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Saito2

Clod vs Super Clod vs Black Ed. interest

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This is another probe into what goes on behind the scenes at Tamiya. Its been a question I've pondered for some time and the recent Black Ed. Clod has only made it more pertinent. Why does Tamiya continue to pump out the Super Clod when the original seems to be so much more loved? I understand the original Clod was a bit long in the tooth when Tamiya "updated" it with the Super version in the early 2000's. I'm also glad Tamiya saw fit to keep producing it pretty much unchanged with the exception of cosmetics. I get the feeling the Juggernauts and TXTs might have been (failed) attempts at replacing it,  but with continued strong sales, the basic Clod design soldiered on. 

I don't specifically remember the reaction to the Super Clod upon its introduction, but I do remember that a couple years after its release, the general consensus was the original Clod's "look" was preferred. The Black Ed. only cements this. People seem quite happy to have the red plastics back as well as decals that pay homage to the original's style. So, if it doesn't cost any more to produce and most liked the original livery best, why not give the customers what they want? It can't be branding as Tamiya already removed the Chevy badging during the original's run. Even if GM took offense to the non-bowtie Clod's look as being too close to comfort, the Super's 4x4x4 grill could still be used (though I imagine most would do without the 4x4x4 script). I'd guess a small minority would lose their minds over the grill change like they did for the Blackfoot, but I figure everybody would be happier with something a lot closer to the original. I guess, in the end, it begs the question, in bone stock appearance, does anybody prefer the Super Clod's looks over the original Clod's? 

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Not as standard. The appeal of the OG clod is it's rarity.

Examples are my grill was cut and replaced with I guess billet style custom one, similar to the re re Blackfoot.  Printed.

Colors were fine. The blue bits weren't bad, it's all nylon so can be dyed. The yellow bullhead plastics I did not care for though. Something neat is that now that all three primary colors are available at once, you can make any color you want. Which is pretty neat.

Decals, I like the text of the graphics on the blue super. I think that was probably an attempt to grab on to the 8 bit fever that had probably begun to emerge around that time. 8 bit refers to the 80s so it makes for a solid throwback. Prefer over the original, IDK mostly a tie. I did cut out the cartoon guy from my blue super decals using only the text however, it looked too cartoony with the guy in there. 

Black super decals while still a throwback are just ok. The chrome puts me off. I still bought two since spares aren't being released in the black chrome and red.  Granted I haven't built one yet so I can't comment as having actually seen one organically vs through a screen.

In the end they are all throwbacks and this current fever is doing nothing but positives for the hobby. I still like em all on some level is the takeaway.

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More on decals. If the OG red clod had just stayed in production unchanged, it would have been very dated by now, the names on the sponsors would have changed with the times and people would groan but in the end it would still feel stale.

Think of the grasshopper, successful, yes. Basically unchanged, yes. I have a few in the attic, including a green and black for the rarity. Haven't built any of em up and will at some point.

A new release that is only a color change always draws the usual lazy remarks from the crowds but at the same time if that is what attracts new people to the hobby, they (Tamiya) are doing a good job. Keeping things kind of fresh and new. The variety has the ability to attract new people while keeping old designs fresh.

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1 hour ago, geniusanthony said:

If the OG red clod had just stayed in production unchanged, it would have been very dated by now

I think you're right and that fact is what prompted Tamiya to introduce the Super Clod in the first place in an effort to get more mileage out of the same basic platform. It obviously minimally continued to sell well enough to keep it out of the discontinued pile but needed a refresh.  After a few years of the refresh, I figure Tamiya could have gone back to the original. It would be like a longer term version of the New Coke experiment here in the States. Take the Grasshopper. It became dated and was replaced over the years. Then Tamiya brought it back as a rerelease. Its been selling now longer as a rerelease than it did originally.  I figure Tamiya generally knows what they're doing despite times we here at Tamiyaclub call out that Tamiya never quite delivers what we specifically want. In the bigger scope, outside of the club, folks must be satisfied because Tamiya is still successfully doing business. This Clod scenario is one of the few examples I can't quite figure out.

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I think Tamiya looks at things through the eyes of a model making company. While we can only guess as to what kits have sold most, we simply just don't know. The Clod is the original monster truck, and always will be. You can practically build a whole clod out of after market parts alone, that says a lot about support, and love for the model. I'm sure the refreshed re-releases help when the sales figures begin to flatten out., and why not? I happen to like the color variations of the grasshopper, lunch box, and now clod. I happen to have a chrome clod on the way as I type, why? I don't know, just happen to like the all black chassis and shiny body. I think it was spurred on by the new black clod. Gotta be different right?

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