Tamiya Ford Escort Mk.II Rally Clear RC Body TAM51658

Overview

The Tamiya Ford Escort Mk.II Clear Unpainted Rally Bodyshell TAM51658 is a premium replacement body shell designed for serious RC enthusiasts and competitive rally racing fans in the UK. This is not a complete car – it's a professional-grade bodyshell component that allows you to customise and build your own unique RC rally machine. Whether you're looking to upgrade an existing RC platform, create a custom race build, or simply want an authentic Ford Escort Mk.II rally body for your collection, this clear polycarbonate shell offers exceptional quality and versatility that serious modellers demand.

As a Tamiya product, you're getting decades of expertise in RC model engineering. The Ford Escort Mk.II has legendary status in real-world rally racing, and this 1/10 scale bodyshell captures the distinctive character and aggressive styling of the original with remarkable accuracy. The clear polycarbonate construction means you can paint it in your choice of colours, apply custom liveries, and showcase your build exactly as you envision it. This bodyshell is compatible with Tamiya's M-Chassis platforms with a 239mm wheelbase, making it a flexible solution for various RC car configurations.

The unpainted format gives you complete creative control – perfect for builders who want to replicate authentic rally paint schemes, experiment with custom designs, or match their existing RC car collection. Whether you're a seasoned RC racer preparing for competition, a weekend basher looking for authentic styling, or a modeller building a showcase display piece, this Tamiya bodyshell delivers professional results that stand out on any track or shelf.

Key Features

• Lightweight Polycarbonate Construction — The body is crafted from durable polycarbonate material, which is significantly lighter than traditional plastic shells whilst maintaining exceptional strength and impact resistance, ensuring your RC vehicle maintains optimal handling and speed performance without added weight penalty.
• Clear Unpainted Finish — Unlike pre-painted shells, this clear bodyshell arrives unpainted, giving you absolute freedom to choose your own colour scheme, apply custom rally liveries, team colours, or experimental designs that match your personal style and RC racing vision.
• Separate Polycarbonate Light Cases — The light cases are moulded as separate polycarbonate components, allowing for individual customisation, precise painting, and realistic light pod effects if you choose to add aftermarket LEDs for enhanced visual authenticity.
• Injection Moulded ABS Detail Parts — White ABS plastic parts are included to recreate side mirrors, bumper sections, and fog lamp details, adding three-dimensional authenticity and visual depth that flat bodywork alone cannot achieve, essential for that rally car realism.
• Complete Sticker Decoration Set — A comprehensive set of marking stickers is included to add racing numbers, sponsor logos, manufacturer badges, and authentic rally details, allowing you to complete the look with professional finish without requiring advanced graphic skills.
• Precision Window Masking Stickers — Dedicated window masking stickers are provided to protect window areas during your painting process, ensuring clean, professional paint lines and saving hours of careful masking work with tape and paper.
• Authentic Ford Escort Mk.II Rally Design — This shell faithfully recreates the legendary Ford Escort Mk.II that dominated rally competition for decades, capturing the characteristic aggressive stance, distinctive proportions, and sporting heritage that makes this platform instantly recognisable to RC enthusiasts and motorsport fans alike.
• M-Chassis Compatibility — Engineered specifically for Tamiya's M-Chassis platforms with a 239mm wheelbase, including the MF-01X, ensuring perfect fitment, balanced weight distribution, and proven handling characteristics on popular Tamiya chassis systems.
• Professional Build Quality — As a genuine Tamiya product, every component meets the company's exacting standards for precision moulding, dimensional accuracy, and material quality, meaning you're investing in a bodyshell that will maintain shape and durability through countless builds and rebuilds.

Technical Performance

The Tamiya Ford Escort Mk.II bodyshell represents the pinnacle of injection-moulded RC body engineering. The primary shell is constructed from high-quality polycarbonate plastic, the same material used in professional competition RC vehicles because it offers the optimal balance between lightweight construction, durability, and impact resistance. Polycarbonate naturally flexes upon impact rather than shattering, making it ideal for off-road rally racing where contact with terrain and obstacles is common. The clear, unpainted finish means the material thickness is visible throughout, demonstrating Tamiya's precision manufacturing – consistent wall thickness across all sections ensures balanced flexibility and structural integrity. The separate light cases, also moulded in polycarbonate, can be removed and painted independently, allowing you to create realistic light pod effects or transparent coloured lighting. The ABS plastic detail parts – side mirrors, bumper sections, and fog lamp surrounds – are moulded in white and can be painted to match or contrast with your chosen bodywork colours. These separate parts add genuine three-dimensional detail that integrated designs cannot match, critical for authentic rally appearance. The bodyshell is designed for the MF-01X and compatible 239mm wheelbase M-Chassis platforms, vehicles that typically feature shaft-driven 4WD architecture and intermediate-level performance tuning. Build quality from Tamiya is renowned throughout the RC hobby, with precise fitment to chassis platform, consistent paint adhesion surfaces, and durable moulding that resists cracking and warping even with aggressive use. Window masking stickers included in the kit are precision-cut to match the bodyshell's window apertures exactly, saving significant preparation time and ensuring paint lines that rival professional finishing.

What's in the Box

• Ford Escort Mk.II Rally clear polycarbonate bodyshell (unpainted)
• Separate polycarbonate light cases
• White injection-moulded ABS plastic parts including side mirrors, bumper sections, and fog lamp details
• Comprehensive marking sticker sheet for decoration and branding
• Precision window masking stickers for paint protection

What You Need to Complete

• Tamiya M-Chassis platform with 239mm wheelbase (such as MF-01X) – bodyshell and detail parts only, you must supply the complete chassis
• Polycarbonate body paint in your chosen colours (Tamiya PS, Spray, or equivalent RC body paint)
• Spray equipment (airbrush, spray cans, or professional spray booth)
• Clear coat protective finish (recommended for durability)
• Adhesive suitable for attaching ABS detail parts (cyanoacrylate or plastic-safe adhesive)
• Patience and precision – bodyshell painting and assembly requires careful preparation and finishing techniques

Frequently Asked Questions

• What exactly is this product – is it a complete RC car? — No, this is a bodyshell component only, not a complete RC vehicle. You receive only the polycarbonate body, light cases, and detail parts. You must supply your own Tamiya M-Chassis platform (239mm wheelbase) to complete a functioning RC car. This is ideal for collectors, customisers, and builders who want to create their own unique build or upgrade an existing RC platform.
• Can I use this bodyshell on RC cars other than Tamiya? — This bodyshell is specifically engineered for Tamiya M-Chassis platforms with a 239mm wheelbase, particularly the MF-01X. Whilst it may physically fit some other 1/10 scale RC cars with similar wheelbase dimensions, fitment, mounting, and proportions are optimised for Tamiya platforms. Compatibility with non-Tamiya chassis is not guaranteed and may result in poor aesthetics or handling.
• Is this suitable for beginners? — The bodyshell itself is straightforward to mount, but the complete process of painting, masking, and finishing requires intermediate RC hobby skills. If you're new to RC, you may want to start with a pre-painted RTR (ready to run) model first. However, if you're willing to invest time in learning proper body painting and assembly techniques, this is an excellent educational project.
• What paint colours do you recommend for the Ford Escort Mk.II? — Famous rally Escorts featured iconic white with blue or red stripe combinations, solid red, British Racing Green, and various manufacturer colours. Tamiya PS paints are specifically formulated for RC polycarbonate bodies and are available in numerous historic rally colours. Research actual rally Escorts for authentic inspiration, or create your own custom livery.
• How long does it take to paint and finish this bodyshell? — Proper bodyshell finishing typically requires 8-12 hours of work including preparation, masking, painting multiple coats, decal application, and clear coat finishing. This is not a quick project – quality results demand patience, proper environmental conditions (low dust, moderate temperature), and careful technique between coats.
• Can I paint this with spray cans or do I need an airbrush? — Both methods work, though airbrushes provide superior results with finer detail, smoother coverage, and easier layer blending. Spray cans work adequately if you apply thin, even coats and allow proper drying time between applications. Airbrush equipment represents a larger investment but improves all RC painting projects.
• What is the difference between this clear shell and a pre-painted Tamiya body? — Pre-painted bodies arrive finished in specific colours and are ready to decorate and mount immediately. This clear unpainted shell requires you to complete all painting, giving you unlimited colour options and customisation potential. Pre-painted is faster; unpainted offers complete creative control. Choose unpainted if you want specific rally liveries or custom designs not available pre-painted.
• Are the ABS detail parts necessary for the bodyshell to function? — The bodyshell will function without them, but the separate side mirrors, bumper, and fog lamp parts add authentic three-dimensional detail and visual realism. These parts are relatively simple to attach with appropriate adhesive and significantly improve the finished appearance, making the effort worthwhile.
• What is the scale of this bodyshell? — This is a 1/10 scale bodyshell, meaning the RC car is one-tenth the size of a real Ford Escort Mk.II. 1/10 is the most popular and versatile RC car scale, offering excellent manoeuvrability, proven chassis designs, and widespread parts availability.

Why Buy from RC Model Shop?

RC Model Shop is a trusted UK RC retailer and authorised dealer for all the brands we stock, including Tamiya, Traxxas, ARRMA, Losi, FTX, Hobbywing, Spektrum and more. Whether you are a seasoned competitor, a weekend basher, or just discovering the world of RC for the first time, our team of experienced RC enthusiasts is here to help you find the perfect setup and provide ongoing support. Order the Tamiya Ford Escort Mk.II Clear Unpainted Rally Bodyshell TAM51658 today with confidence, knowing you are buying from an authorised retailer with genuine products, expert knowledge and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Shop online or visit us in Walsall — we look forward to helping you get the most out of your RC experience.