Holiday Buggy Appreciation Society

[mr crispy 2293]

Just took my HB2010 out for its first proper run and WOW, I think it would be very hard to get better R/c value for money. I know some knock it but I've had a lovely morning with my daughter and I thought I share the good times.

I took the car and my 3 year old upto Boxhill today which is an open to the public National Trust wood just north of Dorking in Surrey and very child/dog/maniacs with r/c toys friendly. We follwed a new kids play trail they've built through the woods that runs straight out of the main car park at the top of the hill (opposite the shop) and quite deep into the woods. Being right on the car park you dont have to walk any distance with the car under your arm before you get to the good stuff and the kid was very happy for daddy to play around as much as she was. The trail is mostly a mixture of packed earth, gravel, loose bark chippings and leaf mulch so it can be quite a challange in places but the HB handled it all with ease and surpassed my expectations. The paths can get a little uneven which may not be great for little old ladies but its an R/C drivers dream with roots and earth mounds to jump, climb and generally hoon about on.

At one point I was jogging along a track with my daughter on my shoulders while controlling the HB infront of me going at full chat... who says men cant multi-task? As its away from the usual veiw point spots we didnt encounter many people but those that we did just seemed to enjoy the car as much as us, viewing it like an energetic puppy. I've driven R/C tanks up there before and we've always gotten a good reception with people showing interest rather than annoyance.

But back to the HB. Mechanically its almost stock out of the box with a bearing set and still running the 380 motor. All I've changed are the wheels & tyres to some Carsons which probably gave less traction than the original super grippers today given the ground conditions. It also has a 3300nimh battery but even so I must've been running almost nonstop for 60-90 mins today and it was still doing rolling burnouts and pulling doughnuts in the carpark when we got back.

This trail goes off into semi cleared area's with log climbs and rope swings for the kids but the ground around them is just right for R/C offroading and crawlers. The HB amazed me by climbing a slope of loose tree litter, twigs, roots and gravel that must've been at least 60 degrees like it was a 4x4 first time i tried it, so I did it again, and again and even once more for the camera.... I would post the video but alas my 3 year olds camera work isnt up to Top Gear standards.

Getting home and nothing has broken or cracked on the HB, just the usual few light scratches on the underside to christen the new boy. You know you've had a good R/C session when your full size car boot needs hoovering out before the wife notices . I also wondered whether the PE body stops the dust sticking so easily...

...maybe not. Looks like the dust cover I made did its job quite well. It didnt seem to effect the radio reception either, I had the car a good 80-100 feet away and was still in full control.

What a great little car. £65 new from Selections + £8 on bearings + £20 for the Carson tyre & wheels set + Old radio gear from an unused car = Big smile on my face Need to try it on the beach soon and remember to take an adult cameraman That should be another long session of fun.

Anyone else got some good stories of their HB?

[Static Age 65]

Just goes to show you dont need to spend much money to have fun with RC.

I have a set of those carson wheels/tyres. Not so great on very loose surfaces but the level of grip on hard surfaces is superb.

[Will16 45]

The HB2010 is a brilliant car. I regulary bash around my street area as there is grass, dirt and Tarmac. Loads of smaller kids come around and are amazed by it. I've raced it against some scooters aswell!!

[markbt73 5311]

I'm still trying to find my groove with mine. I like it, but I haven't quite gotten it right yet. I think part of the problem is that I put a waterproof LRP speed controller in it that I just hate - no on/off switch, one full second reverse delay, and a really conservative current limiter that won't allow any wheelspin at all on pavement. It's just no fun to drive it like that. I even installed a 540, and the stupid ESC tamed it down so much that the acceleration was the same as my Grasshopper with a 380. I installed a brushless setup, but it feels way overgeared for that. So I'm waiting for the rain to stop (sometime next month) and I'll try it again, with the 380 and a TEU-104, and see how it goes.

[Henk4Focus 0]

Oh I like your way of seeing the HB 2010. A fun and very cheap way to get into RC or just a cheap basher. I know the fanatical old school die hards was disappointed by the DT02 re re, but Oh my, what a fun chassis and it just looks so cool with the HB shell on it. I would just have been happier if I could have painted the shell in a colour of my own choice.

Still, I love mine with the wide suspension arms, and holes in the bonnet. Can't wait for December to take it to the coast for some beach mayhem!

[mr crispy 2293]

Cant agree more. I also think the budget adds to the fun factor. Due to its low cost and easy parts availability you dont mind throwing it around and treating it quite rough. Its much like an 21st Century Grasshopper in that respect. You know that it wont cost a fortune to put right should something break so you dont have that "I better hold back on this one just incase" attitude. But unlike the GH the DT02 chassis is a huge improvement and handles very well.

I didnt know the original Holiday Buggy back in the day so I dont thave the rose tinted memories of it. I can appreciate that people hoping for that exact look were dissapointed when the HB2010 came out with the bonnet holes, wider wheelbase, modern tyres etc and I agree the old version does look better when sitting on a shelf. But I've been a plastic model maker and I get bored with the stuff gathering dust on the shelft. For me this hobby is about getting out and having fun, modifying, fixing and restoring cars to use so this little buggy is just what I want.

Markbt73 - I had a similar experience with an unknown brand of ESC I got 2nd hand. Had the same 1 second delay from forward to reverse but there was no breaking effect! So not only was it very frustrating to drive but it was a nightmare around obsticles as you couldnt stop it quickly. Came without instructions and after an evening of trial and error i gave up and put a Tamiya ESC in and it transformed the car.

I have a standard Tamiya RS540 motor ready to go in (Im just waiting fo the pinion to arrive) but Im wondering about swapping the 380 out now. I dont think yesterday would've been anymore fun, just a lot more dusty with bigger "rooster tail" clouds being thrown up behind and more rubber worn off the tyres. I'll probably keep both motors available so I can swap em around depending on what I fancy doing that day, high speed crazy stunts or longer run times. Same with the original tyres, I'll keep them for tailoring the running surface to the car.

As for the body painting, yes I too had thought I'd want to change mine but the yellow & blue colour scheme has grown on me and Im lovin it now. I think the best thing Tamiya could do would be to bring out a hard plastic body kit seperately for anyone wanting to paint the body. That way they wouldnt need to repackage the existing kits and make a bit more cash on the side. It could even come with inserts to fill the bonnet holes for those that want the original look.

[OrangeSport 0]

Yep, it gets the thumbs up from me. The HB2010 is a great fun basher. I also think the little 380 is underrated. It performs better than people expect and the batteries last forever. I have two (a runner with a 540 and ballraces and a bog-standard version on the shelf). I also have a red version on pre-order, which will keep its 380 and be used mainly on the beach, and another on its way as a spares / donor car..

There are a few pictures here, here & here.

[Henk4Focus 0]

Just checked my HB box again over the weekend while I was tinkering. Box clearly states, in the line of "perfect rc buggy for those who is starting out". And I so agree with that statement.

While I was busy the yellow wheels also found their way onto my Desert Gator. They fit the decals on the Gator perfectly and the wheels from there works better for me on my HB2010.

Sorry for the poor pics (cellphone) but you get the idea.

[OrangeSport 0]

That green looks great - does it stick to the body OK?

[Henk4Focus 0]

Bummer bummer bummer!!! It doesn't stick at all. Used Tamiya plastic primer after a huge sanding job, but still the slightest nick and the paint flakes of. The flanks are the main culprit here. I'll have to get a second shell as a runner and this one for show. So wish I could say that the primer made the paint stick. Also went beserk on my driver last night, I'll post some pics when I take time to take some of my version of the driver.

[skip665 169]

I love our HB2010 - I built it for my 6 month old last September - he is now 15 months and is fascinated with it - we take it out when we can and he sits with me while I drive it around. I fitted ballraces and CVA shocks but other than that its stock. It uses a Tamiya RTR trigger type controller so little hands can operate it easier when he works out how it goes. It looks great too - certainly one of my current favourite runners As mentioned above - the 380 motor is fine - I have tried a 540 in it but to be honest the 380 is plenty for what we use it for.

[Henk4Focus 0]

Just for those who hasn't checked it out yet. On Tamiyausa there is a very nice and detailed build article by our very own Joe Anderson which I really enjoyed. Some very nice detailed tips on how to make working lights and a very good pointer on how to paint the shell. We don't get those paint brands here so I had to make do with the Tamiya stuff. His white shelled one looks pretty awesome.

[mr crispy 2293]

That Joe Anderson article is well worth a read, helped me make up my mind to buy one. You can find it here.

Met up with my sisters family the other week for a day in the country and took the HB along with a 4x4 TL01B chassis'd Baja bug. Had a ton of fun as my brother-in-law is also an R/C fan and have convinced him to get a HB too

Went to Priory Farm just outside Redhill, it has a wildlife walk which must be getting on for a mile around their grounds and we drove both cars all around it. The Baja's 540 motor drained the first 3300nimh and the spare nicad i'd brought along but the little HB had no worries getting around and back to the car park on the same 3300nimh. It even had enough juice left for some nephew driver training.

In that last picture the walk we did goes up the hillside and along the ridgeline, around a lake, through a wood and down to the carpark. Pretty good going including all the mad larking about and rock climbing we were putting them through.

[Henk4Focus 0]

That looks like a lovely spot. The more I see the yellow roof the more I like it.

[Wandy 1527]

If anyone still needs convincing of the appeal of the HB10 they should watch this brilliant video...

...

Makes you realise that Tamiya were probably right in bringing it back on the DT-02.

[TWINSET 1793]

Watching one running is definitely a better experience than looking at it on the shelf - I took mine out for a blat with the original 380 and it's ugliness was soon overshadowed by fun

Working on VTRSP1's narrowing at the minute, but leaning towards HBA-R already

[Wandy 1527]

............but leaning towards HBA-R already

Holiday Buggy Appreciation - Regardless??

I actually think it's only the yellow wheels that detract from it's appearance.

[TWINSET 1793]

Holiday Buggy Appreciation - Regardless??

Holiday Buggy Appreciation - Running

[Wandy 1527]

Holiday Buggy Appreciation - Running

Close.

[Henk4Focus 0]

If anyone still needs convincing of the appeal of the HB10 they should watch this brilliant video...

...

Makes you realise that Tamiya were probably right in bringing it back on the DT-02.

The head on shot at 2:14 to about 2:22 is my fav piece. Those Carson wheels and tyres sure looks great on the HB2010.

[Wandy 1527]

The head on shot at 2:14 to about 2:22 is my fav piece. Those Carson wheels and tyres sure looks great on the HB2010.

Mine is 3:37 onwards. Just love the way it bunnyhops all over the place.

[qatmix 794]

Mine is 3:37 onwards. Just love the way it bunnyhops all over the place.

Great Video! The new HB is great, I just wish they made some of the other re-releases in the same vein.

If you want to paint a HB shell just use Auto paints.. I have a shell thats 25 years old and it still hasnt flaked... and it was bashed hard (it has no roof to prove it)

[mr crispy 2293]

With the yellow roof on mine the yellow wheels actually work a lot better, pulls the colour scheme together. IMO its those standard tyres that ruin the look especially at the front end. Something with a bit more bulk would look better on the original rims. But I've got to admit they do grip and steer well, they just look pants

[super gripper 419]

LEAVE the DT02 chassis alone I say ! The orginal HB chassis handled like a bag of PANTS! Why on earth would you want to destroy the DT02's great handling ? ? ? which = FUN ! I run a 19spec motor in mine with lipo, goes like stink - fantastic fun cars these. Well done Tamiya, SPOT ON ! !

Both myself and my boy have one of the 2010's and we have great fun thrashing these things around. Looks are not everything !!!!

[taliesin 260]

Looks are not everything !!!!

Yeah, but you don't see many blokes lining up to take the butt-ugly chicks to the prom either ....