Percymon

Did you calibrate the ESC correctly ? the first movement of the stick is taken as forward (as far as the esc is concerned). Another option is you have the motor wires crossed - i think its oraange from the esc to yellow on the motor, and blue esc to green motor of the top of my head but can check later if you like) Whether the stick is in N or R doesn't really matter though - it operates the same. Mine kicks into reverse pretty quickly, far quicker than the Tamiya 101 esc on my sons Rising Storm. good point oh wise one

I bought via uk eBay but they sell direct at www.seben-racing.de They were about £17/$27 delivered from germany to uk. Tyres are harder compound than the ansmann pin spikes I got this week.

I'd assumed the OP was buying new kit, so the Hotshot will have the top access cover which helps (a bit anyway!) get to the electronics. Very much horses for courses - i went for the hotshot purely based on my starting point,although i suppose it could quite easily have been made into a boomer. For me the Hotshot was a bit more iconic (although that coud be a nieve view), and the monoshock suspension (with its inherent running issues) made it different o my other buggies and imo is a bit of Tamiya engineering history.

Thanks kaiser - i'd sort of realised the error of my post and was modding it when you kindly replied. That rules out the ground pounder then - stick to clod as the base point !

Oh hells bells guys - i was coming round to the idea of a new Clod kit, then someone mentions CPE ! Now i am completely confused and really need an idiots explanation to help me out.... If i were to buy a basic chassis kit like the CPE Predator http://www.crawfordperformanceengineering....?products_id=50 Would i just hook this up to some Clodbuster Fr and Rr axles / gearboxes,,front steering, aftermarket dampers , motors and esc ? If the above is somewhere near right, could u do similar with the ground pounder (lower CofG) chassis http://www.crawfordperformanceengineering....;products_id=52 or is that so far off the clod that its a bag of trouble ?? I told you i was confused !

That helps a lot ! I'd forgotten about the rear steer, so locking that out i'd imagine firms the back end a fair bit, but then places more load at the suspension arms/axle mounts ? I like the idea of the axle mounted servo too, moves a small amount of weight down to axle level , which can only help. How robust is the chassis tub - if i end up stiffening the suspension with stronger springs/harder dampers am i in danger of just breaking plastic chassis tubs ?

Sorry folks, me again with more questions... Watched a load of youtube vids with the boy last night, he thought the Clod awesome but a bit bouncy and unstable at speed, and the dual hunter a great machine for general bashing. I'm now wondering, if i can get hold of new Clod kit, what i'd need to do to it to make it more a 'racer', and a less a bouncy monster truck ? Obviously i can't do much about the height aspect, but handling ? How much effect would some decent oil dampers and springs make ? Are there ways to increase roll stiffness ? Would i be better with a non Tamiya chassis kit combined with clod parts such as the axles/gearboxes? And if so is there a cheap(ish) chassis that would suit my needs. I'm assuming here that even a basic rock crawler chassis is going to be too articulation biased for my needs ?? Sorry for all the questions but been browsing RC4WD store and i'm completely baffled now !! I'm happy to buy bits n bobs over time if needbe but need to be realistic and think about the cost being similar to a Clod kit (£210) with some mods (£50 ? ). Thanks again.

Must try harder - not enough mud by a long way ! Good to see people put them to use Bought a can of Fastrax Rally Blue for son's Rising Storm - this is the third can of colour, so hopefully this is the one !. He wasn't happy with boxart cherry red (too pink) which i'd put with the kit at Xmas, decided he wanted blue so bought blue, then realised the decals are the same blue so will be lost on the car ! You live n learn (hopefully !) Postie delivered steel pinion for Hotshot resto and a set of Ansmann Racing buggy wheels for bashing. Check where my EZRun system (just leaving HK according to the tracking system) Filled in a few nicks and dents on the original Hotshot wheels, ready for sanding tonight and hopefully black and chrome painting at the weekend. What's next ? - researching my next project !!

Good choices and a monster mini will be a bit different to the norm! Don't forget to look at cheap Chinese toys in supermarkets and pound shops, these ca sometimes throw up shells of the correct size and drivers figures! Measure your wheelbase and cut a piece of paper or string the correct length to use as a measure when out shopping lol!!

If its as much for display as it is for running then i think the Hotshot has more interest with its monoshocks front and rear. For running the monoshock isn't the best apparently , but i doubt in general bashing use you'd notice much difference with the twin shock rear of the Boomer. I'd also say the Hotshot is possibly the more involved build, albeit marginal. I've really enjoyed restoring my Hotshot, a heck of a lot more enjoyable than the Rising Storm 4wd i built for my son at new year.

Antics supposedly have them too. http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/1650_1_1317759.html

And there in lies the gamble, grab one of the last while you can, only to find 3 months time another updated version with esc and 550 motors comes out ! We were warned mind... http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59562

I think lexan shells are typically 1mm. I first bought 2mm but it look awfully thick and is quite heavy as an a4 sized sheet. I've gone to 1mm now which seems better for weight but I've not started modelling it yet. I did get some 1.6mm square channel which is 1mm internal so using that at joining edges will increase contact area - that's my plan but it could all change lol!!

Time tunnel still showing it

Thanks for pointing those out - i'd not found all the archive sections til you posted this ! With hindsight they are factually incorrect (indestructible for instance), but back in the day it was reviewed and written the clod probably did seem very well constructed and stronger than other models, after all most people are amazed when opening a Clod box. If the reviewer had abused the Clod for a few months prior to writing the article they may have seen the weaknesses owners subsequently found for themselves. In this respect RC is no different to any other article - people want to hear about new and exciting models, so articles are written quickly with little actual experience. I dare lots of BMW reviews extolled the technical merits of Nikasil coated cylinder bores, but owners in the North West found out the hard way they weren't all that good when mixed with higher sulphur petrol. Reading those articles for the first time, 20+ years on, i found to be a nice bit of nostalgia so thanks again for pointing me at the archives. there's lots more reading for me there, no doubt lots of it similarly incorrect, but still good history for a relative newcomer with a bad memory

Thansk again for your input - fully agree a hot motor in a less than suitable chassis is asking for trouble. Also the youtubes vids wer ona grass slope negotiated at an angle as opposed to head on, which wont have helped (CoG outside the wheel track !). Its a symptom of all high riding vehicles (scale ot otherwise), and maybe the clod is not worse thana lunchbox type chassis, maybe better with the wider track and wheelbase and more bump absorbent tyres. I'd regard the Dual Hunter as a jacked up buggy, so in some ways its not dissimalr to the rest of my stable - perhaps its a safe option. Maybe i should get something more unstable to have greater distinction from the buggies. I should convince my boy he needs a lunchbox for his birthday !

Good luck with the rebuild.

I've done it / doing it currently although my start point was probably a lot worse than yours.... http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?...c=59979&hl= Parts are widely available within the UK, although i've bought some from tamiyaparts, some from vintage-tamiyaparts and other via ebay sellers like europro and victor101 here. I've probably spent £130 on parts including new body which on one hand is a bit silly but on the other is still cheaper than a Re-re and i've had the enjoyment of stripping, cleaning part finding etc which for me was more enjoyable than just opening a box and building new. I've also got a brushless system on route from HK. There are few differences in the various Hotshot models, so be careful when buying parts - most parts are interchangeable, but hotshot 2 used different rear suspension set-up so has less stabilizers balls in its parts bag (2) rather than 4 for the hotshot original and re-re. Theres a thread not too long ago about gearbox cases, and specing for E clips vs the original fragile and minute C clips.

Thanks - found one of your older posts yesterday and am inspired by your land cruiser!. With all the alloy parts available I'm now wondering whether I'd be better buying the basic chassis parts and building from that, rather than buying a stock kit and then extra the outlay of new motors, pinions, a few alloy bits and wheels. Are all wild dagger, dual hunter and twin detonator parts full interchangeable ? Better start searching parts suppliers to weigh things up, although I've found a great deal on a buggy champ rere so may change tack momentarily! In answer to my own query earlier then buying the relevant base parts IS prohibitive at UK prices. The 4 metal parts bags, gear parts, gearbox cases and chassis come to roughly £120. Given the kit with basic 540 motors, esc, body and wheels is only £25 more its a no brainer to buy the kit and mod/hop-up as and when i like.

Thanks for your comments, I found an old thread of yours when you too were having a similar dilemma. I've watched a fair videos on YouTube of the clod in the last hour or so and to be honest most seem to spend half their time stood on their front or rear bumpers or rolling over. Perhaps that's part of the charm but I was hoping for something that could run in the dry and wet mud areas with the odd burst of speed and a bit of jump action. From youtubes evidence the dual hnter, love it or loathe it, seems more suited to my expectations - I'm happy to be corrected though !

Was thinking about a dual hunter, may well hang on now to see what the grave digger costs, although i'd prefer it in kit form

Just seen Traxxas are bringing out a Grave Digger in their monster Jam series - probably sacriledge to mention it here , but with a 12T 550 motor and sealed electrics it might be right up my street.

Fascinating read, and an excellent insight for those contemplating a bit of club action. Battery issues aside at least you're in one piece ! Vapextech stick packs are quite good value, and go up to 5000mAh - i get 30 minutes run time on grass in a 4wd buggy with 540 motor, and not much less in one with a Ansmann clash 23T

I can forsee the TXT-1 vs Clodbuster debate already, but to prevent the usual banter.. I'm thinking about a Dual Hunter - can still be bought in UK new for under £150 with the 540 motors and esc. I'd hope this is a good partner to my three 4WD buggies (Manta Ray, Hotshot and Rising Storm) and my 2WD Blitzer Beetle; none of which have much in the way of ground clearance ! I've no intention of rock crawling anytime soon , so can rule a crawler out straight away (although i love the looks of the green CC-01 Unimog) Will the Dual Hunter be sufficiently different to the buggies ?? - i'd like something a bit more 'unstable' with more ground clearance, but nothing as unstable as a Pumpkin or LB. Are there many aftermarket hop-ups for a bit of bling later if I/son want to mod it a touch - dampers,suspension arms, alternative bodies ? And here's the crunch question... .. a Clodbuster is £50 more, and i'm not sure i want something of the bulk of the Clod, but is it worth it for general bashing ?? I'm looking for a new build, i've done enough resto's recently.

not sure what US pricing is like but int he UK its the same price as the Durga.