Period correct and typical electronics for 1998 Baja Champ

[Yonez 180]

So I'm going to start building my Baja Champ slowly over the next few weeks. Not much time, but I haven't built anything for a few years and this kit seems like a nice start.

I've been collecting some radios over the last couple of years to have period correct gear for my cars. But I don't have anything from the 1998+2-4 years period.

I'd like to get something that would have been put in a Tamiya buggy in that time frame. I'm guessing perhaps a Futaba,, but it's very hard to find a timeline of Futaba sets.

What are your top tips? Preferably something I can get NIB for a decent price ;-)

[Terz1 745]

I've just finished renovating my baja champ which is about 16 years and I've still got the transmitter I had when I bought it. The baja was fitted with a old style mechanical speed controller and mhz receiver, it was a real blast from the past working on that thing. Anyway the transmitter I bought with it back in about 1999/2000 was the acoms techniplus ap202 if this is any help. I had a quick look online but couldn't see any for sale, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

Heres a link to what it looks like....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spare-Part-Techniplus-Control-System/dp/B00388VHJY

Hope you find a nice example of the transmitter you're looking for.

 

[TurnipJF 9192]

The Futaba Attack SR manual is ©1995, so ought to still have been on sale in '98.

[Yonez 180]

2 hours ago, Terz1 said:

I've just finished renovating my baja champ which is about 16 years and I've still got the transmitter I had when I bought it. The baja was fitted with a old style mechanical speed controller and mhz receiver, it was a real blast from the past working on that thing. Anyway the transmitter I bought with it back in about 1999/2000 was the acoms techniplus ap202 if this is any help. I had a quick look online but couldn't see any for sale, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

Heres a link to what it looks like....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spare-Part-Techniplus-Control-System/dp/B00388VHJY

Hope you find a nice example of the transmitter you're looking for.

 

That's interesting. 

Mine came with a TEU-101 BK. So I must have a later revision of the kit.

That means I could add a few years to the radio age and still be correct.

 

 

[Backlash 481]

A list of Futaba radios can be found here.. Try looking at the copyright date in the manual..

http://www.futabarc.com/downloads/manuals.html

 

[Yonez 180]

9 hours ago, Backlash said:

A list of Futaba radios can be found here.. Try looking at the copyright date in the manual..

http://www.futabarc.com/downloads/manuals.html

 

Ooops, somehow I hit the wrong button and bulk-downloaded that page ;-)

Surprisingly, I can't find the copyright date on most of the manuals. But the 2phka is copyright 2001 and there was a complete mint set on eBay.

So, since the Baja Champ was in production in 2001 and I don't have the first version given the included ESC, then a 2001 radio sounds reasonable.

 

[Gruntfuggly 562]

Sounds kind of weird to me, saying "period correct" and "baja champ" in the same sentence!  It feels like only yesterday when they were on the shelves...

[Backlash 481]

My guess is that this would be the (period) correct Futaba radio for a Baja Champ..

Manual http://manuals.hobbico.com/fut/2pcka-manual.pdf

You also had the option with this radio of getting a MC210CB ESC instead of one of the servos, so that may help you with your ESC choice as well..
 

[Yonez 180]

3 hours ago, Backlash said:

My guess is that this would be the (period) correct Futaba radio for a Baja Champ..

Manual http://manuals.hobbico.com/fut/2pcka-manual.pdf

You also had the option with this radio of getting a MC210CB ESC instead of one of the servos, so that may help you with your ESC choice as well..
 

Thanks. 

So that is T2PCKA and I got T2PHKA. Futaba have such meaningful model numbers ;-)

Same receiver and servo, so perhaps this is slightly newer? I can't find a copyright year in that manual.

[Yonez 180]

9 hours ago, Gruntfuggly said:

Sounds kind of weird to me, saying "period correct" and "baja champ" in the same sentence!  It feels like only yesterday when they were on the shelves...

Out of production 11 years ago. Introduced in 1998 if one is to believe Tamiyabase.

So no Sand Scorcher, but still not the newest kid on the block*

 

* Which reminds me; they must be getting on by now ;-)

[Backlash 481]

Yonez,

I have a Futaba Megatech 2PCKA-AM (with ESC) that came with a 58188 Cliff Opel Calibra TA03..

The Baja Champ is model No. 58221, so its probably close enough to be considered period correct..

I'm quite sure that Futaba's next wheel radio was the 2PH / 2PHKA, which has a copyright / printing date of 07, 2001 in its manual.

This one

[Silver-Can 402]

The manual for my Baja Champ lists the Adspec 2 channel R/C unit as the suggested unit for this model - don't know if that's any help to you...

[Yonez 180]

On 8/28/2016 at 11:46 PM, Backlash said:

Yonez,

I have a Futaba Megatech 2PCKA-AM (with ESC) that came with a 58188 Cliff Opel Calibra TA03..

The Baja Champ is model No. 58221, so its probably close enough to be considered period correct..

I'm quite sure that Futaba's next wheel radio was the 2PH / 2PHKA, which has a copyright / printing date of 07, 2001 in its manual.

This one

Thanks!

As I said, this is the one I ended up purchasing :-)

[Yonez 180]

On 8/28/2016 at 0:04 AM, Silver-Can said:

The manual for my Baja Champ lists the Adspec 2 channel R/C unit as the suggested unit for this model - don't know if that's any help to you...

I know, but Adspecs in good/new condition are so hard to find, while Futaba is usually pretty straight forward.