Mardave Mini

[OrangeSport]

Many, many years ago I started my "real" RC passion with a Mardave Ministock. My Dad helped me build and paint it and we went racing every week. We found out about adding various coatings to the tyres to grip on the polished wood floor in the boys' club hall where we raced. We put up with the "interesting" speed controller. I raced the wheels off it.

I moved on to buggy racing when the club got an outside track. Mardace Apache, hopped-up Grass Hopper then a Hornet.

I few years ago I fancied getting back into it all again and found that the Minis were still available, being raced and were as cheap as chips. They were not that much changed either, but the speed controller was improved. I bought a couple of kits and various spares and intended to race, but I then became a Dad myself and forgot all about it. Anyway, me and the little 'un got into RC late last year, and as well as building up a good little collection of Tamiyas I decided to get the Minis sorted.

I have built up a couple of chassis - one runner with ESC for reliability and one just a rolling chassis (for now) as a display car. Both have the body adjusted to take V12 wheels so have lost their wheel-arch extensions. The runner also has its chassis cut to allow these to turn full lock. Now it can run outside without grinding down all the screw heads under the chassis.

I love these llittle cars - nothing could be more removed from the detailed Tamiya kits, and they make a real change. Here they are, a real reminder of my childhood:

Thanks for reading...

[djmcnz]

Those bodies are delightful, they really are!

Direct steering, direct drive and a driver figure! Man, you can't get em like you used to!

[OrangeSport]

Direct steering, direct drive and a driver figure! Man, you can't get em like you used to!

They still make them

[djmcnz]

They still make them

Figure of speech but fair enough... have they changed much (the chassis) over the years?

[OrangeSport]

Figure of speech but fair enough... have they changed much (the chassis) over the years?

Mine are about 5 years old, and basically the same as I raced in the 80s. (Slightly) improved MSC and new body / servo mounts - that's about it.I think the current versions have evolved a little more (looks like they run the larger wheels as standard at least). Good way to get people into racing..

[SteelRat]

I got a Mardave V12 for Christmas, and they really are fantastic cars. Mind bogglingly simple to put together (I think mine took about 90 minutes) and go really well! Sadly none of the RC clubs local to me race them, or else I'd definitely have a go!

[OrangeSport]

Quick video of me playing with mine in the living room the other night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpgPylqNuTo

Pretty standard, with an Sniper RV20 waterproof ESC...

Good cheap fun!