What Are The 4 Or 5 Best Tamiya Models To Own And Run?

[Grumpy pants 4450]

I was day dreaming today about selling everything off and starting again and owning 4-5 models that would be fun to run, enjoyable to build and cost effective to maintain.

I don't have the experience that many of you have, but I would be very interested to see what you come up with, so for instance-

A Re Re Willys Wheeler would be my 1st choice for a fun runner.

A TT02 based chassis covers on road and track days!

A Tundra would cover the big truck, pick up off road section.

And then I got stuck, for buggies that could be off road and on the beach, probably for me a Blitzer Beetle but this is only 2WD...

What would you choose?

[waterbok 1282]

based on chassis

fun WR02 with Monster Tires (Wild Willy etc)

crawl CR01 the FJ40

offroad race DF01 Top Force

beach SRB Sandscorcher

more fun ORV Blackfeets

shoot five's not enough

street fun WR02 small wheels (City Turbo)

RWD buggies DT02/03

go everywhere 4WD WR01

my trick one chassis, multiple bodies

[zakspeed 187]

Interesting, I had similar thoughts and sold a lot of my cars. While I still have a few I'm down to a few regular runners depending on mood.

1) mo3 mini

2) srb - any ?

3) XV01 - great chassis and one of my favourite runners

4) orv chassis, never get tired of running my Brat

5) mounty - again just a great runner in the right environment.

We will all have different choices but if push came to shove that would be my choice.

[Klausen 1197]

4wd Buggy: Super Hotshot

2wd Buggy: Novafox

Scale: Bruiser/Mountain rider

Monster: Clod Buster

Rally: XV-01

Often think about doing something similar, but then again, I love building these cars, and everytime a new rere turns up, my only thought is, I need one of these

[XV Pilot 1936]

An interesting conundrum, and one I hope never to have to face in reality. If I had to though, I would keep the following from my fleet:

- CC-01 Pajero for scale/trail use

- WR-01 Twin Detonator for trouble-free go-anywhere bashing

- Hotshot for vintage/nostalgic running

- TT-01 Mercedes SLS for 13.5t track racing

- M-05 Fiat 500 for M chassis racing

It would be hard though, as I enjoy many aspects of the hobby, and I am not sure 5 models would suffice no matter which ones I chose. For example:

- My list has no wheelie model, so I would need to keep my WR-02G Farm King.

- My list has no modern vaguely race-worthy buggies, so I would need to keep my TT-02B and DT-02 racers for 4WD and 2WD classes.

- My list has no drifter, so my TT-01 Nissan S-15 drift car would need to be included.

- My list has no rally car, so either my TT-01, M-06 or M-03 rally cars would need to stay.

- My list contains no indestructible cars that I would be willing to let the neighbourhood kids have a go with, so my Mad Bull would need to stay too.

- The Hornet is just as important to me from a historic/nostalgic/personal perspective, so I would need to keep that too.

Ah, to heck with downsizing - I'm keeping them all!

[kontemax 1725]

Vintage Models?

This is my chart:

Racing Truck: King Cab or Hi-Lux Monster Racer (faster than Wild Dagger series with better chassis and suspensions).

Buggy 2WD: Dyna Storm (Super Astute is a choice, it's more vintage but has more problems).

Buggy 4WD 01: Boomerang (better suspensions and fast as the Hot Shot, lighter than the Bigwig)

Buggy 4WD 02: Terra Scorcher (fast as the Thunder Shot but with more optional and better front suspension).

Stunt Vehicles: Lunchbox (lighter than the Wild Willy 2, less complicated).

Manta Ray series is out of the 4WD chart because is soulless in front of the older two 4WD series.

Max

[shenlonco 1156]

the 5 you like best.

[markbt73 5311]

Hmm... see, I would have to factor in future possibilities, because simply putting miles on these things and keeping them maintained doesn't do it for me. I need to turn wrenches and make parts and cut stuff apart and put it back together.

Re-re Bruiser, or Hi-Lift of some sort - fun and involving build, then later, a good scale truck platform to scratch-build bodies on.

CC01, any style - again, basically a running chassis for scratch-building.

TB01 - built like a tank, and standard touring-car dimensions. Could do a lot with it: touring car, rally car, etc. The one I really regret selling.

Wild WIlly 2 - because it's the one that I usually DO love to just drive.

And if I could throw in one non-Tamiya vehicle, it would be a standard Associated RC10, the old short-arm six-gear variety. It just never gets old.

[Grumpy pants 4450]

Vintage is good as well, the only rule being able to class them as runners.

I would choose more modern models, as I'm thinking of strength of plastic and parts availability.

I did think today about the Kyosho Beetle which I like a lot and there are some great suggestions coming in.

ORV chassis is a strong contender, XV01 another and then perhaps the King Cab with some modern electrics.

Perhaps 4 or 5 was a bit of a mean ask as well!

[MadInventor 3884]

Top of my list would be a TXT-1, very reliable, goes anywhere, fun driving it fast or slow depending on the terrain.

After that:

hotshot or boomerang

Mad Bull,

F350 High lift

Brushless DF-02 for extreme speed on tarmac

[speedy_w_beans 4272]

Restricting myself to 4-5 Tamiya:

Beach: Lunch Box. The big tires and good ground clearance help it get through all sorts of terrain. The solid, sealed gearbox can handle a powerful brushless motor and survive sand with no problems. On the sand there's a nice level of traction for either pulling wheelies or sharp J-turns. The shell is fun to customize any way you want. Bright blue with a surfboard on top looks great at the beach, and it always puts on a good show.

Park / Camp Site: Any CR-01. This is a great model for driving walking paths, shallow creeks, tree roots, and small rocky terrain. The model uses machine screws and nuts for almost all joints, so you can tinker with this model forever and not strip out any plastics. It's a great model stock, and you can go in any direction with it with either homemade parts or hopups.

Dirt Track / Street: TRF201. This buggy is similar to other mainstream racing buggies with better suspension geometry, bellcrank steering, better plastics, turnbuckles, ball bearings, aluminum threaded dampers, slipper clutch, CVD shafts, standard wheel and tire sizes, 48 pitch standard gearing, etc. Basically, it's ready to race at the local track and also makes a great street basher since it can handle debris and uneven surfaces beautifully. Do speed runs, practice around cones, run at track practice sessions, or actually race - it's good for all of that.

On-road Track / Street: Any TB03. Between TB03, TB04, TA05V2, and TA06 this is still my favorite chassis. It's good for 21.5T or 17.5T spec racing on a track or parking lot, but don't plan on winning a high end mod class with it. Ball bearings, oil dampers, turnbuckles, better plastics are all standard. The suspension arms and uprights are common between five or six different chassis; there's a substantial number of hopups available. Or you can run the newer TRF418-style suspension. The ball diffs are better than TB02 diffs, or you can run TB04 gear diffs. The main drivetrain is 100%.sealed which is not the case for belt cars or even the TB04. Use a fast motor for speed runs. Lock the rear diff for drifting. With a few extra ball bearings for the steering rack and IFS rockers, some shims for the gears and wheel axles, and some low-friction adjusters this chassis performs very well.

A buggy, a car, a truck, and a cheap beach runner covers it for me.

[Dojo Dave 889]

5! Just 5. How mean can you be..... Ok, Tt01 as I have 3 it must do something right, tundra high lift, mad bull, my dark impact is fun and fairly cheap and maybe a lunch box or midnight pumpkin. Road, scale, fun 2wd , fun 4wd buggy, and not scared to loan to neighbor . For hardcore bashing though I have to go off field to a traxxas slash 2 or 4wd. Indestructible

My current issue is I've restored 4 cars I don't really want to run and that's about way too much revenue tied up on a shelf. 3 wild willy originals and a ranger xlt. I have a collection but I'm not so much a collector as I am a hoarder. I can't bring myself to sell my creations.

I've also run out of storage space for new acquisitions so I may need to......buy another cabinet. Lol

[steelo 93]

1. 2wd buggy - Sand Scorcher - Obviously not the best handling chassis, but ton's of 'silly' fun on the dirt and it's nice to look at

2. 4wd buggy - Neo Scorcher - Very good handling 4wd chassis that can keep up with the 'big boy's with the right motor and tires

3. 2wd onroad - M-05 Mini - Not the best handler on less than ideal tarmac, you really need a smooth surface, but that thing can scoot with a brushless motor

The following I don't have in my collection yet, but hope to very soon =)

4. 2wd 'monster' truck - Lunch box/Midnight Pumpkin - Tons of fun with doing wheelies and riding over rough terrain

5. 4wd monster truck - Super Clodbuster - Slow, but man it can run over just about anything, throw in some 15T firebolt motors and oil shocks I'm sure it will move

6. Yes, I'm adding a sixth but if Kyosho ever re-releases the original Optima I will jump on it as soon as I can

[Nitomor 2122]

The best 5 Tamiya models to own and run.

For me my top five currently would be;

Bruiser - Most awesome to build and own

WT01 - Super Basher and loves being modded, great runner.

TA03F - For drifting/on road duties

WR02C Honda City Turbo - just because I loved the outcome of the build and the body lends itself to all sorts of great livery schemes!

Monsterised Jun Watanabe Hornet - Hornet was my first RC so holds a special place for me, the monster twist makes it better and I love the Japanese craziness that the Jun edition embodies.

5 isn't enough though. Next rig will be a CR01. There's an Avante yet to build, there's also no space up there for the quirky Bullhead, WW2 or Lunchbox.

[Pintopower 1456]

1. Hornet

2. Hornet

3. Hornet

4. Hornet

5. Hornet

[Nitomor 2122]

^

3 down, 2 to go lol!

[emory70 153]

When it comes to Tamiya, I'm all about the trucks.

Mild Lunchbox

Wild Lunchbox

Modified Monster Beetle

Mild Clodbuster

Wild Clodbuster

[njmlondon 570]

I have nowhere to run on-road so it makes my selection easy.

Wild Willy M38 (for gentle running)

Wild Willy 2 (for hard running)

Sand Scorcher re-re (for beach running)

Lancia Rally original (for gentle running)

959 (for sitting on the shelf looking pretty)

Finally a 6th non-Tamiya car...

RC4WD D90 (not a Tamiya but it is my favourite crawling / scale chassis / body combo)

[StrokerBoy 772]

What Are The 4 Or 5 Best Tamiya Models To Own And Run?

4 or 5 Lunchboxes.

[94eg! 834]

DB-01, R, RR or RRR

It has the precision of racer, and the durability & low maintenance of a basher.

[InsaneJim69 1584]

DB01R for me. As above, you can thrash it to death and it will just keep going. Or race it and be very competitive. They can handle any kind of power you can think of throwing at it and if you throw in 2 geared diffs with AW grease the maintenance will be almost zero. I currently run a Turnigy Ultimate lipo, Speed Passion Reventon Pro esc along with a Vampire Racing 3.5T motor and have zero issues with anything wearing etc.

My 2nd vehicle I use is a TA03R-S, still a brilliant chassis, lots of fun to drive very forgiving but still plenty fast and capable with the correct motor and esc combo (for me Novak GT7 esc and a Reedy Spec 19 Turn @ 37,682RPM)

I do want to add either a Monster Beetle or a wheeler chassis to my collection mainly for my son to get him into the hobby as the 2 above re way to fast.

Thanks

James

[berman 5315]

Tractor truck with multi function unit and trailer. Hard to get bored of one of these.

Lunchbox. Wheelie good fun.

Wild one. Scale awesomeness and it drives and handles really well. Also a hoot with 4000kv and 3s.

Hmmm, those are the only Tamiya's I enjoy running...

[Nilsken 18]

Hmmm, I think this would be the list...

1. XV-01: Versatile chassis, I even use it as low budget drifter.

2. M-05ra: Easy, low maintenance parking basher.

3. MF-01(x):just started running it in a rally config (m-chassis rallyblocks). Future will tell if it can stay in the list.

4. CC-01: My all-time favorite scaler.

5. FF-01/TA-02/DT03/WR-01/Egress/Sand Scorcher/Super Hornet/ Blitzer Beetle/ F103GT/Groupc/... Hardly come out once a year, but always making me smile when running

[RCcoachworks 59]

My all-time favorite list of runners would have to be...

TXT-1

Clodbuster

M03

Wild Dagger

Monster Beetle - waiting for the rere so I can have a runner again!

[Vrdetailing 1241]

Brushless Mad Bull Hummer

Bull Head

Brushless Dual Hunter

Brushless Plasma Edge

TA05 Ferrari

My top 5