Original Kyosho Scorpion wheels

[Hibernaculum 933]

Ok Kyosho experts, a tricky Scorpion question.

This pertains only to the original Scorpion kit. (I am not interested in the chinese reissue, or any repro stuff).

As far as I know, the original Kyosho Scorpion came with two types of wheels.

1. Solid chrome wheels

2. 5-hole chrome wheels

We all know the box photo shows the car with solid white wheels.

Does anyone know if the solid white wheels were ever sold? Can anyone show me an original Scorpion with solid white wheels?

Because I have never seen one (apart from the box photo).

[Hcp22 6]

Evolution of the Scorpion

and the complete Circuit 1000 buggy line

The Kyosho Scorpion is in my opinion one of the best 1/10 scale R/C buggies ever made. It had everything that should be in a scaled radio controlled buggy. It had looks, performance, detail, and excellent quality. It is a simple design but very efficient. It is a engineering masterpiece in metal. The Scorpion was a very popular racing buggy in the early eighties that created a legacy on the track. Even thought this buggy was very popular and very successful it is a very rare item to find today. It's legacy is what makes it such a sought after collector piece today. It's popularity with collectors today has also raised some un-clarity as to its evolution. There were actually many versions of the Scorpion. Many different optional parts were used over the evolution of the infamous buggy. Below is a layout of the evolution of this great and wonderful buggy. I would to thank Franco Gaeton, Oyvind Johansen and Brian Myers for there help in comprising this information.

The first Scorpion was so equipped: Twin aluminum chassis rails: Single speed 5 gear gearbox made of cast aluminum with solid diff: Aluminum motor mount attached to gearbox with stamped steel backing plate and plastic gear cover. Housed 3 gears: Mabuchi RS540S motor with full length rubber motor cover: Rear aluminum shock mount attached to front of gearbox via 2 screw: 2 rear aluminum oil filled coilover shocks with plastic lock collars, plastic bottom ball socket, and plastic lower spring perch: 2 Cast aluminum single swing arm rear suspension arms with solid bushings, through the housing drive axles, aluminum drive washers, and single pin double mount pivots: Split aluminum rear upper suspension arm mounts: Block pattern rear tires with Good Year markings and solid center white 1.75" rear drive rims: Single bottom rear frame support gearbox mount: 6mm round aluminum roll bar tall straight version: Plastic rear motor cage guard around rear of car: Wire wing mount and lexan wing: Single wire L bent receiver antenna support mounts to rear of plastic motor guard: Yellow plastic radio tub with bottom battery door housed 2 servos, mechanical speed control, receiver, receiver batteries, and 7.2v drive battery: Lexan body with molded driver figure, plastic outer roll cage with aluminum roof panel: Aluminum front cross brace steering mount with split direct and indirect wedge type servo saver: Single bar steel front suspension pivot bar with cast aluminum hold down braces: 2 Cast aluminum single swing arm front suspension arms with upper link cast bars, aluminum steering knuckles, steel upright pivots, and aluminum caster adjuster/arm locks: 2 Front aluminum coilover shocks with plastic lock collars, plastic bottom ball socket, and lower spring perch: 2 Aluminum front shock mount towers: Large plastic flat front bumper:

Gen 1

This is a picture of the first Generation Scorpion.

To my knowledge this was what the very first

ones looked like.

Note:

Yellow Radio Tub: Straight Insanely Tall Roll Bar:

Good Year Block and 5 Ribbed Tires: White Solid

Center Rims:

Bare Aluminum Shocks:

Photo Courtesy of Kyosho Inc.

Gen 2

This is a picture of a Second Generation Scorpion.

To my Knowledge this is how a second

version looked.

Note changes:

Gen 2 and Gen 3 were really one in the same. They both carried some of the same features. Short Straight Roll Bar: Chrome Solid Wheels: Some were seen with the taller bent roll bar on yellow chassis tubs

Photo Courtesy of Tamiyaclub.com

Gen 3

This is a picture of a Third Generation Scorpion. To my Knowledge this is how a third version looked.

Note changes:

Gen 2 and Gen 3 were really one in the same. They both carried some of the same features. Radio tub was now being seen in black as well as yellow: Roll bar is taller again with forward bend in it toward top: Some were seen with the shorter straight roll bar on the black chassis tub

Shown is a the Cox version

Gen 4

This is a picture of a Fourth Generation Scorpion. To my Knowledge this is how a fourth version looked.

Note changes:

Started seeing the Tomahawk chrome wheels on this version . Also note that the front tires on the fourth Gen version were now the same 4 rib pattern found on the Tomahawk. Both yellow and black tubs were still being seen.

Photo Courtesy of Tamiyaclub.com

Gen 5

This is a picture of a Fifth Generation Scorpion. To my Knowledge this is how a fifth version looked.

Note changes:

Gone from the tire sidewalls was the name Good Year. The tires now said Sand Super on them. The rears were still a block pattern but the fronts were now a 4 narrow but taller rib design. Also gracing the buggy were the now famous red anodized shocks.

Special Note: The Scorpion pictured has a special roll cage roof panel made for it that were not on the original 5th gen version.

Gen 6

First Turbo Version

This is a picture of a sixth Generation Scorpion. To my Knowledge this is how a sixth version looked.

Note changes:

New Body: White Five Hole Tomahawk style wheels: Sand Super Spike Rear tires, and Sand Super Ribbed front tires: Some early ones had Black Radio Tubs to begin with but most of the later had White ones: A new wing mount and wing were also added to this version, it shared these with Kyosho Assault: The Tomahawk's short front bumper now graced the front of the new Turbo Scorpion: The most noticeable change was the addition of a modified Kyosho Le Mans 360E motor:

Note: The 360E Lemans motor was only found on the Kyosho version of the Turbo Scorpion. A Mabuchi RS540S motors were included on the Cox and Graupner versions

Photo Courtesy of Kyosho Inc.

Gen 7

Final Turbo Version

This is a picture of a seventh Generation Scorpion. To my Knowledge this is how a seventh version looked.

Note changes:

This was the last and final Scorpion version made. It has mostly the same parts as the 6th version but now has an exclusive set of wheels that were only available on this version. They were a 5 spoke star pattern in molded white. Also only available on the seventh Gen version was a new roll cage over the driver that now sported two more off road foe lights. These were the last and final upgrades to the Scorpion line.

[Hibernaculum 933]

Cheers - but I have read that already. I respect the author for saying "to my knowledge" because it's good info, but there are still some errors and unknowns - to date, nobody has shown me any original plain white solid wheels, as depicted on the box photo.

(Also, the Turbo Scorpion is not "gen 6+" in the same sense, it is a whole new model.)

[WillyChang 1814]

Probably not in the same vein but might as well ask it here...

Original wheels vs reRe wheels, have they changed?

Specifically ribs... new front wheels have ribs to locate the tyres, old look flat across like wheels for sponge tyres.

Rears are 3pc beadlock clamped?

 

[Static Age 65]

The rere are not bead lock. 

The rim is the modern style so tyres require gluing. 

[WillyChang 1814]

Have been reunited with my childhood since-1982-new Beetle, it's finally in the same room as the acquired-2008 impostor... 

Yup both old wheels are different. Fronts are glue-on onto flat across rims, rears have little screws clamping together the wheels.

Was hoping to fit fresh rubber onto the old wheels, now it seems they might not be retrofittable.