Original 80’s Monster Beetle restoration

[AG100 121]

By best mate is turning 50 this year, when we were kids, he has a Monster Beetle, as time has gone on it has been forgotten, I got his wife to retrieve it from his loft and my plan is to restore it, and do some little upgrades/improvements, ready for his Birthday in September.

Not sure if this is allowed, but this is a link to MSUK Forum which details the project.

i did try and do it here, but it would only let me upload 4.5mb of photos?

https://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/forums/topic/254449-original-80s-monster-beetle/

[Frog Jumper 3848]

That car has some nice history, I bet...

IMO, I would dis-assemble it, clean it up, and then re-assemble it.  Leave the body the way it is.  I would replace any broken parts with vintage replacement parts.  And then I would buy a new Re-Release kit and give that to him as a present in September along with his childhood model.  Let him build a new Monster Beetle.  Leave the vintage MB on the shelf for nostalgia and drive the new cars for kicks and giggles.

The big reason is that the 30 year old plastic and rubber has likely become brittle with age (that's what happened to my original Frog).

The re-release kits are 98% the same as original, with the addition of modern electronics to replace the 30 year old electronics.  The body is slightly different, and there are a few other minor changes but overall it is the same old Monster Beetle.

And when you do all this, you should buy the Blackfoot for yourself, so there is some cross-over in build experience.  You both get to enjoy the build, the driving, and the understanding of how each model is the same and is different.

Terry

[AG100 121]

44 minutes ago, Frog Jumper said:

That car has some nice history, I bet...

IMO, I would dis-assemble it, clean it up, and then re-assemble it.  Leave the body the way it is.  I would replace any broken parts with vintage replacement parts.  And then I would buy a new Re-Release kit and give that to him as a present in September along with his childhood model.  Let him build a new Monster Beetle.  Leave the vintage MB on the shelf for nostalgia and drive the new cars for kicks and giggles.

The big reason is that the 30 year old plastic and rubber has likely become brittle with age (that's what happened to my original Frog).

The re-release kits are 98% the same as original, with the addition of modern electronics to replace the 30 year old electronics.  The body is slightly different, and there are a few other minor changes but overall it is the same old Monster Beetle.

And when you do all this, you should buy the Blackfoot for yourself, so there is some cross-over in build experience.  You both get to enjoy the build, the driving, and the understanding of how each model is the same and is different.

Terry

Thanks Terry, I have gone the resto-mod route, not much broken or missing luckily and had been stored in a dry dark place.

pretty much finished now apart from another coat of paint and stickers for the shell.

[AG100 121]

Finished this now ( apart from adding wipers and trying to tidy up paint on the window surrounds.

Updates here:

https://www.msuk-forum.co.uk/forums/topic/254449-original-80s-monster-beetle/

[AG100 121]

 

[GToddC5 2037]

This came out awesome, your friend will be over the moon!

[AG100 121]

23 minutes ago, GToddC5 said:

This came out awesome, your friend will be over the moon!

Thank you, I hope so 😀

[Lukas022 2]

Hi - do you know which Tamiya monster Beetle this is exactly? Maybe any manual? I would like to make it up and running - but dont have controller - and not sure if rest is working

[GToddC5 2037]

34 minutes ago, Lukas022 said:

Hi - do you know which Tamiya monster Beetle this is exactly? Maybe any manual? I would like to make it up and running - but dont have controller - and not sure if rest is working

That is the Tamiya 46008 Monster Beetle (White) QD - Quick Drive Series, 1/14th scale, released in 1990

[Lukas022 2]

any chance that there is manual / instruction how to build? 

 

[GToddC5 2037]

4 minutes ago, Lukas022 said:

any chance that there is manual / instruction how to build? 

 

Search the interwebs for "300046006_QD_Monster_Beetle.pdf" and you'll find a user manual. Not exactly a build manual, and I'm not sure they had one since they were for beginners mostly, with enclosed electronics. They still have a fan base, so good luck on your hunt.

[Lukas022 2]

Thanks got that pdf - any idea if I can change electronics to newer?  especially the transmiter/controller ?

[Lukas022 2]

12 hours ago, GToddC5 said:

That is the Tamiya 46008 Monster Beetle (White) QD - Quick Drive Series, 1/14th scale, released in 1990

Funny thing, I've put AA rechargable batteries and with one of my old 27hz controllers once powered on engine is running, but I cannot turn. Need to check with dedicated controller if I find it somewhere

[ADRay1000 530]

just thinking out loud, my Futaba transmitter will not work with rechargeable AA batteries. 

[Lukas022 2]

I've ordered new esc and I'll put there 2s