Runner vs Shelf Queen

[Theibault 1535]

I would like to start a discussion on the age old battle of shelf queen vs runner. This is a very contentious topic, so a few ground rules. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and there is no such thing in this discussion as a wrong opinion. No slagging others for what they feel. The beauty of this hobby is that there is room for everyone and they can do what they want with their cars. I just want to hear others opinions on this subject and how they go about making decisions on why a car should be a runner or shelf queen. That being said, I will start with my personal views. I am in the hobby of RC cars and to me, that means running a car with the use of a radio. Every single vehicle I own is a runner. It's an ethos thing for me. The purpose of these cars, to me, is to be run by remote lol. I get just as much joy out of running the cars as I do from building and maintaining them. I do clean them and display them, but they were never intended to be shelf queens in my stable. I just can't see spending money on something that is not going to be used for it's intended purpose. On a philosophical level, I find shelf queens pointless dust catchers. Again, these are MY reasons why I only have vehicles that are in the runner camp. Nothing wrong for others to have shelf queens (I can understand having a vintage model that one would be afraid of damaging after restoration, but I would still PERSONALY run them) so if you fall in that camp, share your reasoning. Again, we are all allowed to do what we want with our cars, and no person is wrong or right in this discussion. Please share your personal views on this matter.

[ChrisRx718 4470]

For me, as I'm sure it will be with many others, the actual building of them is what makes me 'tick'. So I do have models which are unlikely to be used, but that's not to say that they couldn't be if I wanted to.

I think mainly I have 'shelf queen' bodyshells, rather than chassis. That's not to say I would like to run my TA03RS's carbon belly against the tarmac, but if the opportunity came about to run it indoor on carpet I would probably go for it.

My off-road cars are slightly different again, I probably wouldn't like to get my Jeep plastered in mud as it's taken a lot of time to build, but I have other outlets for that in the form of my Blackfoot / TL01B's. I only like to use the FAV in large open areas with few obstacles, because it has delicate light pods all over it!

[mr crispy 2293]

I got into Tamiya RC cars from a model kit building background so I think of shelf queens as models in that respect. As it happens I don't make many models anymore as once they're made I got little pleasure from them collecting dust. All my cars are run and modding, maintaining and improving them is what draws me to this hobby. Besides I don't have anywhere to display them these days

[markbt73 5316]

Personally, I have never built a car with the intention of leaving it on the shelf, so all my cars have shock oil, functional servos, etc. But I do have a few cars that I haven't been able to bring myself to run since I restored them. They're just too shiny. But that doesn't mean they won't get run someday. As a general rule, anything I don't intend to ever run gets sold.

There's a difference between running and bashing as well. There are some cars I drive very gently, and others I take more liberties with. And if I find myself getting too aggressive with a fragile or rare car, I force myself to stop and switch to a better basher, or calm down and enjoy the ride.

[InsaneJim69 1584]

Personally I see both sides as to why people would have both or one or the other. Shelf queens have their place for some, personally not me. I got into R/C for the racing, so my natural instinct is to have runners. Thats not to say I don't have a shelf queen, as I have a brand new Mazda 787B sitting pride of place in my livingroom that will never be ran. And also have a 787B runner for when its dry outside

The way I see it is, if the person pays their hard earned cash to buy the item then its fully upto themselves what they choose to do with it

James

[gozone 30]

My original plan was also to run everything, but smoetimes, a new-built car is just too nice, I think, so sometimes, intentional runners end up as "show-pieces" instead, .

And either way, I like them for what they are, namely awesome looking model cars, with the ability to be run hard, if the need rises, lol.

[ralphee 293]

EVERY car i have was intended to run, all have top flight vintage installs for that cause. Sadly, i rarely get the time to peak a pack these days, and whenever i do, i chicken out on running one, I've tested my Yokomo's and Dynastorm on asphalt for a few yards sure, but then the monetary aspect takes over i panic on what its cost to get back to new condition and i discharge the pack, and shelve it again lol.

I do respect those who shelf, those who say, dry build, and those who run......badword if i get the time, ever, i want to run my Works '91 in a race environment, which by all accounts, does less damage than bashing, as bashing is something that makes me wince when i see it lol.

lee

[Percymon 2184]

I enjoy the build far more than the running - the search for parts, cleaning and improving old wrecks is what spurs me on (and empties the wallet). When i do occassionally run one of my models i do generally enjoy the experience, but its not something that compels me to go running cars every weekend. I guess i do have some shelf queens, maybe not 100% true or new , but nice examples that i wouldn't really like to get bashed about too much.

[ralphee 293]

My original plan was also to run everything, but smoetimes, a new-built car is just too nice, I think, so sometimes, intentional runners end up as "show-pieces" instead, .

And either way, I like them for what they are, namely awesome looking model cars, with the ability to be run hard, if the need rises, lol.

Yep, thats how i feel, my 2011 Avante was to be run, but it is just toooo nice, so its dry now, and TBH, i doubt my Egress will ever see action now lol, wish my darn OCD would allow me to just buy something to get some action from, i need an indoor race meet, limited scuffing

lee

[Daves956 157]

I have a runner in pretty much every catagory and some are dedicated to getting bashed. There are currently two hard bodied shelf queens as well. The BT50 and the first edition JPS both in a glass case. They'll never be run after being restored and I still appreciate just looking at them. I look at them as irreplacable and not in a catagory I'd actually run. Both are formula 1 cars that could never compete with the brushless F201 anyway.

oops, just remembered I've placed the Kenny Roberts bike in there too. That's part of it as well, It's Mario Andretti, Nelson Piquet and Kenny Roberts and their rides. Some of my favorite drivers.

[zomboided 374]

I've some NIB that I've yet to turn into shelf queens....they're more about my enthusiasm towards motor sport and the cars that were really special.

Everything I've built has been run to some degree, maybe with an alternative shell on. The building and modifying part of this hobby is what I enjoy, but there are certain things I really like and will build to get to the point where I can do more running (indoor circuit drifting for example).

[i_am_scarecrow 913]

Currently I only own four Tamiya's, all were bought with the intention of running them and the ones that work have indeed been driven. What I have done however is bought extra shells that will stay in pristine condition for display only.

[bromvw 744]

I fall firmly into the runners camp . While I get a great deal of pleasure from modifying body's and chassis my biggest thrill is to actually drive them . Yes it can be frustrating when you damage something you have put many hours of effort into getting exactly the look and finish you want , but rebuilding and repairing them also has its own joy .

I understand the shelf queen view point but its just not my thing . Oh and I just fail to understand the NIB obsession - these are Toys after all and are meant to be run or at the very least built .

But all said and done if you enjoy any aspect of the Hobby then its all good

[Shaggy39 43]

Interesting debate and my view is people should be able to do exactly what they want. It's their money and time so live and let live. I have seen people on here criticise others for building shelf queens or having numerous nib models claiming they are a waste of time.

How something can be a waste of time if you get enjoyment out of it beats me.

Up until about 3 months ago I had quote a nice collection of nib tamiyas (lunchbox, blitzer, buggy champ, bruiser, sand rover, avante and several others) but my kit car project meant they had to go.

I now have a tt01e with 3 racing mini conversion and vaterra slickrock crawler and use them both almost every day whether it be a quick blast around a car park or crawl over the sofa and cushions at home.

Personally I am getting more enjoyment out of this than having lots of kits unbuilt but as I say each to their own

[Sayer 742]

I'm kind of all over the map on this myself. Logically it doesn't make sense for me to buy an R/C car without intending to run it, but in practice, I've got an Optima, Javelin and Optima Mid sitting on my shelf looking pretty without a full set of electronics in any of them.

Likewise with the RTR vs Kit situation. I've got no problem building anything, but I'll also absolutely buy RTR with no shame. Sometimes you just want to buy a car, drop a battery in and blast down the street, and you're not in the mood for trying to "schedule build time/source electronics/obsess over painting imperfections only you can see".

[pizzachaude 130]

I try to get a runner and shelfqueen of the same model, although this isnt always economically possible. I have runner and shelfqueen of Boomerang, Hornet, Monster Beelte and Avante. Parts are easy to get in most cases because of the re-re, but the shlefqueens are all vintage and Id rather keep them that way.

This is not easy for other brands like Kyosho with no re-res, so if I get a model that would be a moneypit to restore properly then I will fix it up and run it. But some of my cars, such as my Bigwig, are so perfect and had seen so little use before their restore that I just cant run it without feeling so guilty.The fact that it hasnt been re-released means I cant get parts, and some parts are so hard to get or so expensive that having a runner wouldnt make sense in my opinion.

I can certainly understand why people feel that every car should be run, it was designed for that purpose, but Im more the shelfqueen guy, and just absolutely love the restore experience and the thrill of hunting for that hard to get part. Mind you each and every car in my collection is ready to run, complete with vintage radios, receivers and speed controllers, most of them mechanical.

NIB isnt my thing, I feel like its more an investment and Im not really into that.

[IBIFTKH 1369]

I'm another that enjoys building and modifying cars as much as, or more than, running them. But everything I have owned has been driven, it's just that some are driven a lot more carefully than others.

My cars fall into two groups. There are the ones I'm careful with and there are the out-and-out any-surface bashers. The bashers are driven hard but well maintained. For some cars being careful just means no tarmac running, for others it means low speed and panic attacks!

To be honest though, most of my cars spend a lot of time on the shelf so I try to keep them clean and tidy. It would be nice to get out and run them more, hopefully that will happen as the weather improves.

I suppose I'm saying I can see both sides in this. I don't build for the shelf but my cars have to be somewhere and I'd rather have them looking good and where I can see them.

[dualdigger 62]

I run all my cars, I enjoy working on them and repairing/servicing them. I don't have any priceless jems in my fleet but the way I've always seen it is, if I can't use it, it's no good to me. This goes for everything I own. I build models as well and really enjoy the build but once they are done they do nothing for me and meet the untimely demise of a RC monster truck derby (even the really nice Tamiya static models). I've got a really nice 1/35 Sherman tank I've been working on all winter including a diorama i built that has a date with my gopro and .22 cal. rifle. (all in the name of scale warfare)

Everyone hates the 1st scratch, after that it's all character.

[Grastens 2795]

I understand the principle behind shelf queens, but I have always believed that these cars were made to run, so I do. It shows in the way I run them, however, as I mostly respect the vehicle's limitations (i.e.: rarely, if any, jumping) but still can go flat-out.

A visually-stunning chassis may go on the shelf as it would be art alone for design, but I would think that if I ever had a technologically-brilliant or a very sophisticated model such as a Tamiya 3-speed, I would run it anyways.

[super gripper 419]

this is just an awesome topic

for me I build cars to run, the urge to see how they perform is so intense I actually crave to race

the skill, speed, effort, practice and the shear satisfaction is so over powering its just nuts

I cannot just look at it, I have to use it ...............

As an engineer the build is good yes but so is the maintenance

plus lets not forget the fact, it does say 'RC' on the box

[berman 5315]

I have one NIB and everything else I own, I run.

I guess I can understand all facets of owning an rc model.

There is nothing wrong with having a NIB stashed away eating away at you on if and when you should build it. You can break the seal at a moments notice or keep it for 20 years for when your memory disolves and you want to relive that nostalgia trip again

There is nothing wrong with have having a bunch of fresh built models sitting there taking pride of place on your shelf or mantle piece. Anything from a lowly TT01 to a TRF whos-ama-wotssit can look plenty nice like a static display and sometimes mechanical admiration is enough for some to own one.

There is nothing wrong with owning runners, and how you run them is entirely up to you.

I have some lovingly restored or built specimens that don't have a mark on them that friends of mine call "shelf queens", but I take them down and run them occasionally.

I dont need to cartwheel them 4-5 times down the road or bang them off kerbs to find their limitations. I am quite happy to run them gently around the garden or up and down the road and then dust them off and put them back where they came from.

There is nothing wrong with buying an RC and beating the living death out of it. Seeing what breaks and how much torture it can take, jumping off ledges and mounds of dirt.

Or using it for what it was intended and beating others around a track.

What ever you decide to do with your rc is your call, you paid for it and you are well within your rights to use it as you see fit. As long as you are getting enjoyment out of what you do with it, that's what counts. Don't worry about what others think, as long as you are happy and having fun that's what counts

[Wooders28 4723]

I try and run all mine, but, the vintage ones like the (marui) ninja, dont get out much and dont get driven hard when they do, try getting new tyres for a ninja!

The DF03 gets hammered the most along with the RB6 (kyosho).They get fixed easily and fairly cheaply and normally upgraded!

All the while they are sat,on the shelf,pride of place in my garage.

[Theibault 1535]

Wow, thanks for everyone for sharing. Getting some great viewpoints. It seems like most of the replys are from the runner camp. Those that have a lot of shelf queens, please join in the discussion and give us your perspective.

[wood5tock 864]

The way I am doing my collection is to have two of everything initially with a Re-re for a runner version and a vintage as a display version. Or where there is no Re-re two vintage version and the better original condition one becomes the display as with my Boomerangs.

However despite the vintage versions being display I will always have them set up ready to run if I want to take them out for a easy blast. However even then my rull is the vintage ones will have period radio gear, MSC and servos and the Rr-re of vintage runners will have Tamiya ESCs, Sport Tuned motors etc.

This works for me and my addiction

[chriss76 91]

I currently own a 2011 avante, hotshot, super hotshot, boomerang, frog, buggy champ and bruiser with almost all re-re hop ups for all cars ...... And everything is nib or nip, why? I have no idea what so ever.

I did not buy any of these to stay nib but I cannot bring myself to build any, I'm not in it for investment as I will never sell them.

I have recently build my daughters junk hornet and even been allowed to take it for a spin, I've enjoyed every aspect from the build and painting to the running and when funds permit i will deff buy one to run.

Will I build the others? I just can't answer that yet but I hope I will !

Chris