A quick hello...

[Silver-Can]

Hello everybody, first time poster here. Just a quick line or two to say ‘Hi’ and give a little background to my involvement with all things Tamiya.

It all started back around Christmas time 1984 or 1985 with my brother and I each getting the Grasshopper. The 10/11 year old me was enthralled. Totally mesmerised. I had watched my Dad build both of these – all those parts, those shiny screws, the ‘cogs’, wires, tubes of grease; all those ‘bits’. This was the business, I thought. We joined an RC car club and attempted some racing (stock ‘hoppers with 380 motors (I think)...always an optamist!). I remember drooling over the newly released Hotshot. Wow. 4WD and those looks…Subsequently got a Kyosho Pegasus but then found girls and pubs. Cars gone and forgotten to the mists of time. Oh well…

Fast-forward 25 years or so and whilst bored at work one night wondered ‘whatever happened to Tamiya and those Grasshoppers and Hotshots?’ Quick Google and You tube later and I’m right back in it. Ordered myself a re-re Hotshot (fulfilling a boyhood dream). That was 2 or 3 years ago. Current crop stands at 8; re-re Hotshot, Bear Hawk, Madcap, DF-01, Novafox, TL-01B, a (mostly) original Hornet and Madbull. All my cars are runners, though I do usually display them when clean and not in use. I enjoy hopping them up and adding my own modifications (which are usually pants). I also have no money! I have a 7 year son that I go out bashing with – he has the Madbull and I the Hornet. These are both NiHM and silver-can; the rest are either lipo & brushless or lipo and brushed. Either way, too much for him just yet I feel.

I have many on my ‘to get’ list, mostly buggies but I do like the new TT-02. I prefer the aesthetics of the vintage buggies mostly, but appreciate the ‘better’ engineering of the newer stuff. That said, I do like the TT-02B, DB-01 and DF-03 (I know, not exactly latest and greatest but leaps and bounds ahead of the 80’s and early 90’s stuff).

I’ve been ‘lurking’ around here for a little while, getting hints and tips, so thought it was about time to do the decent thing and join up! Hope to be an active and regular member and share some of the [limited] insights I’ve had. Also looking to get involved with some of these get-togethers hopefully – the Clumber meets, the Snetterton’s, the DT-02 challenge and the truly epic looking Iconic revival meet etc. as I love running these things and tinkering with them. Maybe one day even take up proper racing. Suspect things have moved on a bit since Grasshoppers and Hotshots though!

All the best,

Craig.

[mongoose1983]

Thanks for sharing your story, and welcome to TC, Craig! You'll see most of us like to go back in time and enjoy the good stuff from the 80's.

[i_am_scarecrow]

Welcome to TC! Your story is similar to many, certainly mine! I love my Grasshopper and each of my children has a Madbull too.

Get some pics up of your cars

[alfagta]

how do silver can , welcome to the tc forums ,

[Silver-Can]

Thanks for the warm welcome folks. Still finding my way around at the moment and getting used to the forum - how do you do quotes?

For those interested, here are my bunch. As I say, they're all runners (some harder than others) so excuse the rough edges (and naff photos) -

My 1st buy since getting back into the hobby a couple of years ago. Having gone through a couple of incarnations, settled on mild brushless/lipo set-up with alu knuckles and alu roll bar stay. FTX wheels and tyres with a splash of gold. Got the Radshape front bumper (having snapped 2 C2 parts in cartwheels of death) but decided I also wanted the added wheel protection of the full length original bumper so mashed them both together. Seems to work.

Quite fast, looks good and one of my workhorses. Planning on getting the RC Channel suspension conversion for it at some point. Anyone with any experience/tips on this?

Bought this off ebay around Feb this year. Not too bad condition but added various upgrades; alu motor mount, the uprated gearbox internals (I forget the part number), TRF shocks (courtesy of Asiatees) and changed the front end to take 4WD wheels. Got a 17x2 LRP motor running 19T pinion (if I remember correctly) and the 70T spur with a 2S lipo (Core). Purrs like a kitten and goes very well, very poised. Motor gets rather warm though. Perhaps look to get a new shell/decals and mild brushless set-up eventually. This is probably my least used.

My basher Hornet that I use with my son. About £25 off e-bay. One tough, quick car. Love it to bits. Looks a little different now - rear spoiler completely gone and hotshot/oval block rear wheel/tyre combo now installed. One day I will restore and retire. But not just yet...runs on silvercan with 4000mAh Ansmann NiMH. Get about 40 mins out of it with judicious use of throttle.

My son's basher Madbull. I've added a few tweeks here and there but as most of you will know, tough as old boots and just soaks it up. About £35 off e-bay for this one. Runs on a silvercan and 4500mAh Orion NiMH. Get about 30 mins running with it.

New build Novafox. Love the look of these. Very purposeful and sleek. Goes well too. Completely stock except for cheap Saturn 20T motor. Disappointed with quality of original decals though (or I was rubbish at applying them). They felt very brittle and soon started peeling. Got a cheap job lot off e-bay. Not wonderful, but they do the job for now.

My trusty TL-01B started life as a £20 e-bay rescue. Spent far too much blinging it up but it goes so well. Used to use FTX wheel/tyre on this too to give a little more clearance but now get too much cogging (cheap Turnigy 12T sensorless brushless in it at the mo). Using 19T pinion and goes like stink (for me, anyway!)

My 2nd RC car purchase - £60 off e-bay if I recall. Added a few bits and bobs. Also running 20T Saturn motor with 2S lipo. Thinking of upgrading the shocks and adding proper turnbuckles. Good little runner.

And finally, as Mr T intended. My DF-01 after a run at my local park. Another e-bay purchase (£40 ish). Some bits bought for this one - front shock tower, alu motor mount, alu centre shaft, alu knuckles, alu front gearbox underplate (A3 part). Still a few other bits and bats I'd like to get, but runs perfectly well for my liking and has good flight characteristics (came with the after-market wing - not sure what it is). Got a 10T Turnigy brushless motor with 19T pinion and 2S lipo. Very quick (for me).

So there we have it folks, my little bunch. I don't worry too much about 'correct' decals/boxart etc. Generally use what I have to hand with a mend and make do approach.

Still so many more I'd like to get...

[SteveU30]

Nice fleet! Forgive me, I don't recognise the white buggy with the black wheels, what is it?

[chriss76]

Great story, great cars and welcome to tamiya club.

Chris

[Theibault]

Hello and welcome! Lovely set of buggies. :-)

[DaveB]

Great fleet, and very cool user name

[qatmix]

Welcome to the club

The white buggy with black wheels is a madcap

[wood5tock]

Great collection you have got there fella, and great back story too

[Silver-Can]

Thanks for your kind words everybody. It's enough to keep me busy without getting overwhelming or becoming a chore.

@ DaveB - the username was inspired as much by my natural hair colour as anything else! But thanks, and glad you like it. It seemed rather apt,

@ SteveU30 - qatmix has it; it's my slightly modded Madcap.

Thanks again everyone. Just added a few pics to the 'What have you done today' thread as just come back from a beach bash.

[wood5tock]

Thanks for your kind words everybody. It's enough to keep me busy without getting overwhelming or becoming a chore.

Ah you say that now but...

[InsaneJim69]

Love that Madcap especially with the trf shocks

James