RE: The Monster Beetle is back!

RE: The Monster Beetle is back!

Friday 18th September 2015

The Monster Beetle is back! [Updated]

Classic Tamiya radio controlled car returns [Updated with video tour of the Tamiya store]



PH was in Japan recently and while limbering up to race the new MX-5 at Tsukuba Circuit we took a bit of a diversion in Tokyo to pay a visit (and respects) to the Tamiya Plamodel Factory. For anyone raised on the legend of the Tamiya catalogue and its exotic back pages of specialist modelling tools, paints, potions and hop-up parts it's a truly incredible place. All those ball bearing kits, carbon chassis components, fancy dampers and anodised aluminium goodies you dreamed of adding to your Hornet or Grasshopper? They're all there, immaculately catalogued and in stock.

The birthplace!
The birthplace!
Obviously Tokyo is a bit of a trek to indulge in some Tamiya geekery but you don't have to go that far to step back in time to a misplaced childhood of radio-controlled cars and other geekery. Wise to the fact a generation raised on those classic models is now of an age where a) they can afford to splash some cash or b) have offspring to provide the perfect excuse for a bit of regression Tamiya has been busy reissuing some of its iconic kits. And now it's the turn of the Monster Beetle.

Now, purists may scoff given that the Monster Beetle wasn't one of the racier or more technologically advanced of Tamiya's radio-controlled cars. But as a bit of harmless fun it's not hard to see the appeal, the new version faithful to the 1986 original in all but the addition of an electronic speed controller (remember when they were the height of sophistication?) and apparently updated driveshafts. With its balloon tyres and rear-driven chassis think of it as an Ariel Nomad you can drive in the back garden under the pretence you're entertaining the kids. Win-win. Prices start from £130 for the kit, £180 for the RC bundle. See www.hobbyco.net for more.

Dan's video blog from the Tamiya store





Author
Discussion

tim0409

Original Poster:

4,355 posts

158 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
This takes me back to my youth! I worked part-time in a r/c model shop, and whilst I was primarily interested in planes, I built quite a few Tamiya cars for customers in the run up to Christmas as a side-line, The enjoyment/excitement tends to fade when you are on your 3rd Monster Beetle of the week!


sean ie3

1,958 posts

135 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Had a lamborghini LM when i was a kid ,the battery lasted about twice up and down the driveway.Hmm,wonder if there is a parallel here ,battery life/fuel consumption.

Jammez

656 posts

206 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Brings back loads of memories. Like helping my Dad to build my younger brothers Monster Beetle only for him to crash it into a big plant pot within seconds of putting it outside and breaking the steering linkage. Must have been the shortest lived Xmas present ever! He then had to wait about 2 weeks until we could get a spare part for it.

Restored my brothers old one last year. Quickest & cheapest car restoration ever!

Pic with original body & scrappy shell with Monster decals. Need to start work on my old Blackfoot next.






soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
It's not Christmas yet! banghead

paulyv

1,017 posts

122 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
I was lucky enough to be bought 'The Fox' around 1987. Cracking vehicle which would happily tackle any number of increasingly-steep wooden ramps and piles of building sand.

Come to think of it, it is likely still in Dad's garage in bits...a foray into that terrifying den of cobwebs might result in my seeing what state it is in next weekend. Nothing more attractive to a girlfriend than a 43-year-old man playing with a remote control car...

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
paulyv said:
Nothing more attractive to a girlfriend than a 43-year-old man playing with a remote control car...
hehe

TWPC

838 posts

160 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
I got a 'Wild Willy' when I was 15...
This was the original version: swing axles at the front, giant tyres and wheels with masses of unsprung weight, coil sprung live axle at the rear and no dampers. As unsophisticated as its owner.

A year or two later I got 'The Frog'. Double wishbones at the front and IRS with oil filled shocks - quite a step forward! (though I hadn't made the same progress)

Good times cloud9

sutts

896 posts

147 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
My original Monster Beetle, bought for Christmas 1987 and built over two days is still with me in a cupboard somewhere and still in working order the last time I looked at it, although iirc the speed controller now overheats for some reason. I guess I could strip and rebuild it with an electronic speed controller and new tyres and would be good to go.

My 3 year old would probably smash it up so I would have to conduct 'testing' while he was at pre-school...

Very happy memories in the late 80's of hopping over the fence into next door's garden (they spent 6 months of the year abroad) with my 'car' and two fully charged batteries and flying up and down their gravel driveway, making jumps and doing skids!

InitialDave

11,854 posts

118 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
I have a fair few Tamiya cars, and while I can't say the factory justifies a trip there specially, if you're going past Shizuoka (such as travelling between Tokyo and Kyoto), it's worth a visit. Rainbow Ten on the other side of town is a good shout if you're more into regular plastic model kits.

Best place I found for RC car prices is RC Champ, the branch in the Akihabara area of Tokyo is very convenient to get to if you're visiting. With the exchange rate as it is now, you're talking about 40% of the cost compared to over here for a Tamiya kit.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Still remember on Christmas day, opening up my pressie from mum and dad to be greeted with a Grasshopper; can't remember my age at the time but I'm 40 now.

By the time I'd finally built it I had wrecked it within an hour or so as I just wasn't used to the speed and response of the thing; had to wait what semed like an eternity until the Christmas shop shut down (this was a time when shops were shut for more than just a day over Christmas) was over before my dad could buy bits to fix it.

Over the years I'd upgrade the motor to a 540 (?), replace the plastic bearings with proper metal bearings, better tyrs etc. I also bought myself a Vanessa's Lunch box too.

Haven't a clue where the cars are now, happy times though.

Always lusted after a Bigwig

Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 17th September 18:29

M44krv

4 posts

195 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
First RC car was Tamiya Wild One iirc it was based on the Wilys Jeep - better steering the Frog or Hornet. Progressed to a Schumacher CAT LWB - about as sophisticated as it got in 1988!

Had loads of fun racing these back in the day.

Jay Kay 225

19 posts

171 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Jammez said:
Brings back loads of memories. Like helping my Dad to build my younger brothers Monster Beetle only for him to crash it into a big plant pot within seconds of putting it outside and breaking the steering linkage. Must have been the shortest lived Xmas present ever! He then had to wait about 2 weeks until we could get a spare part for it.

Restored my brothers old one last year. Quickest & cheapest car restoration ever!

Pic with original body & scrappy shell with Monster decals. Need to start work on my old Blackfoot next.






Where is a good mail order place for parts? Strangely I have an old blackfoot that I recently considered restoring. I looked at it a few weeks back and noticed more parts were missing than expected, then I remembered how I used to like to tinker with stuff when I was younger...

sortedcossie

539 posts

127 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
My lad was 7 last month, we were struggling to find what to buy as he'd had a new bike etc, the usual boys stuff.

So, after some though and a bit of browsing, noted that the Lunchbox has been re-released. It's ace. We built it together, he found all the parts out and did most assembly whilst I just checked it and painted the shell for him. We've taken it out a few times, and he's getting the hang of it now.

I'm still a kid at heart, and I still have these:





so i've raided my old spares box and found enough ball races and also a 13 turn sports motor that I'll help him fit once he's used to it.

sortedcossie

539 posts

127 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Just realised how old those 2 of mine are - I had the Clod Buster in 1991 and the Escort in 1992!!!

I rebuilt the Clod a couple of years ago, but most parts are original from when my parents got me it - even has the correct Chevy front end.











Might give it a run the weekend with our lads Lunchbox!

dino_jr

347 posts

175 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
I restored my ~20 year old hotshot recently... Although so many parts needed replacing, it's practically a new car




sortedcossie

539 posts

127 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
looks ace.

I get most of my parts from Tony's Tamiya Parts on Ebay, he's a good trader.

jason61c

5,978 posts

173 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Fingers crossed they'll do the 959 again.

Mellow7

219 posts

187 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Not a Sand Scorcher though...

0836whimper

974 posts

197 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Jay Kay 225 said:
Where is a good mail order place for parts? Strangely I have an old blackfoot that I recently considered restoring. I looked at it a few weeks back and noticed more parts were missing than expected, then I remembered how I used to like to tinker with stuff when I was younger...
It's a slippery slope !

I resurrected my vintage Blackfoot, fully ball raced it...



...and then bought an Egress.....



InitialDave

11,854 posts

118 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
quotequote all
Mellow7 said:
Not a Sand Scorcher though...
They have a real one in their head office foyer: