Is this the first step forward for our Hobby?

[Jimbo]

Guys this story is long but please read.[]

First off the mods can shoot me for putting this in the wrong forum but I think this would interest all of us as Collectors of old radio-controlled cars more than just Tamiya.

So my Story

For those that know me, which I hope is quite a few[]. Apart from collecting Tamiya RC cars I also collect the older Schumacher CATS mainly because I use to race them at club level over 15 years ago[:I].

Trying to keep these cars going is a nightmare as parts are not that easy to come by and even a search on the bay will show you this[]. I must admit this is more likely to do with the fact that Schumacher cars are just not as collectable as Tamiya but I am sure that if you spoke to any of the older off road racers that use to race like Stulec52 or Retro R/C, CATS were good cars and still are.[8D]

Anyway one of the parts I have been trying to get is the body parts set for the XLS as like most collectors its no good trying to display your cars with a body shell which looks like its been used as target practice by other cars.[xx(]

After months of trying to get hold of one from anywhere in the UK I thought I’ll phone up Schumacher direct and see if they have any left and guess what? They said no.[] So after slamming the phone down in anger[!] knowing that it looked like my cars were going to be left in the loft and not displayed on a shelf, I remembered years ago when I was a member of the NSCC (National Scalextric Collectors Club)[:I] that they as a club managed to get Scalextric to do limited runs of slot cars for them, some of these runs were as low as 25.[8D]

With this in mind and the fact that I ve seen loads of subjects in this forum about why don’t Tamiya re make old cars and parts and some people have even made petitions for them to re make the old 3 speeds but nothing has happened I decided to go straight to the top and see if I could speak to Robin Schumacher the Managing Director of Schumacher Racing.[:0]

I phoned back and asked if I could speak to Robin and after a bit of arm-twisting from me to the bloke on the other end of the phone, he said yes.[] I explained the problem to Robin as to what I needed and he said ‘I think we still have the old moulds for the XLS somewhere. If you want some made up I can do that for you as long as you pay for the moulds to be set up on the machine and order a minimum of 6’. I thought GREAT![]

So with this I put an ad in the trade section of Tamiya Club[8D] and waited to see if anyone else out there wanted one. After a few months I could get the order up to seven. So I went back to Robin and thought sod it I ll order ten and sell the rest off on e bay if I had to.[?]

Anyway this week Robin phoned me back and said ‘the body sets are done,[] the only problem is, there are only eight as the mould broke when the eighth body was taken off’.[8)] I initially thought ‘Dam’ but then ‘that’s it I ve got the last XLS body sets ever’[8D]

So what you see below (in my best e bay speak) is a limited edition run of only eight mint and genuine, vintage Schumacher Cat XLS (1987) body sets and accessories made this week! (Not Tamiya)[]

I think this is good news to us collectors and as a club as big as ours that one-day we might be able to influence Tamiya into re-releasing the Sand Scorcher or one of the 3 speeds. So who’s going to phone up Shunsaku Tamiya and find out??[)][]

[bluecoast]

Wow. Fantastic.

[Sonic]

Good story Jimbo and with a happy ending too []

Well done.

[stulec52]

Great work Jim

Only wish I had a chassis to put one on........

[sosidge]

Good story - the XLS cat was always a good looker in my opinion -it's a real shame the mould broke though.

[Tamiya1/10]

I am sure the marketing boys/girls at Tamiya keep tabs on the market. But for now the cost involve for the re-release of the say SS or 3 spds don't add up, the numbers tell than to go into racing. We collectors generally don't go racing and crash our cars. The money is in the replacement parts and Hop ups which many racers will spend. Maybe Tamiya will create a 3 spd with the 1/14 truck parts with a Range Rover or Toyota Landcruser body. May be it will take one manufacturer to change and the rest may follow like the current big foot stuff which is not my cup of tea.

[spiff84(2)]

hi

imho re-releasing something like the SS isn't such a good thing. Yeah it would be nice if everyone could afford one, but the older Tamiya cars are great as rare, hard to find cars. They are something that a collector can aspire to, not just pick up in a LHS. And isn't that part of being a collector: the hunting, looking for a bargin and scrapping together pennies? I think Tamiya would risk loosing the magic of these cars if they were to re-release them.

I would love something like a NIB SS to make, but haven't got the cash right now (ever?), but i would still hope Tamiya wouldn't re-release them. Just my thoughts.

Well done on the CAT bodies by the way. Shows what some determination can do.

[minijosh]

I wonder if Tamiya would do this for some of the older shells that you cannot buy anywhere. Like a NIB Sand Scorcher or even a NIB Fox shell. I can only dream right?[]

[retro]

Well done Jimbo.

There is a huge difference between remanufacturing a whole kit, and just making a few bodyshells (changing the mould on a vac-form machine is something they will do regularly anyway, and the stock material is the same as for any other body they make) But that said, it's definately good to hear.

[DJTheo]

quote:I wonder if Tamiya would do this for some of the older shells that you cannot buy anywhere. Like a NIB Sand Scorcher or even a NIB Fox shell. I can only dream right?

id="quote">id="quote">

They have done it already several times, quite few re-released old bodies in the last 4 years...

[loopjuice]

Hi Jimbo,

I have loads of NIB Shummacher off road tyres and a few NIB spares parts too...let me know if you're interested...

LJ.