Jamie Booth's 1990 Egress (Manta Ray/Top Force development car)

[DanB4]

Ok so here goes :)

As some of you may know, Jamie and I have been talking over the past few months, mainly about the iconicrc revival race which took place on 27th July (it was fantastic) but also about the only remnant (ie car) that Jamie has left from his shining racing career, his 1990 Egress which is the subject of this thread.

This car has been discussed on TamiyaClub and RC10talk but hasn't seen the light of day until now.....Jamie found it in his garage and has kindly entrusted me with the task of rebuilding it into something he can display and remind him of them good ol' days - he handed me a red plastic box of bits complete with what I'm sure were cobwebs.....

Many of the parts are bespoke 1-off items which were custom made by Tamiya Japan for Jamie to test. The eagle eyed will spot the blue wishbones and alloy hangers together with the red knuckles shared with other models (Hotshot/2/Top Force)......unfortunately in a rare lapse of concentration Jamie smacked the car into a post and snapped it in 2....so far I've fitted a new lower chassis and have fitted what I have remaining from the top deck but will need another.......I was thinking of cleaning all parts but I think it's nicer to preserve the 'just raced' look and feel for this car.

I'd really appreciate all your input to get this buggy back to life. Does anyone have this issue of Radio Race Car from August 1990 that you can post in higher resolution? You can see the car in the bottom right of the magazine article in below pic. 1st Booth, 2nd Drescher, 3rd Moore.

I've sourced a propshaft from Jon Cryer (iconicrc) and have already bought some new wheels, he was using Schumacher full spikes so I can get some of those too (only need the narrow fronts, same as commonly used on CAT XLS). It also needs a wing wire and mount hardware. Terry I'm sure will chip in :)

Can any of you help the project with the following?:

Top Deck
Wing wire
Wing mount (clamp for wing with screws etc)
I'll buy a new shell/tray and wing and get them painted as per original car

I think that is all I need - I had a few transmission parts which I have used in my Tamiya box.

Cheers and enjoy this piece of Tamiya/TRF history which Jamie may well race again next year.

Dan

rowlandsdaniel@hotmail.com

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234822_zpscf73mohr.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234828_zpsgxhwlgy2.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234835_zpsywec5q0s.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234850_zpst10ayf7a.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234907_zpsqh5jrghd.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234927_zps6msi8qet.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234931_zpsbdyhhyx1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234943_zps4jcqv0vo.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234949_zpsqrlr78du.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_234959_zpskyw37b5b.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_235010_zpskd4y9imh.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_235018_zpscykxuhj1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_235039_zpsivbwr9kj.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140731_235050_zpsntob6xrd.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140801_001421_zpsvbwdimwq.jpg

Next to my 1989 Egress:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140802_125442_zpsg48arpwo.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140802_125759_zpsbjoiwygu.jpg

Darren Styles told me there were 3 prototypes given to the UK drivers to test but this car of Jamie's was the only one with independant wishbones all round - and it proved to be the best on track.

[ralphee]

Who fabricated the arms Dan? Jamie himself, im not up on the history, loving what your doing though mate! Maybe we can get a Yokomo factory driver of old at the next one, which im not missing for the world hah!

Lee

[DanB4]

All parts custom made by Tamiya Japan and sent for Jamie to test

[DanB4]

Some previous Q&A I put to JB after I was asked by guys on TC:

1) Any history behind the colors of choice for the Egress body shell?

JB: At that time I did not really have any fixed colours, so sometimes it was just plain white with decals (I am hopeless at painting RC shells) other times it was orange and white (I think)

2) What were the problems you faced with the original front suspension?

JB: The biggest issue I had with the front suspension was it either had Zero or close to zero caster, this made the car very nervous initially and then lack steering in the middle of a corner. At the Reedy race in the USA in 1990 we ran with the original set up and even had wishbones with two screw drivers through the pivot pin holes and heated up with a flame to try and twist the wishbone to give some caster. Once the suspension was changed the car handled well if not perfectly, but was very good on the bumps...

3) Why modify the rear suspension? Any problems there?

JB: No issues as I remember but Taki-San and Sugiama-San handmade completely new front and rear suspension at the same time for testing.

4) what do you think of the re-released new Duralumin front knuckles and new front shock tower design?

JB: Honestly speaking I did not notice as my memories of the car were with the modified suspension, so these details did not jump out to me.

5) You were in the middle of a very important era where you were involved in the evolution of Tamiya buggy design. What inspired you on the evolution process? Were Kyosho Optima mid or Yokomo Dogfighter or Schumacher Cat designs influential?

JB: It was not so much the design of the car it was all about the feel on the track, I never drove a Dogfighter or an Optima mid for any length of time but I was very accustomed to the Schumacher cat which was hard to drive but also very rewarding as the hard work resulted in very fast laps. When I initially went to the Egress it was nervous and lapped too slow, though I did win some races with it... here is a good race the car was actually not very good and I spent the whole race holding off Mark Tatman who was much faster, I think I won this national but I can’t remember - whatever it was a good race and the car was STD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znpjS3AGvrw

[Peakey]

Wow dan how is it always you

[DanB4]

Jedi mind tricks, I have.

[OptimaFan]

Wow dan how is it always you

My thoughts exactly. :D


Jedi mind tricks, I have.

Learn me, you will...

[Peakey]

Jedi mind tricks, I have.

I think you should use the force and send me over one of your xls's :thumbsup: you have too much good stuff

[Welshy40]

Blimey now I remember this. Mind you remember the tamiya proto belt drive car Ellis had. JB's car made me go out and buy one. Shame the plastics were brittle.

[Gayo]

Wow! Many thanks to DanB4 and of course Mr Booth. I was (kind of) racing an Egress BITD, and this mysterious prototype was blowing my mind. I remember desperately trying to fit front Egress arms at the back of my car, what was I thinking :lol:
It feels really good to see after all those years how really was the car. Thanks again.

[mark donaldson]

Good morning all
I have been a bit of a watcher on this site for sometime, making the odd post but this facinating thread has prompted me to try and upload some scan I have had for a while. I have not been able to upload the actual image (not sure why) so just have links to a photobucket account I have opened-hope that's ok. I have been hoping to try and build a replica for sometime to go with my take on Jamie's Stealth gearboxed Astute that I have nearly finished (but kids getting in the way!).

Anyway here are the images if it works.
RCMC February 1991-European Champs?
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/001_zps8ebd064f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=8

RCMC - December 1990 - European Champs
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/002_zps48209764.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/003_zps6ddcf4a0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

RRC -October 1990-British Off Road GP
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/004_zps9f792cf4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5

RRC- August 1990-Austrian Off Road GP
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/005_zpsc0127676.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4

RCMC - July 1990
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/006_zps42706a9a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/008_zpse0dc8138.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/mark_donaldson1/media/007_zpsb7d1191f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

I hope these work, if anyone can help me with image hosting it would be a great help and I will try and create a new thread with Pictures of my Astute.

Good luck with the Restoration, I hope it goes well.

Mark

[DanB4]

Thanks Mark I'm going to save them now :)

A handy tip for you, if you go to the links on each pic on photobucket and get the .jpg link then simply type, for example:

http://www.stuff.com/example.jpg

(The & are the important html bits)

Then your images will appear in your posts.

This one is great I haven't seen it before - this is the car in bits on my knee right now :)

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/mark_donaldson1/006_zps42706a9a.jpg

Cheers,

Dan

[DanB4]

This too! Gold!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/mark_donaldson1/007_zpsb7d1191f.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d47/mark_donaldson1/008_zpse0dc8138.jpg

It doesn't have a LWB chassis now! Well it does but it's going to be standard wheelbase ultimately.

[mark donaldson]

Hi Dan
Glad to be of assistace with the images, hope they help and again good luck with the rebuild. I missed the revival meet last weekend but it looks like Jamie has not lost any of his skill and it would be great next year to see him driving this special car again.
Many thanks for the image tip! I just could not fathom that out!
Mark

[DanB4]

Hi Dan
Glad to be of assistace with the images, hope they help and again good luck with the rebuild. I missed the revival meet last weekend but it looks like Jamie has not lost any of his skill and it would be great next year to see him driving this special car again.
Many thanks for the image tip! I just could not fathom that out!
Mark

You're welcome :) if you get stuck just have a look at how I embedded one of your images in my post.

Cheers!

[Aussie Top Force]

Great work. Looking forward to seeing the car being rebuilt! Any chance of sending it down under for Castlehill Off Road Vintage Festival (Sydney) 26 and 27 of September? Only joking.... no seriously....:drool: I would take good care of it!:eh?:

I remember those photos, as a very lonely Tamiya driver back in the day in NSW Australia, the British mags were the only source of info on what others were doing with their Egress's and eventually, the Top Force!

Back in the day, I found myself as the lone Tamiya Runner amongst Lazers, Dogs and Cats. Now, at the vintage meets there are Top Forces everywhere!

Life hasn't changed too much, I'm still alone running my TRF 201's and 502X!

Once again great work and I'll be watching with interest.

[DanB4]

I raced vintage at Castle Hill with Jason Millward (Bormac) and Ozipanda etc last July (2013), maybe we met? Also went to St. Ives a couple of times - loved the place - that's where my avatar pic was taken by Jason.

I was the British guy with the RC10 and Turbo Optima Mid Special :)

Great fun but the jumps were brutal! Thankfully we bypassed them in the vintage class.

[Aussie Top Force]

I raced vintage at Castle Hill with Jason Millward (Bormac) and Ozipanda etc last July (2013), maybe we met? Also went to St. Ives a couple of times - loved the place - that's where my avatar pic was taken by Jason.

I was the British guy with the RC10 and Turbo Optima Mid Special :)

Great fun but the jumps were brutal! Thankfully we bypassed them in the vintage class.

Sweet! We probably did meet or crossed paths. I ran the Top Force (Evo Spec) that won the 4wd Open Classic Class. I also ran a RC10 Graphite Team Car in 2wd Vintage Open came 4th or thereabouts?? Both cars were running original electrics as well, which was nice, having a win against some cars running brushless!:woot:

My 5 year old son was also following me about all weekend.

[DanB4]

I was struggling to fend off Mikey's Astute with a 540 and I had a brushless in! :woot:

[Aussie Top Force]

Getting back to Jamie's Egress, is there any intention to run it when rebuilt? it would be interesting to see it running via HD recording, compared with a standard Egress. Noting that no HD recording would have ever been made! So you could make history again!

What then became the Top Force and then base level Manta Ray, was a significant car for Tamiya, as it spawned many cars to follow and the beginnings of Touring cars for R/C.

I think you can still buy a variation of the chassis and gear box today as the TA-02T 1995 Ford F-150 (Baja Version). That's an impressive life span! Ok its release, but when did it cease production?

[DanB4]

Yes the plan is that Jamie will run the car ;)

[gomachv]

Got the chassis done, copied in DA Graphite brand "vintage" carbon fiber. As per Dans instruction, it is a standard wheelbase version of Jamie's modified chassis.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k545/gomachv/7D8BB246-8657-40F4-B3A0-C0253EB3359B_zpsk5dnjllf.jpg

[DanB4]

Jeff,

Absolutely outstanding, you're a huge part of getting this legendary car back to running order thanks again!

Can't wait to get her back together :)

Dan

[OptimaFan]

That's a nice piece of workmanship, great looking chassis!

[SHY]

Awesome work guys! :thumbsup:

[sosidge]

I also made my own wishbone rear end inspired by pictures of the Booth car that I analysed in great detail in the mags of the time! Unfortunately I used some rather soft plastic I found in my dads garage and the car only lasted about 3 minutes (which was perhaps 3 minutes longer than I expected!)

Great to see the original being restored.

[cryer-evo]

Any more news and pics on this dan ?

[gomachv]

He has just received the chassis back so there should be updates soon:thumbsup:

[DanB4]

So, I trial fitted Jeff's amazing workmanship last night, the quality is amazing thanks so much! I also told Jamie that this chassis and upper deck are thicker CF so he can't break it so easily next time :)

Oh I also threw on a new motor plate for good measure.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140817_202200_zpsaxegmx2u.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140817_204041_zpsq4pjyxa5.jpg

Next I'll strip it all down for a good clean whilst waiting on the body set.

I also took a trip to Dubai at the weekend and bought a vinyl cutter for the custom decals I'll have a shot at! ;)

[OptimaFan]

So, I trial fitted Jeff's amazing workmanship last night, the quality is amazing thanks so much! I also told Jamie that this chassis and upper deck are thicker CF so he can't break it so easily next time :)




You know that's an open invitation to try break it anyway? :D


Looking nice, can't wait for the first testruns.

[DanB4]

I asked Masami what the Japanese logo on the wing and sidepods says, he replied

"It says Super Machine, a Japanese RC Magazine"

Does anyone have the logo for me?

[DanB4]

Found it here:

http://static.flickr.com/66/218967886_18bf46ea03_m.jpg

Anyone in graphics if you can extract the letters a la Jamie's wing I'd appreciate it!

[DanB4]

From winning the 1990 British championships, then smacked into a post and thrown in Jamie's garage.....fast forward 20-odd years and it was handed to me in a red plastic box in July 2014 - contents? Lots of broken bits.

Now back to full health again, a really iconic car....here you go Jamie Booth she'll be in the post soon.

Thanks must go to:

Jamie himself
Jeff (gomachv) (rc10talk)
Mini Eason
Jonathan J Cryer
Haider Lawati
And 8rad (rc10talk)
James and Steve for graphics advice
Darren Styles (last but not least)

Hope I didn't miss anyone. :)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/Screenshot_2014-09-11-15-34-52-1_zpsxkshfoje.png
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/Screenshot_2014-09-11-15-36-22_zpsgc85xv9u.png
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152945-1_zpsxessznda.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152404_zpsb5ssyvwm.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152419_zpszob5qdgq.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/received_m_mid_1410432261052_a89c791e9adc60a688_0_ zps0kwxtcuj.jpeg

[Peakey]

Nice work as always Dan any pics with the shell off and when are you bringing it back over?

[kek23k]

Looks great, excellent work Dan :D

[OptimaFan]

Looks great, more pics certainly welcome!

[Frio]

This is fantastic!

[DanB4]

The car is now back home :)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/IMG_503097571061_zps78ywmcfl.jpeg

[OptimaFan]

Coming full circle, nice job.

[isobarik]

Nice

Mvh isobarik

[Aussie Top Force]

Well done Dan and Jamie!

Now how can we talk both of you into attending the Castle Hill Vintage Festival in 2015 (Sydney, Australia)?

[DanB4]

Thanks for the invite David :)

I'd love nothing more than to come back to Sydney and race having raced with you all in 2013 but I'm afraid distance, time and money are halting those plans. I really want to run my wcs93 and Intruder EX at St Ives and Castle Hill

[Muvro]

From winning the 1990 British championships, then smacked into a post and thrown in Jamie's garage.....fast forward 20-odd years and it was handed to me in a red plastic box in July 2014 - contents? Lots of broken bits.

Now back to full health again, a really iconic car....here you go Jamie Booth she'll be in the post soon.

Thanks must go to:

Jamie himself
Jeff (gomachv) (rc10talk)
Mini Eason
Jonathan J Cryer
Haider Lawati
And 8rad (rc10talk)
James and Steve for graphics advice
Darren Styles (last but not least)

Hope I didn't miss anyone. :)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/Screenshot_2014-09-11-15-34-52-1_zpsxkshfoje.png
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/Screenshot_2014-09-11-15-36-22_zpsgc85xv9u.png
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152945-1_zpsxessznda.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152404_zpsb5ssyvwm.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/20140911_152419_zpszob5qdgq.jpghttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/SDRCC/received_m_mid_1410432261052_a89c791e9adc60a688_0_ zps0kwxtcuj.jpeg

Fantastic effort restoring this beautiful machine.

How much longer was the original booth chassis vs a standard egress chassis? Also, what was lengthened on the driveshaft, the shaft itself or one of the output/input shafts?

Again, awesome work, just love it.