Mad Ax

Following from Shodog's post, I'm actually hoping that this is a return to scale realism across the board - not just in trucks. The hi-lift I'm sure will be a hit, and it'll be interesting to see if Tamiya release another shell on a similar chassis in the future - but what about better scale buggies? The Vintage forum shows the massive following for SRBs - and the reason is obvious when you see a tidy Scorcher. They look fantastic - full of scale realism - from the body detail right down to the chassis. Compare that to a modern buggy that looks like it dropped from a comic-book - there's no contest, really...

looks like everyone will be running a green 'hopper soon [] I'm tempted to buy a re-re kit so I can fix up my original 'hopper (waaay cheaper than replacing all the damaged bits) and that green is looking very appealing...

Could it be RC Pro Am..? I can't see any reference to actual Tamiya models, although if you look at the screenshots the car in the title looks very much like the kinda of buggies Tamiya (and, admittedly, most other buggy mfrs) were making back then. further down there's a Honda City Turbo pictured too, although this might be simply because they were popular in Japan at the time the game was designed... There was also RC Grand Prix on the Master System, but I can't find any details in there at the moment...

I have to agree with those who didn't like JAnderson's videos [] Sorry but I was watching them to get some idea of the truck, rather than to be impressed by music and cuts. In fact I found some of the cuts happened so quick that it was almost like subliminal messaging - I'd barely focused before the angle changed again. It gave me a headache [] Give us a good shot of the truck in action, please - climbing, racing, or just demonstrating gears or something - and we'll thank you forever (or at least until the truck is in stores [] ) just my two pen'orth...

I love that colour scheme [] No kids here. No wife. No girlfriend. why else do you think I spend so much time playing with radio controlled cars..? []

That looks like a proper piece of kit! I've been thinking about a 2wd buggy for a while now, I think that's a little over the Desert Gator I'd budgetted for, tho [:S]

I'd also be interested in recommendations. I'm planning on installing a 2nd steering servo in my hi-lift so I can have independant front & rear steering - it looks from some of the early photos like there is an option to do this, although we can't be entirely sure until we hear from someone who has actually got one in their hands. In this scenario I'll need an aeroplane-type controller with 2-axis sticks; maybe left stick for motor control and rear steering, right stick for steering and possibly gear shift? ISTR seeing some 3-speed owners with a stick modification that allows gear shifting using the right stick. Advice on these options would be appreciated!

**** you guys, I really need to be saving some money here, not spending on more Tamiya goodness [] []

Bladder control problem..? Seriously, it's a nice bug, but it's not that nice []

Has anyone pre-ordered their hi-lift yet..? Rainbow Ten are listing the kit at 45,000 Yen - or 40,500 Yen if you pre-order. In the UK that's about £185, plus shipping and import duty. Raised some funds the other week, so I'm really tempted to pre-order it... Seems a fantastic price, I was expecting much higher. Anyone else done the same? Who with? What price?

Superb - I love those old yellowing photos [] That's a real tidy-looking bug, too. I feel left-out that I wasn't involved in RC when these cars were popular and available new. The look and finish is a cut above what's available today.... I strongly hope the new 350 marks a return to the style of good-looking replicas rather than 4wd plastic touring cars and buggies that look like they came out of a sci-fi cartoon[:|]

Cheers for the info Twinset, although I've ordered a set of wide offset rims like yours but black - will suit my project very well indeed. I much prefer the look of the deep rims anyway [] I'll keep the chrome ones for regular racing.

****... I was hoping not to buy any more Tamiya stuff between now and Christmas, but this looks too good to pass up [] I think I might have to sell one of my motorbikes to pay for this []

Do you use genuine Tamiya ball-races or aftermarket ones? That could be your answer. This sort of thing happens anyway - plastic mouldings can't be made to the same tolerances as CNC-machined billet components, so there will be cases where the bearings are a loose fit in the plastic housing. That's one of the drawbacks of using cost-effective plastic mouldings instead of all-metal components. A possible solution is to use some glue on the outer edge of the bearing, although it would make bearing changes difficult. Also note that often the inner race isn't a good with the the axle that passes through it, so sometimes even when the outside fits properly there is plenty of play in the axle. In fact there is so much play in any off-the-shelf RC model that it makes me wonder why people go to so much lengths to get their cars setup perfectly []

TWINSET - what are those wheels, where did you get them, where can I get some? They look like just the thing I need for my drift project [] Currently I have some very tasty chrome rims, but they don't have a wide enough offset and look a bit silly under the 200mm Parma shell

I think his parents went out and he found his dads lager in the fridge [] And surely - if you're going to make a rocket-propelled Tamiya, the only thing worth using is an SRB. Because SRB stands for Solid Rocket Booster.

I've got a new Parma lexan shell that I want to do a tidy job on - unfortunately some of the technical bits (grill etc) are really difficult to mask using the Tamiya tape that I have. Who has experience using liquid mask? Is this the stuff that paints on and dries like rubber? Is is necessary, when painting it on, to get the lines perfect first time - or do I paint it on, let it dry, then trim off what I don't want with a sharp knife (taking care not to damage the lexan)? Do I need to use several coats of liquid mask to get a good seal? What sort of brush to I apply it with, and will the brush be ruined after coating, or can it be cleaned? Is is possible to mask an area, spray it, then take off some of the liquid mask to continue spraying in another colour, then take the rest off for a 3rd colour..? I want the main shell to be yellow, but with some black stripes and silver or chrome grille and bumpers. Also - re painting - does anyone know of a good UK online shop or ebay shop that sells decals, transfers or design masks for lexan. I'm looking either for a mask that I can apply to the inside of the doors so I can detail it later once the main colour is painted - I know Parma do some but can't find a UK supplier. Either that or those transfer things that stick on the inside of the lexan before painting. Again, can find US suppliers but not UK. Finally - is there a good lexan chrome paint for doing ultra-shiney chrome grilles and bumpers? Thanks in advance []

OK, back to RC skycars... ISTR seeing a video on somewhere of some radio controlled speedboat/catamaran things that were powered by nitro push-props on the back. Additionally they were steered by rudders and had ailerons on the rear of the full-length bridges holding the outrigger hulls. In shape they looked a little similar to a Skycar. And here's the crunch... they actually flew - and very well, too! Across water they were wickedly fast, but once they got up enough speed they could lift right off and fly through the air. The principal of flight was not so much "allow sufficient airspeed across the air-plane in order to give lift" as "attach a big enough motor to a small enough object and it will fly." - very much the same concept as the Moller Skycar which, as you can see from the pics, doesn't have wings. It wouldn't take a lot of work to mod one of those flying catamaran things into a skycar replica - OK, it wouldn't run on tarmac unless you were to fit wheels underneath (which may affect its flight performance), but it will at least fly [] If anyone can find the link to the videos, that would be cool

Haven't had a great interest in vintage RC, but that looks great - might have to put one on my wishlist! []

I've just got a "TXT" message from a friend, I would share it with you, but I've got to go take a "Mammoth Dump"

Very funny MikeT, that was very "astute" - you're a bit of a "wild one" aren't ya..?

Looks fantastic! Out of interest, where do you get the CF and how much did it cost for enough to do your chassis..? Looks slightly easier to cut and file than the aluminium that I usually use, and lighter too!

OBH, that really was awful... I guess you're a "hot shot, too" I can't think of any more witty replies, it's too warm here, my brain has been fried by the "burning sun"

jeez, that made me laugh so much I dropped my "lunchbox" on the floor, and spilled my "pumpkin" sandwiches... It's left a "dark impact" mark on the carpet [] Nice going, "hot shot" [:@] []

Wouldn't know about on-road stuff as I'm only just getting involved, but my experience of the Dark Impact is that it's a great off-road basher. I regularly take mine to the woods near my place and run it on gravel, among fallen leaves, up and down some seriously steep and rough slopes - it handles everything with ease. Had a few big flips and rolls but haven't damaged anything yet - not even marked the shell. Still completely stock at the mo, but seems to work just fine for what I want to do with it. Obviously being a buggy it doesn't have the ground clearance of a truck, which is why at some point I'd like a Double Blaze or similar so I can experiment with some of the rougher areas in my local woods where the DI gets stuck...