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Radio Shack 4x4 Pickup.

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I have had this since it was brand new in the 80s, and recently rediscovered it at my parents house. I can remember getting it from Tandy as a small child. It's far from mint, but would I be committing a heinous crime if I took it to bits and maybe used the body for a Tamiya based project?

I can't decide if transforming it into something I'd actually want to drive is better than just putting it in the loft for sentimental value.

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wow.

i got one of these in a lot of parts in about 1987

if i remember right, i managed to shoe horn the tyres onto a set of hotshot wheels

we called them the "lunchy" tyres (a la lunchbox)

personally i say rag it for parts, for the greater good :rolleyes:

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Whatever happens, the duck catcher will be staying!

Took the body off and have been sizing it up on my DF-03 and FF01 chassis. FF01 would just be wrong and I reckon it could make a stadium truck on the Df03. Will require qute a bit of hacking about to fit nicely though.

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These bodies fit nicely onto the Lunchbox chassis. I have very similar fitted to mine (identical size).

img20319_10022009230059_1.jpg

Showroom Link

The DF03 chassis would be far too long to fit under the old Tandy 4x4.

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I have this exact model in blue, LOL.

The other day I was looking at my Tamtech Wild Boar and a spare chassis from a Tamtech Frog and got to thinking ....

I think with a little effort it would fit onto the GB-01 chassis and could be really cool. That big winch/bumper thing is just fastened on with 2 screws. I was in the same boat though trying to decide if I should just stick it back in the box and leave it alone or whether to do a custom job on it.

Hmmm.

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Personally I am totally against ripping apart vintage toy R/C models and modifying them for high performance - something they were never intended for with their inherently weak plastics throughout :lol:

The Radio Shack 4x4 Off Roader was manufactured by Taiyo and first released at Radio Shack/Tandy stores during Christmas 1987. It was so popular that they kept selling it each Christmas right up until 1992.

New in box examples of this car I have seen fetch over US$200 on eBay. I bought one myself, because I had the blue (40MHz) version of this myself as a kid, and remember wishing it would be under the Christmas tree one year. It was great fun.

Obviously you can do whatever you want, but as someone who's collected every toy type R/C they ever wanted (in addition to the hobby kits) I'd only say: don't underestimate the sentimental value of these great old toys :) No modified Jet Hopper will ever be worth what people will pay for a mint original, and same applies to all models (like this one) that were popular. Even if you never sell, to me it would feel a bit like sacrilege. The toys deserve respect for what they were - usually a life changing introduction to R/C and therefore a life of poverty :D

cheers,

H.

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These bodies fit nicely onto the Lunchbox chassis. I have very similar fitted to mine (identical size).

img20319_10022009230059_1.jpg

Showroom Link

The DF03 chassis would be far too long to fit under the old Tandy 4x4.

Your right, the DF03 is way too long, but I have the beginnings of an idea that should make it look ok if I decide to do it. Basically involves re shaping the wheel arches. Incidentally the body is almost precisely the right length to fit snugly over the front and rear shock towers.

Personally I am totally against ripping apart vintage toy R/C models and modifying them for high performance - something they were never intended for with their inherently weak plastics throughout :)

The Radio Shack 4x4 Off Roader was manufactured by Taiyo and first released at Radio Shack/Tandy stores during Christmas 1987. It was so popular that they kept selling it each Christmas right up until 1992.

New in box examples of this car I have seen fetch over US$200 on eBay. I bought one myself, because I had the blue (40MHz) version of this myself as a kid, and remember wishing it would be under the Christmas tree one year. It was great fun.

Obviously you can do whatever you want, but as someone who's collected every toy type R/C they ever wanted (in addition to the hobby kits) I'd only say: don't underestimate the sentimental value of these great old toys :D No modified Jet Hopper will ever be worth what people will pay for a mint original, and same applies to all models (like this one) that were popular. Even if you never sell, to me it would feel a bit like sacrilege. The toys deserve respect for what they were - usually a life changing introduction to R/C and therefore a life of poverty :D

cheers,

H.

I do know what you mean, and that's why I haven't gone further than unscrewing the shell for a look inside so far. I just can't see the point in having it gathering dust for another 20 years. The thing is, it's not in great condition, the front bull bar is wrecked, the body is scuffed and the stickers are peeling off. If I don't make use of it I'd rather sell it to fund some bits for FF01, but I can't see it having anything like the value to be worth doing that. Anyone want to swap me for an BTCC Volvo 850 shell :lol:

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Wow!!!

was thinking about mine the other day (long gone!) and how it took something like 8 of the HUGE D sized batteries to run and had a big charger for them from the same place.

Seem to remember it had some switch as well to make it run fast or slow, but was my 1st RC car....

ended up with a torch duck taped on for night running (was **** then as well :rolleyes:)

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Also remember that some nature documentary around the same time used this model to film a pride of lions, remember as it was seen in school at the time and thought 'thats the same as mine'.

so probably 1989 to around 1991 or so?

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Wow!!!

was thinking about mine the other day (long gone!) and how it took something like 8 of the HUGE D sized batteries to run and had a big charger for them from the same place.

Seem to remember it had some switch as well to make it run fast or slow, but was my 1st RC car....

The one I have here takes 4x "C" cells in the truck and a 9v in both the truck and transmitter. Full time 4WD with a High/Low switch which changes the gearbox ratio.

I wouldn't fit hobby class radio gear, ESC and servo to a NIB mint example either. To a dead one though... not a second thought.

It really does transform these cars when you give them proportional steering and throttle control, even when you run them on the standard voltages with the standard motors.

As far as killing the value of a 'toy class' rc. I bought a NIB perfect condition Nikko Venus from eBay and paid £2.20 for it. I've had offers over $200AU for the original one I bought in the 80's and modified with servo, full bearings and a Mamba Micro Pro brushless fitted to it (Not for sale at any price). To say my original one is well used would be the understatement of the year.

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Also remember that some nature documentary around the same time used this model to film a pride of lions, remember as it was seen in school at the time and thought 'thats the same as mine'. so probably 1989 to around 1991 or so?

Would love to find out what doco that was :rolleyes: Anyone know? We have some older threads devoted to R/C cars in movies/TV, and this one has never been mentioned before.

In the meantime, here's a classic (USA based) Radio Shack store commercial (circa 1988), featuring:

- 4x4 Off Roader

- Buggy Special Turbo

- Turbo Lamborghini

cheers,

H.

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Would love to find out what doco that was :) Anyone know? We have some older threads devoted to R/C cars in movies/TV, and this one has never been mentioned before.

In the meantime, here's a classic (USA based) Radio Shack store commercial (circa 1988), featuring:

- 4x4 Off Roader

- Buggy Special Turbo

- Turbo Lamborghini

cheers,

H.

I've got a buggy turbo too somewhere, but the body isn't the same as that one, looks more like a Frog but black. The turbo meant it had two forward speeds on the transmitter.

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Also remember that some nature documentary around the same time used this model to film a pride of lions, remember as it was seen in school at the time and thought 'thats the same as mine'.
Would love to find out what doco that was :lol: Anyone know? We have some older threads devoted to R/C cars in movies/TV, and this one has never been mentioned before.

I have recollections of this, pretty/reasonably certain it was made by the BBC, the name of the show escapes me, though it could possibly have been 'Wildlife on One', just to elaborate a little more, the 4x4 Off Roader had a television camera fixed to it, and was then covered in grey fur, and driven into the pride to capture some unique footage, suffice to say the little truck's remaining life was somewhat short, as the inquisitive lions soon reduced it to its core components.

The BBC used to have a great beta website that allowed you to look for old programmes, these could be searched for by original broadcast date, with a short synopsis of said programmes, but that was taken down a while ago, that would've been your best bet to find out which programme it was. The feauture wasn't especially long though (5-10 minutes).

G

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Alistair, aka Live Steam Mad knows a lot about films involving RC cars, why not ask him ;-)

Paul.

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Alas Paul, I have not come across this particular video. Funny that I too got a Tandy ( Radio Shack ) yellow 4x4 exactly as pictured when I was 13 in 1987. Was very enjoyable but my friend Andrew's Tandy Audi Quattro made me sick with jealousy with it's headlights, proportional controls, and speed. As usual it came down to money. The former was 39.95, the latter was 69.95 I seem to remember...

Cheers,

Alistair G.

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