Personality.

[Saito2]

Personality. Character. These are attributes that Tamiya vehicles tend to be known for. It extends beyond the colorful and dynamic box art or the thoughtful naming matched with evocative bodywork. This is also found in how the cars themselves drive. Perhaps they are less-than-perfect from a performance or even durabiltiy standpoint, but somehow, these pieces of black plastic, aluminum, steel and rubber come together to form something greater as a whole than their component parts may suggest.

Placing my Blackfoot down on the ground at a local playground, I give the radio's throttle trigger a firm squeeze and am reminded of this character. The rear hunkers down, squatting under power of the 540 silvercan and the tires begin throwing up trails of dirt. This is the Blackfoot, an old friend performing with its familiar and somehow comforting quirks. It drives like no other, be it Lunch Box or Blitzer. They have their own way of going about business as unique and different as the Blackfoot's. Perhaps its the on and off sound of power reaching the ground, and then not, and then grabbing at the earth again given forth from a Hornet, light and simple, but somehow chaotic and full of life. Maybe it the solid heft of a Hotshot that you just know is going to understeer in the face of a negotiating a sharp turn, but it doesn't matter because its just awesome watching all the dynamic mechanical art of those mono shocks in motion. There's the nearly manic waving motion of a Super Champ's rear suspension arms as they flip and flop through wild camber changes always intent on keeping the drive wheels on the ground at all cost. Super Fast Super Stable. 

Perhaps it is these things that we all value so much in Tamiya products, but I think for many of us, "products" is far too clinical a term. Far too cold. It some respects, I'd almost consider them companions at times on our journey through life. 

[Kowalski86]

I call them "products", but I categorize my idea of "products" as it isn't inherently clinical. "Toys" are generally not clinical beyond non-interactive garbage like Funko Pops (which I hesitate to even call "toys").

Vintage Tamiyas tend to be the most "toy-like" of RCs, which makes them a bit less clinical than more performance oriented RCs. And they have a bit more style and detail than today's "bashers".

I don't necessarily believe in giving inanimate objects "souls", but you can sense when something has a bit of passion in the design, that's what makes it flawed, different, or even ahead of the curb. You could define this as "character" as well.

I'd argue that some newer Tamiyas have a bit of passion in them, but you probably won't find it in the next set of TT-02 GRX bits that get chucked  into a box.

[Sogogi]

Recently I ventured around non-tamiya cars. Do they perform well with more durable parts, but wasn’t able to enjoy as much as tamiya cars. 
 

Something about tamiya cars (older chassis) that gives me joy.

 

[Willy iine]

Willy approves this thread.   👍 

Considering my favorite car continues to be the original M38 Wild Willy, there is no other car that has that level of personality and character. imho.   

[Kowalski86]

16 hours ago, Sogogi said:

Recently I ventured around non-tamiya cars. Do they perform well with more durable parts, but wasn’t able to enjoy as much as tamiya cars. 

I take it the Rampage isn't working out for you?

It's likely the "good" handling of modern RCs, and the weight. Hornet/Hoppers weight next to nothing so you get very different handling characteristics and much better run time (something very good to have when you're not at home with a charger).

[NWarty]

I raced in a league back in 2004 while deployed with the US Army. A Midnight Pumpkin league. Seeing 10 pumpkins on a road course, going full-blast, is something I’ll probably never see again, and it was absolutely glorious to watch. 

[Kowalski86]

25 minutes ago, NWarty said:

I raced in a league back in 2004 while deployed with the US Army. A Midnight Pumpkin league. Seeing 10 pumpkins on a road course, going full-blast, is something I’ll probably never see again, and it was absolutely glorious to watch. 

 In Japan they run a class like that, you can see it at 34:53 It really should be something run more often here, something simple and cheap.

 

[Sogogi]

1 hour ago, Kowalski86 said:

I take it the Rampage isn't working out for you?

It's likely the "good" handling of modern RCs, and the weight. Hornet/Hoppers weight next to nothing so you get very different handling characteristics and much better run time (something very good to have when you're not at home with a charger).

Oh i actually still have rampage

[Pablo68]

Yeah I agree with the OP. Tamiya cars, in particular the vintage ones, have acres of personality or character. Chassis with more optimal design like modern bashers and racing buggies are great, even fun, but it does get to a point where great handling gets a bit boring. The older Tamiya buggies are always, or usually at least interesting to drive. It is also fun to put hop ups on them and try to get them do drive a bit better.
Care has to be taken in the direction of hop ups or even re-designed parts. If you go too far then the car/buggy can end up losing its character and handling just like everything else. I have done this with some of my cars.

My Monster Beetle comes to mind. AMPRO irs, a support for the front shock tower, TRF shocks and a Hobbywing esc/motor combo. It flies and handles. And is not really an MB anymore.

[ADRay1000]

great topic, agree with the first words of the opening thread. Kudos to the designers of old tamiya for not only creative chassis designs, but for the names, color schemes and livery. What other company came up with names for their drivers? Vanessa could have been a real person, and with the sponsor stickers including names of real cities in California just made it that much cooler. Plus what they created is just the jumping off point. The idea of picking your own colors and stickers to personalize your car totally blew my 8 year old mind, and I was hooked. 

[NWarty]

18 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

In Japan they run a class like that, you can see it at 34:53 It really should be something run more often here, something simple and cheap.

A lot of the fun in it, was that each and every Pumpkin was exactly the same. Same batteries, chargers, motors, etc. All sponsored by Tower Hobbies.

My Midnight Pumpkin (which is in my showroom link below), was bought to compete in the league.

[87lc2]

I feel the same way about the Blackfoot and Tamiya in general.  As much as I've gotten into modern trucks and racing I'd have to say my Blackfoot is my favorite RC.  Love bringing it to the ball field and running a battery or two through it, no other RC puts a smile on my face like that truck.  Tamiya in general is the same way - I love building custom trucks but if I had to choose one RC activity for the rest of my life it would be building Tamiya kits.  There's just something about it that sticks with and comforts you.  

[finder75]

Early Tamiyas do have the fun factor in abundance regarding how they handle and look as you drive them for recreation.Race or competition oriented models can be boringly predictable outside of actual race conditions.I guess some of that early charm is due to the experiments in chassis designs that have been lost in favour of " what works " on a track.

Swing axles , trailing arms , high centre of gravity for wheelies and generally wobbly and bouncy suspenion were staples in the Tamiya line up for fun and rewarding handling when simply driving a model for fun with friends.I guess it's abit of a niche market compared to competition stuff nowadays , or do we have to be of a " certain age" to appreciate the Tamiya charm lol 😁