Another Tamiya trivia thread

[a.w.k. 665]

On 11/4/2019 at 10:01 AM, a.w.k. said:

IIRC, first Tamiya with 4 wheel independent suspension and oil dampers could be the Wild One, but rear dampers are no coil overs, so 4 independent coil overs should be the Supershot.

now we could debate if the coilover is a coilover if the spring coils over the damper rod only or if it has to coil over the damper body and rod

[graemevw 823]

14 minutes ago, a.w.k. said:

now we could debate if the coilover is a coilover if the spring coils over the damper rod only or if it has to coil over the damper body and rod

Yeah, i know, but i think id still class it as coil over damper even if it is over the damper rod only. Its one unit, not seperate spring and damper locations. (Tbh id forgotten about this car when i posted the question 😂)

[markbt73 5316]

OK, here's one while you guys debate that one... what was the first model to be offered as a "Mini 4WD" (complete with dummy speed control resistor) before it was released as an RC model?

[MockTurtle 239]

53 minutes ago, markbt73 said:

OK, here's one while you guys debate that one... what was the first model to be offered as a "Mini 4WD" (complete with dummy speed control resistor) before it was released as an RC model?

fire dragon?

wasn't the avante black special based on a mini 4wd as well?

Edited November 8, 2019 by MockTurtle
edit: ...if not fire dragon then thunder dragon?

[a.w.k. 665]

3 hours ago, graemevw said:

Yeah, i know, but i think id still class it as coil over damper even if it is over the damper rod only. Its one unit, not seperate spring and damper locations. (Tbh id forgotten about this car when i posted the question 😂)

no problem,

i can live with your decision , maybe i have a strong connection to the SuperShot lately, because i am restoring my original at the moment

 

[Saito2 6686]

4 hours ago, markbt73 said:

OK, here's one while you guys debate that one... what was the first model to be offered as a "Mini 4WD" (complete with dummy speed control resistor) before it was released as an RC model?

I'm going to say Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon body (along with the Super Dragon and eventually Fire Dragon) were released as optional bodies originally intended for the Hornet. The mini 4WD version of both the Thunder and Fire Dragon even show two front "springs" in the front suspension emulating the Hornet front end rather than the CVA monoshock (Thunder Dragon) or dual CVA shocks (Fire Dragon). Tamiya later slipped the bodies onto the new-at-the-time Thundershot chassis as standard equipment (leading to somewhat poor fitment on the Fire Dragon, IMO).

[markbt73 5316]

2 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

I'm going to say Thunder Dragon. The Thunder Dragon body (along with the Super Dragon and eventually Fire Dragon) were released as optional bodies originally intended for the Hornet. The mini 4WD version of both the Thunder and Fire Dragon even show two front "springs" in the front suspension emulating the Hornet front end rather than the CVA monoshock (Thunder Dragon) or dual CVA shocks (Fire Dragon). Tamiya later slipped the bodies onto the new-at-the-time Thundershot chassis as standard equipment (leading to somewhat poor fitment on the Fire Dragon, IMO).

Yep, that's the one. The catalog I have from 1988 even lists the Thunder Dragon Jr. as being styled "like the 1/10 scale RC version," but the "big" Thunder Dragon is nowhere to be found.

[Saito2 6686]

OK, probably an easy one but, on the theme of mini 4wds... The original mini 4wds were just snap-together battery powered models not based on RC vehicles. There 2nd incarnation of the mini line featured one unique vehicle (the very first "Junior" version) that was a mini version of a popular RC model. What was it?

Bonus: what was the first Racing Mini 4wd and the first Wild mini 4wd? 

[a.w.k. 665]

Wild Willy Jr.   ?

First Racing Mini maybe the HotShot Jr.  ?

[Saito2 6686]

Correct. The Wild Willy was the first to kick off the "Jr" versions. The HotShot was the first Racing Mini too. 

I believe the first Wild Mini was the Monster Beetle which is a bit strange as the Blackfoot RC proceeded the MB RC, but the mini releases are reversed.