Tamiya 57409 - Lunch Box Mini (SW-01)

[Grastens]

An interesting chassis announced recently by Tamiya: the Lunch Box Mini on the SW-01 chassis. The link is Tamiyablog's; the chassis was also mentioned earlier on this site by TC's Mokei Kagaku, and on his Facebook page.

From Tamiyablog:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suggested retail price in Japan: approx. ¥ 10600
Expected release date in Japan: July 2019

★ Condensed various mechanisms in a compact new design chassis that fits in both hands of adults
★ Uses an upper arm that works in conjunction with the steering wheel. Reduce the roll of the body at the time of cornering, reduce the fall.
★ The chassis is a gear drive 4WD that transmits the power of the motor located in the center to the front and rear wheels with a gear.
★ The body reproduces the popular Lunch Box in polycarbonate. Adoption of magnet type one-touch body mount makes it easy to attach and remove the body.
★ It can run with four AA batteries.
★ Upgrade to the 4WS (four-wheel steering) specification is possible simply by installing the “Upper Connect Bar (provisional name)” scheduled to be released as an optional part.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As part of the "Star Unit" line, it is likely going to be quite a basic chassis, yet the technical details and the involvement of some sort of Lunch Box might make it intriguing...

[Butler]

This sounds brilliant. 1/24 scale perhaps?

[taffer]

So trike T3-01 sized (a bit bigger) ! 

[markbt73]

Huh... interesting. Or at least, it could be. The price is sure right ($95 as of today's exchange rate), and a new tiny 4WD chassis could be a lot of fun. I'm especially intrigued by the suspension connected to the steering and the easy addition of 4WS. Makes me think that it might be a straight-axle monster/crawler-type design?

Though it occurs to me that Dodge vans are popular for drifting in Japan (no, really). Are we entirely sure that this will be off-road? It could very well be a normal-sized Lunchbox body made of Lexan, on a 4WD on-road drift chassis.

Will be waiting to see how this develops.

[nowinaminute]

Sounds intriguing doesn't it!?

I guess around the same size point as the dancing rider bearing in mind it can be powered by 4 AA cells.

Suspension sounds interesting, like it has sway bars or something? One of the biggest issues with smaller vehicles is roll overs so that sounds like it could be a good little feature.

I guess these means a full size comical Lunchbox is out for the moment? Mind you, I'm not sure how comical it would be to make a more sophisticated and much better handling Lunchbox anyway....

[geniusanthony]

Searching the other star-unit offerings, they all seem to be 1/14 scale. The line about being held in two adult hands boggles me then as the Lunchy is already 1/12.

[Mokei Kagaku]

1 hour ago, geniusanthony said:

Searching the other star-unit offerings, they all seem to be 1/14 scale. The line about being held in two adult hands boggles me then as the Lunchy is already 1/12.

In the Star Unit series, the buggies are 1/14, the trikes 1/8. Based on the information available about the LB Mini at the moment, I reckon it will be about 1/20 - 1/24 scale. 

[Butler]

Exactly. Fits in your hands. 

[Mokei Kagaku]

A bit better illustration reveals the size: Racing Truck (MAN/Buggyra) tires on M-chassis VW Beetle wheels. It's really small! Overall length is apparently around 20cm.

(Photo provided by Kentech)

[RichiPuppy]

I would have loved this if it was just a miniature version of the lunch box chassis.

[Grastens]

Awwww, it's so cute!  Thanks for sharing the rendering. But can that be a standard-size servo I see in there?

[njmlondon]

Very cool! I wonder how a Wild Willy jeep body will look on it?

[TurnipJF]

Some alternative shell ideas:

 

[Mokei Kagaku]

38 minutes ago, Grastens said:

Awwww, it's so cute!  Thanks for sharing the rendering. But can that be a standard-size servo I see in there?

Yes, a standard servo is supposed to fit.

[wolfdogstinkus]

On 9/8/2018 at 5:53 PM, wolfdogstinkus said:

It looks like Tamiya are on this all ready but bolt on parts to upgrade existing cars. like hex driven portals, C hubs that bolt on existing axles to provide steering options. double wishbone front for lunchbox,  RC kits are being sold for the mini 4wd kits. Tamiya should make their own.

Would like 1/32 mini RC series

Tlt chassis with slight re-design, then all the most popular bodies get shrunk, mini lunchbox, clod, monster beetle, blackfoot.

[Busdriver]

I do hope it's 1/24th scale. That's the scale I usually model in. It would mean a huge range of body options in proper plastic 

[WillyChang]

18 hours ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

A bit better illustration reveals the size: Racing Truck (MAN/Buggyra) tires on M-chassis VW Beetle wheels. It's really small! Overall length is apparently around 20cm.

(Photo provided by Kentech)

Kawaiiiii! 

Hope the little shell might fit over a TLT too  

[geniusanthony]

52 minutes ago, WillyChang said:

Kawaiiiii! 

Hope the little shell might fit over a TLT too  

I have a TLT, mini lunchy body would be great. 

OT, what are some good TLT bodies? I've never really looked.

[qatmix]

Lots more pics here https://www.thercracer.com/2019/04/tamiya-57409-lunch-box-mini-sw-01.html?m=0

Its going to be brilliant

[Grastens]

On 4/13/2019 at 2:17 PM, qatmix said:

Lots more pics here https://www.thercracer.com/2019/04/tamiya-57409-lunch-box-mini-sw-01.html?m=0

Its going to be brilliant

Agreed! And now, I seem to be wanting one... It seems that it could be a great "impulse buy" item for a Tamiya hobbyist, like the chewing gum, candy bars, and batteries at the grocery checkout line 

... At the price I imagine, anyway!

[speedy_w_beans]

Will we be getting red, blue, black, gold, and standard editions of this too? 

[WillyChang]

On 13 April 2019 at 12:25 PM, geniusanthony said:

I have a TLT, mini lunchy body would be great. 

OT, what are some good TLT bodies? I've never really looked.

Me neither  I only have the truck & SUV... yeah both Tamiya made.

Dunno if there's any TamTechGear shells that might suit, never tried. 

[nowinaminute]

Interestingly, someone just shared an RC conversion kit for the 4x4 mini Lunchbox on thingiverse.
 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3556427

Sadly, the mini appears to be discontinued? You could get them for less than $20 a few months ago but now they are 3x that.

[Mokei Kagaku]

 

 

[Blista]

Are they m-chassis Beetle wheels with racing truck tyres?  C'mon Tamiya.  Even just a new set of wheels can't be too much to ask.