Tamiya M03L BMW Mini Cooper

[CarterTG]

Well, since it didn't show up among the Chicago Hobby Show coverage, here are my pics of the newly announced #58295 Mini Cooper...

[CarterTG]

Based on the M03L chassis.... which isn't necessarily brand-new. In Japan, Tamiya has been selling kit #58265 as a Toyota bB that also used an M03L chassis.

As always, Tamiya makes an exceptionally accurate body shell...

[CarterTG]

As part of a brief conversation with one of their reps, he mentioned that the M03L chassis wasn't just an extension... according to him, there was some kind of enhancement to the chassis itself. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to press for more information.

[CarterTG]

This model was in a glass display case, but in another area of the convention hall, they were occasionally letting show-goers run a PACK of these around on on-road track.

One last pic for now...

[Albertt]

...the M03L chassis wasn't just an extension...according to him, there was some kind of enhancement to the chassis itself.

Thanks for the pictures and info. I'm interested in buying the body for my GF's M03. She has the old school Mini Cooper now. If there are more differences than just the chassis extensions, I'd want to know, in case it affected the fit of the new Mini body. Perhaps they merely included some of the HOP-UPs, like the racing gears, ball diff and oil-filled CVA shocks as standard equipment. Is there a place besides Tamiya.com where I could find out?

Thanks
AL

[CarterTG]

I finally had some time in the "reading" room to start hacking at the PILE of RC literature from the hobby show...

The New Mini Cooper didn't make it into the 2002 Tamiya RC Guide Book they were handing out for free, but it's very briefly mentioned in the NEW RELEASES addendum sheet:

BMW NEW MINI COOPER (M03-L)
1:10 scale
Product Number: 58295
Availability: In Stock
Suggested Retail Price: $154.00 meaning streetprice around what the M04L BMW roadster will cost ($99)

BMW's new Mini Cooper has gained immediate popularity in the American Market
M03-L chassis features an elongated wheelbase and lower center of gravity than the original M03


In another page, the Mini Cooper Body Set is listed as #50971 (SRP $34) and the wheels are #50972 (SRP $8)

Also of interest on that sheet, Tamiya finally decided to come out with Aluminum Front Uprights (steering knuckles) for the M03/M04 (also fits TL-01, FF-02). Item number is #53523 (SRP $40)

[tomdav]

Are they the same shape as stock?

Tom

[newracer]

you'll need Part #0005798 to extend the chassis of a M03 to make the M03L. unfortunatly this part is not available yet

[Dongskie Pinoy]

THis is my MIni Copper S...

I displayed it at my local hobby shop who is owned by a friend.

[Dongskie Pinoy]

And another...

[Dongskie Pinoy]

Any more pics of your MINI Cooper S??

[utieh]

do u know if the toyota bB will be released in the us? (i really like that car)
i saw that integy made an alloy chassis for the m-chassis but i don t know if it will fit the m03l.......

here is a link :
http://secure400.automatedshops.com/cgi-bin/ams/shopzone30.cgi/~wfp16353/st_prod.html?p_prodid=953&p_catid=9&sid=2dODWE0WqMJM5OA-38102530539.d1

[sosidge]

I'm pretty sure that integy part is for the early M01 and M02 chassis.

[ZipDrive]

All old bodies and HPI mini still fit on new Chassiss?????

Cuz i reallly want one....

[utieh]

depends on ur body 's WB (anyway u just have to put off the extension thing to make ur car a m-03).

[Papanoel]

So I want a m chassis car....

why whould i want a M03L over a M04L or vice versa?
:confused: :confused: :confused:

[utieh]

m03 : easier to drive cos fwd
m04 :faster & drifts more cos rwd

[Zillon]

I just got my MO3L about a week ago, and just raced it tonight. Its a great car to race, as its relatively fast with the kit motor, and it shows driving skill compared to regular TC in which you must have money to be competitive.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid58/p46dbddae79d9c6bbe45e405501300a20/fc62f4e8.jpg

Theres my mini after tonight's race. On a road course running no traction compound (only what I picked up off the track) I placed 3rd outta 5 people. I was running a minimum of 13.7 secs a lap, with an average speed of 11.3, while the leaders were getting about 11.7 and 12.5 mph average. For the first night, I didnt do bad at all. I cant wait to go back and race again.

[mistachubs]

Why is the car beat Up like that and do u no wat the top speed upis?

[Zillon]

Its not beat up, just tire rubber from other cars and slappin the boards. Its still in top-top shape..well.. except the body that is. :rolleyes:

For the top speed, I am not sure. Its my guess that its somewhere in the 18-20 range, as I put bearings and tires with less rolling resistance on.

[Papanoel]

Gearing??

OK I dont knw much about this......

BU ti want to put mo monster stock pro in my M03L.....how should i adjust the gearing?

Currently use the MOnster for offroad buts only a few times.


Any suggestions??

[SteveK]

Geez, that is a good question: I think it's geared low enough already for that motor, and gearing down could add a ton of wheelspin from the hotter motor. I guess just try it stock and keep checking the motor every few minutes. I stick with the Mabuchi in mine, but I'll put a hotter one in it eventually, and hadn't thought about gearing before.

Torque isn't as much of a problem for the M03 as it was for the M01: Tamiya released a 2/3-length motor which had less torque to keep wheelspin and torque-steer down.

[M03racer]

use the 20t pinion. it is as big as you can fit and it is still under geared but its as good as it gets and you will notice much better top end.

[CarterTG]

BMW Mini owners might get a kick out of Matt Francis and David Jun battling it out at the 2003 Chicago Hobby Show on Sunday. Cars were bone-stock MINIs that various drivers had been running up and down the indoor track all weekend.

[k_bojar]

Hey all Mini Drivers/Racers in the PA/NJ/DE/MD/NY/VA area...Check this out:

http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=142185

[GattoniTA-04S]

what is the # of turns on the stock motor that comes with the kit?

[Zillon]

Originally posted by GattoniTA-04S
what is the # of turns on the stock motor that comes with the kit?

Most likely 25-30 turns, I know I can get a good average of 14 MPH a lap around my track, so I would reckon it to be going at about 20+ tops.

[SteveK]

I believe the Mabuchi 540 has 36 turns, and is good for a hair under 20mph in a TL01, so it should provide similar speed in a Mini (Smaller tires mean a lower gear ratio, but also less weight).

[4W Guy]

I am new to road racing and need some help. My local track requires foam tires to run on the carpet. How can I replace the rubber tires that came with the kit with rubber tires? Will this take new wheels? I had a blast running off-road last summer, now I want to try on-road. Thanks.

[pudder]

I dont believe you can get foam tires for this car. My track requires foam tires as well, but I will probably be able to run rubbers on this car. You could make your own foamies, they could work good, or they could be crap deppending on how you make them. :) One thing you can do is grind off the bead on the rim so it is just flat like a steamroller... Next you will take a foam donut, cut it to the length you need for it to fit around your rim, then glue it down, and it would probably be good to get it trued before you run because it would be out of round from the start.

Good luck.

[Zillon]

I believe I have seen some foamies for the M03 on Ebay, but I haven't seen them recently. You might want to check ebay once in a while for some foamies for the mini.

[k_bojar]

Sunday .... January 18th, 2004

The Mini Nats will be coming to Pottbelly's R/C Speedway

Pre-registration will be required for this event...Registration info will be available within the next few weeks

This will be an ALL MINI-sized event. Classes offered will be:

** 12th scale touring - OPEN motor, 4-cell, tires per ORL rules
** Tamiya Mini - Kit motor and 6-cell "spec" battery (per the ORL's rules)
** 12th scale Pan - minimum of 10 guys for this class
** Micro - OPEN MOTOR, 6 cell max, 4wd must be operational

An event flyer will be available in the next few weeks. We currently have 1 big-named sponsor (sponsor will be announced shortly) for this event - if you are interested in sponsoring this event, please shoot me an email (k.bojar@att.net)

Trophies will be present to the 1-2-3 in each A-Main - plaques will be presented for 4-5-6-7-8-9-10 in the A-Mains. B-Main (and C-Main) 1-2-3 will receive a plaque

Personal transponders are recommended and all driver MUST provide 1-2 alternate radio frequencies before registration will be accepted,

[SteveK]

Foam tires wouldn't be hard to mount to Mini-size wheels.

- You just sand down every rib on the wheels except the outer one, and glue on some foam donuts. 1/10th scale donuts might be small enough to fit, otherwise try stretching 1/12th donuts over the wheels.

- If they will fit, you could use 1/10th scale wheels and simply make the foams lower profile. 1/10th foam dounts will definitely fit those wheels.

[pudder]

Actually I could get back to you guys if 1/10 donuts will fit. I have a pancar so I will have to go check it out. :)

[Asahi]

Hey, does anyone race this mini size car at chicago?

[4W Guy]

Thanks for all the ideas. Will probably try the 1/12 tire stretching first. To bad I will be delayed even then. While inspecting the car getting ready to race I noticed that I had cracked the chassis pretty badly sometime while I was street running (crashing) over the summer.:mad:

[pudder]

I've got to smoothen out the bottom of my chassis, I have one sharp part where some plastic bent from bottoming out. Good news though, I get my bearings and o-rings which I will use as spacers for my shocks tomorrow. :) My HPI 5-spoke rims are on backorder though, which will delay my setting up of the car. I need to set ride height for it, but I also have to find out what the max ride height for my track is. :)

[sipaboy]

Our local lhs is hosting the first series of the TCS. Mini should be big this year. Any new setups??

[pudder]

I dont know.

A dude I know at the track gave me a short tuned spring set for my mini with all 3 tensions. He was going to buy the car and had the springs, but he never got around to buying the car so he just gave me the springs. I lowered my car a lot and put stiff springs on with 80wt oil and 1 hole pistons all around. I'm also going to try a locked differential this weekend just to see how it goes, you never know, it might just work out. :)

[SteveK]

You should read this article for race-tuning an M03:
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/rc/setuptips/builtowin.html

[Zillon]

If you can drive well enough, you don't need aluminum shocks.

http://home.earthlink.net/~drnike221/mininatswinner1.jpg

The car is built to ORL2 specifications, so it is nearly all stock except for HPI tires, universals, and bearings.