My brother got me a Tamiya Mini for my birthday :D
I've started building it, cursing at the old tamiya plastic bushes, and waiting for my bearings to turn up before I go much further.
What else is worth changing on it? I've seen lots of bits while looking around, but what are the weak points, and the hop-ups that actually make a good improvement? I'm thinking the ball diff would be a good option?...

which one is it mate?

theres 3 main different models

the M01 (typically a black chassis)

m03 (usually a silver/grey chassis)

or the new shaped mini (m03L)

but as cars go all are pretty robust bearings are the only real MUST HAVE but plenty more bits u can add to improve

Its the M03, a 'proper' Mini. :D I'm a big fan of the old Minis so it may end up a shelf queen or get another shell to play with :thumbs_up:

Also, my 1:1 car is a Suzuki Swift Sport, I was thinking of getting the Tamiya Swift shell to do a little replica... Is it possible to swap any of the M03M chassis parts in to extend the wheelbase? Failing that I think the ABC hobby Swift might be a similar wheelbase...

yeh all you need to convert is the link part just a sort of square tube section that goes onto the front gearbox and then the chassis

quite where you will get one is another thing though as im not sure if it comes on an m03 tree (been ages since i built a mini)

they usually do it the other way around and remove that bit to convert to a swb and fit a mini shell so i guess there must be loads somewhere!!

Im just in the process of building my m03 swift to race at my local club :)

not sure about the wheel base stuff tho as im a bity new to the m03

Hmm, I'd be interested to do a bit of a comparison! Apparently the Swift's M03-M chassis has a 15mm bigger wheelbase than the Mini's M03. It looks like, as Monty said, there's a kind of spacer that goes between the front & rear halves of the chassis.
Now to find a Swift parts list and some prices :D