A couple of wrong steps by Tamiya on re-releases

[kontemax 1623]

2 hours ago, Saito2 said:

I'm afraid I agree. I mean, if someone likes it, that great too...just not me. For a time, I tried to consider that the BH HS2's new looks were simply different than the original HS2's and perhaps the nostalgic lens I was looking though was making the BH version seem "wrong" or "off" in my mind's eye. Then I saw it parked next to the BBX and thought "Nope, I really do feel its ugly". Tamiya got the proportions right the first time IMHO. Sorry, just my opinion. Overall, I'm not against the BH stuff. It beats the "rainbow of colors" editions that have been put out with little effort (again, a Black Edition Midnight Pumpkin?! What the heck?).

Thinking back to this bad version of Hot Shot 2... it is totally useless to get back the original version of Hot Shot 2.
Shock absorbers, silver parts, chassis, roll cage, pre-painted bodywork... there are so many things to change that make it unnecessary to buy this Blockhead version to get the original version back.
Better buy a Super Hot Shot, a reproduced Team Blue Groove body, an MCI decal sheet, some painted Boomerang parts and you have it.
It seems that Tamiya deliberately wanted to prevent getting the original Hot Shot 2 back.
"Hot Shot 2 isn't there and won't be there, you can't have it, there's the Blockhead if you want it, otherwise nothing".
This is what I mean by "wrong step".
And I agree with you, luckily Tamiya made the BBX.
This Hot Shot 2 is controversial, it will sell few pieces also because there is the BBX. The fate of the Hot Shot 2 repeats itself 30 years later, even at the era it sold few kits because the Thunder Shot came out.
Why the same error twice, with the same model?
Maybe Tamiya doesn't like Hot Shot 2.

Max

[Twinfan 394]

The Hotshot II was a nothing model back in the day wasn't it?  It came out around the time the newer, lighter, easier to work on (and cheaper?) Thundershot series so it just wasn't popular.

I think they've brought it back this way as a fun thing to do with minimal investment.  Some parts are shared with other models (Hotshot and Boomerang bits, yellow CVAs, driver figure etc), some are exisiting parts with simple and cheap changes (Hotshot wheels painted silver) then there are a small number of bespoke parts that won't have cost much to make (new cage, chassis cover etc.).  Throw in the Blockhead design and you've got a one-off, which I think is the whole point.  Think of it as a new release of a vintage Hotshot derivative all of its own.  Had it been a vanilla Hotshot II re-re I doubt they'd sell enough to be worth the bother.

I get that the people who want the HotShot II back are disappointed, but satisfying those (few?) people wasn't the aim of this release as I see it.  Personally, I love this car and can't wait to get mine in a couple of weeks.

[Sayer 699]

1 hour ago, Twinfan said:

The Hotshot II was a nothing model back in the day wasn't it? 

This is why I don't get the outrage. Every other car in this line was more iconic, then people are complaining about the color of the shocks and I look over at my King Cab and Boomerang and scratch my head.

[Kowalski86 746]

Given Tamiyas track record with re-releases I can't knock them for taking an old design and improving it, thats what I'd like to see more of.

I don't see what makes a Hotshot 2 all that different from a Supershot with a black shell. Just seems like people looking for drama.

[Sayer 699]

2 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

Given Tamiyas track record with re-releases I can't knock them for taking an old design and improving it, thats what I'd like to see more of.

I don't see what makes a Hotshot 2 all that different from a Supershot with a black shell. Just seems like people looking for drama.

When I look at these cars together, the one that stands out as not belonging isn't the Blockhead Hotshot 2. I think the only thing I would change is to keep the low slung "can barely see out of it" canopy from the two original cars.

[Chest Rockwell 31]

6 hours ago, Sayer said:

This is why I don't get the outrage. Every other car in this line was more iconic, then people are complaining about the color of the shocks and I look over at my King Cab and Boomerang and scratch my head.

Agree as from memory the HS2 just kind of swam in the backwater with the Super Sabre while everyone bought The Boomerang, Thundershot or Thunder Dragon.

[Kowalski86 746]

4 hours ago, Sayer said:

When I look at these cars together, the one that stands out as not belonging isn't the Blockhead Hotshot 2. I think the only thing I would change is to keep the low slung "can barely see out of it" canopy from the two original cars.

I just now noticed that the HS2 doesn't have headlights, for me the little headlights on Tamiya buggys are a big part of their retro style.

[kontemax 1623]

10 hours ago, Twinfan said:

Throw in the Blockhead design and you've got a one-off, which I think is the whole point. 

Call it Hot Shot 3, not Hot Shot 2.

Max

[Twinfan 394]

9 hours ago, kontemax said:

Call it Hot Shot 3, not Hot Shot 2.

Max

It's not completely different though is it, they're similar yet different.  It's like a 1:1 car being a Fiesta S or a Fiesta S Red Edition...

[kontemax 1623]

55 minutes ago, Twinfan said:

It's not completely different though is it, they're similar yet different.  It's like a 1:1 car being a Fiesta S or a Fiesta S Red Edition...

Also Hot Shot 1 is not completely different but the name of the second version has a number so why not the 3th version?

Max

[Twinfan 394]

Hot Shot 1 is hugely different in suspension setup for a start!  That's a major change in my view, not a taller roll cage.

We clearly have very different views on this and neither of us is going to agree with the other!  

[Saito2 5302]

Its all about the proportions and the flow of the lines for me and my very humble opinion of aesthetics. The BH HS2's higher cage abruptly disrupts this line flow. The HS1 and 2 have a much cleaner, sweeping arch that starts at the top of the wing and slides down, across the low roof, across the bodywork to the front tip of the car. Graceful in my eyes. I also don't care for the tacked on number plates either which don't seem all that necessary. I say all this when I actually like "busy" aesthetic design, like looking into the back of a watch. "Busy" is fine when every piece appears to serve a purpose.

What's all this mean? Not much. Its just my opinion on looking at things and everybody has a valid opinion even if they differ. I'm not angered by the BH HS2 even if I prefer the looks of the original. I'm happy that some people like it and I hope to see more from BH Motors.

 

[Sayer 699]

Didn't I read somewhere that the cage was adjustable?

[kontemax 1623]

2 hours ago, Saito2 said:

Wonderful couple.
One is evolution of the other one.
HS1 deep in the 80ies.
HS2 almost in the 90ies.

Max