Vintage 3-speeders

[hedge]

2 years ago after much anticipation and saving I got a Bruiser. I was very excited and very happy about it.

It was alot of fun to unpack it, look, hold and partially disassemble it. Stripping the body shell of crappy paint was interesting and a learning experience - but not one I would want to repeat. The chassis is fascinating and so different from a Tamiya as we know it typically.

After the initial euphoria I noticed the hundreds of tiny little cracks in the axle metal and realised how poor the metal is. I realised it could not be run until I sourced a new axle. After a some searching I found a number of very attractive aftermarket axles and other beautifully made metal conversion parts. But they cost as much as the Bruiser itself. So back to ebay to find an original axle and hope it lasts and is ok.

Eventually everything is in and I get a four channel radio installed and set up. The first few meters of driving it around indoors on the floor was a rush feeling of excitement, I've done it, etc. The gears work! It's genuinely amazing to see this and learn to do it smoothly.

Finally the body is stripped and I cannot wait to paint it, I just want to mount it on the truck an go outside and enjoy the fun of mud and moosey type video driving thrills. No mud around, so I start on grass at a good friends lawn. Watching it bounce and sway wildly over tree roots and finding the childrens sand pit to play in. And you know what? I couldn't stop myself feeling, hey,... this drives like rubbish. It bounces around like a cheap chinese rc toy truck from Tesco.

Several weeks later after several other outings it's obvious that unless there is wet, muddy, very surface height & depth changing terrain (ie. like the videos) it is really not very interesting to drive. It's lovely scale looks are the true appeal, and for modeling its a sensation with so much that can be done but for using it the fun factor, for me, was not there. It was in fact disappointing. If you have the money, then it can be hoped up with truely beautifully made metal chassis upgrades, and added with different tires and wheels it could be made into a useful crawler. But as stock, its not successful for that either.

Eventually I sold it. I'm glad I had it, but as modeler who is not into shelf models or serious modding for crawling it was an underwhelming experience. I do still long for a Hi-lux as the mini locking hubs, wheels and tires etc look (to my eyes) so nicely scale that there is still a positive vibe for me. Bruiser / Montineers do not attract me at all now having had it.

If you have scale terrain available to run them, then yes they can provide fun and satisfaction.

I do not agree with MyMonsterbeetleisBroken's comment - "If you dont enjoy running one then I think you've missed the point of what vintage RC is all about" . It's one type of vinatge rc and depends on the terrain you have avail or if you like crawler tinkering. If neither are in your domain then it may not give you as much pleasure. But there are many other types of vintage r/c to enjoy

Should have read my post and pinged me case you where unsure. Do not buy for the ride!

[Singapore_959]

Should have read my post and pinged me case you where unsure. Do not buy for the ride!

I was not unsure. It was 2 years ago. And I wanted it

[Singapore_959]

I can not deny what you have just said is very interesting, indeed. I'm only curious as to what is really "vintage" to your eyes, because it's about that mostly what your point seems to be focused on. Or am I understanding things all wrong myself?

Have a great weekend!

EB

--

Vintage is anything pre Top Force for me

[fireballv8318]

Vintage is anything pre Top Force for me

LOL anything before the rough Rider/Sand Scorcher is vintage to me...

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

It's one type of vinatge rc and depends on the terrain you have avail or if you like crawler tinkering.

So if you don't like slow, scale driving about you won't enjoy the Bruiser anyway, and you'll miss its vintage traits that can make it more special to drive than an f-350 highlift or an axial scorpion for example...

Lets agree to disagree

[Singapore_959]

So if you don't like slow, scale driving about you won't enjoy the Bruiser anyway, and you'll miss its vintage traits that can make it more special to drive than an f-350 highlift or an axial scorpion for example...

Lets agree to disagree

Agreed! I'd love to have a good scale place to enjoy crawling but I just don't where I am. Still, gorgeous looking models

I did like the V8 mfu roar and especially the HORN! BEEP BEEEEP! on the F-350 I once borrowed tho!

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

I did like the V8 mfu roar and especially the HORN! BEEP BEEEEP! on the F-350 I once borrowed tho!

Those MFU's certainly attract attention

Good point about driving them in their natural environment, they are indeed more fun off road. I was in the process of making a trailer for my Bruiser, so it could pull along another model. Driving a Bruiser while toeing an SRB would certainly make on road driving more entertaining. I really should get around to finishing it!

[WillyChang]

talking of which, what was the "californian" Bruiser's original habitat anyway - wasn't it just posing around on Ocean Beach?

i don't think they were built for speed, nor duneing (Funco buggies), or rock climbing (not a fad then)

[mongoose1983]

...what was the "californian" Bruiser's original habitat anyway - wasn't it just posing around on Ocean Beach?

Hey Wills! Well, I don't believe the Bruiser's original habitat was the Beach. As far as I understand, this truck is based on real ones you could see back in the early 80's at cross-country and MudBog races. The image of boar itself talks about a Mud thing. I tend to think the Bruiser was more what you could see in races on some rural areas in CA, not really the Beach. The recurrent image that comes to mind when I look at the Tamiya Bruiser is the super cool cross-country race in the 1981 movie "Take This Job and Shove it". The movie was filmed mainly in California, but the scenes in the race were made to look like some rural area somewhere down below the Mason Dixon line. I wonder if someone here on TC also saw that movie (?).

[Tamiya1/10]

The recurrent image that comes to mind when I look at the Tamiya Bruiser is the super cool cross-country race in the 1981 movie "Take This Job and Shove it".... I wonder if someone here on TC also saw that movie (?).

I think most of the TC members are only a few years old or may not even born yet, and old gizzer like myself have heard of this movie but can't recall if I have seen it, as back than Burt Reynold was a good old boy and Clint Eastwood was 44 Magnum the world most powerfull hand gun and do you feel lucky, punk....

The old 3 spds are good for running on sand. But the sand should not be damp or too much. Is not meant to run fast as several members have pointed out that is scary at speed; don't expect to craw like the modern crawers or can jump like the modern buggies or trucks. I guess RC companies know that at 1:10 scale, the design cannot be like those of 1:1 scale.

At this day and age, one should run her like you would go for a walk with you grandparents, you go easy and enjoy the conversation.

[BruiserBrew]

I think most of the TC members are only a few years old or may not even born yet, and old gizzer like myself have heard of this movie but can't recall if I have seen it, as back than Burt Reynold was a good old boy and Clint Eastwood was 44 Magnum the world most powerfull hand gun and do you feel lucky, punk....

The old 3 spds are good for running on sand. But the sand should not be damp or too much. Is not meant to run fast as several members have pointed out that is scary at speed; don't expect to craw like the modern crawers or can jump like the modern buggies or trucks. I guess RC companies know that at 1:10 scale, the design cannot be like those of 1:1 scale.

At this day and age, one should run her like you would go for a walk with you grandparents, you go easy and enjoy the conversation.

Ahhhh! Spot on.

[highflyer]

They are worth every single penny in my opinion.

Agreed.

If you dont enjoy running one then I think you've missed the point of what vintage RC is all about

That is your opinion