Tamiya Novafox/Factory Works No Fox Given

[mtbkym01]

Building one of these up for some Vintage racing, because I didn’t just want to be like everyone else.

Starting out with a New Kit


With some JC Racing original style 2.2 wheels, and Schumacher Astro Tyres. Also using RC10 wing wire and buttons, and Schumacher Top Cat wing


HW Quicrun and Fantom 21.5T brushless - this is spec for where this will be raced


Then the good stuff arrived

[mtbkym01]

Started assembly



And I’m into the Novafox kit almost immediately





My kit was missing the bits for the front body mount (Which I’m not bothered by). I sorted out a work around with other parts







The standard sway bar will get tried, as in the instructions it states it works quite well with the Factory Works kit



Then it’s onto the rear end





More to follow in the next day or so

[Incredible_Serious]

Looks great so far, @mtbkym01 .... will we be seeing this at the Bash later in the year? If so, will be good to catch up with you (and this!) finally

[coxbros1]

Cool mother fxxking build!....glad u went with the white fiberglass too..looks classic....definately be following this build..be sure to enter it in botm..need more Tamiya entries..eventually one has to win

[Incredible_Serious]

..need more Tamiya entries..eventually one has to win

Tamiya and winning not usually in the same ballpark

[mtbkym01]

@Incredible_Serious Not sure I’ll get to the bash, but I’m building this for Vintage Demo at Nats in Adelaide in November. I will get to the bash at some point though, I have massive FOMO seeing the pics.

@coxbros1 depending how it turns out, I will enter it for sure. I did actually win a BOTM with a Tamiya once, an early Rough Rider resto I did. And agree the natural looks better than the black IMO, gives a more vintage feel i reckon.

[mtbkym01]

Grabbed an hour or so after work in the hobby room to do a bit more. I’m doing my best to avoid the standard kit screw pins in this build so its good to have these on hand



And fitted, they look great IMO





Thats almost the front end done, the Factory Works kit comes with threaded rod for the steering linkages, but I’ve decided titanium turnbuckles will suit this better, so quickly placed an order through my local “preferred” seller.

I then thought I’d make a start on the gearcase, and for this I wanted to slow the open diff down so used this Losi Super Tacky Diff grease. Feels like it has slowed the action nicely



Unfortunately, the rear lower screw pins for the lower suspension arms, are longer than the 2 long ones I have remaining from the TL01 kit above. Well not exactly, they are the same as the lower front, but the pins don't pass all the way through, so I need to get some longer ones. Tamiya do a set for the M05 V2 that appear to have a couple longer ones, so I’ve ordered some from Plaza Japan, along with some other items from my wish list to beef up the order.

So will be waiting now for parts to arrive from Japan before I can progress any more, but so far so good

[mtbkym01]

Worked around some areas while waiting for parts








Hoping to use a shorty lipo, but will depend if the body fouls with bullet plugs.

I also have a dilemma with shocks. The kit CVA’s can actually function quite well, but yellow wont work with the scheme i have planned for this, so I could dye them black, or attempt to locate some shocks from something else that may work

[RC10th]

Looking great so far.... Did you use washers/spacers for the hinge pins, if so it's a very tidy way to use pins slightly too long.

You can never go wrong with AE shocks

[mtbkym01]

Yep I did RJ, just some nice alloy spacers. Big Bores are kinda frowned upon, so is there a particular AE shock I should look for?

[mtbkym01]

Trimmed the body to test fit, happy so far

[8rad]

WOW... Never had a fox. Always wanted one.

[76jimmy]

I built a Nova fox in 2020. Just a clean box art buggy. I think I ran a few packs on it and it's been hanging up in the collection. Makes me want to get it out again.

[LurkingCAT]

I had a Fox in the mid eighties (mkI) and rebuilt it soon with the Hot Trick conversion.
Still have a few Foxes but never done this one - Very cool build!
I'm driving both the original gear diff and the Thorp ball diff.
Interesting with the diff grease, and will be good the hear an evaluation. Will it stick to the diff or contaminate the drive line causing drag?
Assembled and shimmed correctly the gear box is very free, making the Fox extremely light footed

[mtbkym01]

I had a Fox in the mid eighties (mkI) and rebuilt it soon with the Hot Trick conversion.
Still have a few Foxes but never done this one - Very cool build!
I'm driving both the original gear diff and the Thorp ball diff.
Interesting with the diff grease, and will be good the hear an evaluation. Will it stick to the diff or contaminate the drive line causing drag?
Assembled and shimmed correctly the gear box is very free, making the Fox extremely light footed

I think the diff grease should stay in place as it’s only on the diff. The diff action shouldn’t spin enough to move it, and the rotation of the main gear shouldn’t cause it to fling either i don't think.