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Saito2

the restorer and the hotrodder

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Tamiya aficionados often fall into or between these two categories, the restorer and the hotrodder. On one extreme, the purest, a restorer to the core, presents Tamiya models created exactly as they would have been from new right down to using vintage spares vs nearly identical, yet not authentic rerelease spares.  At the other, the extreme hotrodder may be better termed a custom builder. Here is one who uses Tamiya parts or basic parts as a mere jumping off point for whatever their mind allows. In between, there are those that add or change parts for better performance or simply personalization. 

In my youth, both in RC and 1:1 cars I was a hotrodder to the core. Age and time has me drifting closer to the restorer perspective. Tamiyas (vintage designs especially) have me quite caught in the middle of this struggle. The nostalgic part of me desires the authentic original experience, something that obviously wasn't present when both the cars and I were younger. Its a trip back in time. Then there is the rabid desire to improve upon the designs and vintage Tamiyas have much room for improvement. Tempting room.

My particular problem in this battle is nothing I create looks "proper" to my eye. Whether Tamiya nailed the look from the get-go or that what's burned into my brain as the "correct" appearance, I can't say. I have no idea how skilled people like JennyMo build the things they do and make them look so good, so "real" and almost "official" in a sense. Everything  I do looks like garbage in my eyes. Not quite "right". I build to scratch the hotrodder itch and after completion and subsequent dissatisfaction, rip it apart and return to stock. Its gotten to the point at times where all the improvements I make have to be hidden from view to allow my mind to relax (stupid, I know). I even get the feeling about aftermarket parts at times too. I would have loved a Sassy Chassis for my Clod Buster in my youth, but now it doesn't look "right" to my eyes. I want to custom build at times but am never satisfied. Never. I know, too much concern over model cars, lol. 

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Couldn't agree more, it's not just Tamiya that has this effect. I really want to mod my Cat XLS with the carbon and alloy bits but then it wouldn't be the replica that it's meant to be... But it would be cool to have all the bits... Or should I get another one to mod?... Aaaargh! 

Have probably spent way to much time deliberating over it... 🤔

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