I ran a 99' spec SST back when I was a team driver did ok with it - especially indoors - I sold it when the Axis came out, this is still in my possession;
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=90458&sid=28990
If I remember correctly both cars were easy to drive & well balanced, but were pretty numb to set-up changes even with full carbon chassis, also the split design of the bulkheads mean't they had a tendancy to 'tweak' after a bit of a knock. Can't remember ever breaking anything on it though

Good cars.
& yes those purple aerial & servo mounts were chromed plastic - the ladder bars on my Fireblade were the same finish too
Edited to add - A couple of the guys I race with use the latest Mi4 car, these are tasty bits of kit... if I didn't run a Corally i'd deff have one of those (especially as I could drop into factory on my lunchbreak should ever need any spares!)