Stadium Blitzer tips

[Marchie 100]

Hey Folks,

I'm re-visiting my first ever Tamiya by building a Stadium Blitzer over Christmas, looking for tips/advice.

Already have bearings and steel pinion. Planning to run it with a Super Stock TZ. It will get driven plenty on off-road tracks.

I have two questions off-the-bat:

1) I realized quickly the Blitzer Beetle is more easily available atm so I getting a beetle and putting a Stadium body on it. The parts for the Stadium body mount kit are unavailable, but before I improvise something: Does anyone here know where I can get the Stadium Blitzer G Parts tree? (or has one they're willing to sell?) Unlikely I know, but never know if you don't ask  ...

2) The rear tires seem to be a bit rubbish (although I don't remember them being that bad BITD...) most of my googling recommends Dirt Hawg tires which are pretty hard to find now, can someone suggest a good rear tire that's presently available?

Anything else would be recommended?

Thanks!

[CMshooter 62]

Dirt Hawgs were bad even back then, don't know why they lasted so long.  I have Jconcepts Bar codes on my blackfoot with a 19 turn and it is way better than they ever were back when.  If you like the chunky basher type tires try the pro line Trencher.

 

 

 

[Marchie 100]

2 hours ago, CMshooter said:

Dirt Hawgs were bad even back then, don't know why they lasted so long.  I have Jconcepts Bar codes on my blackfoot with a 19 turn and it is way better than they ever were back when.  If you like the chunky basher type tires try the pro line Trencher.

 

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion, do these tires fit on the existing rims?

[JimBear 1013]

4 hours ago, Marchie said:

Hey Folks,

The parts for the Stadium body mount kit are unavailable, but before I improvise something: Does anyone here know where I can get the Stadium Blitzer G Parts tree? (or has one they're willing to sell?) Unlikely I know, but never know if you don't ask  ...

I think something similar could be available as a 3D print. I've seen something somewhere, but ...

Have a look at @BuggyDads thread too - might be something in there for you:

 

[Grumpy pants 5497]

@Busdriver what tyres do you use? 

[Mad Ax 10575]

Great trucks and great fun to drive.  Depending on what surface you run on, you might find the kit tyres are OK for bashing.  I ran mine with kit tyres for a while on gravel and tarmac and they were OK.

Schumacher Vee 4 tyres are the go-to rear tyre in my experience, they're a proven race tyre and available in various compounds.  Go for a harder compound if you're mostly on hard surfaces, softer compound for grass or astro.  I used yellows when I was racing on astro.

If you want a little more bite up front, you could use a Schumacher Vee 2 or Vee 4 there also.  For ultimate front grip there's the Schumacher Stagger Rib - IIRC this is the standard front tyre on Schumacher's latest stadium truck - but it's a very aggressive tread pattern and it will make the front of the truck look chunkier than the back.  I have them for racing but for general bashing I stick with the kit tyres all round.

[BuggyDad 5894]

5 hours ago, Marchie said:

Hey Folks,

I'm re-visiting my first ever Tamiya by building a Stadium Blitzer over Christmas, looking for tips/advice.

Already have bearings and steel pinion. Planning to run it with a Super Stock TZ. It will get driven plenty on off-road tracks.

I have two questions off-the-bat:

1) I realized quickly the Blitzer Beetle is more easily available atm so I getting a beetle and putting a Stadium body on it. The parts for the Stadium body mount kit are unavailable, but before I improvise something: Does anyone here know where I can get the Stadium Blitzer G Parts tree? (or has one they're willing to sell?) Unlikely I know, but never know if you don't ask  ...

2) The rear tires seem to be a bit rubbish (although I don't remember them being that bad BITD...) most of my googling recommends Dirt Hawg tires which are pretty hard to find now, can someone suggest a good rear tire that's presently available?

Anything else would be recommended?

Thanks!

On the G parts, I went for the "email me when on stock" button on TTP earlier this year and was surprised that they popped up in a few months. I think Tamico had them too? A wanted on here is also worth it, someone did pop up with a set just after I ordered. Perhaps they're not as rare as all that?

On tyres you're really just looking for 2.2 truck tyres in a tread/compound you like. Schumacher do a few, and their tyres are generally very good. JC Racing is another option and for me their King Pin has been good in mixed bashing and is inexpensive:

https://www.jcracingproducts.co.uk/tyres

On my other mods - see build thread linked to above - I've done a load of other things which I won't repeat here. Have a look. They tackle bumpsteer and strength and stiffness in the areas of the chassis front and the rear arm/gearbox link. You might have to click through to the Super Falcon because I did them there first - it's essentially the same car and my SB isn't finished yet. 

[Busdriver 6430]

I use the Schumacher combo of V2 front and V4 rears in blue compound. I also have a set of Dirt Hawgs but I just don’t want to wear them out cos once they’re gone they’re gone😢. When I’ve finished playing around with mine I’m going to try Traxxas Anaconda’s. 

[BuggyDad 5894]

1 hour ago, JimBear said:

I think something similar could be available as a 3D print. I've seen something somewhere, but ...

Have a look at @BuggyDads thread too - might be something in there for you:

 

Cheers! 

Oh yes, it might've been me on about 3d printing for the G parts. I never got round to modelling them because the originals popped up just in time, but it'd be very doable. 

[Busdriver 6430]

For g parts do as above and leave email notifications with lots of places. Things just have a habit of popping up!!!

[Marchie 100]

Looks like Schumacher tires might be the go.

[Marchie 100]

26 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

On the G parts, I went for the "email me when on stock" button on TTP earlier this year and was surprised that they popped up in a few months. I think Tamico had them too? A wanted on here is also worth it, someone did pop up with a set just after I ordered. Perhaps they're not as rare as all that?

On tyres you're really just looking for 2.2 truck tyres in a tread/compound you like. Schumacher do a few, and their tyres are generally very good. JC Racing is another option and for me their King Pin has been good in mixed bashing:

https://www.jcracingproducts.co.uk/tyres

Yeah I actually messaged TTP and they responded to say Tamiya stopped making them 6 months ago. 
 

Taking your advice and @Busdriver I’ll cast a wider net and stay optimistic!

[BuggyDad 5894]

1 minute ago, Marchie said:

Yeah I actually messaged TTP and they responded to say Tamiya stopped making them 6 months ago. 
 

Taking your advice and @Busdriver I’ll cast a wider net and stay optimistic!

That's a shame, but they'd also stopped making them before that - the 6 months ago run was a sudden oasis in the G part desert. 

[IXLR8 1282]

6 hours ago, Marchie said:

Yeah I actually messaged TTP and they responded to say Tamiya stopped making them 6 months ago. 
 

Taking your advice and @Busdriver I’ll cast a wider net and stay optimistic!

Bad news for those of us hoping for another Stadium Blitzer re-re. 

Why, Tamiya.  WHY???     

[Hypoxic 340]

Been looking for one of these myself. 
 

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya,

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya,

Put your headset on and listen to the buzz,

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya…

 

[Marchie 100]

6 hours ago, Hypoxic said:

Been looking for one of these myself. 
 

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya,

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya,

Put your headset on and listen to the buzz,

Ground control to Ta-mi-ya…

 

I’m sure they will re release just after I finish my build 😉

[BuggyDad 5894]

8 hours ago, Marchie said:

I’m sure they will re release just after I finish my build 😉

I wonder why they don't rerelease the SB? They have the whole thing in current production except the G parts. 

[Kol__ 3512]

Those pesky number boards are pretty much non existent too! I managed to get a vintage parts bag a while back that contains them. However, they're faded to a yellow colour. I simply used them as a template and cut some new ones from a styrene sheet. The G parts are still available from RC shops in Europe - I will PM you @Marchie

[BuggyDad 5894]

20 minutes ago, Kol__ said:

Those pesky number boards are pretty much non existent too! I managed to get a vintage parts bag a while back that contains them. However, they're faded to a yellow colour. I simply used them as a template and cut some new ones from a styrene sheet. The G parts are still available from RC shops in Europe - I will PM you @Marchie

Yeah I made my number boards out of scrap lexan using a template I 3d printed from measuring the sticker. A bit of a round about route. Could also just 3d print in white I guess, or cnc cut out of some suitable material I haven't yet identified, but it's not really worth the bother. I'm not sure there's any point in having anything more than thin lexan for the purpose and cutting and filing to a template is quick. 

If I get the time some day I'll design a simple set of body mounts for 3d print. It would be easy enough, I just need to do it. @Marchie if you don't have the means yourself and haven't had any luck finding G parts in a week or two give me a shout and I'll try to do this for you when I'm with the car to measure it. 

[Marchie 100]

1 minute ago, BuggyDad said:

Yeah I made my number boards out of scrap lexan using a template I 3d printed from measuring the sticker. A bit of a round about route. Could also just 3d print in white I guess, or cnc cut out of some suitable material I haven't yet identified. I'm not sure there's any point in having anything more than thin lexan for the purpose though. 

If I get the time some day I'll design a simple set of body mounts for 3d print. It would be easy enough, I just need to do it. 

Loving your Blitzer build thread @BuggyDad, have you got it running yet? And if so how is it to drive?

[Marchie 100]

25 minutes ago, Kol__ said:

Those pesky number boards are pretty much non existent too! I managed to get a vintage parts bag a while back that contains them. However, they're faded to a yellow colour. I simply used them as a template and cut some new ones from a styrene sheet. The G parts are still available from RC shops in Europe - I will PM you @Marchie

Thanks for the link!

[BuggyDad 5894]

1 hour ago, Marchie said:

Loving your Blitzer build thread @BuggyDad, have you got it running yet? And if so how is it to drive?

Not running yet, but my Falcon is the same chassis with the same mods and that is remarkably good. The one area that maybe doesn't quite go is the front arms which are stock Blitzer ones and quite flexy. I haven't found that an issue as such on the Falcon but Id be interested to see how changing them affects it and I wonder the stock ones will still be OK with heavier truck wheels. So I may 3d print new front arms at some point.

I'm very much looking forward to getting it running. I've hopefully got all the necessaries ordered now so fingers crossed I should get it done in a couple of weeks.

Oh and there's the diff and gearbox mods - a sealed diff should further improve the Falcon, as should more appropriate gearing and a less powerful motor.