Lamborghini Cheetah
Model Number: 58007
Released
14-JUN-78
Drive
2WD. Gearbox with inline motor and option of 3 ratios
Suspension
Torsion bars on double wishbones
Chassis Description
Pressed Alloy
Body Type
Styrene
Motor
RS-540
Original Price
14000 Yen
Width
174mm
Length
400mm
Height
140mm
Scale
1/12
Tires
front:Semipneumatic rubber tire exclusive to Cheetah
Rear:Semi pneumatic tire exclusive to Cheetah
Tamiya's second 'off road' style car - heavily based on the XR-311 which was Tamiya's 4th car.
Obvious differences are the body - however there was an 'upgrade' to this car. The 2-step speed control was changed to a more variable speed one with brake - much the same as we see on the Sand Rover.
The wheels and tyres were also different. Chassis is the same, but assembled with slightly shorter wheelbase than the XR311.
Torsion bar suspension was very fragile - as was basically the whole car. Steering was to say the least 'indirect'. As a result of this the car was very instable and hard to control.
The saving grace, as with just about all tamiya cars, was the tremendous realism incorporated into the styling of the body - and the general look of the car.
A nice one to have in the collection if you can find one ! (Original description by Retro R/C)
Obvious differences are the body - however there was an 'upgrade' to this car. The 2-step speed control was changed to a more variable speed one with brake - much the same as we see on the Sand Rover.
The wheels and tyres were also different. Chassis is the same, but assembled with slightly shorter wheelbase than the XR311.
Torsion bar suspension was very fragile - as was basically the whole car. Steering was to say the least 'indirect'. As a result of this the car was very instable and hard to control.
The saving grace, as with just about all tamiya cars, was the tremendous realism incorporated into the styling of the body - and the general look of the car.
A nice one to have in the collection if you can find one ! (Original description by Retro R/C)
Reviews
bimmerfan8
Excellent review of many members on the Cheetah here...
Just want to add on that...
the torsion bars made out of plastic were as weak as egg shells, over tighten them and its broken, run them over too rough surfaces and its gone as well. Mine just sits as a shelf queen and never dared to run it any more. Superb on detail, I must say but weak in execution.
Burn Out Boy
This was the first tamiya kit I had in the 80's. I loved it. By todays standards its a real Grand father, but think about the period when it was built. 3 gear ratios could be installed in the rear gear box, low medium and high.
The gearbox lid fixings were a bit week with 3 small screws. The dog bones would be as slack as hell as they were worn down as did the bearing housings giving the rear wheels a nice wobble. I had 2 new rear ends and many other spare parts, but I also ran the car alot. The suspention was independent and fully adjustable with not much travel. It had a low slung belly, but it was all to scale unlike some of the later kits where big wheels were just thrown on. handling was a black art hand brake turns and wheelspins were no problem when you got the hang of it. The body was more detailed tham most cars today this made it prone to dammage but had the advantage of looking good. The Grand father of off road, respect.
I rember throwing it in the bin one day
focus1
From the 1982 R/C Guide Book.
You can drive this off-the road model car in the park of field using its full power and speed. The suspension system is off the four wheel independent type, the chassis is the sturdy channel type, and the gear box is closed to prevent sand and dust from entering it. All are designd for excellent maneuverability along rough courses. The precisely scaled body and excellent handling allow for many pleasure filled ours of driving.
About the prototype: This is a high performance off-the road machin made by an Italian sports car maker, Lamborghini. It has a mid engine Chrystler 5,9 litre V8 with a output power of 180 HP and boasts a high speed as 170 km/h on the road and 140 km/t of the road.
AJRupp
The Tamiya Lamborghini Cheetah.
This model with the exception of the body was simply a dud. Anyone who has built one of these knows that the fit and finish is literally horrible. For example mounting of the motor, the screws thread only 1.5 turns into the motor and you better hope the motor is threaded correctly. The front stearing and overall suspension (or lack there of) make this a very hard to handle model. However, as all the early tamiyas it looks great on the shelf. The body is simply stunning!