mongoose1983

Ive done that, too. Looks good and works excellent with your regular enamel.

I don't need no crystal ball here to see you're going to have a MEGA time building and running that Lunchbox. Such an awesome RC monster truck!

100% true. Everybody is entitled o an opinion. Oh, do you remember how much real monster trucks bounced back in the day. Monster trucks in the mid 80's were kinda clumsy, leafs made them difficult to control, but they were certainly eye candy. Short wheel base, leaf spring suspension, heavy as a Manhattan tower. That's what the Tamiya guys were looking at when they conceived the Clod Buster. Had they waited three years they would have made something more like the HPI's Wheely King after seeing the revolutionary Bigfoot 8, but that's another story

I hear you. It is indeed overpriced. But everybody knows that's in the company's DNA. Now, Tamiya released how many four or five other monster trucks to choose from. Most these kits still sell for people to take parts from it or making customization. I've yet to see anywhere one of these trucks without any modifications, which to my eye is a very unfortunate thing. People doesn't love the Clod Buster for what it is, and very few know how to use the stock servo savers to make it steer so you get the usual "you'll need a TON capable servo for the Clod", which of course isn't the case. As you say, the Clod Buster in the 80's was the greatest. Of course you can not compare it to any modern standards, Emmax or whatever. It's a thing of beauty to enjoy for what it is (an old design, more aptly called "classic" to resemble some real 1986 monster truck), and for what it was back in the day (the most impressive piece of RC kit available from a company that, yeah, makes crazy expensive stuff). Perhaps you can find some used Clod for better money?

Absolutely fantastic!

If those wheels are Tamiya you can remove the smoke off the chrome with a piece of cotton and nail polish. Super easy job.

A lil black enamel on the non-Tamiya bits would look fine on your rather nice Clod Buster Good job! What a nice place to work on the cars! Nice chassis! Looks FAST!

I love the simplicity of the Grasshopper. It's not as complex as any member of the Shot family, but it sure beats all of 'em in the looks department! Good job.

The video explains the process in detail. Great stuff!

Painting the original Holiday buggy successfully is not impossible, but it sure is a pretty complicated and risky thing to try. And if you miss one you can ruin your body for good. Two master Tamiya builders in Europe discuss here the appropriate methods: https://tamiyabase.com/forum/38-scratch-builds-paint-a-body-shop/53-painting-the-holiday-buggy?start=0 I have heard about using plastic primer for plastic bumpers, but can't assure you how good that works. I think TCer @terry.sc mentioned it years ago somewhere. This one I particularly LOVE (If I ever have the chance to come across one of these buggies, well, I'd love it to look half as good as this one)

Get the Lunchbox. The only thing you'll need apart of the radio, battery packs, and charger is the AMPro axle bracket. That's all I can add to what's been already said by our friends here.

Wow. That's a mystery! Hopefully some of the Avante aficionados here will have something to say bout that one.

I could have said the exact same thing to describe myself. It's crazy! When lecturing on history I often make the students frown when I tell them the one thing I hate in life is TIME. It takes everything away from you, your family, your friends, your youth, your capabilities, your possessions, your parents, EVERYTHING! And the things you have one day the next day they're not there anymore.

Kicks A** like nothing else on this planet !!!

Makes sense, and that approach aims to what I believe is the practical side of the hobby. I'm curious on what the OP was thinking when asking now. (I'm definitely keeping the Clod over the others, though)

I appreciate that, and it definitely makes sense. When I look at your action pictures I can see lots of fun. I don't know what happened to me, or when did I started to sort of trying to keep the cars immaculate. I cringe at the thought of scuffing them, when back in 1992 I remember bashing the midnight pumpkin as if it was indestructible. Jumps, stones, the thing would just go ahead like crazy. Sometimes I think I lost so much in life I'd like to keep these things forever like new, they were just a dream three decades ago. It's a crazy thought, maybe it's related to getting old. It took me two years to raise the money for my first truck. And by the way just yesterday the guy from the hobby store who sold it to me passed away. Hey, the spare lexan piece to cover the bonnet hole it's a good idea, too.

I love all my cars, but the one I'd keep would be the orig Clod Buster. Why? Simple, because it's the best thing Tamiya ever did in RC fashion.

Wow, your words match exactly what I always felt about the RC10 cars.

I think the terra tires as you fitted them on your truck look very very good. Actually, anybody who'd have the chance to look at that BIG BOSS is going to say it looks nice. The one thing I'll never be able to understand is how these guys at Jconcepts didn't do their homework properly. There is no 66inch tall version that I am aware of. I believe the biggest ones were 48 inchers, which is what Bigfoot and later Ms.Bigfoot/Bigfoot Shuttle/Bigfoot Ranger used. If they really meant them to be used for 1:10 scale vehicles then they got them all wrong. I would have loved a correct set for the Bruiser in example. But other than that detail, the BOSS with those tires and wheel combination look very good. PS. A BIG "BY THE WAY" here with the 1980 Bigfoot tires. These particular ones are mounted on these interesting wheels. They look nice. Bob Chandler and Bigfoot shuttle vers.2: And nowadays what Bigfoot 4x4 inc presents the original truck with Firestone 48 inch tires, since they're obviously endorsed. No way to see the truck with the orig tires anymore GOTTA LOVE THE ORIG BIGFOOT GOODYEAR TERRA TIRES! BTW, the Toyota Bruiser tires are Firestone. I see RC guys everywhere naming them as BF Goodrich or Goodyear, but they're really Firestone. That never cease to amaze me, pretty much like rust on Sand Scorchers, when the obvious fiberglass parts never rust. I guess that isn't so obvious in the end. I'd say keep the tires on your BIG BOSS. It looks beautiful. You might want to check eBay to find some mock engine. And I?m sure there must be some chrome rollbars to fit. It's a very nice project what you have there. Don't destroy it

It's interesting what you say. And you know shouldn't come as a surprise to me. Nobody better to identify and explain the customs of a certain culture and society than a foreign anthropologist. It is called exotopy. Whoever traveled across the United States looking for off-road races and shows is practically some type of anthropologist. If you look at the most conspicuous Tamiya off-road models from 1979 to 1987 you'll notice how these guys took ideas from anywhere, not just California. It's been amazing for me to come across this one in some old Off-road magazine: And it's just an example. I think now I'm finally finding out what's the thing that draws me so much to Tamiya RC cars. Thanks for bringing up another interesting discussion @Saito2! Y'all stay safe and have a good Thursday!

For me it is pretty much a Chevrolet vs. Toyota thing. I'm very much into American culture, but on the same breath I grew up loving the Japanese industry and their incredible designs. Guitars, records, hifi equipment, RC vehicles, and BMX bikes. American industry make fantastic products, but for some reason I have a soft spot for the vintage Japanese stuff. It isn't necessarily better quality, but it sure isn't less. I love Tamiya, and I particularly love the way they captured and interpreted the development of the offroad motor-culture that was developed by the people (and not companies) in the United States throughout the late 60's and 70's decade. There was no car crushers made by Associated, therefore the brand had no way to really caught my attention. Now of course that doesn't mean I don't believe their racing cars are fantastic. As a matter of fact I understand they're great, just not my thing. Or at least not for now

Both, driver and buggy look super nice. I love the detail you achieved on that lexan driver's body Kev.

Actually, I don't feel like touching (or even seeing for that matter) the buggy anymore. I'm in hopes Alberto might see and comment here. There must be something wrong. The lunchbox bit has been all smiles for me, I can't believe this bracket requires any mod.

That's for sure!!

You don't have the Antiques shop anymore?