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Maverick1977

Big Bear: Two versions?

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Hello!

Is it true that there existed two versions of the Big Bear? Does anybody know how to find out the version? Do they have different boxes?

Sorry for my bad english ...

Kind regards

Chris

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Yes there are 2 versions . One has a more powerful motor than the other and I think the decals are slightly different . I have the manuals to both versions and the boxes have slightly different writing on them

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Hi!

Thank you very much for your posting. See at wikipedia for the entry "Big Bear":

Motor: Mabuchi RS-540 (v.1) / RS-540SH (v.2)

In addition to replacement gears and heat sink, Marui replaced the original M480-RS motor with an RS540-SH motor, and a redesigned mechanical speed controller with covered contacts to eliminate contamination.

I guess the first line is a mistake. V1 has the motor M480-RS.

I have two NIB Big Bears. They are the same. It seems that I have V1.

If you look at your box: Is the picture on the front (left corner) a M480-RS or a RS540? Mine shows the M480-RS. Does your V2 box show the RS540-SH?

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Yeah, 1992 Rerelease had a 3 bevel diff (the original had a two, and would rock and strip at 90 degrees to the bevel gears), a covered MSC and a slightly roomier battery box, and of course, the 540SH.

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Thanks for your postings! I have got two NIB as shown on the first pic. So I have got two V1.

This means I have to start a new search on ebay for a V2 NIB. :)

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Just curious - how do we know the Big Bear was "rereleased", and how do we know it was as late as 1992?

Good info if true, I'm just curious to know where it can be verified (eg dates on manuals, box etc)

I had assumed a continuous production run in the 80s, with a Mk2 variation along the way.

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I guess you can see it if you open the box. If there is a 540SH in it, it will be V2. An on the box itself of V1 you can see a pic of the motor. And there is no pic of the motor on the box of V2.

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On 10/14/2015 at 10:18 PM, Maverick1977 said:

I guess you can see it if you open the box. If there is a 540SH in it, it will be V2. An on the box itself of V1 you can see a pic of the motor. And there is no pic of the motor on the box of V2.

Yep, already know that :)

What I'm confirming is... how do we know the Big Bear was actually "re-released". And how do we know it was in "1992".

If a model stays in continuous production, but is changed, that change does not represent a "re-release".

And I was under the impression that Marui was not really active on the R/C scene by the 1990s. The company stuck around (and is still around). But their last new 1/10 R/C model (in the traditional sense) was the Shogun in about 1988. I think they probably kept their range in 1989/1990, but not much beyond that. My assumption is the Big Bear was a mid-80s model, with one variation to the kit only during that period.

But I'm happy to be corrected if wrong.

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I can't find any dates on the manuals or anything else . Wikipedia states a modified version of V1 , with the V1 released in 1984 , but no dates as to the modded V2 . I guess the date would be close to '84 / '85 given the r&d in changing the motor and gears etc following the problems of V1.

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I have no idea how long the fault corrections would have taken from release of V1 ,so it could be 2/3 years from first release before V2 came along - just a guess?

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From my recollection, Most Marui models were out of stores by 1990 (or at least not listed in ads). Somewhere around '90-'91 an ad showed up in RC Car Action depicting the Big Bear in white and neon colors. It listed the previously mentioned upgrades to fix the issues that plagued the earlier Big Bear like the "instant toast" MSC, shredding diff and smaller 480 motor. The company at the bottom of the article was listed as Phoenix Models/Tokyo Marui. Car Action actually reviewed the model again in its new form despite having already reviewed the original many years earlier. I also recall them mentioning better parts availability and publishing other ads with spare parts list and prices on them.

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