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GTodd

Super Hotshot or Hotshot

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I have an itch for a build.  The Schumacher XLS is in contention  but I'm not down with all of its drive line issues and I'm going to primarily use it in the back yard. My cars get track work maybe 10 percent of the time. I haven't built a bathtub 4WD Tamiya yet. I love the old school looks of the Hotshot, the mono front shock and exposed front sway bar. The Super hotshot is nice too with full ball bearing, upgraded motor, and dual shocks. But I like the hotshot body better.  I know best answer is to buy both, but that won't pass my wife's smell test and I'm still going to purchase a bunch of gun stuff on Black Friday! So post the pics of your buggies , give me some ideas, and even suggest others in the family if you wish!

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Typically, if you want a "Hotshot", nothing else will satisfy that desire.  ;)

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Built both recently, I prefere the upgraded DNA for the SuperHotShot, BUT if you have to build one to run get a Boomerang as the open tub is soooooo much easier to work on and the steering is not just as bad.

OR go to the next generation and any of the Thundershot family as its even more sorted straight from the box. Parts for all are easy enough to get as there have been multiple re-re in both families.

20190629_171417

Mine are a mix of my own vintage buggies (ones with obvious mods) re-re new builds (HS1, SS, BigWig) and vintage finds with some restore work.

Did my own Thundershot to blast but after rolling it and undoing a lot of my work I now shelf them and just collect them for the nostalgia and blast with Traxxas

20190630_091057

 

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Coming out of the gate, I'm a big Hot Shot/Super Shot fan and not crazy about the Boomerang so I am biased. The Boomer is a good performer. Its lighter and more simplistic. The steering is effective. Radio gear access is much better in the Boomerang's open tub. Things I don't care for include: flimsy battery door/door hooks used as a structural member, flexy sway bar mounts limit its effectiveness and a sliding steering bar that jammed with debris my first time out. The Shots are certainly more complex in the chassis department. Its layered/boxed design makes it rigid but limits radio gear access. In today's world of ESCs and smaller receivers, this isn't a problem for me. The steering won't jamb, but it does suffer from bump and understeer.

It run 3 Shot buggies on occasion. I just love the iconic looks of the Hot Shot. While it's design shows "immaturity" on Tamiya's part and is the worst performing of the entire series by far, its just great to see this classic driving around. The Super Shot was sooo high dollar BITD and aggressive-looking, its also cool to get out for a run. Then there's this:

48851863396_a2654cd5a0.jpg20191005_133532 by Scott Weiland, on Flickr

My Super BoomerHotshoterang. I too, like the Hot Shot body better overall, but for a consistent runner, The Super Hot Shot suspension simply works better. I love the Hot Shot suspension's quirkiness but in the end, its flawed. I could never decide which I liked better though, so I made this amalgam. Hot Shot body on a SHS/HS chassis, SHS front suspension, Boomerang hubs/knuckles (I had laying around) and rear arms and a Hot Shot 2 style rear shock tower. I guess a quicker way, starting from scratch, is to get the SHS and buy a HS body for it. I just prefer how the Hot Shot 2 (and Boomerang) tucks the rear shocks in ahead of the rear arms. The thing is a brick. I has a rugged, dense feel to it. I love it. 

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That SHS hybrid up there is super cool @Saito2! I think the best suspension setup is a Boomerang/HS2 rear with bigwig front. My Boomerwig was a lovely runner

That said, the Hotshot looks way cooler, so Super Hotshot if you are choosing. 

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I'd buy the supershot and then add a hotshot body. I've got a re-re hotshot with an original hotshot HP suspension kit on it and an underguard, and it's one of my favourite drives. I bought the HP suspension kit when you get them for under £20, so your best value for money option is to buy the supershot and change the bodyshell.

 

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That Supershot with the Hotshot body and wheels is money!

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I was in on the same boat as you are a month a go, I wanted a hotshot then build it with super hotshot parts to convert it to 4 shocks or buy the super hotshot for 50 euro more, but I don't like the yellow cva's shocks.

Then there was a NIB hotshot was for sale cheap and I bought that, I ordered all the needed suspension parst and undertray from rc mart and I ordered gmade xd shocks for the car, so now for the same price as the super hotshot I have the hotshot with all the super hotshot parts and the gmade shocks.

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The performance "deal" out of the early 4wds is the Big Wig at about $200 currently. Not precisely what you're looking for though. I'm tempted to get one even though I have enough Hot Shot series cars to sink a ship. One of the best suspensions, bearings, plus the GT motor, all for the lowest price of the currently available Hot Shot series buggies (the Boomer was cheaper when it was around).

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Can you use a boomerang chassis to build a hotshot hybrid? I'd like to utilize the Boomerang steering with the hotshot cage and body. I'm ordering the MIP ball differentials to ensure I purchase one! I know the bigwig is the culmination of the chassis family even thought it's actually chassis is different, I'm just not really sold on it's looks I'd really like to see a Hotshot II. That would solve all my problems!

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@GTodd If you search online there are a tonne of hotshot steering upgrade/mods using the M05 steering set. That would work better than the boomerang if you are up for some hacks. 

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