Tamiya r/c myths??????

[Supershot]

Hello!

I have read many things on Tamiya cars!Some I think are true while others I'm not so sure?Do you believe any of these?I personally call them myths that might be true or revolve around the truth!Just how accurate are they?Do you agree with them?Do you have your own opinions?

One of them is that the RoughRider was the first popular 2wd electric off road?As well as being the first r/c off road to be raced or start even half serious racing?As well as being the biggest catilyst for r/c cars in history-where here today because of this car?

Another one is that The original Blackfoot became the catilyst for r/c trucks becoming huge,which led to the RC10GT which has led to the nitro revolution!

Another is that the Clodbuster was the truck that made monster trucks popular???Flip through Radio Control car action,their selling monster truck tyres for nitro cars as well as proline bodies,suspension kits chromed frames ect.

Was this the first highly popular monster truck as well?

A personal belief is that the Hornet/frog/hotshot/supershot days were at Tamiya's r/c peak?Every person knew these car's by name!Now it's all touring cars with similar chassis and different bodies!

What do you think???Do you have any of your own?

[WillyChang]

Tamiya Mega Myth #1: "Tamiya are beginner toys, they'll never win any World Championships".

[] Thank you, Surikarn!!!id="red">id="size3"> []

[bigu2fan]

I always thought the Sand Scorcher was the model that really popularized RC cars and racing. I could be wrong, but that's my memory. The first car I had was a Frog, followed by a F-150. By that time the Scorcher and RR were unavailable from the large mail-order suppliers. Tower Hobbies, if I remember correctly, still was offeirng the F-150. I bought that and then bought the necessary parts to transform the F-150 into a Scorcher.

I can't speak to which model kicked off the truck craze.

--Will

willgreenlee@yahoo.com

[bigu2fan]

I always thought the Sand Scorcher was the model that really popularized RC cars and racing. I could be wrong, but that's my memory. The first car I had was a Frog, followed by a F-150. By that time the Scorcher and RR were unavailable from the large mail-order suppliers. Tower Hobbies, if I remember correctly, still was offeirng the F-150. I bought that and then bought the necessary parts to transform the F-150 into a Scorcher.

I can't speak to which model kicked off the truck craze.

--Will

willgreenlee@yahoo.com

[DJTheo]

I beleive most of the myths you state or more or less true. Tamiya really catalysed the electric RC car market, before there were almost only gas cars, which because of their difficulties were only something for advanced RC modellers, since Tamiya any 10 year old kid could buy, build and drive a real RC car.

I think all the models named were milestones in the market, first the On Roaders, than Racing Buggies, than the Frog/Grasshopper/Hornet era, and just a bit after the Blackfoot/Clod epoche... Don't forget also the touring car era which started with the TA-01s and the later Mini craze with the M-chassis.

[njmlondon]

I remember being one of the first people to have a proper rc car... and it was a scorcher. But the ones that seemed to signal the massive increase in popularity were frogs and hornets... there were frogs everywhere!!! i remember being gutted that they were faster than my ss but i loved the ss shape so never upgraded... i just bought an rr body for buggy races... obviously lost most of them!

[rccarracer(2)]

quote:Originally posted by WillyChang

Tamiya Mega Myth #1: "Tamiya are beginner toys, they'll never win any World Championships".

[] Thank you, Surikarn!!!id="red">id="size3"> []

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That was one of the happiest days in Tamiya History.

And I could finally tell all the guys at the track that said I should put my 414M away for a TC3 to get stuffed!![][]

But the funniest thing about this is that everyone seems to be a fan now....

I'm glad to say I've been a fan of Tamiya from day one and especially the TRF414 series of cars. Never doubt the ability of Tamiya Cars![]

[rccarracer(2)]

Also just like to say, I'll be completing my collection of TRF414 series cars in the coming week, with the addition of the elusive 414X.[]

[Shodog]

Supershot, I think that many of the things you say are true. There were others in the market at the same time. It was Tamiya (really MRC) that had the marketing skill to bring it about. There were television comercials that showed the frog. Look at any childrens television programing and you are deluged with toy marketing. with out advertising the product, you will never get the sales.

Tamiya has introduced a lot of firsts. It just seems that they never keep up.

[SJoerD]

Blackfoot was the truck that started the true monster truck crazy (no nitro or something). Though the Marui Big Bear was first, the Blackfoot was the one that brought it to the masses. The Big Bear was just too little to be a real monster truck, as far as I know it was 1/12 scal, where the BF was a 1/10 scale.

Yes the Rough Rider was the first popular 2WD off-road RC-car. Along with the Sand Scorcher though, that one wasn't released much later than the RR. You can say both are.. []

The Frog / Hornet / HotShot / Supershot were all very big names in the RC world those days. Especially the HotShot was revolutionary in design. There was nothing like it made before! [] I am so glad to be the proud owner of one now, just imagine it was actually just an accident I got it... [|)] When I got all the parts it's gonna KICK A$$!

Tamiya indeed had lots of firsts. The HotShot and Blackfoot are great examples of those. Most of their ideas get faked by others. Still, nothing beats the Tamiya! [^]

[jacolouw]

Willy

The track at which the 2002 IFMAR worlds where held is my hometrack (Krugersdorp - South Africa). I helped design and build the track. During the worlds itself I was Chief Scrutineer and am currently the Race Director at the track. I guess that Ill never forget that last final when Surikan pulled that amazing getaway on the rest of the field. Alot of us "Tamiya Guys" went balistic when he took the lead. Luckily Surikan held on!!!

There is a new limited edition 414 that is realesed with a redisighned box. On the cover is the Cup that Surikan won as well as a few photos of the track. Me and a friend Picked the cup!!!!!

Boy what a week of racing that was - whith that BIG suprise of Surikan winning with a Tamiya!!!!!! (according to the opposition!!)

Jakes

[rccarracer(2)]

quote:Originally posted by jacolouw

Willy

There is a new limited edition 414 that is realesed with a redisighned box. On the cover is the Cup that Surikan won as well as a few photos of the track. Me and a friend Picked the cup!!!!!

Jakes

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You talking about the 414M Worlds Replica aren't you....

Well my 414X is arriving very soon, can't wait to have it sitting next to it's younger brothers...

My 414 series cars -

- TRF414X (Soon)

- TRF414

- TRF414M

- TRF414M WRC

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by rccarracerBut the funniest thing about this is that everyone seems to be a fan now....

I'm glad to say I've been a fan of Tamiya from day one ...

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Oh ya, its just *AMAZING* how many "fairweather friends" we have out there.

Imho there's quite a few 'new converts' now, and an equal number of shellshocked other-branders who are still in denial... []

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by jacolouw

The track at which the 2002 IFMAR worlds where held is my hometrack (Krugersdorp - South Africa). I helped design and build the track. During the worlds itself I was Chief Scrutineer and am currently the Race Director at the track.

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Haha, EXCELLENT Jake!

quote:Originally posted by jacolouw

I guess that Ill never forget that last final when Surikan pulled that amazing getaway on the rest of the field. Alot of us "Tamiya Guys" went balistic when he took the lead. Luckily Surikan held on!!!

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Guess he didn't have much to lose... it was all or nothing. There's a professional video of it out now too, might be worth a watch. Quite a bit of luck involved imho, as going into the 3rd final anyone could have won the thing.

quote:Originally posted by jacolouw

Boy what a week of racing that was - whith that BIG suprise of Surikan winning with a Tamiya!!!!!! (according to the opposition!!)

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And of course the real surprise (not!) was the following controversy, all the whinging etc etc. []

[RETRO R/C]

Myth #1 in my opinion is that the is : "A new Scorcher or Bruiser next year " !! LOLOLOLOL

I think that in all honesty, while there was some racing with the rough riders and scorpions etc etc - the cars that really started the popularity of R/C cars were the Frog and Hornet etc.

These cars intorduced many to "Racing" - and started the boom in the early eighties - then came the RC10 - and Tamiya's other "Major" myth car - the Hotshot - what a "revolution" that car was at the time.then came the Kysoho Optima - and just after that the "Dog Fighter" from Yokomo - the RC10 of the 4wds at the time.

"Racing and Competition" have always been Tamiya's catch cry - even though they were rather lacking until the Worlds recently with victories (compared to other manufacturers)- they are the master marketers, and it cannot be denied that they are the most significant contributor to the popularity of R/C cars in general.real myth makers so to speak.

Sjoerd: - I love how you explain the cars as though you know them at the time - even though you were not even born at the time !! [][][]

Long live R/C !!

Cheers

Darryn

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by darryn1

Sjoerd: - I love how you explain the cars as though you know them at the time - even though you were not even born at the time !! [][][]

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Oi! Don't pick on our Dutch friend there... he too seems to favour leaky AH Sprites twice as old as he is.

Got taste, he has! []

[RETRO R/C]

LOLOL- wasnt picking ![}]

Darryn

[Supershot]

Hello!

Wow,I just went to your r/c link,Daryn 1!For the 30-40th time by the way!!!!Ye,Tamiya isn't what it use to be!Now it's all touring cars with similar chassis/bodies as well as the odd "popular car" once in awhile!I think that the frog/hornet/hotshot days were at Tamiya's peak.I think that the Tamiya peak came to an end during the bigwig/porsche9594wd era!Does anyone agree?There were some really good cars after that,once in awhile,such as the Blackfoot/Coldbuster/Avante/Topforce ect!But nothing like the old days when the frog and the Hornet were household names in the r/c world!!!There are many NIB kits these days that are post Bigwig days but sell really cheap except for odd cars such as the Topforce evolution which usually gets a really high price!

[DJTheo]

I think we are sometimes too nostalgic and tend to make old things better then they were. Tamiya is still innovative, don't forget the F201 4WD, as well as the nice XC-chassis, or the great tanks with the battle systems, or even the Dump Truck [] just unfortunatelly not when it comes to buggys. Don't think that they can't but they just follow the market, which has changed and demands for fast, easy to build and maintain, basher cars []

Also about scale looks, IMHO, most newer m-chassis and tourers look better than some old lexan cars like the Audi Quattro and Opel Ascona.

But as you said, nice designed buggies are missing... []

[RETRO R/C]

Thanks SUPERSHOT - keep coming back - especially after christmas - as there will be whole lot more to read and look at !!

Cheers

Darryn

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by Supershot

But nothing like the old days when the frog and the Hornet were household names in the r/c world!!!

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Not sure... might be just because Tamiya's marketing nous made it so prominent in the US & UK.

Whereas in Asia, it was just as common to run a AYK, ABC or Kyosho as it was to have an Associated (aka Yokomo).

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by DJTheo

... Tamiya is still innovative, don't forget the F201 4WD

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err Theo... Kyosho had their "Proto Sports" 4WD F1 with inboard shocks nearly 10 yrs ago now... then they also put a Lemans shell on it too. [:I]

[DJTheo]

quote:err Theo... Kyosho had their "Proto Sports" 4WD F1 with inboard shocks nearly 10 yrs ago now... then they also put a Lemans shell on it too.

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Kyosho even had in 1987 already a 1:12 4WD called Axis, but still to produce a kit like the F210 is something not very common and should be applaused.

[WillyChang]

Gotta admit Tamiya did get me quite excited when they announced the "RC Mini 4X4"... but that was a bit of a letdown eh? [V]

To return the favour, guess I'll go buy a MiniZ Kyosho.

[DJTheo]

quote:Gotta admit Tamiya did get me quite excited when they announced the "RC Mini 4X4"... but that was a bit of a letdown eh?

To return the favour, guess I'll go buy a MiniZ Kyosho.

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Yes, very disappointing, who needs RC cars which don't turn!

Buy yourself better a Tamtech, its much better and its a Tamiya [] or a HPI Micro...