As we all get ready for the Clubman 3 I thought I would update you all on Project Ashgate and the challenge ahead. As a thank you, for the support I hope to update you in detail on how I tackle setting up the car throughout the series.
The Project car is a Tamiya M08 concept 1/10th scale chassis. It was released in 2019, two years after it's sister chassis was released, the FWD M07. The M08 is rear wheel drive with the motor placed mid chassis just in front of the rear axle. The M07 and M08 were both designed with more of a race focus to the previous M chassis cars. They have a lot more setup options along with a better spec of parts like differentials and shocks. 
The M07 is the favourite of the two with racers as it is easier to setup and works better on low grip tracks. One thing I have noticed with all reviews of the M08 is that it's a fun car to race but the handling can change drastically as the track grip increases.
My first impression of the M08 chassis is that it's very well made. The design is impressive given the small size they've had to work with. I really like the layout of the electrics and it looks fast for the type of car it is. To me it has just the right amount of setup options to dial it into varying tracks but without having to many to get confused with. On this specific chassis I'm starting out with the upgraded shock towers which look cool. They're also a lot more rigid than the standard plastic ones. Other features I'm impressed with are the universal drive shafts, oil filled diff, steering assembly and CVA shocks. I feel like I have the tools to make an enjoyable race car, fingers crossed we can make it a competitive one too.
On the last project car I had, I really struggled to get a setup on the car to work for my style. I blame this on me copying other setup sheets instead of following what usually works for me. So this time I'm trying things my way even though it's a very different platform to my usual cars.
The initial hardware and upgrades I'm going for are:
- Springs - Core-RC CR848 progressive spring front a rear.
- Tyres -Rush M tyres 36 and 24 shore
- ESC - Hobbywing 1060
- Motor - Core-RC 27t
- Servo - Sanwa SDX-801 servo
- Radio - KO esprit 4
- Metal diff gears 54428 - These were highly recommended from the M07 drivers
- Alloy Hex drives - 6mm but only on the rear
The progressive springs are a quick way to get balanced performance out of the car. You just need to be careful about getting the preloads right so the progression works on the spring. With the wider hex's on the rear, I'm hoping they will add some stability when applying power out of the corners.
On the next update I'll go through my initial setup along with a standard starting setup I would use for any new car. After that I'll try and talk in detail about key areas of car setup that can add performance.
The M08 chassis I am using will be prized off in a competition. For a chance of winning please visit the following page: Support Project Ashgate
