Golden

That’s really helpful - thanks for your time on the detailed response. I definitely thinned the paint too much and used retarder to avoid brush lines when I first painted it. It worked well to avoid brush lines, but then ran under the tape. Dryer coats to seal the tape makes sense. As does creating new/cleaner edges to the masking tape by cutting it into new sections. I’ll give it a go. But to clarify - It’s 1/12 scale. So waaaaaaaaaay trickier than 1/10th 😉 Thanks again.

I think-it’s clear. But just in case. This is the bit that needs to be yellow!

And the car so far….

Said bumper. Stripped after disaster and resprayed white so far….

Box art…

Grateful for some advice (as usual!). I’m trying to paint the bumper for the above, and am struggling with the best approach to getting crisp lines for the inner yellow portion (per photos below….). The first time round I painted it all white, then masked the outer white bumper and brush painted the yellow. But the paint ran under the masking…. Total disaster. I think I might stand a better chance if I mask again - but this time very lightly spray paint the yellow, so hopefully it’s not so wet that it runs under the masking? Perhaps I should have painted the yellow in first, and masked over it to paint the white?? This car is becoming a bit of a nemesis for me!

While I haven‘t done it on the Blitzer Beetle, I do a similar thing on all my other builds. So on subaru rally cars for example, I’ll apply the decal and then painstakingly cut round the decal with a scalple/hobby knife to trim the excess/clear portions between the decals off the actual body of the car. You obviously need to be careful not to slip…. And if you removed the decals then I’m sure the body would have cut marks where the edges of the decals used to be. But it stops the shine of the clear part of the decal - and looks great imo. If you cut in advance/before application, then you might find it’s really hard to apply the decal with the correct spacing as it could fold over on itself etc? In any event - a sharp scalpel is always better than scissors IF you go super slow.

That’s not helpful!!! I thought I’d made my mind up!!! I think I’ll still go with smoke - but not the canopy, as I want to see the driver. I won’t smoke the canopy as want to see the driver. I’ve always associated the black special with smoke (although almost a brown wing due to the thin layer). I still think I’ll try to smoke the whole thing - but can see it going a bit wrong - so it'll end up with two cans worth on it, and i’ll sort of be black anyway… I bldy hate painting…

Thanks for the input on this. Looks like box art is ps5 with Ps31 wing… but I think I might smoke the whole thing - but go really dark with it.

No probs! I’m pretty good at using smoke on windows of touring cars - but only if I literally empty an entire can and make them super-dark! (which I kind of like, as don’t want to see electronics on those cars). The Avante wing might be tricky to lightly smoke as has some tight recesses I think. My life is so difficult…. Joking aside - anyone got any recent pictures? The older threads don’t seem to still have live pictures anymore?

Thank you for this. It’s what it seems to look like doesn't it. I’m going to mess the smoke wing up I think….!

So what do you reckon they actually did - as they could have followed either option… (the actual “box” is blue and black!). Wing does look to be lightly smoked - almost transparent brown. But the body….?

Yep - it says you can choose to go ps5 black or ps31 smoke. what did Tamiya do in the end? Looks like the wing is smoke for sure - but the body?

There are some old threads on this but some of the pictures are no longer available. Does anyone know what the box art colour scheme is…. The manual says smoke and black are both options…. But I think the body is black (ps5) and the wing smoke (ps31). Or…. Should the whole thing be smoke…..?! It's very stressful. And I haven’t even started to build mine yet!

I saw an interesting and sort of obvious (but I’d totally missed it….) point on a you tube comment. Might have been mentioned above - but - this is simply a “black edition”, not a “black special” - hence no trick parts. Just different colours…. In light of that, I guess it is what is says on the tin. So we(?) probably shouldn’t be annoyed that it has no upgraded parts. Whether they should have released a black version rather than a “black special” is a different point entirely - although the Egress is already pretty tricked-up, so other than a special motor, are there lots of additional upgrades they could have supplied? No one screamed at the black edition Monster Beetle or Lunch Box - although the price points were a bit different I suppose!!! I still think they’d have shifted a lot of units with another run of the “standard” 2013 rere, and am not really sure of the point in this one… so it does seem a missed opportunity of sorts.

Just watched the video on the Tamiya Channel - admittedly don’t speak Japanese, but…. I think Kol basically summarised the only differences. Feels like not very much for a lot more cash. The Egress is one of the grail buggies for me - I pined for one back in the late 80s, but they may as well have been £1m. I was lucky enough to get two in the last round of reres (I think reres will continue to be…. rere’d….). I will build both and run one of them (as NEED a perfect shelf queen - but also desperately want to drive one!). I’m not sure this black edition is special enough though based on the videos and my lack of speaking Japanese (in case I missed some important info) - like it has added mechancial blingey bits, like a turbo charger, fragments of moon rock embedded in the chassis plates and a special sticker on the gt tuned, I mean super duper super stock motor that will of course come with it. I’ll probably get one. (joking!) (I think) (****…).

Quick bump on this just in case. Seen some detailed ebay pictures of a few built cars for sale, so reckon I can fathom it out - but if anyone has a manual I’d be grateful for some pictures!

Thanks for the above - and a fair point about the amount of use. I’m happy to replace a pinion every so often - just didn’t want to damage the spur gear on the slipper clutch. Probably over thinking it for my “application”(!).

Thanks!

Many thanks. So no disadvantages in steel (potentially heavier - but I’m bashing. Not racing!) - and won’t damage the spur gear? Having looked at the packaging on the slipper clutch, it says not compatible with short shaft motors - such as 540SH/torque tuned. I’d always assumed the sh just meant a standard silver can - so a bit confused by this. I know the super stock has s shorter shaft than a standard silver can - so I can’t fit a heat sink and spacer plate on my sand viper as then the shaft is too short to attach the pinion. I wonder if it’s the same type of issue. Will have to fit it all up to see I guess! Thanks for the above.

Hi All, I’m building a td4 Super Avante - and I’m going to start with running a super stock bz motor. I will install a slipper clutch as I might go brushless soon, and note I need a dp48 pinion - and probably a 21t pinion to stay within recommended gearing for the motor. I think standard aluminium will turn to grey mush - so should I go for a hardened aluminium pinion - or steel? Not sure what the differences would be. I’d like to stay with Tamiya if possible, just to keep everything on the buggy Tamiya (although have to upgrade the esc to a hobbywing I guess….), and it doesn't look like they do a steel version - so I’d be grateful for a recommendation on what material pinion to choose, and which manufacturer/brand to go for? Many thanks!

Let’s hope so!

I’ve just built my first F1 car - cut out the body and sanded it - and will paint over the weekend. Am completely hooked. What do you reckon on the chances of some re- releases? I’d love to build the Ferrari’s and a Nigel Mansell Williams. The Mercedes and obviously Marlboro Mclarens are epic too… hopefully Tamiya will tap into the back catalogue on these, or are they too niche - as pretty challenging to run them other than indoors (although mine will be shelf queens….) - so a limited market and appeal?

Thanks for this - yes - that was my next route (m3 titanium threaded rod off ebay…….). Agreed as to what might snap next - would the servo saver take the brunt - suppose it depends on how big a whack it gets… I guess the other option is to simply keep adjusting the toe until the rods really Need bending back with pliers!