Decisions...

[Mad Ax]

Yes, it's that time o'the month again, time for me to decide what to do

with next months wages []  but I can't make my mind up, so it's

up to YOU, the collective consciousness of TC, to make your

recommendations from my wishlist (or feel free to add your own ideas

that I may have overlooked).

(OK, it's a boring Tuesday afternoon, so this is a self-indulgent thread for everyone to enjoy).

Still looking to increase my new Tamiya collection, but this month I'm

not sure what would be the best buy.  I was hoping to acquire a TTO1D drift subaru,

but seem to be having trouble locating anyone who has one in

stock.  Goldstar have it listed at a good price but are out of

stock until mid-August.  The LHS could possibly order one in, but

would cost more.  Anyone else list these that I might have

missed?  Can't find one on ebay.

So, if I put the TT01D idea on hold until August/September, here's my current wishlist:

Rebuild my old Grasshopper.  Needs motor, ESC, and lots of

spares.  When I priced this up using ebay parts, it actually came

to twice the cost of a new Grasshopper [] - might do this one piece

by piece, or might just sell it and buy a complete NIB Hornet.

For: I loved my 'Hopper, it would be good to have it running again.

Against: Costly, time-consuming waiting for parts to arrive

Stadium Raider

Dunno why, I just fancy one.  I think they look

fantastic.  Not only that, but it should be suitable for having

some fun on the same terrain as my Dark Impact.

For: It's a cheap kit, it looks great

Against: Doesn't do anything the Dark Impact won't do better

Desert Gator

I'm a bit of a hoarder.  I like to have "one of

everything."  As such, I have a modern 4wd buggy, I'd like to

complete the set with a modern 2wd buggy.  This seems to fit the

bill perfectly.

For: Gets me a 2wd buggy

Against: not much, really...

Blackfoot Extreme

Although I love the Pumpkin's stunt-happy attitude, I'm disappointed

that it doesn't want to do any kind of off-road terrain.  The BEx

- with its modern chassis - should be better.

For: Good 2wd off-road truck

Against: not much, really...

Double Blaze

Similar to the Blackfoot Extreme, but 4wd

For: Similar to the BEx, but 4wd

Against: Similar to the BEx, but 4wd

Skyline Z-Tune (with lights)

This thing looks absolutely ace, and comes with a set of lights to appease the scale modeller in me

For: Looks excellent, with modifications could be used for drifting

Against: Can't drift it without modifications; TT01D is a vastly superior drift package when it's in stock

If I buy just one of the above kits in July, it will leave me enough spare cash to continue my two projects:

1) Shortening the M04L to fit the Pumpkin shell and making a 1/12th scale lowrider

2) Lengthening the Pumpkin to fit a 1/10th Parma shell, making an

extended wheelie bar and relocating the battery to make an awesome

wheelie-machine

Indulge yourselves.  What would y'all recommend?

[mr_pushrod]

I'd be tempted by the Double Blaze or Skyline personally. The Double Blaze will probably cost only slightly more than the BFX yet you are getting an extra gearbox to make it 4WD. Sure, you don't get the more detailed hard shell but then lexan is better for bashing anyway as it's lighter and the paint won't scratch off if you roll it. The 4WD will also give much better climbing performance and there are loads of mods that can be done to make it faster, improve the suspension travel or turn it into a crawler.

The Skyline appeals simply because it looks so **** nice, the shell is awesome and the lights really set it off. Also, to get it driftable I would argue that all you need to do is ballrace it, fit PVC tyres, lock the rear (maybe also front) diff and maybe fit the uprated prop. You don't get the hop ups of the TT-01D but you do get that fantastic body and the light kit. Another option would be to look into a TA-05 or TB-02. Both are better cars than the TT-01D with a higher spec for not much more money. Bear in mind however that the TB-02 doesn't come with an ESC and neither come with a sport tuned. ESCs are pretty cheap however and the sport tuned isn't the fastest motor in the world.

[Shodog]

It's not on your list but what about a Wild Willy 2 or a Lunch Box?  These are great fun and I guarantee that it will turn into your most ran vehicle.

[Guest DImblum]

Go with the GrassHopper. It's the staple icon of Tamiya buggies (and one of my favorites).

[Mad Ax]

It's not on your list but what about a Wild Willy

2 or a Lunch Box?  These are great fun and I guarantee that it

will turn into your most ran vehicle.

I bought a Midnight Pumpkin a few weeks back and ran it for the first

time last thursday - same chassis as the lunchbox.  Will be

modified to accept a 1/10th shell with longer wheelie bar and battery

repositioned over the rear end to make it better for long controlled

wheelies.  OK, that means there is room for a standard lunchbox,

but not just yet []

WW2 has never been on my list - for some reason it just doesn't appeal to me.

I either want something that's capable of going fast over rough gravel / stones / mud, or drifting like a beastie on tarmac.

Blaze is looking like a good option at the mo, although I'd really like

a BX as well as a blaze and don't know which to get first []

Mr Pushrod once again comes up with some sound suggestions and reasoning, of course []

[Mad Ax]

Go with the GrassHopper. It's the staple icon of Tamiya buggies (and one of my favorites).

My current g'hopper needs:

ESC (mech/speed is broke)

New motor (old one is seized)

New wheels (old wheels are broken)

New tyres (old tyres are shredded / perished)

New gearbox housing (old housing is cracked)

New battery tray (old one is missing)

Various screw bags, as I doubt I have enough spares to fix it all up to working spec

Already purchased new chassis and spring bag for it.

Add all that up off ebay - more than the cost of a new Hornet kit []

[Incredible_Serious]

Matey...

I suggest you get yourself a wife.... then you'll never have to worry about this sort of question again...

Alex

[Mad Ax]

Incredible_Serious, what's this "wife" thing..?  Is it more fun

than a Pumpkin, or better performing than a Double Blaze or Dark

Impact?  Do they respond to rough riding, or are they only good on

smooth surfaces?

Do they use stick packs, or hump packs?

Will it be happy on a 7.2, or will I need a longer stick - 8 or 9.6, perhaps?

Can I get one NIB?  My favourite bit about owning an NIB Tamiya is

knowing that nobody else has been in the box since it was made.

Is it worth looking on Ebay, or are there any other sites I should try?

Thanks in advance []

[Incredible_Serious]

Matey,

While all of your options are clever, witty, insightful and full of merit, it must be noted that if you indeed do as I say (and/or not as I do...), then you shant need to worry about buying new RC again.  ipsoi facto, caveat emptor, innui des carto, meinkamph des doodillio, dingdangdiddilydiddilydoodilydoo, go ley ley , etc etc...

[Mad Ax]

So what you're saying, then, is that I'll have so much fun playing with

my wife that I won't ever want to buy another new Tamiya..?

If they're that much fun, I think I'd best get myself one straight away!

Are they expensive..?

[Shodog]

So what you're saying, then, is that I'll have so much fun playing with my wife that I won't ever want to buy another new Tamiya..?

Suffice to say that they are more fun than playing with your wild willy all the time.

[minijosh]

I hope you don't have to pay for your wife.  Isn't that against the law?

[minijosh]

Isn't the double blaze another run of the Wild Dagger series?

[Shodog]

I hope you don't have to pay for your wife.  Isn't that against the law?

There is usualy no up front cost but it's the maintenance that kills your pocket book

[Mad Ax]

Isn't the double blaze another run of the Wild Dagger series?

Yes.  Comments you'd like to add..?

[minijosh]

I had a Wild Dagger before but it's not the same as running a Clod.  Yeah it's not meant to be in the same catagory but the lack of suspension play and the boring TL01/WW2 tranny doesn't do wonders for me.

[Jcbiker]

Just got the skyline as my first car, got it fully ball-raced, alu prop, motor mount and heat sink,  it is driftable with the stock tyres, as theyre pretty shoddy,  just need a loosish surface and your sorted.

If you do go for the skyline, carefull with the light kit, as the double sided sticky tape provided to hold the lights to the body, can pull the paint from the body, leaving a quit unsightly mark, and being a bit of a pain to re-paint.

[akemag]

I´d go with the stadium raider which looks kinda cool. But why dont get a XR311 to build. It should be a different thing in many ways.

I was planning to build mine last year, but havent got around to it yet.

[Mad Ax]

I´d go with the stadium raider which looks kinda cool.

I does, doesn't it?  Plus it'd be another 4wd off-roader to go alongside my Dark Impact.

Although, I do wonder what the Stadium Raider is trying to be - seems

to be in a class more or less to itself.  I mean, it's a 4wd

chassis with buggy wheels - so basically it should drive like a 4wd

buggy.  But it's not a buggy chassis - it's a tarmac

chassis.  So, maybe it'll handle more like a rally car, and not be

suited to large gravel like a buggy.  But it's got those big

wheels.  And it has neither buggy nor rally shell but a truck -

although the wheels aren't big enough for it to be a stadium truck or

monster [8-)]

Anyone got a Raider?  What're they actually like to drive?

[mr_pushrod]

The Stadium Raider is in my opinion a total compromise. It's basically an outdated touring car chassis with big wheels and a pretty boring truck shell. Over smooth tarmac you'll be wishing you had touring car wheels and tyres for more grip and less wear while offroad you'd be wishing for greater suspension travel. While I don't own a Stadium Raider I do have a TL-01 which I have rallied before, it spent most of it's time either bouncing or barrel rolling. The only differences I see are that the Raider will have friction shocks as opposed to the oil filled ones mine had so will be bouncier and that the tyres will give a higher centre of gravity so it'll roll more.

[Mad Ax]

As always, Mr.P, a well balanced and thoughtful criticism []

(but it does look cool, IMO)

Maybe I'll take it off my list and replace with another modern 4wd buggy.  'cos you can never have enough Tamiya cars.

Throw 'em out here - what NIB 4wd buggy should I put on my list ..?

[DJTheo]

Their latest one, Dark Impact, you can find many topics about it in this forum.

Cheers

[Mad Ax]

Already got one of those Theo, and haven't had time to completely demolish it yet []

[mr_pushrod]

The Dark Impact is the best current modern Tamiya buggy so buying another 4WD like it would be a little pointless IMO. I would go for something different so you had more choice in runners depending on what you fancied using.

[Mad Ax]

Valid point.  Had a bit of a cashflow crisis today so July might

be a Tamiya-free month ([]) or I might go for a cheap option, such as

a Rover Mini Cooper.  Used to own a real Cooper, so it would be

nice to have one, or I did spot a store with an Alfa Guilia in stock...

Or just save for another month and get the TT01D or the Skyline

Will have to wait a few weeks and see how the cash works out []