Blazing Blazer Re-re in the near future?

[advantum 29]

I wonder if we will ever get to see a Blazing Blazer re-release. Shouldn't be such big of a problem for Tamiya, as the chassis has already been re-released with the Bruiser and Mountaineer. What do you think, how probable is a BB re-re in the near future?

Any rumours?

 

[tamiya_1971 614]

1 hour ago, advantum said:

I wonder if we will ever get to see a Blazing Blazer re-release. Shouldn't be such big of a problem for Tamiya, as the chassis has already been re-released with the Bruiser and Mountaineer. What do you think, how probable is a BB re-re in the near future?

Any rumours?

 

Geez. I was REALLY excited for about 3 seconds.

[topforcein 1764]

it all depends of if they still have the die/mould for the shell plus the sponsor decal may not allow  plus that would tell you how much it would cost  being on the bruiser chassis

[Truck Norris 2237]

7 hours ago, advantum said:

Any rumours?

 

5 hours ago, tamiya_1971 said:

Geez. I was REALLY excited for about 3 seconds.

Yes, for the sake of all, please edit the topic title and add the appropriate question mark. You're asking about the possibility, not providing information.

Thank you  

[Juggular 4961]

At the time, I wasn't excited by it.  

By the time it showed up in the 80's, it was 70's niche design. (What was this anyway? Dune racing?)  So the sales figure (in Japan) might have been lower than other 3 speed models.  

To me, it's one of those things that looks great in hindsight.  Now that it's been 36 years, the body has the proper vintage appeal.  I'd be very excited about those balloon tires too, which I assume are same as Willys M38?  

I wonder if they cannot get the license from Chevy?  

And then there the rumor of fire in the 80's that destroyed some molds... 

For those who are disappointed, here is an eye candy from Iconic.  

[KEV THE REV 2307]

The Chassis is completely different from the Bruiser , so it would be a hole new approach . It took me years finding the parts to complete my Blazer which was a lot of the fun for me , to finally find that one last part . A re-re would be water on the fire for me , but that said I have been helped out with LB re-re parts and other models to carry out some projects , so I'm the last one to complain really I guess . Newer collectors ( and old hands alike ) would welcome having a nib Blazer - who wouldn't !!

[Juggular 4961]

I did not know that it's different from the Bruiser.  

Now that you mentioned it, it sits lower.  huh... Learning everyday!  

[Shodog 1835]

Almost everything is different. I think the only things they share is just the axle cases

[Grumpy pants 4450]

It will never happen as a rere imo.

Too expensive, too heavy, too old fashioned and limited appeal world wide at the price point I reckon.

I think a rehash has some slim possibility, watered down and stuffed on Bruiser type chassis. 

I’ll ask my wife she is always right 😂

[KEV THE REV 2307]

22 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said:

I’ll ask my wife she is always right 😂

 

[markbt73 5311]

With the current resurgence in interest in '70s off-roaders, they'd be fools not to. Put it on a simplified/re-worked version of the re-re Bruiser chassis, or maybe even the high-lift, possibly with a single-speed gearbox to keep the price down. If they could get it out in the $400-500 range, they'd steal some thunder from RC4WD and Axial, for sure.

And that way, you keep the collectors happy by not doing a straight re-issue.

[Bromley 681]

10 hours ago, Grumpy pants said:

It will never happen as a rere imo.

Too expensive, too heavy, too old fashioned and limited appeal world wide at the price point I reckon.

I think a rehash has some slim possibility, watered down and stuffed on Bruiser type chassis. 

I’ll ask my wife she is always right 😂

I not so sure of this, for me it sits in the same camp as the XR311. Poor performance, extremely dated and more RC scale model than RC basher.

They Rere'd the XR311!

[Grumpy pants 4450]

I wonder if the BB body could be mounted in the clone Bruiser chassis. 

[Mokei Kagaku 2706]

15 hours ago, markbt73 said:

With the current resurgence in interest in '70s off-roaders, they'd be fools not to. Put it on a simplified/re-worked version of the re-re Bruiser chassis, or maybe even the high-lift, possibly with a single-speed gearbox to keep the price down. If they could get it out in the $400-500 range, they'd steal some thunder from RC4WD and Axial, for sure.

And that way, you keep the collectors happy by not doing a straight re-issue.

Considering that Panelli Jones' real "Blazing" Blazer (and similar winged baja Blazers) had IFS, RWD with linked live axle, full fibreglass body and I reckon more or less a tube frame, a re-re wouldn't even have to be on a Tamiya 3-speed'ish chassis.  Tamiya could even put the body on the DT03 chassis or on the Dirt 4WD (“Hummer”) chassis if Tamiya wanted it to be 4WD! Sure, a sacrilege to many vintage Tamiya purists, but personally I would actually prefer that as it would mean a relatively cheap kit and what really matters to me would be getting the possibility to buy new BB bodies.  

I have never really understood why Tamiya made the combination of the 3-speed chassis and BB body. For the 3-speed chassis a more “normal” Blazer/Chevy Pick-Up body would have made sense (like Tamiya did with the Chevy Stepside body for Mini 4WD just a few years later) or a Blazing Blazer body on a more speed-oriented chassis, which at that time would have meant a smaller body on the SRB-chassis as a Ford Ranger sibling.

Talking about baja Blazers and Parnelli Jones, I reckon all of you with an interest in baja style racing have seen the "Dirt!" movie?  When the movie was released, my father and I watched it at the local cinema. I was very excited whereas my father slept most of the time!

Anyway, for anyone interested in vintage off-road racing, it's great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwopw5L3uew

 

 

 

 

[markbt73 5311]

So they were Class 8 2WD trucks? I guess I always thought those (and Big Oly) were in Class 3 with the 4WD Jeeps. Huh.

Well in that case, a CC01 with no front driveline gets you the right chassis configuration! What do you say, Big T? Serve us up one parts-bin special...

[IBIFTKH 1369]

43 minutes ago, markbt73 said:

So they were Class 8 2WD trucks? I guess I always thought those (and Big Oly) were in Class 3 with the 4WD Jeeps. Huh.

Well in that case, a CC01 with no front driveline gets you the right chassis configuration! What do you say, Big T? Serve us up one parts-bin special...

Dear God, not another CC01 please! Surely the legendary Blazer should at the very least merit a new & improved CC02?

[Mokei Kagaku 2706]

2 hours ago, markbt73 said:

So they were Class 8 2WD trucks? I guess I always thought those (and Big Oly) were in Class 3 with the 4WD Jeeps. Huh.

Well in that case, a CC01 with no front driveline gets you the right chassis configuration! What do you say, Big T? Serve us up one parts-bin special...

I don't know if all were RWD, but Parnelli Jones built several Blazers with an IFS of his own design and these cars were definitely RWD. The P. Jones IFS can be seen below. And here is the link to the whole article: BFG Blazer resurrection

 

[Mokei Kagaku 2706]

Big Oly's RWD too:

https://silodrome.com/big-oly-ford-bronco/

[Saito2 6675]

4 hours ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

Big Oly's RWD too:

Learn something new everyday. I just remember it being "stolen" in the original 1970's Gone in 60 Seconds movie.

[nowinaminute 2815]

If they don't, I bet a Chinese company will be happy to step in and do it!

People sometimes say they can't do this car or that car because the tooling was destroyed etc but it's really not that difficult to recreate it. The Bruiser clone doesn't appear to use any Tamiya moulds when you really investigate it up close. I guess it comes down to return on investment.

[Grumpy pants 4450]

21 hours ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

Considering that Panelli Jones' real "Blazing" Blazer (and similar winged baja Blazers) had IFS, RWD with linked live axle, full fibreglass body and I reckon more or less a tube frame, a re-re wouldn't even have to be on a Tamiya 3-speed'ish chassis.  Tamiya could even put the body on the DT03 chassis or on the Dirt 4WD (“Hummer”) chassis if Tamiya wanted it to be 4WD! Sure, a sacrilege to many vintage Tamiya purists, but personally I would actually prefer that as it would mean a relatively cheap kit and what really matters to me would be getting the possibility to buy new BB bodies.  

I have never really understood why Tamiya made the combination of the 3-speed chassis and BB body. For the 3-speed chassis a more “normal” Blazer/Chevy Pick-Up body would have made sense (like Tamiya did with the Chevy Stepside body for Mini 4WD just a few years later) or a Blazing Blazer body on a more speed-oriented chassis, which at that time would have meant a smaller body on the SRB-chassis as a Ford Ranger sibling.

Talking about baja Blazers and Parnelli Jones, I reckon all of you with an interest in baja style racing have seen the "Dirt!" movie?  When the movie was released, my father and I watched it at the local cinema. I was very excited whereas my father slept most of the time!

Anyway, for anyone interested in vintage off-road racing, it's great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwopw5L3uew

 

 

 

 

I really enjoyed watching the film last night Mokei thanks for sharing the link.

It is amazing how many of the vehicles were turned into RC models back in the day and how the sport caught the imagination of hobby, which still holds true today. 

 

[Mokei Kagaku 2706]

3 hours ago, Grumpy pants said:

It is amazing how many of the vehicles were turned into RC models back in the day and how the sport caught the imagination of hobby, which still holds true today. 

I reckon it's just a sign that I'm getting old, but I think the (real) racing buggies and racing trucks of the 70's and 80's look a lot better than the vehicles now used.  So, I feel no urge to have an RC scale model of modern racing buggies or racing trucks. And I will never get tired of the Scorpion, Rough Rider, Sand Scorcher, Super Champ or Blazing Blazer.  I own just one Blazing Blazer body and would prefer any kind of Blazing Blazer resurrection over another Vajra, modern SCT or whatever.

I guess that fans that now are the age I was back in the early 80's are just as fond of modern racing buggies and racing trucks as I'm of the 80's classics. It's all subjective, but then again, have a look at the Big Oly' modern recreation below. Enough said....

 

[Big Duke 6 11]

On 7/23/2019 at 2:11 AM, Grumpy pants said:

It will never happen as a rere imo.

Too expensive, too heavy, too old fashioned and limited appeal world wide at the price point I reckon.

I think a rehash has some slim possibility, watered down and stuffed on Bruiser type chassis. 

I’ll ask my wife she is always right 😂

I busted out laughing really hard but then felt like someone was squeezing my throat and I blacked out, please pass on my apologies to your wife for making fun of her special powers....

[SuperChamp82 743]

Superb thread guys 😃

I’d tend to agree with @Grumpy pants that a pure  re re is never going to happen - noting the price would just be too expensive for Tamiya to recover the cost of tooling / materials ... let alone make any kind of volume based profit.

I also doubt a Bruiser / Mountain Rider hybrid will ever be attempted - largely because you’d struggle to fit the Blazer’s vintage Wild Willy tyres on it (even if the original molds hadn’t been lost) and a monster truck alternative would look awful. 

What would be really interesting is @Mokei Kagakus DT03 idea ... not least because having a Blazer you could run at speed with permanent 4WD would be nothing short of incredible 🤩

[Grumpy pants 4450]

I’m struggling to picture the BB on a DT03 chassis, the body shell is big, tall and heavy.

It would be able to sit lower though which would make it look more realistic.