The Tamiya TT-01 is one of those kits that just about every RC enthusiast has crossed paths with at some point. It’s simple, durable, affordable, and for many people, it was their first taste of on-road RC fun. Out of the box, it’s a 4WD touring car, but one of the coolest things you can do to it—especially if you’re into drifting or just like to experiment—is to convert it into RWD.
So, what’s the appeal? Well, 4WD touring cars are stable and predictable, but they can feel a bit “on rails.” With RWD, you get a whole new personality. The car becomes more challenging to drive, more rewarding when you get it right, and it opens up the door to practicing proper countersteer drifting instead of the all-wheel slide style that a stock TT-01 encourages.
The conversion itself is pretty straightforward. At its core, you’re essentially disabling the front drivetrain. That means pulling out the main driveshaft and front dogbones, and in some cases, even going as far as removing the front differential entirely or locking it in place so nothing spins up front. Some people leave the axles in for looks; others prefer to clean it up and go fully “rear-only.” A few DIY tweaks—like making sure the rear diff is either tightened or locked—help keep power where it belongs: at the back.
But here’s the fun part: once you go RWD, you suddenly realize that setup matters a lot more. You’ll need to play with suspension settings, maybe add a bit of weight over the rear, and most importantly, work on your throttle control. With less traction up front, it’s easy to spin out at first, but when you start to nail it, the driving feels alive in a way that 4WD just doesn’t capture.
Of course, it’s not all upside. You’ll quickly find that your TT-01 is slower around a typical track in RWD form, and it’s not as forgiving if you just want to bash around in a parking lot. It’s more of a “fun experiment” than a competitive mod, though there’s a big drifting community that swears by RWD conversions.
In the end, turning a TT-01 into RWD is one of those projects that really shows the versatility of the chassis. It’s cheap, it’s fun, and it completely changes the driving experience. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy an old chassis, this is definitely worth trying. And hey, if you don’t like it, you can always slap the front drivetrain back in and go back to good old reliable 4WD.