James76G

Here for sale is a vintage and original Tamiya Clod Buster (58065) which was recently discovered in the loft of a good friend's childhood home. It has sat up there since about 1992. As you can see it has plenty of action but everything is there to allow it to run except the NiCad pack. It has been modified in period which includes the fitting of some LED lights and also converting it to run 8.4v batteries but these changes can be easily reversed. So here's what you are buying: Tamiya Clodbuster (58065) - This runs and drives and I have a short video clip showing this if required. The chassis has been repaired in two places and the bodyshell is badly cracked in the middle. It still has both original motors and speed controller as it came with when new. The tyres are a little flat spotted where it has been standing for 30 years but they aren't cracked. Acoms Techniplus Mk3 handset complete with crystal and original box. The servos and receiver are installed in the car. The faceplate was removed to trim the pots and never re-attached it but it is included. Small selection of Clod Buster spares with a mix of plastic parts and metal parts. Also some spare motor connector wires and multiple small pots of screws and nuts. Original Clod Buster instruction manual, all pages in the manual are complete, although it has come apart a little. (Not shown in photos) Fast charger which hasn't been tested, so assume it doesn't work and consider it a bonus if it does. This would be perfect to either fit a spare bodyshell and run as is, or strip down and restore to "as new". In either case you will to provide a battery for the Clod Buster itself and batteries for the radio gear. Collection only for this from Guildford (GU1) and the price is £200

An update on this for thread completion purposes, that being that I have got it back to being a nicely running Monster Beetle. Here's what's changed: Firstly I sold the original Acoms radio gear as it came to me without the transmitter and fitted a Carson Reflex Start setup. I then fully ball-raced it, treated it to a torque tuned motor and got a new 2000mah battery for it. By this point it was running well, but was still on the Blackfoot bodyshell. With some patience I managed to find a rough but serviceable Monster Beetle bodyshell, plus the right body posts and sold the Blackfoot one making the swap cost neutral. Finally I went through it and fixed a few things, such as replacing missing screws and replacing that front springs that was the wrong length. I've really enjoyed doing this, so much so that I've now got a Nissan King Cab to get back to full health. That means the Carson radio gear, TT motor and battery will move over to that and the Monster Beetle rolling chassis (with original motor) will be going up for sale.

Quick update on this. I fixed the issue with one of the wheels not turning, which was simply that the driveshaft was not engaging in the output cup properly due to some missing red o-rings. A few £ later and that's sorted. Yesterday I thought I'd take it for a run but although it will start (albeit reluctantly) if you give it any throttle it just stalls. A lot of fuel seems to be coming out of the exhaust which suggests it's running rich but all the adjustments are set as per factory. I've put it back on the shelf for now, but I am beginning to hate nitro...

I can't help you with those parts, but you aren't alone as I need exactly those items too. My Monster Beetle chassis currently has a Blackfoot bodyshell so the posts are all wrong. There's a seller on eBay doing the body posts for £9.99 delivered but doesn't include G1, which is a shame.

Assuming you're in the UK, I've got this one that came to me on top of a Monster Beetle chassis (Is this a Monster Beetle? - Vintage Tamiya Discussion - Tamiyaclub.com) The rear panel has been replaced (sadly) and it's clearly had a life. I've tried to remove the paint with some brake cleaner but it doesn't seem to have worked very well. Ideally I want my Monster Beetle to look like one so I'll happily move this Blackfoot bodyshell on for £20 including postage within the UK.

Thanks for posting this, it's really useful to know. In my previous career (Management Consulting) I racked up hundreds of thousands of airmiles/miles/Avios with all the flying but in recent years I've burnt through them and have less collection opportunities so this is a good one.

Thanks all for the input. Those Proline Trenchers look just the ticket so I'll get some ordered and then the current Tamiya ones can go on my Monster Beetle.

Thanks for the reply. I already have fitted an ESC and that is what I will run it with. I just want to find a MSC so I can return it to factory spec should I ever decide to sell it on. Regarding the tyres, the previous owner fitted those. Given that the original tyres are impossible to buy I have been seeking something more suitable but I haven't found anything yet. Happy to hear suggestions.

Earlier this year I picked up this Nissan King Cab from a local seller. He had apparently bought it as a box of bits, built it up but couldn't get it working. Turns out the 2nd hand ESC he'd bought was kaput and since fitting a different one it works fine, although I need to rebuild the diff with some proper diff grease as currently it has none and slips. It seems to be totally complete with the exception of the mechanical speed controller, which is missing (hence the ESC). I would like to find a replacement so that, when I come to sell it, it will be as per factory. I appear to need a 50307 unit, but from what I read on TamiyaBase that is only shared with the Porsche 959, Toyota Celica and Hi-Lux Monster Racer and I haven't seen one turn up for sale in the usual places. So, is there any other MSC that is compatible/that will work?

Thank you Kev, I had primed the carb albeit with the built in plunger. There is no fuel filter so no issues there. Anyway, good news, I got it running. It has taken ages to get it to go but then it is waking from a 10 year slumber. In the end I just kept the roto start running until it was running properly. Here's the video on YouTube This got the wheels spinning which shows that I have an issue with the front diff/gearbox as one of them isn't turning, so that's next on the list. Still, getting ever closer to the first proper run.

Quick update, the engine would catch but won't run I removed the glow plug, put some fuel straight in, and it ran fine, albeit for about 2 seconds. This suggested a problem with the carb settings and so I checked the manual for this HPI T15 engine and it says both LSN and HSN should be flush with their housings. Neither were, so I adjust them to the base settings and expected the car to fire right up. But still nothing. Glow plug is bright and fuel is new Optifuel 20% so all good there. I am trying this without the air filter fitted though, as the foam within looks like it will get sucked in to the engine. I assume that its absence isn't going to prevent a start?

Two of the four tyres on my Monster Beetle (with BF body) tore when I went to remove them. Probably because they'd been glued on with Araldite. So I am after two used Monster Beetle tyres. I know I could buy new, but if anybody (UK based) has two used ones hanging around that they don't have a plan for that would be in keeping with this budget build do let me know. Or, if you've got four alternative (but matching) tyres to fit four Monster Beetle wheels then that could work too as I'm not precious about keeping it OEM - I just want to get it back up and running again. Condition of the current two remaining tyres here:

Thank you both for the comprehensive replies - all very helpful. Current situation is that the carb barrel came unstuck after a soak of some 3 hrs. I cleaned out all the varnish inside and oiled it lightly so it now rotates nice and smoothly and reassembled it on to the main body of the engine. I've since ordered some 20% fuel and a glow plug igniter. The MT2 tank does have a primer button which I have been using to eject the old fuel that's been sat in the tank for the last 10 years, so that's good. Will upload a quick video when it fires up for the first time in a decade. I am expecting lots of smoke - can't wait!

While I decide what direction to go with my Tamiyas (Nissan King Cab and Monster Beetle) I have picked this up locally. It's an HPI Nitro MT2 I have no experience of nitro myself, but this was £free so I thought it a great opportunity to learn. It hasn't been touched for 10 years and while the engine turns over and appears to have good compression, the carb is stuck. By which I mean the rotating barrel doesn't move, so currently it's stuck on idle. So questions: 1. What is the best way to unstick it? I've taken the carb off and it's currently soaking in some alcohol but all other suggestions welcome. 2. What fuel to buy. 16% Optifuel? 20%? 3. Glow plug works when connected to a battery, so presumably should be good to start it. Or do they go bad after time? Thanks in advance.

Looks like a Stadium Raider to me. Nice - I quite fancy one myself.

Thanks for this @Kol__. I never bought a bodyshell back in the 80s and it's a surprise how much some of them go for certainly. I've taken it out again at the weekend and my son grabbed a few clips which I've put together here on YouTube. It goes well and is a lot of fun. Perhaps inevitably a few things have now shown up including one of the front shock springs being the wrong length and the front bumper has cracked but nothing that can't be fixed. Also afterwards I went to give it a good clean but while wrestling the rear tyres off the rim (which had been araldited on) they tore, so I'll need to replace them too, ideally with a set of part worns to match the fronts (which seem to be newer and didn't tear)

They look fantastic and it resonates with me as the first Tamiya car I ever saw in action was a Hornet and then a good friend at school had a Falcon. Regarding batteries, I've recently got in to the hobby and have picked up a vintage Monster Beetle. I invested £20 in a NimH battery pack and a wall plug charger as a pure "get me going" option to see how I got on with things. So far so good and the Monster Beetle hasn't broken yet. I agree with the point about ball races though. I remember buying them for my Hotshot 2 in the late 80s for about £15 and I've just bought some for the MB and a full set was £7 posted!

Thank you both, good to have it confirmed. I have a handset from another recent purchase (Nissan King Cab) and so I've managed to get this one up and running on the road outside the house. I'm please to report it goes well and so I'll do a little tidying up and leave it as is. Thinking a respray to the body and a decal set. Thanks, I'm very pleased with it.

Back in Christmas '87 I received a Hotshot II, complete with Futaba Attack R radio gear. Foolishly I sold it and so now 34 years later I've decided to get back in to the hobby. So yesterday I picked this up as it was local and for £50 it seemed like a good opportunity. It was sold as a King Blackfoot I think it's a Monster Beetle chassis given the CVA shocks, the servo protector plate and the gearbox back panel. It also has gold wheels and tyres with (worn down) spikes. But it seems to have an original Blackfoot body with "FORD" on the bonnet/hood, although it's missing the rear panel with a homemade one in its place. Can anyone confirm my suspicion that it's a Monster Beetle? Assuming it is I'd like to find the correct shell, but I will also need the correct body mounting posts because from what I can tell, the Beetle shell mounts differently to the Blackfoot. I see I can buy a new bare shell without any of the additions, but I can't find a "body set" anywhere with the decals, spotlamps, driver etc. Or am I missing something? Thanks