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mattie_uk

Recommmend me a fun re-release

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Hi all

The missus has given the thumbs-up to a new re-release, and I'm couching around for ideas of which might be most fun.  Any views on which models have given people the most fun-per-pounds-cash would be appreciated, I'm not keen to push he missus' patience so something around the £100-150 mark would be about the right level.

I've currently got an original vanquish which I've refitted with brushless, a re-release lunchbox with an old parma motor upgrade and a pretty battered and not-quite-serviceable blackfoot.  I'm tempted to get a monster beetle to have a few races with the lunchbox, but I could feasibly get the Blackfoot fit and working with a little bit of repair work, and I gather the monster beetle and the Blackfoot share the same base (I think it's a frog underpinning?) so I'm thinking about some thing a bit different.

I used to have a thundershot back in the day, but it's now in many, many pieces as the front gearbox and chassis suffered some pretty terminal damage, but some of the parts such as ballraces, twin front shocks etc might be salvageable.

I know very little about these models, so would appreciate any thoughts on which are most fun to thrash about in a park without requiring a rebuild every time if throws a gear or cracks a suspension mount (yes, painful thundershot experience!)

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

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It's not really a rerelease but sure makes fun. The GF01 dump truck.

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I've never seen that before!  My mate's little son would love that - might be worth it just to see his face, although I'll never get a go.. 

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A tough proposition given that re-releases are usually designed like the originals, but I heard the Grasshopper and Hornet are both bomb-proof. If an original chassis is not a problem, a Holiday Buggy might fit, too!

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Hornet is a good fun buggy, and it's pretty robust

Also, you could give the Hot Shot a look if you fancy a more challenging build 

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I recommend the Wild Willy 2 a fairly durable chassis and a blast to run with a slightly overpowered motor.  It will drive similar to your lunch box but way more maneuverable.  You and the missus could run these together and have a blast. 

 

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+1 on the ww2 , but not just those ANY WR02 would be fun, even the GF01 (the dump truck chassis) is just as fun, pretty much same chassis just a 4wd version.

 

ive never owned one but keep hearing the mad bulls are pretty fun to.... so might be worth looking into.

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I'd go for a Holiday Buggy. The DT-02 chassis is reliable, cheap to maintain, bashes well, can take numerous mods, and if bashing becomes boring, you can race them too. 

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Lunch Box is a fun car to have and plenty of spares available ,also the Mad Bull is fun .

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Not a Re-Release but I'm having a blast with my Tumbling Bull. Can't recall the last time I had this much fun with a stock car.  Using a small 2500mah Lipo and about 4 oz of weight on the front keep the truck from picking the front wheels up everytime. 

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I'm going to add the Hot Shot or Super Hot Shot. Very fun and involving to build (sort-of similar to the Thundershot), decent vintage runners, and they look just so darn cool.

- James

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No love for the Wild One?

It's an old design to be sure, and not exactly bomb proof, but it does drive very well. Surprisingly well I think.

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If I just want to bash and have fun, my personal face is the Blitzer Beetle.  Mine wears a lexan truck shell so it's more like a Stadium Thunder - it's lighter and crashes better.  Either way, with a hot motor it's a blast to drive.  Doesn't handle well enough to race but it's totally bulletproof and gives plenty of smiles on all sorts of terrain.

I wouldn't recommend a Monster Beetle if you already have a Blackfoot, unless you want to run them together.

For the same reason, I wouldn't recommend another wheelie vehicle.  IMO the WW2 and its brethren are superior to the Lunchbox / Pumpkin in every way, but not superior enough that I would shelve the lunchie to get a WW2.  Unless, of course, you want to run them together.

Hot Shot / Super Hot Shot are seriously involving builds.  I've never owned a Super Hot Shot but the Hot Shot is nice to drive, its monoshock suspension gives very smooth handling.  The shocks however can be a little fragile.  I love mine but I wouldn't want one as a go-to basher; for me it's a special car for special occasions.

DT02 / DT03 should be cheap and reliable 2wd buggy fun, Mad Bull is a perennial fave among many here despite looking very silly (IMO).

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The GF-01 dump truck is a hoot. It handles better than a WR-02 due to more weight over the front axle (4wd) and possibly slightly more grip when the wheels decide to touch the ground. And when the wheels touch the ground and you slam on the brakes it does front rolls :lol:

I am in no way telling you to no get a WR-02 either, they are a great little unit and there is some cool alternatives if the WW2 doesn't tickle your fancy. The Suzuki Jimny (samurai) and the VW samba (camper), also there is two tractor versions (three if you are a black bear fan!) and if you like on road cars a crazy little Honda City wheelie machine!

 

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Ta all for ideas, I'll see what local shop have in stock next time I'm over - Although the Wild Willy and others look good I'm tempted by a 2WD buggy as something s bit different to what I've already got, so the hornet, holiday buggy and grasshopper look interesting, and also won't break the bank!

I also note the bigwig is being re-released, but I' not sure it'd be that different to the vanquish and I recall hearing about reliability problems with the original (although expect some of these to be ironed out).

I stopped by last week and noted that had a lowride pumpkin, not sure I want that particular model, but I'm debating one of the tarmac/carpet type cars if I can't make up my mind on a re-release - I've never tried the track racers but happy to give new things a go!  The Lancia Delta looks good, and although it may be slightly sacrilegious on these boards I note that mardave are still going strong, these were always cheap as chips so I might 'supplement' my 2WD buggy with a Mardave carpet racer.

 

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tamiya re-releases have slight improvements at best. none have a slipper clutch so far. the risk of drivetrain damage with modern brushless motors is fairly high.

if you want a vintage re-re to run, consider a kyosho---those have reworked drivetrains with slippers.

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