Blackfoots Blackfoots everywhere

[markbt73]

I traded a scaler chassis I hadn't touched in a year for a pair of Blackfoots. They arrived today, in about the condition I expected:

Both bodies are essentially toast, cracked and hot-glued back together. But they'll work fine for running. Both chassis are basically OK, both have full bearings and JG aftermarket shock towers/body mounts and either Kyosho or Duratrax gold shocks (not sure which yet). One has the yellow CRP front uprights and nice gold Monster Beetle wheels with Pro-Line Masher tires. Both have 540s and mechanical speed controls and basic Futaba radio gear. One has a diff that crackles but still works, and the other is completely shot. But I have some diff gears lying around.

They also came with most of the stock parts, friction shocks and stock body mounts.

Chassis shots of the better one:

I took this one for a run just to see how it did. Total time machine, right back to 1987. Rear end squats down under acceleration, front wheels flop and wobble all over, and the diff snaps and crackles going from reverse to forward. But oh so much fun.

Posing with "Ol' Blue," my restored 'Foot:

My plan, I think, is to swipe the parts I need to return my blue one to a nice clean shelfer, turn one of the new ones into a knock-around fun basher, and make the other one into a really nice "old-is-new" style Monster Beetle, with the period hopups already in place, upgraded gears and axles (maybe a Thorp if I can find/afford one) and modern running gear. These ought to keep me busy for a while.

[markbt73]

25 years later, and there's still nothing better to hoon around the yard with than a Blackfoot:

Whoops... well, that's its other natural pose...

OK. Time to tear these suckers down and clean 'em up.

[B.M.T.]

I agree. I love my old Blackfoot.

[billg4]

gotta love them

if you need a tailgate pm me, have had a new one sitting in a bin for some time now

your shocks look like duratrax leakers from late 80's early 90's

[tamiya monkey]

Good to see these trucks still being used as runners, mine will be when i manage to find a front body mount.

[LylesTV]

Very cool trucks ! I have 3 at the moment, an original 80s built one with fogged paint and moinster beetle rims, one box art scruffy one for using and a third real nice one that I'm in the middle of restoring to shelf queen before selling.

I had a couple of them as a kid and they are still great fun!

[markbt73]

Did a little work on what I'm calling #1... returned it to more or less stock configuration, and installed an LRP ESC. I took the gearbox apart, cleaned it, and ran a 2mm threaded rod through the diff to bolt it together, but it still sounds like Rice Krispies. The gears must be just too far gone. I'll have to order up some re-re Frog gears. In the meantime, I may experiment with a locked rear end; my original Brat did pretty well that way.

I also de-stickered this body, mainly to get rid of the duct tape and hot glue reside. Besides, I like it all black. Don't know what the original owner was thinking with the yellow window trim, though:

Wild Dagger rear tires are for traction on the grass, but they probably aren't doing the diff any favors. But even with the failing diff, this truck is now officially my favorite runner. I'll be nicer to the other one and restore it all pretty, but this one is getting run, just how it is.

[Andyrt200]

Did a little work on what I'm calling #1... returned it to more or less stock configuration, and installed an LRP ESC. I took the gearbox apart, cleaned it, and ran a 2mm threaded rod through the diff to bolt it together, but it still sounds like Rice Krispies. The gears must be just too far gone. I'll have to order up some re-re Frog gears. In the meantime, I may experiment with a locked rear end; my original Brat did pretty well that way.

Wild Dagger rear tires are for traction on the grass, but they probably aren't doing the diff any favors. But even with the failing diff, this truck is now officially my favorite runner. I'll be nicer to the other one and restore it all pretty, but this one is getting run, just how it is.

Looks like great fun, must get mine out again!

I found those rear tyres worked much better on grass too. But now the original tyres are available again (from the re-re Bruiser) I wonder how it would run with those on, I think I read they were a softer compound also. All the original Blackfoot tyres are so old now they’ve gone hard, would be interesting to hear if the new ones worked any better or if it’s the spikes on the Wild Dagger tyres that make the difference.

I’d love to hear how you get on with a locked diff too, I was thinking of doing that.

[markbt73]

I actually found another set of side diff gears in my stash, so the diff is how it's supposed to be now. I'm going to make a spool (no diff) from the worn-out parts & I'll report on how well it goes (or doesn't).

The tires I have are all indeed rock-hard. I remember reading something about soaking them in peanut butter to soften them; I might try that.

[bromvw]

The Peanut butter works . It may have being done before but i gave that tip last year . Its a old valeters trick to bring rubber back to life

[billg4]

simple green and or wd40 can work too

[Cooltoys]

Nice you found another two of them...

The blackfoots are fun... I have quite a few of them around too... I can never stop buying them.. lol..

Stacked ones..

[markbt73]

Nice stack... looks out of order, though. The one on the bottom looks to be in the best shape.

I think 3 is plenty for me, but it is nice to have more than one so I can run one without worry.

[Crash Cramer]

Okay, I found it, but it still means I get to dive into my shock box to see what I can fit onto those JG mounts and I could really use a rear shock photo with the wheel removed, seems I am thinking only one of those holes can be used for shocks(the one that cracks all the time) and you might have used the other hole on it.

[berman]

Those are some great black'feet' Love the blackfoot. Has one of the nicest stances of any tamiya monster truck. I would love a 'runner' one but fear I would fall for restoring that one aswell

[matman]

I actually found another set of side diff gears in my stash, so the diff is how it's supposed to be now. I'm going to make a spool (no diff) from the worn-out parts & I'll report on how well it goes (or doesn't).

The tires I have are all indeed rock-hard. I remember reading something about soaking them in peanut butter to soften them; I might try that.

So how did the spool diff work ? & did the peanut butter work ?.

Thanks . Go the blackfoot , great trucks to run .

[markbt73]

Okay, I found it, but it still means I get to dive into my shock box to see what I can fit onto those JG mounts and I could really use a rear shock photo with the wheel removed, seems I am thinking only one of those holes can be used for shocks(the one that cracks all the time) and you might have used the other hole on it.

I'll send you some pics when I get home tonight. I'm not sure my way is the "right" way, but it works...

[markbt73]

Wow, has it really been a year since I started this thread?

Well, shortly after the 'Foots arrived, I got a lot of RC10s and parts, and shifted my attention to those for a while. Then along came three Optimas... you know how it goes...

So as of right now, one of these is still a runner, albeit with a noisy transmission, and the other one is still in pieces. I haven't yet tried to lock a diff, so I can't comment on that.

As for the shock mounting, yes, you use the unused hole on the arms, not the hole at the end where the stock shock mounts:

My Kyosho golds are too long for this; I have a set of front RC10T shocks that will be going on here shortly. With the suspension at full droop, the shock is still compressed about halfway.

I have never seen an instruction sheet for the JG towers, so I have no idea how you're "supposed" to mount shocks to them. But a 25mm bolt and a big spacer works at the bottom, and at the top, just make sure it isn't spaced too far away from the tower, or it will hit the inside of the body shell (less of an issue with a Beetle shell).

Someday, eventually, I have an Associated Stealth transmission out of a T3 that I want to try to graft into one of these... solve that gearbox problem once and for all...

[Crash Cramer]

Well, JG wasn't reallly great on instructions when you did get them. LOL I think I might find that Tamiya MINI shocks might work??? Who knows what will get put on there, something.

[Tamiya1/10]

go to your local hardware store and buy a good quality 1/2”? or 3/4” or 1” paint brush and clean up the chasis after each run or after a day of running. sorry can't dirty chasis;-)

[markbt73]

My runners are always a little dirty. I clean 'em about once a month. Life's too short to wash toy cars.

[ChrisRx718]

I have a Blackfoot Xtreme, am I allowed into this party?!

To be fair it has Pumpkin/Lunchbox wheels and an Acto pink can motor so I imagine I can keep up with these old Blackfoots!