Jump to content
OldSchoolRunner

Lets See Those Tamiya Falcons! (modified And Stockers)

Recommended Posts

This post comes after me reading The Vintage Photos Post a couple days ago! (Great Post)

I know that when it came time for me to cut my teeth in the Tamiya RC world my first car was the Tamiya Falcon. Now I know there are a lot of you that laugh and geer at this RC car but for me it still holds a special place in my childhood and even now. With its weaknesses it also had a lot of things going for it. I still own my first Falcon that I rescued from my moms basement about 10 years back from the trash! (Well to be honest she called me and told me that since I owned my own house now I needed to remove my stuff for her basement.) So it might have ended up in the trash! :P With 20 minutes of effort I put it back into action. It was exactly like I put it away! I guess I got interested in girls, cars, and a bunch of different vices overnight (some of you know what I mean!) lolololol I put it away and interestingly enough it withstood its time in a sealed box really well. Then of course I got busy with The Frog, The Super Champ, a couple Scorchers and my Modified Blitzer Beetle chassis / SRB project so The Falcon sat once again for a few more years until I read the Vintage Photo Post!

So I am thinking of revisiting The Falcon. It still retains all of its orignal parts except the bath tub chassis. I think I am probably on number 5-6??? Of course another weakness in the Falcon!

A few years back I scored a set of Thorp Dirt Burner Gear Drive Cups and Dog Bones and Wheel Axle Drive Cups for the Falcon and have never installed them as of yet! So I was thinking of building a better and stronger Falcon. I saw from a search on another website that CRP actually made really cool drive like shafts for the Falcon and was wondering if anyone had a set on Tamiya Club or any other aftermarket parts that were created for this beginner buggy I also was wondering if any other members have ever modified their Falcons.

Thanks OSR

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Falcon was the first duffer that I bought from Ebay after getting back into the hobby last year. In some ways, it has as much importance in my collection from that point of view as my Monster Beetle. Naturally, the front fell off after a while, but it's now got the CRP metal one, some yeah racing shocks, a beetle shell and various other mods. Definitely one of my favourites and a great runner :P

FalconBeetle01.jpg

FalconBeetle02.jpg

FalconBeetle03.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

SteelRat your Falcon looks great, espacially with those wheels :) This chassis lends itself to the beetle shape so well, with the motor hanging out back.

OldSchoolRunner, I too started in RC with a Falcon back in the late 80's. Racing against lightweight Mardaves and Schumacher Cats it was never competitive but always fun.

Sadly I had to sell it to buy my first mountain bike, so when I spotted this one on ebay I had to snap it up.

TcFalcon1.jpg

That's pretty much as it arrived. Cut down Blitzer shell, ballraced, with black CVAs on the back and grasshopper rear shocks on the front. A GM Racing Apollo IV forwards only ESC (anybody know anything about these?) hardwired to a Paradox 27T single motor.

I didn't run it until a few weeks ago and this thing really flies!

I've since added CRP's front brace, dogbones and Blackfoot wheel adapters/axle extenders so I can fit Scorcher wheels. Swapped the Grasshopper shocks for Hornet rears, with front and rear springs together to firm it up a bit.

The one upgrade I can wholeheartedly recommend is the front brace. Survived a full speed impact into a stone that threw it into a double forward somersault. Without the brace it would have been going home in a bin bag I think :lol:

I've just bought a second resto project Falcon off ebay too :lol:

Martyn

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oooh not sure this counts... I took a Falcon and grafted the front half of a Wild One to the gearbox :)

img280_22082009191420_3.jpg

img280_22082009191420_1.jpg

Its running Thorpe outdrives, axles, dogbones

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well if nothing else Biggus, shows what people can do with the remains once they've sheared the front ends off their Falcon chassis :)

Pics of mine as it is now

Photo406.jpg

Photo409.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll take one for the stock Falcon owners :lol: Great condition when I bought it, hardly used, original electrics throughout. Done nothing but sit around since and considering letting it go to fund some other purchases. Got some CRP dogbones nip and new front shock mounts nip as well. I like it though as it's nice and simple. Also got some Thorp drive cups, in case I ever find the other Thorp parts. Bit of a hoarder me :)

PA130343.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here's mine.

I bought it last year from a local ebay option in a pretty ordinary state. The auction stated it needed the wing re-attached and the front end needed fixing. In itself that was pretty accurate, what they didn't mention was that every other part in the thing was on it last legs. It was always going to be a vintage racer so I focused on function rather than form. I really didn't want to spend up big on a new shell and stickers so I stripped all the paint off the shell but tried to preserve the stickers. the rear of the body and the wing are held in place with shoe goo and spare strip of lexan.

The chassis on the other hand had to be able to handle a full race meet. I wound up getting new suspension arms all round (after the patched up ones broke first run :) ) As a matter of fact, everything was replaced with new in the front of the car as it was all knackered. I replaced the springs, changed the oil and pistons to soften the front end with aim of getting some mid-corner stability. The back end got new swing arms, CRP drive shafts, and Super Fighter G drive cups. The new drive cups are a little deeper, which should stop the shafts dropping out. The gear case needs replacing, but its going to have to do. I replaced the rear springs with AE tuned green. The wheels were stolen from my super fighter G. They're yellow and fit modern rubber, it was all that mattered. Naturally it got an ESC and ball bearings. Its running Losi front tires and yok Hots Laps rear.

Its big debut race will be up in Sydney on the ANZAC long weekend. God I hope it finishes a lap this time :lol:

Cheers

Dean

post-16612-1270249245_thumb.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice Falcon Dean.

Just offering a little advice on your tyre choice.

If the front Losi tyres are faily soft i would try to put a harder compound ones on. Losi pinks or HT if you can find them.

I think you will find it will do donuts every where as the front will have to much bite in turn in.

On the other hand if the tires are harder it will be fine.

Its all about balance.

Have fun you lucky man

Mark.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Nice Falcon Dean.

Just offering a little advice on your tyre choice.

If the front Losi tyres are faily soft i would try to put a harder compound ones on. Losi pinks or HT if you can find them.

I think you will find it will do donuts every where as the front will have to much bite in turn in.

On the other hand if the tires are harder it will be fine.

Its all about balance.

Have fun you lucky man

Mark.

You're probably right. I was over compensating because last time it had no steering at all with the kit super fighter tyres on. It could explain why it tends to fall over at low speed :)

I've stiffened up the front spring since then which has it fairly stable through longer corners. It does still have problems out of tight corners. I was thinking that I could always stick a set of hole shots on the back to deal with that.

Thanks for the tip though. I've seen how your cars get around and a wise man would follow your advice. Hence, I will just suck it and see :lol:

Cheers

Dean

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It's a Bear Hawk with a Falcon Body and new TRF shocks.

Visit My Website

That looks seriously sexy. I've always thought the body rides too high on the standard buggy. Yours looks just about right.

Time get the dremmel out....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think you all know my feelings for the falcon. :)

I believe I have this one covered :lol:

I have 12 Falcons at the moment in various states and have every hopup ever made for them I intend to build the ultimate one this year from the hopups and mods from my experiance racing them in the late 80's. I know they are pants technically but I love em anyway. They are my Sandscorcher or three speed. There is a good SIG for them on TC too.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow! Like what I see so far guys! Tynhead! Can you explain how you were able to fix SRB wheels and tires to the rear of your Flcon Buggy! That is definately a cool looking stance! I would love to know what parts you used to do this! Keep the ideas and creations coming fellas!

OSR

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Wow! Like what I see so far guys! Tynhead! Can you explain how you were able to fix SRB wheels and tires to the rear of your Flcon Buggy! That is definately a cool looking stance! I would love to know what parts you used to do this! Keep the ideas and creations coming fellas!

OSR

Hey OSR, thanks for the compliments :)

As you may know, the problem with the SRB wheels is that they are too wide to fit on the Falcon axles. So I used Blackfoot axle adapters I found when buying my CRP front brace and dogbones.

Go to TeamCRP and look under the Futaba FX10 section.

Here's the gubbins fitted to my Falcon.

CRPadapter.jpg

Martyn.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey TynHead!

I got the pics and went to the site. I think I have found what you are talking about on the site. Is it REAR WHEEL ADAPTER - FX10 - 1570? I really appreciate you sending this info to me. I have always wanted to run a SRB wheel and tire on a Falcon. Now I was thinking about one thing?? Are you currently running Throp Dirt Burners with those Adapters? Or are you still running the stock plastic drive cups? I am wondering this because I don't think these Adapters will thread on the end of the Throp Drive Cups?? Am I right or wrong? Thanks OSR

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's the one OSR ;)

Or if you've some spare standard 5-point hubs already, say from a Hornet or GH, you just need the threaded sleeve nuts 1565 or 1569. I bought a set of the 1565s for spares too.

If you haven't one already, definately get yourself the front brace too :)

Martyn

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh yeah, I'm using standard drive cups with CRP hopup dogbones.

Haven't seen a Thorp axle end but if you can run standard Falcon wheels I would say you should be able to fit these adapters.

The sleeve nuts just screw on the standard axle thread.

HTH

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tynhead,

I will have to take a look at the threads and get back to you. I think the Throp Drive Cup Threads are a little beefer! If not then maybe for the time being I will have to go back to a set of plastic drive cups or like I said before run a set of Frog Drive cups. They of course are longer and will easily accept The proper SRB style drive cups and wheels.

Thanks

OSR

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I`ll take a pick of mine if i get chance later, had one back inthe day and ran it into the ground, raced it, bashed it, the lot. Loved the thing,got through loads of chassis, front parts and drive shafts. Sold it when i needed some cash ;) .......But managed to pick my current one up off ebay for a bargain price, just gotta get round to getting it fixed up.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

None of mine, stocker falcon with 14yr old lad styling (ie black & white wheels!) and no rear spoiler (broke after a roll in 1991) but do have a pic of the shell that it has had since around 1991

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...379&id=1470

it does have thorpe shaft & cups (bought a good few years back) and a phil greeno motor.

I really must bring it out of retirement, but IIRC the fron shocker arms need replacing and the front of the chassis needs a CRP brace.

Also have a 2nd one that i got from the bay, only needs a few odds and sods to get it to runner.

but the biggest memory is running to find the drive shaft after any slight bump ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

heres my small collection of falcons

The good, the bad and the ugly ;)

post-17674-1273326154_thumb.jpg

post-17674-1273326202_thumb.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey OSR, thanks for the compliments :)

As you may know, the problem with the SRB wheels is that they are too wide to fit on the Falcon axles. So I used Blackfoot axle adapters I found when buying my CRP front brace and dogbones.

Go to TeamCRP and look under the Futaba FX10 section.

Here's the gubbins fitted to my Falcon.

CRPadapter.jpg

Martyn.

Thanks Tynhead, great tip.

DSC_3921_zps5dc8112f.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...