Saito2 8448 Posted January 8, 2016 I was looking over my truck collection the other day and began to think about how under-appreciated the King Cab (and Hilux Monster Racer) is. Folks love ORV trucks like the Monster Beetle and Blackfoot. The Clod Buster has a cult-like following. The Blitzer series has its fans. If someone can overlook the diff issue, the King really is a great truck. In its day, it was probably the first kitted racing truck of its kind, coming out before the Losi JR-XT. I remember very well in that era manufacturers were boasting bigger and "badder/tougher" monster trucks. If you raced on a track you ran a heavily modded Blackfoot or a conversion truck. When the KC hit my local hobby shop it was unlike anything I'd seen from Tamiya. The tires were small. It had a ball diff and a sway bar. It jumped and landed with such grace and ease, it made the Blackfoot look like a teetering old man. I wonder had the diff been less troublesome, if it would have had more popularity. In some ways it has features that made the Traxxas Stampede so long-lifed (although the KC looks better IMO). Not quite a full bore racer but with ultra long travel suspension and good looks. I know Tamiya tried to mimic the new breed of racing trucks with the Stadium Blitzer. After the RC10T finally came out with its wheels hung way out from the chassis and the body slammed down low, everybody went that way. While the thinly disguised Bear Hawk-to-truck Blitzer wasn't a competition rig, it sure had the look. It's not a look I care for. The KC still looks like a truck. It's a better performer than the Blackfoot (which some suggested it would replace in the lineup) but doesn't get a lot of recognition. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terz1 752 Posted January 8, 2016 I love the kingcab and hilux monster racer. Both were ordered from the local model shop when me and my brother were kids for Christmas. Unfortunately at the last minute we changed our minds and I got a bullhead and he got a clodbuster. Still kinda regret not getting my kingcab. I hope tamiya do a re-re of them both as I'd love a chance to own one. Like you said the stadium blitzer was tamiyas version of the racing truck and a few months back I was going to get one and do the body work as a hilux monster racer and may be dye the wheels red as a homage to the original. These days the wt01 is my truck of choice. So versatile and tough and handles everything you throw at it. I love my monster beetle bodied wt01. Like I said though I'll definitely be in the queue to buy one as I really like the kingcab and monster racer. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaylon 235 Posted January 8, 2016 I want one.... nuf said ..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
XV Pilot 1937 Posted January 8, 2016 I doubt it could compare to my WT-01 as a regular runner, but I'd like to add one to my fleet anyway purely for interest's sake, and to look at - it is rather a stylish bit of kit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
berman 5319 Posted January 8, 2016 Lol. The KC/HMR was far superior than the blitzers and WT01s the only real downfall was the poorly designed diff. The diff was too small, had cast housings which easily warped when people overtightened them (to stop them slipping) and if the diff was designed better then a slipper clutch would have made it even more of a weapon. Also note ball diffs were still in their infancy and moreso to newcomers back then. The truck handles amazingly for something available in 1989. IMO the only 2wd race orientated truck that tamiya built that was better than the KC/HMR was the Dyna Blaster. I used to race one back in 1990 and could hold its own against Ultima Outlaws/Raider etc etc 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saito2 8448 Posted January 8, 2016 Nice pair of trucks! I totally agree. The WT-01 is more of a crude monster truck design. Very tough and durable, better than the ORV monsters, but no racing truck. The Blitzers,while also tough, only had the looks. The Blitzer might have had a better shot had it been developed more like the Futaba FXT which tamiya collaborated with. Glad to see some still admire the King. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mynameisdannyowens 61 Posted January 8, 2016 Brilliant photos of the pair together!!! I have a beat up old Monster Racer and a Thorp diff and alloy idle gear holder.....one day I'll restore it........time.....Lord give me time!!! Neve driven one myself but it seems lots of people actually do say this is the best Tamiya off road truck chassis - it's just that that diff.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Truck Norris 2237 Posted January 8, 2016 My favourite truck! I had one in 1990: Sold that but bought another three last year. Here's my new build one, replicating the 1990 photo: And some better photos of it, replicating the 1990 catalogue shots: I've also got a restored one: a collection of parts to build another, and best of all a NIB: 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWarty 1332 Posted January 9, 2016 In my opinion, one of the most gorgeous box art trucks that has ever been produced. By ANY company. The graphic art, stance, and proportions are near perfect. I had an rc10t but the Tamiya offering screamed realism given its real life counterpart. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pizzachaude 130 Posted January 9, 2016 One of my favorite looking trucks, but I also love the Outlaw Ultima 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markbt73 6250 Posted January 9, 2016 I missed these back in the day. I got out of RC almost entirely in about 1989/90 (1:1 car and guitar occupied my imagination more), and when I came back in about 92/93, I stuck with on-road for a few years. By the time I got back to off-road, it was RC10s and Losi XXs; I didn't buy another Tamiya kit until 1995 when I got a TA01 Lancia Delta. Since the "vintage revival," I've really liked the looks of these. It helps that I have a soft spot for Nissan trucks; in my opinion the 720 and D21 were just about the best looking small trucks ever. Tough as nails and better to drive than Toyota, too... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beefmuffin 1157 Posted January 9, 2016 Sold that but bought another three last year. Here's my new build one, replicating the 1990 photo One thing I just noticed, Trucker, Texas Norris, is that you lettered the tires BITD but didn't in the new built... and looks like big T didn't in their catalog either. Wonder why not... ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kontemax 1794 Posted January 9, 2016 Not for me The King Cab is the best racing truck chassis ever made. Max The KC still looks like a truck. It's a better performer than the Blackfoot (which some suggested it would replace in the lineup) but doesn't get a lot of recognition. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kontemax 1794 Posted January 9, 2016 Dyna Blaster is a missile, believe me, far away superior of the King Cab/Hi-Lux Monster Racer but they are made for different purposes. The Dyna Blaster is made for speed only while the King Cab is a worderfull basher, with some incredible climbing abilities, it's a jump breed and is also very very fast for the track with the best suspension I ever seen in that years. The great difference is the King Cab center of Gravity that is a lot higher than the Dyna Blaster. Both great racing trucks anyway with some better bashing abilities for the King cab. Max IMO the only 2wd race orientated truck that tamiya built that was better than the KC/HMR was the Dyna Blaster. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hibernaculum 937 Posted January 9, 2016 In my opinion, one of the most gorgeous box art trucks that has ever been produced. By ANY company. The graphic art, stance, and proportions are near perfect. I had an rc10t but the Tamiya offering screamed realism given its real life counterpart. Nice to see appreciation for the King Cab, and some very good looking examples. The King Cab is a cracking model. I think the looks are very good, although the "scale" aspect is thrown off a bit by the truggy width and wheels. The compensation of course, is they handle extremely well - a real pleasure to blast around a track, and the ball diff works great. Am I correct in saying that this (and the Monster Racer) practically invented the truggy era? Nissan fans might be interested to know that Taiyo actually made a much more realistic R/C model, called the Racing Pick-up 4WD. It was true 4WD like the real vehicle (unlike the King Cab), had a real spare tyre on the back, and Hella spotlights. It also featured twin motors, for a top speed of 25km/h. This model is extremely rare, and was also sold under Tyco branding. But all examples are like hen's teeth. It's yet another model on my to-do list for future articles (But at least I've got the photos in the can) Here's one of the real vehicles that inspired it. As mentioned, I think it came closer (than the King Cab) to looking like one of the real trucks raced by the likes of Roger Mears or Sherman Balch... H 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theibault 1537 Posted January 9, 2016 I've heard rumors on the interwebs (take with a huge grain of salt) that this might be the next re re. I would be very happy as I loved mine back in the day. Sadly, it was thrown out along with 7 other wonderful vintage kits when my father moved houses 12 years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nitomor 2122 Posted January 9, 2016 It's a lovely looking truck, I've not had any direct experience with them but I was looking at the chassis recently when TruckNorris posted up his pictures thinking it must be a good performer and wondering why more was never made of it, seems it deserves a lot more recognition that it has had. But then the WT01 until recently has also been a much underated chassis. The long travel suspension as stock on the KC looks great as are the adjustable top arms and I like the fact that all the electronics are reasonably well protected from muck, if it gets re released I'd certainly buy one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Truck Norris 2237 Posted January 9, 2016 One thing I just noticed, Trucker, Texas Norris, is that you lettered the tires BITD but didn't in the new built... and looks like big T didn't in their catalog either. Wonder why not... ? Wanted to stick to box art for this one. Tamiya seem inconsistent as to when they do this. If you look at the catalogues there's The Bigwig with lettering, then directly above the Hotshot II without. Also the Avante and Egress in the normal shots don't have it, but in the laid out components photo they do. Never seen an official KC shot with it done though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffyboy403 57 Posted January 9, 2016 I see a re re coming for this one too. I built one and drove it in the early 90s. I had to adjust the ball diff to get it right after initial assembly. It was pure bliss! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beefmuffin 1157 Posted January 9, 2016 I was looking over my truck collection the other day and began to think about how under-appreciated the King Cab (and Hilux Monster Racer) is. Folks love ORV trucks like the Monster Beetle and Blackfoot. The Clod Buster has a cult-like following. The Blitzer series has its fans. If someone can overlook the diff issue, the King really is a great truck. It jumped and landed with such grace and ease, it made the Blackfoot look like a teetering old man. It's a better performer than the Blackfoot (which some suggested it would replace in the lineup) but doesn't get a lot of recognition. To be honest, Saito, I don't think the KC is really under-appreciated by anyone who knows what it is. It's just lesser-known! It wasn't meant as an entry-level ride like the Blackfoot was. It was clearly designed as a performer, while the Blackfoot was just purely for fun and looks. Some people may have 'raced' their Blackfoot trucks... but I really don't think many people saw the Blackfoot as a racing truck, whereas that was the whole purpose of the KC. Definitely the KC is lesser known in the general population - but so is the Grasshopper! This, of course, has nothing to do with how much better or worse the Grasshopper is relative to, say, the Astute as a racing buggy. Or even anything to do with the features of either. Does that make the Astute 'under-appreciated' relative to the the Grasshopper? I wouldn't characterize it that way! Bottom line, though, is that among us Tamiya-heads I don't know many people who look down their nose too far at the King Cab. It's pretty much awesome. I have one back in my collection, just awaiting a body... now, if anyone reading this had a nice original King Cab body, let me know. That's one area that would really be helpful if they re-released the KC... because I'm sure a re-re kit would cost less than the only KC bodyset on ebay currently selling for almost $400! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saito2 8448 Posted January 9, 2016 I agree anyone who had their hands on a King Cab appreciated it. Blackfoots were the main "racing" truck before the conversion trucks began to take over. I agree the the Blackfoot was entry level in nature, but it's buggy roots and wide array of available hop-ups meant it was the THE truck to race. As soon as JG began making adapters to fit Blackfoot wheels to RC10s, etc., it was over for the Blackfoot. The comments (which I don't really agree with) about the KC replacing the Blackfoot were made in RC Car Action back in the day. Still, if Tamiya was able to mount Monster Beetle tires (not a great idea because of the diff) on a KC-based truck it might have made it an interesting precursor to a truck like the Stampede. I don't feel the KC is slighted by Tamiya fans, just not maybe noticed as much 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pauli330 60 Posted January 9, 2016 I love the King Cab and the Monster Racer and I hope both will have a comeback as a re release. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Plopes 140 Posted January 9, 2016 KC was my second Tamiya and it was a fantastic truck. Compared to my first Tamiya (Midnight Pumpkin), It was like have a real racing quality truck. One of my personal all time favorites, But I remember the body and painting it was an adventure. (paper thin) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
berman 5319 Posted January 10, 2016 Dyna Blaster is a missile, believe me, far away superior of the King Cab/Hi-Lux Monster Racer but they are made for different purposes. The Dyna Blaster is made for speed only while the King Cab is a worderfull basher, with some incredible climbing abilities, it's a jump breed and is also very very fast for the track with the best suspension I ever seen in that years. The great difference is the King Cab center of Gravity that is a lot higher than the Dyna Blaster. Both great racing trucks anyway with some better bashing abilities for the King cab. Max I will have to disagree with you on the basher aspect, Max. While the KC/HMR was probably better in that respect, I still think a small ball diff and the mechanical 3 step contributed to it's early demise in inexperienced hands. Ball diffs were still a new thing and if not bed in properly and readjusted (tamiya tried to get around this with the cone shaped washers) plus the direct fwd-rev of the MSC I think made the diff worse than it could have been, and I also don't think ball diffs make very good bashers. But I agree with everything else you have said Nice to see appreciation for the King Cab, and some very good looking examples. The King Cab is a cracking model. I think the looks are very good, although the "scale" aspect is thrown off a bit by the truggy width and wheels. The compensation of course, is they handle extremely well - a real pleasure to blast around a track, and the ball diff works great. Am I correct in saying that this (and the Monster Racer) practically invented the truggy era? H Probably more the 'Stadium truck' era, which was just crowning around this time, hence Ivan Stewarts Toyota. Truggies were more buggies with truck wheels, (where the name comes from) Something Kyosho started doing early on and Losi and Associated following suit and running with it in the 90's. It probably would have been a better representation of the 1:1 on a TA01/02 chassis to be honest. I always wanted a Tyco AFX king cab after seeing one in my mums LHS as a kid when I had my KC, I will get one, one day! One of my favorite looking trucks, but I also love the Outlaw UltimaI would love an Ultima Outlaw, would sit nicely next to my KC as nostalgia trip from my racing days 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kontemax 1794 Posted January 11, 2016 You have to disagree probably because you have never seen my King Cab in action Here with odd and ugly beetle body, all stock except the esc and 8.4V battery: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=7881&sid=24 Here with HPI ugly body, same configuration: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=16211&sid=24 http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=16210&sid=24 And here some infos about the model: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=4709&sid=24 Here some updates: http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=52319&sid=24 I replaced the dampers with alloy ones, after the handmade clutch I replaced the entire transmission case with the (too much) expensive Lethal Weapon 2, replaced the half shafts and axles with two (very beefy) CVDs and wheels adapters. Now my King Cab is bomb proof. As every Tamiya models ypou must make some job to squeeze all their potential. Max I will have to disagree with you on the basher aspect, Max. While the KC/HMR was probably better in that respect, I still think a small ball diff and the mechanical 3 step contributed to it's early demise in inexperienced hands. Ball diffs were still a new thing and if not bed in properly and readjusted (tamiya tried to get around this with the cone shaped washers) plus the direct fwd-rev of the MSC I think made the diff worse than it could have been, and I also don't think ball diffs make very good bashers. But I agree with everything else you have said 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
