what would you vote for greatest tamiya r/c model ever made?

[racefaceec90 3]

hello,just joined up here.

i have to admit that i have only ever owned 1 tamiya r/c car (back when i was a teenager.i'm 38 now) it was a manta ray (which i loved).alas i didn't use it that often as i soon after discovered motorcycles/cars (well a DT125 yam and ford fiesta 1.1L anyhoo/not at the same time you understand,i wasn't that rich

my love of tamiya stemmed from primary school though.one of my friends had a fox that he talked about (he lent me the instruction manual which i drooled over looking at the exploding diagrams).whenever i went to my local toy shop,i would drool over those lovely boxes and dream about having my own r/c buggy to play with.when i got the chance to have a go on his fox car,i was even more hooked

anyhoo enough of my droning,have been thinking about this question (i checked on the search bar to see if there were any of these threads already,but i couldn't see one).as i do not have any experience of the models myself (apart from the fox and manta ray),i can only base my opinion on what i have seen on youtube/read about the models.

there are so many great tamiya vehicles,that it is almost impossible to make a decision (and to be honest i cannot BUT i can make a short list as to what i think are worth thinking about.

grasshopper/hornet i would definitely consider these 2 as worthy of being on the list,simply as they bought r/c cars to the masses (reasonably priced but great fun to drive.also the kits were well designed/made).

porsche 959 just a stunning piece of kit.it was so detailed (it looked just like the actual car),and it had working lights.for it's time it was fantastic.

the fox nuff said (fantastic 2wd buggy

(i can also add the hotshot/egress/avante/supershot/frog e.t.c e.t.c and i would be here all night,BUT i will finally vote for the grasshopper as my all time greatest tamiya r/c vehicle (and use my reasoning from above

well i'll shut up now,but will be very interested as to what you would vote yourselves?

p.s i do plan on buying another tamiya r/c buggy at some point (when funds allow).at least i have plenty of time to make my mind up as to what to buy

[Wandy 1562]

There are so many variables that you will never get the same answer from everyone and we all have our own personal favourites mainly because of what we owned as youngsters. Out of all of the many choices I would actually say that their greatest release might just be the Hornet, down to the fact that it is great looking, reliable, near indestructable, easy to build and is probably their greatest ever seller. Not only was it a smash hit in the 1980s but the re-release has now been in production for over 8 years which is even longer than the original got. I would love to know how many Hornets have been churned out by the factory over the last 29 years.

[bromvw 744]

To me it would have to be the iconic Sand Scorcher . Somehow it just sums up what Tamiya is ( maybe was ) all about . Very realistic looking and with performance close to the real thing . Ok it has its faults - but so did the actual be

beetle . . To me it will always be the RC that brings back the 80's and my youth .

[94eg! 836]

DB01. I love everything about it.

[IBIFTKH 1371]

I vote for the Clodbuster, the first and most iconic of the monster trucks. When it was first released its sheer size was stunning - people would literally stop and stare at this huge toy. Big and tough, great looking and huge amounts of fun, what more could you ask?

But then think about what followed, the mod-clods. LWB turbo-nutter racers, awesome crawlers, 6 and 8-wheelers, a whole after-market industry spawned by the humble Clod. It may trail other models in actual sales (though I guess they've sold a LOT!!!!) but it's hard to think of anything that's had such an impact on the hobby.

[XV Pilot 1936]

There is of course an argument to be made for basing this judgement on historical significance, production figures, etc. But Tamiya's TRF division are constantly developing newer, faster, better models in an attempt to win world championships. I would therefore argue that the best Tamiya in any given class (from a technical perspective at any rate) is the latest Tamiya, as it is designed and built with lessons learned from previous Tamiyas.

[Psylence 25]

There are so many variables that you will never get the same answer from everyone and we all have our own personal favourites mainly because of what we owned as youngsters. Out of all of the many choices I would actually say that their greatest release might just be the Hornet, down to the fact that it is great looking, reliable, near indestructable, easy to build and is probably their greatest ever seller. Not only was it a smash hit in the 1980s but the re-release has now been in production for over 8 years which is even longer than the original got. I would love to know how many Hornets have been churned out by the factory over the last 29 years.

Hornet was my first, way back when. And boy, they sure can take the abuse! I did manage to crack the gearbox on mine at one point however... I'm sure I was doing something youthful and foolish. And probably awesome.

I really should pick up a re-release, even though I've been trying to keep it to "things I couldn't get when I was a kid.."

[94eg! 836]

There is of course an argument to be made for basing this judgement on historical significance, production figures, etc. But Tamiya's TRF division are constantly developing newer, faster, better models in an attempt to win world championships. I would therefore argue that the best Tamiya in any given class (from a technical perspective at any rate) is the latest Tamiya, as it is designed and built with lessons learned from previous Tamiyas.

Oh yeah....^This

[Tamiya1/10 382]

The only way to do arrive at the best is to assign grade to seversl catagories like....

1. Value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2. Durability 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

3. Details 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

4. Handling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

5. Performance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

6. Packaging 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

7. Quality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

8 . Etc....

Kind of like car magazine how they arrive to car of the year.

Based on the above i would say tamiya 3spd big rigs. but not too many tc member would have one to agree or disagree.

I would say tamiya 3sp big rigs get my vote as i would scope high based on the catalogories i have listed.

[Sayer 742]

<obligatory, and heavily biased Juggernaut 2 nomination>

[skip665 169]

Interesting to see that everyone has a different opinion!

Just to buck that trend I have to also say the Clod Buster - just because it was such an awesome thing back in the 80s (and unattainable for a young lad like me) - remained in production for so, so long and has spawned probably more aftermarket parts than any other Tamiya.

Although if you look at the first 100 Tamiyas I wouldn't turn any of them down - they are all great in their own ways

[EddScott 134]

Its a subjective question. The basic 2WDs never interested me although they were obviously a hit. When I got into RC back in the day all I ever wanted was an Avante. To me it was an amazing looking machine with such an interesting and overly complicated chassis. If I were to choose one Tamiya to be on a desert island with it would be the Avante.

[Gruntfuggly 570]

Sonic Fighter.

[DaveB 151]

Hornet, no question.

Instantly recognisable, iconic, fast and still looks awesome.

[MadInventor 3886]

TXT-1 for me.

Bashed one for over 8 years and it's still running, and basically unmodified (and I modify everything). It was the truck I would have liked when I bought a clod in the 80s, but it didn't exist then. Pinnacle of tamiya's monster trucks, the only thing that lets it down looks wise is the lexan shell. Doesn't look as good as the juggernaut 2, but handles a lot better and is a much better design. TXT-2 is a step backwards from it IMO. If I could only have 1 R/C this would be it. 2nd place would have to be the hotshot. tamiya's 1st 4wd off road racer, handled better than anything else tamiya did at the time of it's release, and looked great into the bargain.

[kaiser 8]

hornet or grasshopper for me. so many awesome childhood memories of my hornet.

[94eg! 836]

Although if you look at the first 100 Tamiyas I wouldn't turn any of them down - they are all great in their own ways

I think there is too much emphasis on the "First 100". Model 107 & 116 are both a lot cooler than most of earlier kits (imo). Definitely worthy of being at the top of the "best vintage" list.

[biggamehunter 127]

hotshot , it was the car we all wanted one day but no one could afford , so we made do with hornets and grasshoppers , the frog was seen occasionaly , but only when the rich kids were allowed out of their gardens with them , we only ever saw the hotshot in our nearest beatties store which was an hours train ride away we made this pilgrimage every saturday just to watch the tamiya hotshot video and see the car on the shelf behind the counter ,the closest we got to getting it home was when it was your turn to borrow the tamiya guidebook with the hotshot on the cover from the boy who owned it,we all took it in turns to lend the book , and after your weeks turn was over it would not come back to you for 6 weeks!............. my grasshopper was the original version of TRIGGERS BRUSH ! , i had that same car for 15 years , it only had 6 new chassis and 5 new shells !!!!!! it lasted realy well lol , i only recently got myself an unused original issue hotshot , about 2 months ago , i stare at it from my bed every night and after 30 years of longing for this car ,still cant beleive i actually got myself one , the mrs thinks im nuts ,but you guys will understand exactly , hotshot , the tamiya icon , then and now

[tonysmini 19]

'Cough' Lunchbox!!

Crazy idea that shouldn't have worked but does on so many levels.

[ddaenen1 278]

Hornet, no question.

Instantly recognisable, iconic, fast and still looks awesome.

I second that! Definitely the Hornet.

[Klausen 1228]

I can only narrow it down to two vehicles. Clod Buster and Supershot. Dream cars from the 80's where I couldn't afford them.

[Kendalboatsman 0]

From a historical technical perspective I would say the original 3 speed Hilux because it was ground breaking and made it on to mainstream TV in the UK when it was released. But from a personal perspective I would say The Grasshopper as it was affordable and so many people started with it including me. I used a modified Grasshopper for many years for racing and bashing and it was pure fun. So much fun that I recreated my original racer and I still use it now and then for the fun of it.

[JeepnMike 150]

This thread should have been broken into categories. "Best", or "most iconic".

Most Iconic has to be the sand scorcher.

Best, I am with a lot of folks babbling on and on recently for the DB01. Fun and fast car, affordable, lots to tinker with as you read here. Because of all of the iconic cars it will probably never be classified in a best category, but as a driver it gets driven most in my 6 car stable.

[mr crispy 2295]

Wild Willy hands down.

[shenlonco 1173]

I have a few I can list but I always like the hornet for sure!