The Tamiya RC car thread
Discussion
Crafty_ said:
Its probably the size of the body shell - M-05 chassis (yaris) is 210mm. Their 4x4 chassis are 257mm, so you'd have to stretch the yaris in odd ways to make it fit those - and then it'd probably be too wide.
The M-05 is 12 years old, this is what we mean by Tamiya recycling.. new body on an existing chassis.
The Mk2 escort has the same issue - they don't have a rwd chassis that would work, especially not a tarmac car.
Speaking of the mk2, you can get bodies from https://landlmodels.co.uk/collections/rally-car-bo... (when in stock) - will fit a TT01/02 etc chassis. There was a guy on ebay selling basic tt02 kits with that body and a big set of wheels for £2-300+
RC Kicks recently built an M-08 Concept chassis which is RWD with the plan to put the Escort on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIH5VMdSHfIThe M-05 is 12 years old, this is what we mean by Tamiya recycling.. new body on an existing chassis.
The Mk2 escort has the same issue - they don't have a rwd chassis that would work, especially not a tarmac car.
Speaking of the mk2, you can get bodies from https://landlmodels.co.uk/collections/rally-car-bo... (when in stock) - will fit a TT01/02 etc chassis. There was a guy on ebay selling basic tt02 kits with that body and a big set of wheels for £2-300+
miniman said:
Had that!!
Here’s the build diary for my Supershot.
Used it fir about three hours, now packed away!!
https://www.flickr.com/gp/simes205/43Tqn0
Edited by Simes205 on Tuesday 26th January 15:00
ThisInJapanese said:
RC Kicks recently built an M-08 Concept chassis which is RWD with the plan to put the Escort on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIH5VMdSHfI
Thats interesting, I assumed their escort would be 257mm, but the MF01X is 225mm, so a bit smaller.The M08 like most of the M chassis can be built to different wheelbases, one being 225mm so should work fine.
Not a huge fan of the M chassis, I have an M-06 and the suspension is utterly useless, the springs are too short and the shocks are too soft, resulting in the weight of the car taking much of the ride height and what suspension is left being horribly soft, which will result in grounding and the bottom getting smashed to bits. I binned them for aftermarket ones.
The whole thing seems a bit too plasticky, even for a tamiya..
jimPH said:
They always seemed to be really expensive in the 80's, i certainly wouldnt have dared ask for a clod buster or bigwig. However, these days they seem much more affordable. Not sure if my dad was just a tight git or did we all genuinely have less money back then?
They are basically selling the same thing at the same price as they did back then, so I guess they have gotten a bit cheaper.Certainly the electrics side has got cheaper over time. I can remember ESCs being quite espensive, now you can get a basic ones for £20.
Edited by Crafty_ on Tuesday 26th January 15:51
magpie215 said:
Indeed the huge rail layout in the window.
All the model aircraft hanging from the ceiling.
Rows and rows of plastic kits
The RC section at the back of the store with the Tamiya vid on loop......watching the Fox leaping off sand dunes........always a treat
I forgot about the train layout in the window! My first love was for model trains, probably inspired by Beatties. My parents ended up selling the trains to fund my desire for a Tamiya RC car.All the model aircraft hanging from the ceiling.
Rows and rows of plastic kits
The RC section at the back of the store with the Tamiya vid on loop......watching the Fox leaping off sand dunes........always a treat
miniman said:
Love the PH roof sticker! 
300bhp/ton said:
Just for interest. The Tamiya one was based/inspired by a real one.
Wow thanks! I've been a Tamiya nerd for decades and I never saw that one.Sneaks off to Google to try and find more
<<Edit after said Googling>> Decals are available (no personal connection)!
https://www.screenprintdigitalstickers.com/product...
Makes a nice replica:
https://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=...
Edited by generationx on Wednesday 27th January 10:46
jimPH said:
They always seemed to be really expensive in the 80's, i certainly wouldnt have dared ask for a clod buster or bigwig. However, these days they seem much more affordable. Not sure if my dad was just a tight git or did we all genuinely have less money back then?
Probably had less money and they were expensive. My parents got me the cheapest one at the time (grasshopper 2) yet I still lusted after a bigwig or a clodbuster. When I was a bit older I was gifted the Mudblaster which I recall was one of cheapest monster truck type models at the time. I'm sure it was £130 back then and given they aren't far off that price now suggests the quality must have reduced or there is lower import duty?That reminds me, I went to see a friend of mine and he's always been one to get the best of everything, if he buys a car is fully optioned, if he buys a bike it's some top end carbon job weighed in grams.
Anyway, he showed me his new RC cars, no idea what they were, but they were indoor type and he even had miniature corner scales to improve his setup! I guess it can get pretty competitive.
Anyway, he showed me his new RC cars, no idea what they were, but they were indoor type and he even had miniature corner scales to improve his setup! I guess it can get pretty competitive.
jimPH said:
That reminds me, I went to see a friend of mine and he's always been one to get the best of everything, if he buys a car is fully optioned, if he buys a bike it's some top end carbon job weighed in grams.
Anyway, he showed me his new RC cars, no idea what they were, but they were indoor type and he even had miniature corner scales to improve his setup! I guess it can get pretty competitive.
Like this?Anyway, he showed me his new RC cars, no idea what they were, but they were indoor type and he even had miniature corner scales to improve his setup! I guess it can get pretty competitive.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I need to dig my RC12R5s out of the garage for a play. Can be had second hand pretty cheap. think I paid £100 for one with brushless ESC, motor and miniature servo. Found some £10 1S LiPos and a £5 (maybe even less) receiver from eBay and I should be up and running soon!
After enviously looking on at the school RC club in the early-mid 80’s I cut my teeth with a second hand Subaru Brat which had been upgraded with a 540 motor. That ended up with a Frog body and was sold to a friend, and after much research with ‘that’ catalogue I received a Monster Beetle kit for Christmas 1988 to build.
It was brilliant but was eventually put away in the loft when girls, alcohol and real cars came along!
I dug it out a few years ago when my son reached a certain age and it’s now a bit of a Trigger’s Broom with Kamtec shell, ESC, new chassis (original snapped upon meeting a tree at the hands of my son), new wheels, new steering servo (centred), sport-tuned motor, Ampro front hubs, ball diff etc. Goes really well!
In memory of my Subaru Brat I also painted up a lexan shell for it
The nostalgia pull became very real and in relatively short order it was joined by a Hornet, Unimog (on the Lunchbox chassis) with various upgrades and a Comical Frog. I also have a re-release Bigwig waiting to be built, but having not missed a day’s work since this whole situation began I’ve not had much time to spare! Seeing the one earlier in this thread is brilliant - I could only dream of one as a boy.
I really ought to stay off this thread as I fear what will happen..
It was brilliant but was eventually put away in the loft when girls, alcohol and real cars came along!
I dug it out a few years ago when my son reached a certain age and it’s now a bit of a Trigger’s Broom with Kamtec shell, ESC, new chassis (original snapped upon meeting a tree at the hands of my son), new wheels, new steering servo (centred), sport-tuned motor, Ampro front hubs, ball diff etc. Goes really well!
In memory of my Subaru Brat I also painted up a lexan shell for it
The nostalgia pull became very real and in relatively short order it was joined by a Hornet, Unimog (on the Lunchbox chassis) with various upgrades and a Comical Frog. I also have a re-release Bigwig waiting to be built, but having not missed a day’s work since this whole situation began I’ve not had much time to spare! Seeing the one earlier in this thread is brilliant - I could only dream of one as a boy.
I really ought to stay off this thread as I fear what will happen..
I had a Midnight Pumpkin as a kid, and my brother had the Lunchbox, back in the late 80s. A couple of mates at school had various buggies but one lucky b
d had the Clodbuster (he was the rich kid with the big house 
) - I just remember it being enormous!
I've posted this before but I restored my Pumpkin about 8 years ago now, quite a satisfying job:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjDGStZq - I did think about hanging on to it but in the end I sold it to a guy who wanted it for his young kid so it's nice a new generation can enjoy this stuff, rather than it sit in my cupboard for another 20 years
d had the Clodbuster (he was the rich kid with the big house ) - I just remember it being enormous!I've posted this before but I restored my Pumpkin about 8 years ago now, quite a satisfying job:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjDGStZq - I did think about hanging on to it but in the end I sold it to a guy who wanted it for his young kid so it's nice a new generation can enjoy this stuff, rather than it sit in my cupboard for another 20 years
Simes205 said:
Has anyone upgraded their Tamiya with Lipo and related motors?
I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
I run my son's midnight pumpkin with a 2s or 3s (turned down to M viaTX on 3s) with a cheap brushed 21t (core RC) motor and have no real issues and it's plenty fast enough for that chassis (hilarious)I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
I did once round off the hex outputs on the diff giving it the full 12.6v beans too much...... It cost 4.49 for the parts to fix it.
I imagine brushless would be a killer for lots of composite tamiya transmissions, But there will be a knowledge base to help..........
In comparison a failed bearing caused my diff and input gear to strip on a rocketship arrma last weekend and the parts to fix it will be £35+
My son had the pumpkin almost submerged at one point... Just keeps going
Simes205 said:
Has anyone upgraded their Tamiya with Lipo and related motors?
I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
What car are you thinking of upgrading? I run a Hornet brushless and LiPo but the poor thing is a bit abused (4000kv+ brushless motor too). No 'box breakages... so far! In all honesty; it's totally unnecessary and not recommended but it goes like a scalded cat and amuses me!I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
Simes205 said:
Has anyone upgraded their Tamiya with Lipo and related motors?
I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
That is a bit open ended. It's a bit like saying has anyone ever put a bigger engine in a sports car......I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
I only run LiPo in everything these days. You can run normal brushed motors on 2S LiPo packs.
300bhp/ton said:
Simes205 said:
Has anyone upgraded their Tamiya with Lipo and related motors?
I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
That is a bit open ended. It's a bit like saying has anyone ever put a bigger engine in a sports car......I’ve heard the gearboxes could have a hard time with.
I only run LiPo in everything these days. You can run normal brushed motors on 2S LiPo packs.
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