Tamiya Falcon Front uprights

thingiverse

Hi! Here's a set of front uprights for the 1986 RC car, The Falcon from Tamiya. This car was instrumental in shaping the childhoods of many young boys and girls in the mid-80's, and has since become a well-loved retro ride atop a wave of nostalgic enthusiasm. https://tamiyabase.com/chassis/34-falcon However, the downfall of this model is that its plastics were brittle 35 years ago and have only gotten worse with time. Examples of these parts are often either nearly broken or completely shattered, leaving many wallets bruised by the cost of replacement. These strengthened replicas of the original parts were recreated using basic matching geometry from my own broken components. I took some liberties to improve their design, but they're close enough for casual use. They're made as solid as possible for added strength, and can be further reinforced if needed! Without advanced materials like nylon or carbon fiber, these may not withstand "bashing" conditions, but should hold up fine for stock motor driving and enjoying that charming vintage RC understeer. For more adventurous enthusiasts, I recommend checking out Ampro Engineering on Shapeways & YouTube. They offer upgraded parts that are meticulously re-engineered for performance, rather than hastily created with a vernier and blocks. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/ampro?section=Tamiya+Falcon&s=0 I found the best way to print these uprights is by facing them upwards, which improves their strength around the pivot holes and gives them a nicer appearance. Be sure to ream or drill out the holes to 3mm using a cheap 3mm reamer from eBay. They're printed at 50% infill from ABS plastic, which has been sufficient for my testing so far – I've run and jumped it off the curb without major impacts. YMMV! This is a work-in-progress, and I'll be updating as needed. Feel free to message me with any questions you may have!