Why did you choose that scale body?

[Pylon80 2628]

Here is a topic I meant to ask about for a while. When looking at Tamiya's scale body offerings, typically for on-road or rally, I sometimes see scale reproductions of cars that are not particularly glamorous nor pretty nor famous. Yet these enjoy their own success as scale models.

So I thought about what makes me choose a car and it fell in the following (non exhaustive) categories:

- An exceptional car that I would love to own in real life but there is certainly no plan for that to happen , so it's nice to drive it in 1/10 scale. For sake of example just about any Porsche would fall into that category for me.

- Something that sparks a teenagerhood memory when I had seen a car on the street, then perhaps a race version of it on TV and thought it was just awe inspiring. Subaru WRC cars from the late 90's/2000's would fall into that category for me.

- A car linked to a nostalgic event in my life that anchors my tastes as being "my era". For that I am still hoping to find a McLaren MP4/5 because of the fond memory of watching Senna and Prost battle for the win at Monaco in 1989. My dad (although he hated big crowds) took me there as a kid and I will remember this day forever.

So these are just random examples but I thought I would ask the members here what makes them choose a given scale body and if they relate to the above in some way.

[Busdriver 6209]

My first proper scale build was my Herbie beetle. I’d built other scale rc cars but this was of one that actually existed ( well sort off) My frustration comes when I can’t get certain details right though. The beetles wheels are just one. Wheels and tyres are probably my biggest bugbear as it’s very difficult to get scale representative wheels and tyres( sorry bit off topic) but I think you feel my pain. My forthcoming Europa build I’m looking forward to. A few of my friends had them when I was in my early 20’s, not me though. Had my mums Triumph 2000 estate!!! Don’t think Mr T will be in a hurry to do one of those. The MK2 Escort was also a call from memory lane. Should have been on a rwd chassis though!!!

[alvinlwh 5895]

I usually buy the chassis not the body as it is the chassis that makes the car, the body is just a wrapper. However... 

Suzuki Swift, because wife wants one so a 1:1 scale one followed by a 1:10 scale one for her. 

Got a Thunder Dragon because I also have the 1:32 scale one. 

And finally, the VW Karmann Ghia simply because it is so classy. But it ended up just as a wall queen as I cannot bare to crash that shell. 

Everything else is based on price, the cheapest body for a given chassis that I want. 

[Badcrumble 4203]

I wanted a Mini. My wife had two as her first cars, I never got one despite wanting one. We had plans to buy a classic (I wanted a kit car but she wasn't so keen) and bought a house with a garage. Then we had a kid instead .

So I have a Tamiya Mini and a runner with a knock-off body.

I'm a bit of an Alfa fan too and had a 146. I can't get an RC one (though there used to be a 145 produced by someone) but Tamiya has the gorgeous Giulia Sprint. So I have a few of those .

[Grastens 2795]

My fascination with 037s (and thus Tamiya's Lancia Rally) came about because it represented the kind of car I fantasized about owning someday: not entirely practical, glorious, able to handle speed bumps, possibly an ex-race car, big spotlights, and fun to drive. Mid-engined is a bonus!

I have no idea how I will get there (I have 0.03% of a down payment for a Carteroni replica saved up! ), but having one or more in 1:10 scale helps me realize at least part of my dream!

[Willy iine 18805]

I have a bunch of Rover Mini Coopers.  Because there was no way to buy a real one in pristine condition and maintain it.  

..or are we talking about my M38’s..? 

[lupogtiboy 454]

I tend to buy shells of 1:1 cars that I like, so Audi Quattro, Lancia Delta and so on. However, that doesn't always follow, as I have a lot of shells that I know I'll never use but have for some reason. 

Now if Tamiya only made an RC VW Lupo GTI, they'd definitely have at least one sale....!!

[Juhunio 6830]

On 6/13/2022 at 3:50 PM, Pylon80 said:

- An exceptional car that I would love to own in real life but there is certainly no plan for that to happen , so it's nice to drive it in 1/10 scale. For sake of example just about any Porsche would fall into that category for me.

- Something that sparks a teenagerhood memory when I had seen a car on the street, then perhaps a race version of it on TV and thought it was just awe inspiring. Subaru WRC cars from the late 90's/2000's would fall into that category for me.

- A car linked to a nostalgic event in my life that anchors my tastes as being "my era". For that I am still hoping to find a McLaren MP4/5 because of the fond memory of watching Senna and Prost battle for the win at Monaco in 1989. My dad (although he hated big crowds) took me there as a kid and I will remember this day forever.

I'd go along with all three of those categories, but primarily 2 and 3. Regarding the exceptional cars I would love to own but never will, if Tamiya were to work something out with Aston Martin it would make me very happy 

Regarding the teenage memories, this applies to all the older WRC cars (Quattro, Delta, 037, Renault 5, 306 Maxi) and some of the BTTC cars, though they are harder to find now. And of course the Mini Cooper. This also blends into the nostalgia reason, as I was lucky enough growing up that one of my dad's best work-mates was also a BMMC marshal, and he used to get us into any race where he was marshalling,  from touring car / classic meets to the British GP. So if Tamiya were to make a good fist of a Lotus Cortina or late-60s Mustang I would be all over it, as I have very happy memories of watching those things slide around Snetterton, Oulton Park and Thruxton; what a noise! For a similar reason I would love to see a re-release of that McLaren, or the Williams FW11B....I was fortunate enough to be at that classic British GP in 1987 when Mansell overtook Piquet at the last and then came to a halt right in front of us after the win. We were able to run from the inner ring onto the circuit to celebrate...different times!

There are then some which fall into the category of just being downright gorgeous; the AMG GT3, CLK-GTR, Alfa Giulia, Alpine A110, and some of the Porsches. The 911 GT1 and GT2 and the 934 RSR all just look fantastic in 1/10 scale. The outlier is the 911 RSR, which I think just seems too big? I've tried painting one in 'street' colours (ie a non-racing livery) and it just didn't sit right, so one day I'm going to take a crack at the Sonauto BP livery and see how that looks

EDIT: this brought back some great memories, and I know that somewhere there is a photo of me running onto the track at Silverstone but I can't put my hands on it, I must ask my dad if he has it. What I did find though were a few photos from the touring car days, including this day at Thruxton meeting the late, great Mike Smith in 1987. Now that Sierra Cosworth, there's another one Tamiya could get around to....

 

 

[Juhunio 6830]

49 minutes ago, lupogtiboy said:

Now if Tamiya only made an RC VW Lupo GTI, they'd definitely have at least one sale....!!

The clue's in the name, right? 

[Gebbly 588]

Alvinlwh is that 1/32 Thunder dragon a little kit? It looks great for a fun build. I wonder what other tiny rc kits are out there. If you share a 1:1 Swift with your wife and your wife has her own 1:10 your going to have to find an even smaller version for your youngster  And that is an immaculate looking ghia, you need a shelf lined with bubble wrap.

Willy iine I thought you were a Wild Willy fanatic. I now see you merely dally in WW and Minis are where its at. I think if I wanted a 2nd R/C car beyond my initial Wild Willy 2 I would have to do some fast talking with the missus but 8?!

As for my own choices I'm drawn to vehicles I could never dream of owning in real life or things that reference fiction from when I was a kid for example, with unlimited time and budget I would be tempted to build a Lunchbox and give it the A-Team van paint job or after saving up the pennies investing in an R/C tank. I wonder if anyone makes bodies that reference popular shows that can be put on Tamiya chassis. Like the batmobile from the 60s tv show, a Gran Torino body to paint like Starsky and Hutch or a 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am to paint the same as in Smokey and the Bandit.

[Nikko85 3450]

8 hours ago, Willy iine said:

I have a bunch of Rover Mini Coopers.  Because there was no way to buy a real one in pristine condition and maintain it.  

..or are we talking about my M38’s..? 

You are going to film a 1:10 Italian Job, right?

[alvinlwh 5895]

5 hours ago, Gebbly said:

Alvinlwh is that 1/32 Thunder dragon a little kit? It looks great for a fun build. I wonder what other tiny rc kits are out there. If you share a 1:1 Swift with your wife and your wife has her own 1:10 your going to have to find an even smaller version for your youngster  And that is an immaculate looking ghia, you need a shelf lined with bubble wrap.

I have the entire 1:32 Dragon family. They are NOT RC and are quite pointless unless you have a Mini 4WD track, which I am planning to get in a few months time. 

Will not be affordable to have the whole family in 1:10 scale though. 

She no longer have the Swift, it is now a Ford Mondeo. I used to have a Ford Fiesta but not anymore, except in 1:10 scale. I no longer have a 1:1 car anymore. 

The girl have a 1:18 scale RC Aero Avante. 

Which also have a 1:32 scale little brother. 

The Ghia is hung on the wall (that's why I said wall queen not shelf queen 😏). 

[Gebbly 588]

Blimey I;ve never seen cars on the wall before. Good use of space

[alvinlwh 5895]

2 hours ago, Gebbly said:

Blimey I;ve never seen cars on the wall before. Good use of space

I am out of wall space for shelves and putting them above doors will make it impossible to see the cars. These brackets are the answer. 

https://www.jk-rc.co.uk/rc-clearance-unusual-items/new-radshape-wall-bracket-small-2pcs-p

 

[Gebbly 588]

Oh thats a clever idea. Is there no worry that it is putting some strain on the wheel connection?

[Nicadraus 6198]

Here are some of my kits using the bodies I want and why...

Corolla WRC - It is my most favorite rally car of all. 

Here mounted on my FF-01R and FF-03RR.

I now have three bodies. A full livery, a plain body and an unpainted one.

Lancia Delta HF Integrale - My second most favorite rally car

Mounted on my XV-01RS (full livery) and FF-03RR (yellow plain body)

Scirocco R - My brother has a 1:1 and I love the way it looks.

Mounted in my FF-03 Pro-R

Suzuki Jimny Sierra (JB74) - I love this little one. 

Mounted on my MST CFX

Wild One - It was a dream kit I never had until 36 years later when a friend gave me an original release. Although I have done several mods already but planning on getting a newer body as soon as it becomes available.

[alvinlwh 5895]

4 hours ago, Gebbly said:

Oh thats a clever idea. Is there no worry that it is putting some strain on the wheel connection?

Not too worried, shops use them as well. Just don't hang it up with the battery in. Pretty sure the wheel/chassis is subjected to more stress in a jump/crash/rollover. 

The Swift (M-05) actually fell off before and nothing is broken, even from that 2m height.