TOPIC:

I'm using the word restore very lightly, it will be more of a strip down clean and rebuild. I don't have much to source. I believe i have everything except the correct ESC, just because i haven't collected it yet.

Here goes.
The TA05 platform has always been a favorite of mine, since my first 05 V1 kit when they were first release. Luckily back then i worked in a hobby shop so i was able to preorder and get the kit at a discounted rate.  This was my second Hobby Grade RC kit, still in school, working part time, life was good. I put the TT-01 aside, it was time I tried my hand at a "serious" class. I ran a full season the following year in what was called stock touring, basically a spec Johnson motor class. At this time 50% of the field were running TA05's and the other half were Pro4's and Evo's and 415's, so it was an enjoyable year of very close racing. The following year and i think this was now 2007, last year in school, I got hold of a Team Checkpoint 9x2. This lasted all of two months of trying to get to grips with modified in a plastic chassis, and the time involved, comm lathes, and foam tire trimming, it was a lot. I eventually settled for the "Superstock" class which then was a brass bushing 27T spec class. With it being the last year in school it got a bit crazy so i didn't put as much time into racing as I would have liked to. Most matric students wanted to sneak out and go drinking with mates, nope! I was at the track.

The end of that year, I learnt of the release of the TA05 MS.  I had to have it, but, it never happened, part time jobs were not making me "TRF money" and my parents were not the best off. I did pickup an already "old" TB-Evo IV at the end of that year when a friend retired it. My first TRF! But that's another story. The 05MS eluded me for years, many many years. As time went by they became very hard to come by, most MS chassis end up on shelves(where they should be).
It was only in the last few years since moving to a different province years that i have managed to get my hands on two of them! One very rough one, with a cut upper deck make shift parts, heavily worn drivetrain, covered in spray paint, it looked to have gone through the highest level of undeserved abuse. I will try locate before and after pictures of it as I did a basic rebuild shortly after i got it, with no means and audience to tell the story to.
The one i will be rebuilding isn't in amazing shape, but it's a heck of a lot better than the first one i found. The blue ally parts are all good, no major scratches or discoloration. Unfortunately someone opted to drill holes for some other manner of battery mount/strap. I may cut carbon plugs from an old lower deck to correct them. The chassis has been used, so the underside is not good. I am also contemplating giving it a go over with water paper, and then possible a thin resin coat to make it look a bit better. I'll see how far i take this once i have everything stripped.



To use the blue screws or not.? I have a number of bags of Ti screw sets from various models, but only two sets of blue TB Evo V sets.
  

I haven't made much progress, hopefully this week will be quieter. I have everything apart and ready for cleaning!
At this point I am very much leaning towards the blue screw set, at least the upper side of the chassis.
This morning i printed out a fresh manual, turns out a few more items are incorrect. A 1XA toe block which i do not have in the Uno V1 version, only V2, which has a slightly different geometry. I believe they are wider, and the box lettering is not correct to the kit original parts. I may just use the V2 for now until i can locate a V1. Next up is the rear ball diff, i believe the outdrives are the same as a 416, which i have spares of. Definitely need to change it out as the current one is VERY tired. Lastly, rear diff pulley should be a wide pitch(skip tooth) which i think i may have from a TA05. So i have a few things to find. Also decided to not do any work on the lower deck in the hopes that i can find a replacement.