Tamiya Hotshots

[djdestiny]

Ive been a huge fan of Tamiya RC cars and truck since the early 80s, and to me The Hotshot is the best!
Its not the best spec or handling wise, but its always been my favourite, especially looks wise

I wanted one for years and years, and eventually got round to buying the re-released version, then a mate told me he had one sitting in his loft for years (an original one!) so I had that off him and set about restoring it. It had an incorrect front upright and some other bits which Ive sourced apart from the front drive shafts which are proving near impossible

Here's a few pics of them both













The one I got off my mate was seriously muddy and literally plastered in grease and grime!











It is now looking a lot better, I rebuilt it all working, but the gearboxes were all put together dry as its now just a retired shelf queen. If/when I can be bothered I will get a new shell and wheels to really freshen it up, but part of me prefers it keeping some originality.













Original vintage spares used as some parts are different from the re-released version

[thehos]

nice, that was my first rc car, was that or the super champ at the time!! Now there's one sitting on my shelf, along with a few others

[falkster]

Great memories!! I never liked the way the chassis split in two. I remember having one of those then the Bigwig!!

[theshrew]

I always wanted one of these when I was about 10 my mate had one Still never had one but I did get into racing on road cars in a big way when I was about 20.

Great to see someone getting enjoyment out of a old classic.

[djdestiny]

Yeah, the lack of access to the radio gear can be annoying, but at least it keeps the crap out.
The re-released one shares the hotshot 2 chassis which has a small access hatch in the top, it's still very limited but better than nothing I suppose

[thehos]

yea, quite tight in there, esp with the oem speed controller

[falkster]

I think sentimentality takes over when you see things like this!! I would love a shelf full of the old Tamiya cars I had as a child - even the rubbish Hornet, Falcon, Fox and Frog look good now and the Subaru Brat that you wouldn't have given when you were a child, you'd almost do anything to get one now.
If I could get a decent Kyosho Optima Mid Turbo, that I had when I was about 13, I would be chuffed to bits!!

[thehos]

optima, never had one, I had cats! but on the look out for an optima, sooo pricey now tho, got a few bits of one here, a start!!

[falkster]

thehos said:

optima, never had one, I had cats! but on the look out for an optima, sooo pricey now tho, got a few bits of one here, a start!!

What sort of CATs?? I've got an XL, XLS - both in bits and a fully working CAT2000TC which I raced.

[thehos]

falkster said:

What sort of CATs?? I've got an XL, XLS - both in bits and a fully working CAT2000TC which I raced.

most of them mate, raced a xls, got a swb, xl, xls, boss all of them, pro, 2000ec with a carbon tub, and a couple maybe 3 3000's