Thinking about a grassroots effort....

[J3cubfan]

I've been reading some of the previous posts about Tamiya re-releasing some of their older models and was wondering if anyone from Tamiya actually 1. Visits this board? and 2 What would you all think about bombarding Tamiya with requests to bring back some of the old buggies?

I frequent www.hyperscale.com and know that manufacturers and magazine publisher visit that site quite frequently. Why not? I mean look at what Tamiya has re-released the last couple of years.

• XR311
  
• Wild Willys
  

Why not a new SS, RR or Ranger? What do you all think?[]

[netsmithUK]

I think we may have touched on this before on the previous board...

as far as we know there is at least one Tamiya employee that is a member of the club - although he has been a bit quite recently.

Whether Tamiya visit the site, I am not sure. They are probably more concerned with those sites which deal with more current models and in particular racing them as that is where the majority of thier market probably is.

Its easy to think that there is a huge market out there for rerelease old kits because of the 'fanatical' interest we all have here, but on a global scale - the 50 or so 'active' members of this board are so small a percentage that Tamiya would probably no bother. It just wouldn't be cost viable.

The bottom line is the majority of kids these days want cars that go as quick as possible (faster than thier friends), realism is a secondary issue.

Re-releasing willy was an easy hit - as long as it looked like a mad jeep and did wheelies nobody cared what was underneath the body. So the chassis could easily be made of newer plastic bits.

The SS/RR/Bruiser etc are a different ball game, the chassis was an important a bit of the car as the body itself, which is probably why the Blitzer Beetle wasn't called Sand Scorcher 2. I would image for them to kit up all the equipment to churn out SS or bruiser type chassis again would just cost them too much and leave them with a model that sold in small numbers, compared to the racers they produce (cheap production big markets)

The only way I can see the SS etc hitting the shelves again are as very expensive, very limited short runs to commerate some date or another. But like I said I would expect the prices to be very very high....

Chris

[snollan]

Why don't you email Tamiya.....(Sean runs out of the room laughing)

Or try emailing Mr. Joe Anderson he's a member and asking. Netsmith is right on this one I don't think its going to happen any time soon. I hear on RCMT that there was a new bruiser post but I can't tell you about it because they wont let me be a memeber.

[DJTheo]

quote:the 50 or so 'active' members of this board are so small a percentage that Tamiya would probably no bother.

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Just saw that the Bruiser petition has already reached 1000 members:

http://rcbuilder.homestead.com/RCTINT.html

I am sure now after posting in this board even more, everybody pls sign it and then we can organize another email to Tamiya. Maybe we could put the link also somewhere central in the forum?

Like I always say, I believe Tamiya started with the less interesting re-releases and keeps the aces for later as time is on their side.

quote:I would image for them to kit up all the equipment to churn out SS or bruiser type chassis again would just cost them too much

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The tanks have similar engineering effort and many were re-released lately and even new were added. Yes, a new SS would be limited and expensive, but still a "bargain" compared to actual Ebay prices. []

[bholio]

How many of those 1000 petition signers would pony up $400+ to buy the Bruiser 2003 if it was released. Now if 1000 people sent deposit checks to Tamiya to try to coax them into producing a Bruiser 2003, that might mean something.

I believe that this is how rich folks get 1:1 car manufacturers to start production of concept cars. I think this is how the Dodge Viper and maybe VW new beetle made it into production.

I'm planning to help the effort by buying a Wild Willy 2 soon. Maybe.

[DJTheo]

Don't know about the Viper, but the New Beetle definetely didnt go into production this way, its just another platform car of the VW group, sales were dissapointing in Europe...

It is something like the Blitzer Beetle compared to the Sand Scorcher []

[Shodog]

Actually the viper was just going to be a show car. Chrysler had so much interest in it that they decided to build it after all. Here is and interesting read http://www.allpar.com/model/viphist.htm

In regard to tamiya re-releasing the Sand Scorcher and Bruiser. If they do it, the cars will be substantially different than the originals. Almost enough to not want one.

[spice]

Lets have a vote on the old kits we most want to see re-released.[]

The petition should then be sent to Tamiya, in Japan where decisions are made on re-releases etc.

Cheers

Spice []

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by bholio

I'm planning to help the effort by buying a Wild Willy 2 soon. Maybe.

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Sigh... gotta vote with your $$$, Tamiya ain't gonna care what you think unless you back it with cold hard folding.

When the WW2 was rumoured, our preorders were already in. Got them shipped from Japan the day they were released, all from the 1st batch. There was even a surprise in the box... a voucher for a free WW2 t-shirt!! []

If only we were in Japan maybe we could have redeemed them.. []

[bholio]

quote:

Actually the viper was just going to be a show car. Chrysler had so much interest in it that they decided to build it after all.

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That's what I meant. I think some people ordered the car and paid a deposit before Chrysler decided to actually produce the car.

I still don't think Tamiya would sell that many Bruiser2003's, unless it came in at a price well under that of TXT-1 and the T/E-Maxx series. The transition from Juggernaut to TXT-1 tells me that most people don't care about a nice scale body. They want performance. Lexan is fine. How many (ugly and fast) Maxxes has Traxxas sold?

One could argue that the XC cars were the next generation Bruiser (without the 3-speed tranny). Wonderful scale 4WD trucks. With the exception of the XB (lexan?) version, they're gone too. I think Tamiya is more likely to bring one of those back.

The Clod sealed the fate of the 3 speeds. Big monster trucks rule. I'm more likely to pony up $400(USD) on a TXT or Maxx, than I am to spend that same $400(USD) on a Bruiser 2003. Assuming a new all-metal bruiser would come in at *only* $400(USD).

[snollan]

Look Theo is right Tamiya has come out with new tanks(pershing) with parts similar to the SS. The tanks go for 699 at tower and includes the ESC, twin motor, sound effects, etc etc. So they could sell the Mad Racing Buggy 2 for $400-500.

Look at these parts - NOTE these are from the ALL new pershing not a rerelease.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=3639&id=25

[netsmithUK]

Aren't tanks a different thing though. Isn't there an existing market for them? They never went through the lets make them faster and drop the realism stage that the cars have been through. They have just always been there pretty much as they are now. I would guess that production of these tanks has never signicantly dropped (might even increased since thier release)

SS/Bruiser etc. were built on old equipment that probably was broken up years ago. Production stopped fully. Cost wise this makes it a different ball game to start producing again.

Releasing 'vintage' cars is pretty much going into a new market that may not be there. Take a look at the last few rerelease none of them did spectactularly well, with the exception of possibly the WW2 - but I think that would fall into the Novelty market - still not a huge seller like all the subaru clones for boy racers.

[snollan]

You're right and you're wrong chris. Yes tanks have always maintained a stable draw on the market. For tamiya its a hit or miss for sales. The tiger 1 was a hit, so was the pershing. Everybody owned a sherman so the demand was way down. The king tiger is going to suffer the same fate.

My point was that the Pershing is the first new tank from tamiya. All those metal parts had to be cast for this kit. So they should have the ability to cast some new parts.

I also don't believe for one minute that tamiya got rid of the castings for any of their metal kits. It's hidden in some wearhouse maybe next to the 1/10th version of the Ark. []

[netsmithUK]

You point about the tanks is the same as I was making - new tanks sold well, but when they tried to rerelease the old ones sales were disappointing. Any business move like this is going to make them think twice about rereleasing other kits.

I think they are more likely looking at whats going to be the next big thing, rather than dwelling on the past. I agree the have the ability to make new metal parts but there investment is going to be safer if they make new metal parts for a new metal car - rather than a rerelease.

This is not a bad thing though. Anyone that has a TXT1 will tell you what a great kit this is to have and build (not always to drive though [] )

I think I would prefer to see new metal based buggies coming off the production line..

[J3cubfan]

I both agree and disagree with you Netsmith[:I] Yes, I would love to see new metal cars from Japan. I would actually consider purchasing one. However, why not incorporate the old VW buggy body shells with the newer technology. Hey I am as sentimental as the next guy on this forum when it comes to the oldies, but why not incorporate an old design with new technology. Possibly an SS.v2, with current technology. How about an ESC, how about 4WD SS. Sorry ShoDog[]. One thing that I have noticed is that Tamiya tries to capture the military enthusiast as well as the R/C enthusiast (i.e. tanks, XR311, Hummer and Kublewagon). Why not do a Volkswagen Type 82E. You don't much more of a cross section of enthusiasts than this IMHO.

[snollan]

Also the Sherman and KT were still in production when the new versions came out. It would be like re-releasing the midnight pumpkin, instead of a SS. Does that make more sense?

[J3cubfan]

Wasn't essentially what they did the the Blackfoot series trucks??? Blackfoot

-> King Blackfoot

-> Super Blackfoot.

So why not with the SS.v2?

[WillyChang]

Tanks are really going back to Tamiya's roots... they were the first motorised models that Tamiya made - many years before the Hinda F1 and then the 934RSR.

Would old become new again?

[stulec52]

I think Tamiya need to be looking to the future and not to the past.

I love the oldies, because they are oldies !!!!! let's leave them that way.

[RETRO R/C]

Well - I am going to be contraversial here - and you will probably all hate me for it !! (I can blame the fact that I have been really very ill the last week or so !!).

The only reason Tamiya would re-release a scorcher in its original form would be because in excess of 3000 people put up over 10 K USD each for the privelidge of owning one.........it simply makes no sense......remoulding, tooling costs, packaging, materials - think about it !! REALLY T H I N K about it. Just not financially viable.

Now - what you might see - is some sort of off road buggy (rough rider, scorcher, champ, ranger - whatever you choose) - on a more modern chassis that actually handles better than a PLANK OF 4X2 WOOD ON WHEELS...... [}]

This might sound harsh - however I doubt that Tamiya would make another set of mistakes like the XR-311 and the two F1's - all of them have been sales flops......according to my sources anyway. People have voted with their wallets everytime - and have gone for something that actually performs.......

The Only real possibility for the re-release of a 3 speed "Bruiser" type truck - would have to be a vehicle that uses the "GLOBELINE'S" plastic gearbox in a more concealed form......the metal castings just are not practical anymore........especially in a truck........remember - a tank is VERY different in its conception.

Well - I have that off my chest - and now you can all shoot me down in flames !! [][][][][][]

Cheers

Darryn

[WillyChang]

quote:

Originally posted by darryn1

...and now you can all shoot me down in flames !! [

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Hokay! []

Just reproducing the molds for any car would be in the hundreds of thousands of $$. (Not as simple/cheap as copying a floppy and charge full RRP, only Microsoft has that luxury.)

Main reason why I'd *personally* hate the SS or any co-named derivative being re-released is having to sift through all the inenvitable eBay listings just to find the old/real thing. (I also hold grave suspicion that WW2 has killed the market on old WWs.)

What I always wondered was... why doesn't Tamiya rehash the Beetle shell on the BajaChamp's TL01B chassis with long suspension arms... maybe even call it the "Baja Beetle". It'll might have half a chance of acceptable handling too.

[DJTheo]

quote:Just reproducing the molds for any car would be in the hundreds of thousands of $$.

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Don't think it would be so expensive as they have the CAD files and the machinery, do you think they spend so much for each of the hundert new static kits they release each year, were aditionally they need to design the parts?

quote:What I always wondered was... why doesn't Tamiya rehash the Beetle shell on the BajaChamp's TL01B chassis with long suspension arms... maybe even call it the "Baja Beetle". It'll might have half a chance of acceptable handling too.

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Maybe because Kyosho and HPI have already done it? []

[RETRO R/C]

I thought you were gonna shoot me down in flames??? "HOKAY" ???????/

You only agreed with me..... [] (I dont mind actually) !![][]

I have to disagree on the WW1 - I beleive the WW2 has actually increased the value of the original car........prices in Japan are going pretty damned good at the moment - and I bet if one went on ebay - it would go well over 500.........depending on condition of course !![]

Nice to agree !! []

Cheers

Darryn