Bluefoot

I have info on the differences betwen the TA01 and TA02 parts here: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...983&id=2193 Unfortunately I dont have an FF01 to compare (sold the ones I had before I did this).

An XJ Cherokee - because I can't afford the ScaleOffRoad one, and I'd like one to match my 1:1 ride. And yes - it has to be a hard shell.

#1) I've got about 8 or 9 - some complete and some "potential" SRBs. #2) Yes. #3) One of each if they released the different body styles. Then maybe another one to use as a runner.

You should be able to get a hornet body off ebay, or possibly even through a local hobby shop. Tower have the Parma Grasshopper body: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXNAV2 That should fit the Hornet. The Boomerang might be more difficult, but you never know - they might re-release it one day. With a bit of creative body-mount fabrication you would be able to mount all sorts of bodies on these chassis.

Highly sort after, even if just for parts. NIB close to $1000, new-built $400-$500, parts chassis - $150.

Well I'm with Shodog on this one. Start 'em slow and let them work up to something more advanced as their skill improves. Also, if you issue them with expensive stuff to start with then you'd better have pretty deep pockets when they decide they want to get something "better". I started my kids off with a couple of old-school Quick-drive Thundershots, which they drove to death. They have moved on to Hornets now, and a Baja Champ. Hornets are pretty tough and can be fixed with spare bits of plastic, hotmelt glue and rubberbands! They also have an old Clod to run around. They are nice and slow, can go over most things and they can carry stuff - very important when you are a kid! Sometimes it looks like a big green rabbit: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...356&id=2193

Hey Del, the RZ is a timed motor I think. It sounds like you are running it in reverse, which means it will run slower. I don't know if you can adjust the timing on these (haven't had a play with one yet).

The Ninja has black chassis and suspension parts, and the shocks are red. The Shogun has the same grey chassis and yellow shocks as the Coors. The Coors front shock tower is different (higher) and the body mounts are different. Other than that I think they are mostly the same. I have some (not very good) pics here: http://www.tcphotos.com/showroom_model.asp...secid=343&t=

Some news on the stolen cars - I saw two of them listed on the local auction site! What's more, I know the seller! He runs a hobby shop (he's a nice guy). I went and had a chat with him and he told me that some dodgy looking character had sold him the two cars for next-to-nothing. Being a good operator, and in accordance with the laws relating to operating a business dealing in second-hand goods, he got a name and address from the seller. Would you believe it - I can see this guys house from my office window!! I passed this info to the police and they went and had a chat to this guy. He reckoned that he found the cars in the room that he had been renting to his nephew. He had kicked the nephew out for not paying rent, and sold the cars to recover some of what he was owed. Well the police haven't located the nephew yet, and I still don't know where the Blackfoot is, but at least I will be getting the Chevy S10 and BMW back. And the main thing is that we now know who the ****** who broke into my factory is!

I've occasionaly made some from stainless M3 threaded rod. Not any better than the originals but it kept my trucks on the road.

I agree with Shodog. Auctionsniper will save you a lot missed auction endings, and means you won't have to stay up late.

I find the best way to make things turn up is to fire off an email to the seller complaining that you have not receiced the item yet. Always seems that the very next day your item will arrive and you will have a bit of apologising to do, but at least you have your item. The longest I have had to wait for an item was 4 months waiting for my Black Porsche 934. Seems it did a fair bit of travelling in that time: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...128&id=2193

How do I do this? I've done it before but I can't remember how. Cheers, Don.

Well I'm not into NIBs myself, but I do have quite a few. The only reason they are NIB is that I haven't got round to building them yet. Having said that I can understand those who do collect vintage nibs - the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction that comes with finally gaining ownership of a rare piece. Modern nibs? - I have some, but they have been put away for the day that they will get built or used for spare parts. The possible exception in my "collection" of nibs is my Hilux. The price I paid for it would allow me to build it without feeling guilty, but then if I sold it as a nib Hilux 3-speed I could buy three nice built Hiluxes! What price do I put on the fleeting experience of busting into those blister packs? Shelf Queens. I have quite a few of those. Some I have been lucky enough to purchase in mint condition, and some I have restored or built. I find that if I put time and effort into making a model look good then I don't want to go out and trash it. Same with the rare ones. I have some shelfers that occasionally get taken for a quiet drive indoors (gotta rotate those tyres to avoid flat-spots). Runners. Most of my cars are runners - or potential runners. The ones I do run regularly expect to take a few knocks and rolls, but I don't go all-out to destroy them. I'm trying to teach the kids that when you run a car full-tit into the kerb, bits will break and fly off and the car won't work any more. Unfortunately they know that dad has a large pile of spare parts and a hot-melt glue gun!

Guy, yep - I was thinking I could use more space, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind! The RR wasn't there fortunately, but I have realised that I had recently swapped a better body onto the Blackfoot. So I now have the broken one on my runner - If only I had waited another week before doing that! You know strangely enough my missus doesn't think I should spend any money to replace these cars ("you have enough other ones!"). And if they are not safe at work and I'm not allowed to put any in the bedroom - what am I to do??

Thanks for that. I need to pull it apart and give it a bit of a clean and a tune. I'll see about those belt tensions and the possibility of replacing bearings.

Can anyone tell me anything about this chassis? Belt drive 4WD Kyosho with alloy chassis plates. I gave it a run and it seems very slow even though it has a 17x3 motor installed. Seems to be a lot of resistance in the drive.

I'd be in for a set.

Thanks for the support guys. Yeah, I count myself lucky that I didn't lose anything rare or expensive, but that S10 was a favourite runner! The factory is covered in 'burglar alarm" stickers, has two dummy CCTV cameras, (soon to be replaced by real ones), grills on all the windows, a good alarm system (monitored), sensor lights etc..... . But if someone is really keen then they will always try to get in. There is no point in claiming on my business insurance - the excess is $2,500 ! I might be able to claim through my home insurance, but then I would lose my no-claims bonus and pay for it through the premium. I'm keeping an eye on the local auction sites, and I keep expecting that I'll see the cars running in the school grounds that my office looks out on to!

Hi Ebay will probably be your best source of parts for something like this There was a seller in Australia who seemed to have a warehouse full of parts, but the most sought-after parts like bodyshells were sold out quickly. A complete strip down and clean will do wonders. Nothing fancy needed really - maybe a toothbruch to get into the corners and a bit of detergent to get rid of grease and a soak in water. If you are taking it right down you might want to think about replacing any bushes with ball bearings (I can't remember what sort of bearings are in the Ninja). Lots of new technology available. NiMH batteries with 3 x the capacity of the NiCds you used to use and an electronic speed controller are what I would look at first.

Some lowlife broke into my factory yesterday and stole 3 of my Tamiyas! He used a jemmy on the door - completely smashing both the deadlock and the handle-lock - and taking large chunks out of the door frame. I have a number of my cars in the back office and he took this one: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...580&id=2193, a Blackfoot and a Schnitzer BMW on a TA03 chassis. That must have been all he could carry because he left behind the King Hauler, Flatdeck trailer, King Tiger, Super Champ, Full-op Sherman, Robbe Forkhoist, Kyosho Chevy 4WD and my trusty No 1 Grasshopper. The cops reckon he was after copper (we do electrical stuff) but probably got frightened off by the alarm and just grabbed what was handy. Scumbag. Needless to say the other vehicles have been moved to a safer location.

My highest is still my Egress at 1601 http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...364&id=2193 And lowest is: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...377&id=2193 at 197. And this is a fantastic thing but obviously not a racer!

Some of my cars are shelfers only, some get run to death. I find that if I spend time and effort restoring and making something look good, then I don't want to destroy it. The nibs I have are only nib because I haven't got round to building them yet.

The Lancia 037 Rally and the Schnitzer BMW M3 were both re-issued on new chassis, as were others like some of the M-chassis cars: Mini Cooper rally, Mazda Eunos, Alpha Guilia Sprint, VW Beetle... Seems to be an on-going thing.

The Porsche 959 and Celica GBr have lexan bodies with some 'hard" detail pieces. They are 1/12 scale. The Lancia is your best bet. The unbuilt kits come up on ebay, or place a wanted ad here on TC.