Discussion
Back in the day I didn't have time, space or money to justify a Tamiya rc kit.
Now I have the time, money and space to rectify that. I'll work out something to explain it to my wife.
The plan is just to have it zoom around the garden, compare times with my kids, chase the dog and enjoy a few hours building it. I like the retro nature of this, but am I missing out on a better deal?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAMIYA-Grasshopper-Bundle...
Now I have the time, money and space to rectify that. I'll work out something to explain it to my wife.
The plan is just to have it zoom around the garden, compare times with my kids, chase the dog and enjoy a few hours building it. I like the retro nature of this, but am I missing out on a better deal?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAMIYA-Grasshopper-Bundle...
The deal itself is not a bad one, comparable to Modelsport: https://www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-grasshopper/rc...
But ask yourself - do you really want retro. RC cars have moved on a lot from the Tamiya days and whilst putting together one of the reissued kits will remind you of your childhood you can have a lot more fun with something like this: https://www.modelsport.co.uk/ftx-carnage-1-10-4wd-...
I had a Tamiya Frog as a kid and my overriding memory of it was that I spent more time repairing it than playing with it
Learnt a lot from it but is that what you really want?
But ask yourself - do you really want retro. RC cars have moved on a lot from the Tamiya days and whilst putting together one of the reissued kits will remind you of your childhood you can have a lot more fun with something like this: https://www.modelsport.co.uk/ftx-carnage-1-10-4wd-...
I had a Tamiya Frog as a kid and my overriding memory of it was that I spent more time repairing it than playing with it
Learnt a lot from it but is that what you really want?I lusted after Tamiya models when I was a child but never had one. A friend had the Hornet and another had the Lunchbox; I was envious.
About 10 years ago myself and 2 equally rc-deprived friends thought we'd rectify past wrongs, and we bought ourselves a Tamiya model each to muck around with in the park.
It was fun for about a week. Perhaps buy them for your kids rather than yourself?
About 10 years ago myself and 2 equally rc-deprived friends thought we'd rectify past wrongs, and we bought ourselves a Tamiya model each to muck around with in the park.
It was fun for about a week. Perhaps buy them for your kids rather than yourself?
The Grasshopper is very slow with only a 380 motor, at least go for the Hornet with the bigger 540 if you want that type of car.
However for bouncing around the garden the various monster trucks types do a better job, if you just want to dip your toe in the water the Tamiya Mad Bull is pretty bomb proof
https://www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-mad-bull/rc-ca...
Or a Tamiya Lunchbox if you fancy some wheelies and a will it or won't it roll over any moment fun driving experience
http://www.fusionhobbies.com/product/58347-tamiya-...
However for bouncing around the garden the various monster trucks types do a better job, if you just want to dip your toe in the water the Tamiya Mad Bull is pretty bomb proof
https://www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-mad-bull/rc-ca...
Or a Tamiya Lunchbox if you fancy some wheelies and a will it or won't it roll over any moment fun driving experience
http://www.fusionhobbies.com/product/58347-tamiya-...
DrSteveBrule said:
I lusted after Tamiya models when I was a child but never had one. A friend had the Hornet and another had the Lunchbox; I was envious.
About 10 years ago myself and 2 equally rc-deprived friends thought we'd rectify past wrongs, and we bought ourselves a Tamiya model each to muck around with in the park.
It was fun for about a week. Perhaps buy them for your kids rather than yourself?
Trouble is, my kids range between 25 and 33. About 10 years ago myself and 2 equally rc-deprived friends thought we'd rectify past wrongs, and we bought ourselves a Tamiya model each to muck around with in the park.
It was fun for about a week. Perhaps buy them for your kids rather than yourself?
The danger of a thread like this is that I'm finding that having decided I need to spend £140 I know KNOW I need to spend £200.
If you just want something to throw around the garden then the Madbull really is fun for the money. The huge tyres enable it to handle a lot of different terrain types, including grass without being bogged down. Plus, going full reverse and full forwards it'll pop a wheelie. The tyres also allow it to absorb more impact from a jump. I had one for a while and it was great fun and helped me scratch the same tamiya itch as you.
silverthorn2151 said:
Trouble is, my kids range between 25 and 33.
The danger of a thread like this is that I'm finding that having decided I need to spend £140 I know KNOW I need to spend £200.
https://www.wirelessmadness.com/rc-cars/electric-o...The danger of a thread like this is that I'm finding that having decided I need to spend £140 I know KNOW I need to spend £200.
This is great value and will be MUCH faster and more durable than an 80's Tamiya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_zk_dWddkQ
Edited by Gary29 on Tuesday 15th May 15:25
Great timing OP. I was also deprived as a kid and never had a Tamiya so have considered one of the reissues. I've now decided something like this will be a good plan for my son's 9th birthday in a few months - we went to a village fete on Saturday and he comprehensively showed me up on the RC course someone had set up.
Off to browse all those suggestions now.
Off to browse all those suggestions now.
silverthorn2151 said:
Looks terrific. Is there a kit option as I fancy a few evenings building something.
These days it costs less for a pre-assembled kit with all the gubbings included than it does for a kit, kids want instant gratification as soon as they rip the box apart, building the thing was half the fun back in my day!If it's a kit you want then HPI or Tamiya would be my choice, but you will end up paying more for the privilege.
Wild Willy 2
https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/tamiya-rc-58242...
Classic hard body on an updated chasis, quite a good backyard basher, will wheelie at the drop of a hat.
If you get a kit budget for a full set of bearings, much easier to fit on first assembly.
https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/tamiya-rc-58242...
Classic hard body on an updated chasis, quite a good backyard basher, will wheelie at the drop of a hat.
If you get a kit budget for a full set of bearings, much easier to fit on first assembly.
C0ffin D0dger said:
AshVX220 said:
Plus, going full reverse and full forwards it'll pop a wheelie.
Trashed several gear boxes on my Frog doing that The Hornet/lunchbox gearbox didn't have this issue, I know this as a friend of mine and I became masters of the J-turn and 360 spin on loose dirt by jamming the mechanical speed controller from full forward to reverse repeatedly - no ESC nannying delays there!
OP - In my opinion the re-releases are totally nostalgia driven. If you're more interested in the precise build experience and some casual running then Tamiya is excellent. If bashing around at high speed is more your bag then there's so many better modern alternatives now.
Personally I'm a scale crawler convert. Clambering a very realistic model over some scale terrain never gets old. Plus runtime on modern LiPo is well over an hour.
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