twist and flex thus hindering the full transfer of power to the wheels. Install this Tamiya Aluminum Propeller Shaft as a replacement. Its aluminum construction will allow it to have more stable rotation at higher speeds and reduces power loss from the transmission. Like most of Tamiya’s aluminum hop-up option parts, the propeller shaft comes anodized a bright blue which nicely dresses up the looks of the chassis.

Aluminum Propeller Joint (#54502)

These Aluminum Propeller Joints are used in conjunction with the Propeller Shaft mentioned above. These also replace the plastic resin units and offer the same performance enhancement that the hop-up shaft does.

TT-01 Front One-Way Unit (#53671)

This is one of the more advanced hop-up options where you are trying to shave off those fractions of a second that can keep you in the lead. It replaces the gear differential with a system that allows the wheels to spin freely when off throttle and provide maximum grip to the tires. It will also still act like a differential because there are two one-way bearings for each of the front tires.

TT-01 Ball Diff Set (#53663)

Super smooth diff action and more efficiency in the drivetrain are the benefits of replacing the stock bevel gear differentials that are in the Tamiya TT-02 chassis. A ball diff like this will produce a limited slip effect thus keeping drive engaged even if one of the driven wheels loses contact with the surface. This kit includes everything you need including metal outdrive cups.

Aluminum Motor Mount (#54558)

Scrap the stock plastic motor mount for the Tamiya TT-02 Aluminum Motor Mount. The aluminum construction provides a more secure mounting structure for the motor, improves the power transfer efficiency and lessens the likelihood of the motor overheating. (It acts like a heat sink to draw heat away from the motor.) Additionally, there are a total of 10 pinion gear attachment positions, 5 on each side, for numerous gear ratio options. Each hole in the motor mount has the pinion tooth count conveniently laser engraved next to it and it includes screws to install the mount onto the tube of the chassis.

TT-02 Aluminum Motor Heat Sink (#54571)

When you upgrade the motor on the Ford GT Mk II, get yourself this heatsink. Before you install the new motor into the chassis, slide on the Tamiya TT-02 Aluminum Motor Heat Sink. It is worth adding the heat sink to help dissipate the heat generated by a more powerful motor. Cooler running electronics are happy electronics. Allowing the motor to work under less stress will also extend the amount of time it can be used and its overall lifespan. We also like the added advantage of dressing up the chassis with the heat sink’s great looking blue anodized finish.

SUSPENSION HOP-UPS

TRF Special Damper Set (#42102)

One of the big benefits of the TT-02 chassis is its low price point and one of the cost saving methods used on this chassis is to spec friction type dampers instead of oil-filled units. By upgrading to a high-quality oil-filled shock like the Tamiya TRF Special Damper Set, you will find that the suspension operates lightyears better than the stock setup. Each of the shock cylinders feature a newly developed black-colored fluorine coating for even less internal friction compared to other oil-filled shocks. Titanium-coated piston rods, together with the shock body coating, contribute to the shocks more efficient and silky smooth performance. The smoother shock travel matched to more consistent handling traits are great benefits for a race car. Striking blue anodizing on the damper cap, O-ring cap and spring retainer add some vivid chassis highlights that will make your modified Ford GT Mk II chassis stand out.

Carbon Damper Stay II (#54947)

If you want to increase the rigidity of the TT-02, consider swapping out the stock plastic shock towers (damper stay) with this carbon fiber unit. Tamiya created this damper stay to work on either the front or rear of the TT-02 chassis. It measures 3.5mm thick which is half a millimeter thicker than the previous shock towers offered by Tamiya. Besides offering excellent rigidity for the central suspension component, it gives you four damper attachment positions to allow for shock angle tweaks. Included with the Carbon Damper Stay II are the necessary hardware, collars and other small parts to get it installed onto the chassis.

TT-02 Aluminum Rear Uprights 2.5 (#54549) AND TT-02 Aluminum Rear Uprights 3.0 (#54733)

Consider one of these Aluminum Upright sets for your Ford GT Mk II when being competitive at the track is your goal. They can make your car corner more smoothly and increase its stability on the track. Two uprights are offered with different toe-in angles: 2.5- and 3.0 degrees. Each are beautifully anodized blue and have the degree etched onto it.

STEERING HOP-UPS

TT-02 Steering Upgrade Kit (#54752)

The Tamiya TT-02 Steering Upgrade Parts Set is a super useful and super convenient hop-up option for the TT-02 chassis. It includes a bunch of option parts to replace the stock plastic steering parts found on the chassis. The aluminum construction of these parts will give greater precision and toughness in the steering system that will therefor generate more precise handling. Precise steering response is just what you want in car for racing. Here are the items included in this upgrade set:

Aluminum Steering Arms x2 (item 54574)
Aluminum Steering Posts x2
Aluminum Steering Bridge x2 (item 54575)
Hi-Torque Servo Saver (black) x1 (item 51000)
TT-02 Hit-Torque Servo Saver Horn x1
Plus many other metal parts for attachment and setup adjustment

TT-02 Aluminum Servo Mount (#54977)

Ensuring that the steering servo is tightly attached to the chassis is important to achieve ideal steering response and to maintain consistency in the system. For this reason, Tamiya developed the TT-02 Aluminum Servo Mount that basically captures the case of the steering servo. Its beefy aluminum construction gives a very solid mounting fixtures for the servo which is also bolted to the bottom of the chassis. 3x8mm screws and washers come with the mount and it is nicely finished off with bright blue anodizing and a laser-engraved Tamiya logo.

CHASSIS HOP-UPS

Battery Plate/Transponder Stay (#54555)

Keeping everything securely in place on a race chassis is important if you want to keep handling consistent. This Tamiya Battery Plate/Transponder Stay will tightly hold the battery pack in place. A transponder stay is also included and is easy to remove when not in use. The plate and stay are constructed from FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) to offer weight savings and they are very durable. And thumbs up to Tamiya for including all the items you need to use it with the TT-02 chassis.