Grastens Builds the Hotshot (2007)

[Grastens 2795]

An exciting new-to-me project has appeared with the:

This was the result of my wonderful fiancée finding one for me for our anniversary! It helped that I got her an expensive gift as well! Excitement is high.

(A Loosely-Researched) Overview

The Tamiya Hotshot was Tamiya’s serious entry into four-wheel-drive off-road buggy racing. It was notable for its use of shaft-driven four-wheel drive at a time when most competitors were using chains, pulleys, or belts to connect the front and rear wheels. A unique suspension system, using monoshocks at both the front and rear of the chassis, was also novel. Like a number of its competitors at that time, the Hotshot bore a resemblance to the full-size off-road racing buggies of the period, even if it was more of a passing one compared to its predecessors in the Sand Scorcher and Rough Rider.

Resplendent in an aggressive red colour scheme, accented by bright red plastics for components like the monoshocks and suspension uprights, the Hotshot eventually found success. For a short window of time, it was the car to beat, until the competition elevated its entries even further. This would spur the development of the Avante – another story in itself…

The Hotshot became something of a classic, with interest further renewed in 2007 when Tamiya brought it back as part of its nascent re-release program. Minor design changes were implemented, such as the redesign of the monoshock internals and the use of a dog-bone propeller shaft, but in many other ways it was true to the original kit. It was in this form that the Hotshot was introduced to new audiences and reacquainted with its original fans.

The consensus would appear to be that the Hotshot, despite lacking the cornucopia of high-end materials like an Avante or inherently-complex mechanisms like a Bruiser or a 3-speed truck kit, remains a desirable kit to build. For all its reported flaws, such as the lack of space or accessibility in the monocoque chassis or its bump-steer issues, the Hotshot has a character all its own. Even the unique suspension system is prone to issues, yet it remains part of its fundamental appeal.

This would be all up for discovery in this build thread…

Grastens and the Hotshot

To me, the Hotshot was unique, but not really the kind of kit I aspired to build. I was drawn more to the aforementioned cornucopia of high-end materials in the Avante and the inherently-complex mechanisms of the Bruiser. For a time, my interests also appeared to be rooted in two-wheel-drive buggies, on-road racers, and rally cars. Flipping through the manuals available online for the re-release kit still did not pique my interest.

That changed after the Avante had been built and sold, and the Bruiser project stalled (to this day, I still have to finish it – bodywork is my nemesis). I found I missed the Avante dearly, and having it sold off to a collector who did not appreciate it in the same way I did hurt a little. It left a four-wheel-drive buggy-sized hole in my collection – and my heart, in a shape that could not be filled by the Comical Avante (despite sharing the same basic parameters!).

The Hotshot had never left my consciousness. Even when I was out of the hobby, I was still ordering Hotshot decal sheets specifically for the “Hotshot” script I was so fond of putting on the back of each of my ice hockey helmets:

I also liked the “Are You Hot?” stickers for their obvious cheekiness! They helped connect my past and present in a unique way, as maybe the only Tamiya enthusiast to tend goal for the area’s ice hockey teams. The picture shows the first helmet that I adorned with these decals; the red shell made obvious the connection to the Tamiya buggy. Even when I switched to different-coloured helmets and masks, Hotshot decals remained a fixture on the back of each one.

It inspired a new, aggressive personality in the net, modelled after what I thought a Hotshot would be, and even produced some writing projects on the side. In a way, I suppose I began to embody the Hotshot itself: my own approach to sport was offbeat and distinctly “old-school,” much in the way that Tamiya’s buggy was on its re-release. For a while, too, I was the goalie to beat – again, until the competition stepped up their game even further…

This must have been how the Hotshot eventually found its way back into my heart, and it was near the top of my wishlist for Tamiya kits. At the time, they were even affordable, with both standard re-release kits and the Metallic Special available for about $250 CAD. Sharing space on that list with the Avante 2011 and the Buggy Champ, it was far easier to justify, too!

I left the hobby for a long time in the middle of 2020, having been actively employed since the start of the pandemic (meaning little down time), and with bigger life plans (I was saving for a house with my fiancée). Bigger life obstacles hit, too, with my diagnosis of depression, and the long road of treatment to get it to a manageable state. All of this left me little time, means, or motivation to do anything with a radio-controlled vehicle.

Fortuitously, I ended up buying an electronic tablet for my fiancée as part of our anniversary proceedings. With such an expensive purchase for her, she seemed eager to splash out for me, too. What would make me excited? A list of RC cars came to mind…

And so, on the day, she handed me a big box wrapped in gold paper. I was able to guess what it was based on the size, but that was not about to diminish my mood. Sure enough:

More valuable than the gift itself was the joy I experienced. Hobby things and toys seem to elicit the same reaction in my adulthood as from childhood, so I was quite happy! More importantly, after my hobbies had proven detrimental to my future planning (and therefore discontinued), this was at least some form of approval to continue pursuing the things I loved.

It came at a good time, too: I received notice that I would be effectively laid off from work, pending medical clearance to return. I had relapsed in my depression to the point that I was felt to be a liability. The nearest appointment I could book with a professional was three weeks away – and suddenly, my schedule emptied itself…

I found myself with the RC kit of my dreams, and now I found myself with nothing but time on my hands. It is easy to guess what happens next!

First Impressions and Build Overview

Ultimately, this is a Tamiya forum, and so the personal story ends there. It gives some context to the build – as if I needed much more meaning in a kit this extensive:

The box is divided into three sections: the central one contains the body, wing, tires, wheels, and miscellaneous items; the left one (viewed from opening the box) has most/all of the plastic sprues, and the right one has many of the metal bits and some specialized plastic sprues (suspension arms and uprights, for example), sitting in its own special box.

The contents of said box-within-a-box:

A stylish partition separates the left and central sections. I enjoy these:

Almost as much as I enjoy the unique non-box-art images on the box-within-a-box:

It even has a basic creed for running RC cars – possibly useful for me after a long time away:

Some items of curiosity for me were the already “assembled” steel antenna mast:

As well as the decal on the otherwise-humble silver can motor:

My positive reaction to the motor decal reaffirms that I am a sucker for marketing!

A small sample of the equipment and other parts I will be using:

The driver set and torque wrench proved to be overkill, so they were omitted early on. This is unlike the tub of white lithium grease pictured here, which I normally use for my bicycles.

Also making a special appearance in this project:

The driver parts tree was actually from my dearly-departed Astute, which ultimately never got a driver figure before being sold on. I wanted to experiment to see if a larger driver torso would fit in the Hotshot; in the more-likely event that it did not, I at least wanted to use the helmet. Its styling felt more appropriate for a radical off-road racer like the Hotshot; as a reminder, this figure is typically used in the Bigwig and the Fox/Novafox.

The ball bearings were spares left over from when I ordered a full set for a re-release Terra Scorcher, only to realize that the kit always had its own. They were all usable sizes, though, so I was not displeased with this development. The Hotshot does use plastic and metal bearings in places, so these spares will see use in this build.

The biggest acquisition/cop-out for this build was a pre-painted bodyshell:

Bodywork takes space I do not have, and my own painting skills with bodyshells leave a lot to be desired. This set was expertly-prepared by an online Japanese seller, and will ultimately cut down on the painting required to finish this kit. Many of my stalled projects get hung up at the painting stage; this body kit will hopefully make the remaining painting required (the driver figure) manageable enough to see this particular build through. It also allows me to concentrate more fully on the chassis build, which at this early stage promises to be quite engaging!

With everything reviewed, it looks like time to begin the build!

[Superluminal 3750]

What a great story. Looking forward to this as its clearly a special kit for you.

Are you going to build it stock or are you planning some more bespoke additions to it as well as the driver?

[Grastens 2795]

Thank you!

As I type, I do have some gold-anodized alloy wheels arriving in the mail, which will likely be paired with pin-spike tires as featured in the Vanquish/VQS. I used to resent the oval-block tires for their seemingly-odd combination of shapes and spikes, but have come to understand that those tires are actually well-designed for different types of terrain. Regardless, I intend to keep the pin-spike tires as an option, especially if I do find a surface where they can be useful.

I have been warned against purchasing alloy wheels, but for some reason I wanted gold-plated wheels for this car, and curiously, the Tamiya-brand plated wheels are nowhere to be found online from here! There is one seller packaging a full set along with some sort of undertray and a steel antenna mast for a price I cannot afford, so ironically, the metal wheels ended up being a fair amount cheaper.

I say "for some reason," because now, gold-plated wheels seem less important to me for this build. They would have looked excellent, but the stock white plastic wheels are not exactly eyesores. Oh well; the money has already been spent, so may as well enjoy them!

Metal wheel adaptors are also coming in by the mail. I am not sure how they will behave with the metal wheels, or how necessary they may be for a relatively-ordinary runner, but I can always use them for my Terra Scorcher to be built later

Oherwise, I think I will be content to build the car as otherwise-stock. The Hotshot H.P. Suspension Kit would make it a much-better runner, but not only do I lack the tuning expertise to get the most out of such a setup, I also would miss the distinctive look of the front and rear monoshocks. At the very least, I want to experience the stock suspension's flaws before making changes 

[Grastens 2795]

So let us commence on the:

With the first page of the manual instructing me to start assembling differentials:

These are open-gear types; I do not have the tuning acumen and have not yet experienced limitations that would justify the aftermarket ball differentials from MIP, but they could make their way in sometime later.

Included in the kit were two tubes of grease:

As most kits I have encountered either supply ceramic grease or molybdenum grease, this was a nice surprise. My understanding, of course, is that molybdenum grease is used for metal-to-metal contact, while anything interfacing with plastic does better with ceramic grease. I imagine it will all become part of a soup anyway in those gearboxes!

I tried to find my last remaining stash of Anti-Wear Grease to give the differentials (mostly the rear) a bit of limited-slip action, but did not succeed. It is just as well, since the open design would have likely just spread it around the gearbox in a matter of seconds.

Already, I have been fascinated by some of the details in this kit:

The “4WD” script embossed into the gearbox moulding appears unusual to me. It reminds me that Tamiya likely took great pride in their offering – to say nothing of the big font on the rear wing!

The first gears encountered use plastic 1150 bushings and metal 850 bearings. I had replacements on hand, so the substitutions were made:

The gear and bearing bags look like this. It turns out there are a few ball bearings supplied with the kit, although I found it easier to dig into my spares and use those up. The 1150s in the kit were also intended for some of the gearbox internals partially-exposed to the elements, so I saw fit to replace them with rubber-sealed types, anyway.

It also turns out that the tube of ceramic grease was under pressure – that, and/or I was pressing it a bit too hard when I went to open it:

I swear, that doesn’t usually happen! 

It did not take long to build up the differentials. It transpired that I was only required to make one at this juncture, however, and I also used ceramic grease where molybdenum grease was the preferred choice. I guess I was not paying that much attention…

More ball bearings went into the gearbox casing:

The gear that attaches to the output for the propeller shaft houses an 850 bearing and a thrust bearing:

Since axial loading was clearly anticipated on this output, I questioned the wisdom of replacing the metal 850 bearing with a ball bearing, but went ahead with it.

This is where things get curious for me:

I cannot say I have ever seen an E-clip retaining the outdrive to the gearbox and bearing. This would probably make maintenance a bit more painful… On the other hand, I never have to worry about losing one of these! I can curse all I want when I tear it down for servicing.

Additionally, bits of sponge are used instead of O-rings in the outdrives. Three pieces are supplied in the kit, each one needing to be cut in half. I quickly learned I am bad at that:

Onward!

I have also been used to one outdrive having a pin to keep both differential halves aligned. The Hotshot uses a through-shaft, held in place by the bits of sponge and the half-shafts.

It did not take long for me to lose the through-shaft a half-dozen times – perhaps next time, I will tape the outdrives to retain the shaft. I just recall being so unprepared!

The other half of the gearbox also uses a moulded plastic insert for one of the hollow tubes around which one of the gears spins. This insert allows the tube to align itself with a non-matching hole, working as a sort of adapter. I am not sure when I last saw this – possibly the Avante?

It is not visible here, but the differential (now with spots of molybdenum grease) is:

An early hero of this build emerged:

My Phillips screwdriver normally works adequately with the JIS screws in Tamiya kits, but was having a difficult time with those on the Hotshot. Additionally, some of the recesses for the screws were too small for the larger screwdriver! A slotted screwdriver not only fit these holes better, but also engaged with the screw heads in a way that did not strip them. I ended up using this screwdriver for much of this stage, and look to use it for most of the rest of the build.

This concludes the *checks notes* front gearbox:

Already, I have seen plenty of interesting design details and foibles. This kit is already building up like something I have never before experienced – were the 1980s always like this? I did not even mention the separate metal bumper stay piece that gets inserted between the gearbox halves…

Up next will be suspension components for the gearbox!

[speedy_w_beans 4272]

Hi Grastens, glad to see you're back in the game!

[Grastens 2795]

Thank you, @speedy_w_beans! I hope this project will motivate me to finish the Ferrari 312T3 you have been so helpful with 

Before we get to the suspension, we have the small matter of the motor:

Anybody know the turn rating and RPM count for a “Genuine Tamiya Motor?”

I remembered having multiple pinions as spares, so I took a look at them:

I did so, having forgotten that the Hotshot uses 0.8 module pinion gears, so my 0.6 module pinions are useless for this kit. A shame, too, as my 15Ts were in steel.

No problem, then – I attached the supplied 15T pinion and got on with things.

Instead of a shallow motor screw slot to adjust the mesh of the pinion and spur gears, the Hotshot uses metal spacers in a deep slot to adjust the fit between these gears. I never understood the system until I built it up:

It is fidgety to install, and quite unusual for modern times. However, like the E-clips retaining the differential outdrives, I have no doubt that the gear mesh will stay consistent and well-adjusted throughout the car’s life.

With that sealed up, the rear suspension once again sat while the front gearbox was approached next:

Bearings and the wrong grease once again. The workstation was getting messy:

Eventually I decluttered it… Eventually.

And as with the rear gearbox, E-clips were installed for the outdrives, molybdenum grease was used for the differential halves, and full ball bearings made their appearance:

That odd insert for the gear shaft, too… Two halves become one whole:

What I had failed to mention earlier was that I always believed Tamiya kits labelled their screw bags by the alphabet to indicate the order to be opened. With these kits, usually one screw bag’s contents are exhausted before beginning a new one; the screw bags therefore each correspond to specific assembly steps in the manual.

The Hotshot, on Step 3 had me opening Screw Bags A, B, and D at the same time to finish the rear gearbox, and then Screw Bag C in the following step for a pinion grub screw! I was certainly not expecting this to make it a challenging build, yet it added to the complexity…

With both gearboxes now completed, the suspension bits are next!

[Grastens 2795]

The Hotshot’s most distinctive feature will soon be upon us.

It begins innocuously enough. Rear arms are assembled with an upright on each, with outdrives taking two 1150 bearings to seat inside each. Like a number of other Tamiya kits, screw pins are used. I took care to install lithium grease on the threads instead of at the tip of the pin shaft, which resulted in a cleaner fit.

About the only potentially-unusual step is the production of two stabilizer rods. They sit on each lower suspension arm on a 5 mm ball connector, and each have their own stabilizer ball with an opening for a grub screw. While it is not the first time that I have seen a stabilizer bar (I had an Avante once), this method of attachment is certainly new to me.

Upper arms are next, attached to the gearbox. More screw pins and some curiously-placed suspension pins complement the parts:

More screw pins and a pair of dog-bone drive shafts attach the assemblies together. I no longer have to worry about the through-pin in the differential leaving the gearbox, although that was after I repeated this step to make sure it was in!

Progressing to the front suspension, where I learned that the moulds for the front uprights actually date back to 1987 instead of 1985:

Were modifications made during the Hotshot’s production run?

Now, the first time I ever saw captured ball connectors on an RC car was when I built a Buggy Champ. Unlike the Buggy Champ, the Hotshot uses three 2 mm screws and one 3 mm screw to affix each ball plate to the front suspension arms! The complexity reminded me of a 1:1 automobile; provoking this thought as well was the use of comparably-massive 8 mm ball connectors on the uprights.

They came together with very little play:

The heavy-duty setup certainly inspires confidence! These uprights are not going anywhere else. Here they are attached to the front suspension arms, with rubber-shielded ball bearings sitting inside:

More screw pins and the front drive shafts affix them to the gearbox:

I had both omitted the front stabilizer rods and used the wrong drive shafts the first time through, so I quickly made up the rods and swapped the drive shafts to complete this step. Are there appreciable differences between the front and rear sets?

To connect the front and rear gearboxes, the chassis enters the picture:

I mocked up the alternative driver head on the torso:

It looks mean! In my opinion, anyway. I maintain it will look better with paint… At this stage, I found there would have been no straightforward way to transplant a different torso onto the chassis. Perhaps it could still be done, but I was not interested in compromising the structural integrity off the chassis for a modification that would be difficult to execute cleanly. The torso is low-profile for a reason! Hence, I opted to use only the head for the build.

I did not feel like waiting for paint, so I ended up swapping out the alternative head for the kit-stock part, and then built up the battery holders and access hatch:

This way, the chassis still has a head, and I have the preferred one isolated for paint. We now sit at two gearboxes and part of a central section:

... Even if these pictures still show the alternative head 

My plan has now become: to finish assembly of the chassis, and then dismantle what I need to paint the next day. I have no spare radio equipment, so an entry-level Spektrum radio and receiver have been ordered to provide the directions. I used a local supplier, so with luck, it will arrive just in time for me to complete the kit, and then I can get to running!

But first: I have now finished Step 16 of the manual, and Step 17 is for assembling the rear suspension crank… The fun may truly begin soon!

[Grastens 2795]

What makes the

so unique? One prominent reason is its non-conformist suspension system. And now, we get to see it being put together!

As before, Step 17 is the rear suspension crank. This links the rear suspension arms to the single rear damper, and translates the arms’ pivoting motion into axial force on the damper. It does so with a pair of metal arms, a ball rod, and a plastic crank, with the crank capturing the ball rod between its two halves. The metal arms link to the ball rod through a connector and suspension pin; each one is bent at exactly half the thickness of the connector, ensuring symmetrical attachment to the suspension arms.

In the event my explanation is insufficient (and it most likely is), here is Step 17:

A unique piece indeed! It looks like this when assembled:

To get it on the chassis, the stabilizer bar must first be secured. Attaching the crank before the bar will not leave clearance to affix both screws to the stabilizer anchor. The use of grub screws for attachment to the rods is confirmed here. Two machine-thread screws connect the chassis and the gearbox:

The front end uses four self-tapping screws. This is a tricky process, for the screws also hold the front stabilizer stays to the chassis, and simultaneously the propeller shaft must be inserted between the gearboxes. The urethane sponge bushings also go into the propeller shaft outdrives at this step.

Like many other steps of this build, it challenged me to get it all right. Yet instead of frustrating me, it amazed me, which is an attitude I do not usually have in the face of overly-complex assembly steps. Perhaps the context of the Hotshot makes it manageable, or the build itself is rewarding. Either way, it was a refreshing mood for what could have been an infuriating time.

Well, time is all I have now, so why not enjoy it?

The good feelings nearly disappeared once the dampers were assembled!

That step was not bad. An assortment of O-rings, spacers, nuts, and clips all come together inside the damper cylinders to prepare them for oil. It was getting them to this step that was tedious:

One damper filled up without problems; however, I may have blown the seal on the other one… These have been redesigned to assemble a lot more like a modern kit damper for the re-release; the original car used a free piston inside each damper and were a bit more complicated to set up. Thanks to Tamiyabase, we can see what that would have looked like:

I wonder if I would have been any better at that…

But the real problems were with the damper body assemblies. The Hotshot uses a large plastic casing on each damper to house the 3-way preload adjusters, and a flange nut sits on the end with the lower damper stay (or what would be the lower stay).

With no desire to scratch the damper shafts, and with high-coil damper springs to contend with, threading both the flange nut and the damper stay onto each shaft was way too time-consuming. The torques involved meant my previous approach of using side cutters on the damper shaft threads was near-useless. I ended up wrecking a pair of side cutters that way, as we will see later…

Eventually, everything was put together at a reasonable standard, so the exciting task of putting these dampers on the chassis was next! E-rings on suspension pins get the first one connected (with screws for the stabilizer bar at this step), while the rear uses a suspension pin, spacer, E-ring, and a short screw pin to attach to the chassis:

It really looks like a Hotshot in the making at this point!

[Grastens 2795]

I have an ESC and a servo for the Hotshot, but no receiver yet. As previously mentioned, one is on order from a local supplier, which means it should arrive quickly, but not today. I can still go ahead and assemble the servo saver, which was reason enough for me to continue without the radio gear.

I pre-threaded the black adjusters for the steering rods by putting a machine-threaded screw into each adjuster, with the help of some lithium grease:

It really made it easy to assemble the steering rods – no pliers/side cutters required!

And that is a good thing, given the damage I did to my pair of side cutters during the damper assembly step… I only noticed it after I began making consistently-worse cuts with them on the plastic sprues. Happily, I have another pair in much-better condition, so I put the ruined pair away and proceeded with the other set.

The servo saver and servo posts were next. I am not sure I have ever seen square servo horns; every other one I have encountered in my (abridged) RC career has been splined:

For a Futaba/Tamiya-type servo like the one I was using, a 2.6 x 10 mm screw was recommended. I used it, but found the spacer for the servo saver to be too thin for the screw to seat properly. I swapped it out for a piece from the damper internals sprue, which worked better.

In this picture, the damper spacer is in the servo saver, while the intended part is sitting on the left.

With that solved, the rest of the servo sub-assembly went together:

And it all went into the mechanism box:

I am grateful for the compact dimensions of modern electronics. The stories of the Hotshot’s lack of chassis space reached my corner of the Internet, and the original car’s mechanical speed controller must have made the space positively cramped…

That being said, the access hatch still conveys that effect:

I am using the ubiquitous Hobbywing Quicrun 1060 brushed ESC. It is eminently suitable for my purposes, but its on/off switch lead is too short to reach the Hotshot’s intended switch position in front of the driver figure. At least I can still access the switch under the cover, though; it is visible at the bottom-most left of the hatch’s opening in the above picture.

I decided to cover the unused switch opening with a piece of electrical tape:

 

 

There is a piece on the underside of the opening, as well, to minimize the chance of any dirt ingress lifting the tape from the other side.

After that, the front bumper goes on. This attaches to the chassis with two flanged self-tapping screws and a machine screw with a washer, while the bumper itself consists of two pieces screwed together with two self-tapping screws:

The machine screw with a washer also uses a spring washer, and it is suggested that molybdenum grease be used on it. The screw is only 6 mm long, however, and I was unable to successfully thread it into the gearbox (on the metal bumper stay I mentioned earlier!) in this configuration. Omitting the spring washer averted the issue, and with the knowledge that the original Hotshot did not use a spring washer in this area, I was comfortable with it.

It did make me wonder, though: was I witnessing some sort of rudimentary shock protection for the chassis? The bumper stay has some play in it, and using a spring washer may allow for some give in the front bumper if it is struck from the underside – or so I thought…

With the steering linkages attached to the uprights, the horrendous bump steer that the Hotshot was notorious for became very apparent. I set up the linkages to run little to no toe-in at the expected front suspension sag, meaning heavy toe-in at full droop and a bit of toe-out at full compression. It did involve forgoing the prescribed steering linkage lengths – I hope it all works out at speed…

So far, as mentioned, the build has been complicated but not frustrating. Reading the manual without the kit really does the Hotshot no justice; it has been building up like nothing else I have ever seen before, and it has thus far been a rewarding build! Though the car is not yet complete, I see why it is well-regarded among RC enthusiasts who enjoy assembling kits.

Speaking of “building up like nothing else:” the tiny window mesh is coming up next! This will most certainly be compelling… But first, a break! This build has really engaged me, to the point that it is only now that I am aware I am tired 

[Grastens 2795]

The

has tiny screens for the sides of the roll cage. Properly affixed, they can elevate the realism of the model, in keeping with Tamiya’s then-active concessions to scale appeal. It is supplied with the kit as a small sheet of plastic mesh; actual-size templates are included in the manual to cut the mesh accurately to fit in the roll cage.

This is completely-foreign territory for me. I have built a roll cage and an engine bay for my Lancia 037 4WD-H model, but that does not compare to the task of stringing up scale window mesh from a scale rollbar to afford protection to a driver figure who was probably expecting to survive without it!

I started cautiously:

Since the mesh was stretched and distorted, it was difficult to line it all up. In the end, I decided that the incongruities between the left and right pieces were negligible:

Still: with a bit more effort, I feel I could have aced it.

Black nylon bands/zip ties were supplied to affix the mesh to the cage:

I turned all the heads of the ties inward, so that only the bands would be visible from the outside of the cage. The manual recommends this, anyway, so we had the right idea. It would do no good without trimming the ends flush, though!

With some self-tapping screws and plastic tubes from the A and B parts sprues, the cage assembles:

And it looks sharp! This is definitely superior to my own scratchbuilt efforts, appearing both well-sorted and proving plenty sturdy. “Crash” Cramer will at least be protected in a rollover!

The metal roof goes on with four zip ties. Tamiya supplies white bands for this, but I elected to use black zip ties from my own stock in the interest of aesthetics:

Now the cage is fantastically strong and stiff. Noting that there is not much chassis underneath the driver torso, this cage likely compensates for any flexibility in that particular area. Form AND function!

What else is the Hotshot known for? I mentioned suspension, but not those big heat sinks at the back of the chassis. With the preponderance of ESCs, the new Hotshot does not require them for their original purpose; nevertheless, Tamiya felt them important enough to the car’s aesthetic to include them anyway. They fix onto the back of the chassis with snap rings onto plastic pieces:

Those pieces then get screwed onto the cage:

This is much the same as the original, except that car then had steps for attaching the resistor wires to the heat sinks using heat-shrink tubing:

I remember thinking that I would do without the dummy heat sinks if I ever built a Hotshot. I may still dispense with them later; they are some of the few parts on the car that are easy to remove! For now, though, I admit the look is fine with them.

There is a small piece that screws onto the right-hand battery holder to help secure the motor cables. I had already attached a zip tie directly to the holder for this purpose, but relented and used the part:

I think the direct approach worked better… However, it is still nice that a dedicated part exists for this purpose. The Hotshot seems both unruly and unprotected without tied-down cables.

Some pieces of sponge sheet help protect the battery in that cavernous battery bay. With two strips at the edge of the rear gearbox working with a strip already attached to the chassis mechanism box, and two more thin strips along the battery door/plate, it is clear that the car was not optimized for Ni-MH packs. The original manual had a different solution for that:

On the left sidebar, it prescribes an additional battery post for keeping rounded battery packs nestled in the compartment. Square packs do not require this piece, and fill up the space quite nicely. While the manual deals with Ni-Cd batteries and not Ni-MH types, they are sufficiently similar in shape.

The build is almost there – wheels and tires are forthcoming!

[Grastens 2795]

There seems to be a lot of things we know the Hotshot for. The next step is to fit the kit’s wheels and tires – the Hotshot’s were also well-known for their “Oval Block” pattern. They were liked for their relative durability and good performance on varying types of terrain.

I used to find the assortment of different shapes on the treads to be unappealing – I always preferred the look of spikes or road treads – but again, the Hotshot manages to pull it off… Besides, I could not really argue with longevity and versatility.

The tires were seated without any additional preparation, so no washing or glue. The washing might have helped, since the mould-release agent definitely made them slippery. I had an easier time putting on new bicycle tires… The glue would have also helped, but as I am not putting a tremendous amount of power into this chassis, I feel the tight fit of the tire beads around the wheels can handle the current configuration of silver-can motor and Ni-MH batteries.

This reminds me that a Super Stock RZ may yet make its way into the Hotshot, but even then, its 23T rating may be the most powerful I decide to go with this. In the meantime, the “Genuine Tamiya Motor” will provide all the motivation I could want from it!

The tires and wheels:

It is worth remembering that I will eventually have a full set of spare wheels and tires. Those wheels are gold-anodized alloy offerings from overseas, and the tires are pin-spike types more commonly seen on the Tamiya Vanquish. I no longer have complaints about the kit-stock setup, but would not mind comparing their performance to a slightly-different set in the future.

I also have alloy wheel adapters, but somehow those also seemed unnecessary once the wheels were on the chassis:

I had concerns about over-tightening the wheel nuts, but more experience as a bicycle mechanic has given me a better feel for the appropriate torque of fasteners. In this case, as the nylon portion of the wheel nuts showed a few turns of thread, tightening until firm felt adequate. I do not see this kind of torque threatening to crack the stock plastic adapters any time soon, at least in this weather.

Where does this leave us? Bodywork!

[SupraChrgd82 1425]

What a fantastic thread! I’ve been intrigued with the HotShot since it was originally released, but I’ve never handled one.  The compact chassis, dampers and rear suspension have always come across to me as voodoo.  It’s fascinating to read your thread and see the pictures.  

[silvertriple 3557]

Great build! And nice thread! It will give me an opportunity to compare with the Super Hotshot when I'll build it (the box is sitting under my desk waiting patiently i'm dedicated time to it)... And looking at this thread, I may want to start earlier than initially planned :-D

[Grastens 2795]

17 hours ago, SupraChrgd82 said:

What a fantastic thread! I’ve been intrigued with the HotShot since it was originally released, but I’ve never handled one.  The compact chassis, dampers and rear suspension have always come across to me as voodoo.  It’s fascinating to read your thread and see the pictures.  

Thank you! I hope there is enough detail to give you a sense of what to expect

7 hours ago, silvertriple said:

Great build! And nice thread! It will give me an opportunity to compare with the Super Hotshot when I'll build it (the box is sitting under my desk waiting patiently i'm dedicated time to it)... And looking at this thread, I may want to start earlier than initially planned :-D

Thanks! I look forward to comparing my Hotshot experience to yours with the Super Hotshot 

And so, we move to the body...

… I can kind of skip bodywork because of the pre-painted shell! The other nice thing about this is that it has really allowed me to savour the chassis build (even though I kind of burnt through it) without having to worry about the project getting stalled. I still plan to complete the kit shell at a later date; whether or not to go box-art with that is another discussion.

The rear wing fits onto the chassis with two snap pins going through slots in the wing:

Another view:

I was surprised to learn that the shell only uses one snap pin, and an off-centre one at that:

But now it is assembled! Not complete, though; I need to finish the driver for that…

It was a bit irritating that my available electronics did not fit very well under the shell. I could not get it to sit evenly, mostly due to the short battery and motor cables from the Quicrun 1060 ESC.

The decision was a bit easier to make with this being a pre-painted shell, but the other factor was the Hotshot’s minimalist aesthetic. It is also inherently asymmetrical, with the left-hand battery holder protruding further out of the chassis than the right one, and the motor taking up a prominent part of the right rear quarter.

So with all that in mind, I took out the curved scissors:

It is not pretty, but it is functional. And to my eyes, that still works with the Hotshot. A brief photo session ensued with the freshly-assembled kit:

With a viewing of the original 1985 Hotshot promotional video (the long one, just under 5 minutes):

And again later in the day:

I ended up trimming part of the other side of the shell to clear the motor cables, too:

However, the modification was not nearly as drastic as the one on the battery cable side!

Another one I made was to add a patch of Velcro to the shell and the chassis on the front gearbox:

With the sides of the shell now sitting evenly, the front was lifting a bit too much for my liking. What was the point of shaping the bodywork around the front gearbox if there was already going to be enough clearance? The Velcro was non-adhesive, so I used some spare Tamiya double-sided tape (thinner than the roll I use) to stick it down. And it works well!

At this point, I was just thrilled to see it all together. The scale of these cars always throws me off; everything seems larger than anticipated. And while I have seen plenty of Hotshots around the Internet, nothing compares to seeing one right in front of me!

I got the car to this stage, knowing that I would need to disassemble it again to be able to paint the driver figure. That did not look too daunting; it looked to involve removing the bodywork and roll-cage to access the driver torso. At least neither the roof nor the rear wing needed to be removed for that.

Seeing the car otherwise fully built would be good motivation for me to finish that!

[Grastens 2795]

I got some sleep, got a plan, and then got on with the:

My plan obviously did not involve checking for my paints! I misplaced an entire box of brush paints, and with it my pots of X-2 White and XF-2 Flat White. I guess this driver will be non-box-art!

Happily, I did have X-7 Red and XF-7 Flat Red, which seems the more logical choice for the Hotshot. A brash colour for a driver with a brash nickname, although who knows what their personality is like?

“Cathartic” was not the word I meant to use to describe painting the driver figure. “Therapeutic” certainly is. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed painting them! The Hotshot figure does not have lower arms or hands; that area is occupied by the on/off switch position, which I am not using. While I would certainly have not minded some extra work, it did make the process that much easier.

The XF-7 Flat Red went on superbly. I worked quickly, painting another layer as soon as the previous one appeared matte. I should have left more time for curing, but the paint did not seem to mind.

It surprised me that the black chassis (and therefore black base for painting) really brought out the depth of the figure. Creases and other low spots in the torso could be left with less paint to add more contrast, while the high spots could receive more for a richer colour. I kept this in mind as I went.

I applied a bit of paint on the edges of the harness, knowing that decals were supplied for those. The buckles were painted in XF-56 Metallic Grey, which I believe I had acquired for my Ferrari 312T3 project. I had a preferred jar of Testors X-11 Aluminum, but after that would not open with repeated coercing, I went with the Tamiya offering. Consequently, the buckles were not as bright, but I felt it still worked.

Despite my efforts to take advantage of the black base, it looked like the paint all cured evenly:

Clearly, this stuff is too good! The driver head pictured was the kit-stock one; while it will not be used for this Hotshot, it still received some XF-15 Flat Flesh for the face in preparation for a potential future project. While the paints were out, it seemed appropriate.

The helmet was also painted (accidentally) in XF-7 Flat Red, before realizing my mistake. Subsequent coats were X-7 Red. The XF-7 primary coat may have actually helped to give a more consistent finish on the helmet, as the following coat seemed to adhere quite well. Something to remember next time…

I worked quickly on the helmet, too, but paid more attention to avoiding leaving brush strokes on each coat. It meant some thick layering in places, but it all evened out by the time I applied the final coat. For a first job in a long time, I thought it turned out nicely:

One can even somewhat see the reflection of my hand and the camera in the helmet!

Knowing I had no white paint to speak of, I had to improvise when painting the face. As I had also layered the face in an irresponsible manner (using, of course, XF-15 Flat Flesh), I had left a thick coat that was still very soft. I ended up scribing eyes out of the thick paint, scraping down to the layer of white plastic, to get some sort of eye-whites effect:

The unexpected benefit of this is that it added some literal depth to the face. The recesses of the eyes were much more prominent than if I had simply applied white paint over the XF-15, and while most of the whites were filled in by X-9 Brown for the irises and tiny spots of X-1 Black for the pupils, the effect was still a serendipitous development! Another thing to remember, perhaps?

The drawback was that I had to be vigilant to clean off the paint shavings from around the eyes. This was made more difficult with the still-soft XF-15, but overall, it was not bad for not having white paint! A jar of X-2 White is now on the way.

I was not sure if I should have painted the entire area between the face and the helmet shell in XF-1 Flat Black. Thanks to some proper modelling paintbrushes, though, it was at least done cleanly. Having good equipment really made it a pleasurable task rather than an arduous chore. It also made me somewhat happy that I was using fine-motor skills that I still have!

It was all part of a big painting day, with my Comical Avante getting prepared alongside the Hotshot:

This experience really encouraged me. I thought that a rushed effort would not produce an acceptable result, but seeing what I was able to do here, I have to wonder what I could do if I actually took time…

At last, the torso had cured satisfactorily:

(I do like how the harness decals have some wrinkles to them)

And so I finally got to see a fully-painted driver figure!

The roll-cage just needs to be bolted back on to have a complete car - until I realized I had more ideas…

[Grastens 2795]

Incidentally, as I was drifting off to sleep the night before, I was thinking about those excess Hotshot decal sheets I had mentioned in the first entry in this thread. That meant extra “Crash” Cramer decals… Would a driver name work on the side of the helmet? It obviously has precedents in motorsports:

(far from the only example, but the first one I could think of)

I thought the paint finish was fine to leave alone, but I wanted to see if it would actually work. I found my extra driver name script and cut it to size, applying it to the sides of the helmet:

While I found the script to be a bit large, I think the effect is convincing! The delightfully-1980s font helps, and the angle I chose to apply it helps with any fitment issues. It is fairly plain to see that “Crash” Cramer drives the Hotshot, but it may be less obvious if “Crash” drives any other vehicle. This helmet design should aid in recognition!

The only decal prescribed for the driver helmet is a simple “Tamiya” decal for the crown. I did not have a spare of one of those, for some reason (despite the surfeit of spare Hotshot decal sheets), but I did have my Comical Avante decal sheet handy! A nice benefit to working on multiple projects simultaneously:

The decal is a fair amount larger than the original, just as the head of the Multi-Purpose Driver Figure is that much larger than this one, but it worked for me.

The Comical Avante decals were also useful for the back of the helmet, where I wished to hide the screw hole at the back:

Previously, I would use Tamiya Putty and a lot of sanding to do that, but the Multi-Purpose Driver Figure uses decals for this purpose. As such, I wished to try it on a regular driver figure.

I had wanted to use a round red “Tamiya” decal for this from a spare TB-02R sheet I had (I don’t even own a TB-02R!); however, that one was too large and would not have fit easily on the helmet. This adorable little star decal, on the other hand, was the perfect size and a decent shade of red. Besides, I could see “Crash” having such an odd detail on their helmet…

A session with a blow-dryer helped tame the decals somewhat. I believe the “Crash” decals still have some wrinkles around the edges, but the Cramer part settled down easily. They do look a lot better, though, for the treatment.

We were not done yet, however, for later in the day the radio equipment arrived:

Two days from order to delivery? Brilliant! It cost a bit more money, but it was all as I had planned.

I used that hilarious-yet-clever maintenance stand to prop up the car, while setting the mechanism box down to work on it. The servo saver was removed to re-centre the servo. The body was on for this photo, for effect.

My radio equipment of choice was the Spektrum SLT3 transmitter, paired with the SLT300 receiver. For $20 CAD more, I could have gotten the SR315 dual-protocol receiver, but as the SLT3 does not have multiple-model memory, I saw no point. All I know is that the DSM2 system I am presently using with my preferred DX3C radio has been outmoded, and my compatible knockoff receivers will be a while yet. I can save the DX3C for some other kits; I am fine with this car having an exclusive radio.

Re-centering the servo was easy; reassembling everything was simple; and finally the Hotshot was ready to tear up the dirt! After some more photos, of course:

Figuring out how to tuck away smaller battery cables was not difficult, but the thicker-gauge wires on my more-numerous Venom Racing packs presented a consummately-bigger problem. I was not quite satisfied with the decision to tuck them haphazardly in the battery holder, although it remains the easiest solution for battery swaps and ensuring the cables do not drag on the ground.

I used another zip tie and pulled the motor cables out a bit more to clear the shell, and added a short antenna tube:

Incredibly, I have also run out of antenna caps. Those are on the way now.

“Crash” Cramer in situ:

And also present are the pin-spike tires that will be kept in reserve:

I can now finally see this decal on the back of a Hotshot!

And thus concludes the build!

The first run awaits!

[Grastens 2795]

IT IS TIME!

A cloudy, chilly, windswept day was nonetheless the perfect day for the:

It sort of happened that way. With the car completed and sufficient AA batteries scrounged up to fill the radio, it was time to set off.

I am fortunate that the neighbourhood I am presently residing in is under development not too far away from where I am. The noise from regular construction does not bother us where we are, but some prime off-road RC territory is still not far away! My fiancée and I decided to go together, taking bikes across the neighbourhood to the new developments.

We got to some very attractive gravel pits in less than five minutes, without leaving the suburb. We settled on one spot next to another empty lot next to a house. With the car being electric, and with the wind howling, we were not likely to create a disturbance. With such a little car, my fiancée noted, we were even less likely to cause any damage to the grounds.

As the on/off switch is buried in the chassis, I saw fit to leave the car switched on, with the battery’s attachment/detachment to activate/deactivate it. The transmitter, of course, went on first:

And then it was off into the pit!

How can I describe the driving experience? I have never seen a 1:10 scale buggy tackle anything so rough with such relentlessness. There were sizable divots and bumps left behind by construction vehicles and rocks of varying sizes all around the pit. The terrain varied from loose sand to hard-packed dirt. Since the lighting was not particularly prominent, some rather-large mounds and trenches hid themselves from our vantage point. There was also some foot-high brush at the edges of the pit.

The Hotshot jumped, bucked, whirred, and bounced all over, but kept moving. It undulated over the construction vehicle tracks and glided over rocks, helped by that well-designed bumper. About the only times it got hung up were when the battery pack ran low and when I accidentally put it into a trench created by erosion. It ran over and through the brush, and when it did get stuck, a quick reverse would free it, and on it went.

I simply cannot believe how well the car works! The wheel travel was definitely more noticeable than any other vehicle I have driven, and watching the suspension work while the car prowled over the pockmarked terrain was a spectacular sight.

Some photos of dubious resolution from the session:

It took me a while to see just how high up the left rear wheel is in this photo:

My fiancée accepted a turn at the wheel, and she enjoyed the experience almost as much as I did. She got to see for herself the fun I have with RC cars, and with the Hotshot, there was a lot to be had. We ran 2.5 battery packs before calling it a day (the 0.5 was from one that I soon learned experienced capacity issues). That half-pack had me thinking the ESC was entering thermal shutdown, but a quick inspection revealed that temperatures were very manageable.

It should go without saying that I cartwheeled and overturned the car on a few occasions, but it showed no ill effects from its acrobatics. That front bumper is something else! “Crash” Cramer lives to drive – and live up to their moniker – another day…

The run showed that I needed to adjust the steering throw and trim; the car would not track straight consistently, and its right-turning radius was significantly larger than its left-turning figure. These are all problems associated with first-time use, so nothing unexpected. I figure that the steering trim problem may not really go away, anyway, on account of the bump steer in the front suspension. The steering throw, meanwhile, can be solved easily; I just need to familiarize myself with this particular radio.

About the only issue I have with the car is that I feel running it anywhere else might be underwhelming! The Hotshot was fantastic out in the construction lot, and I left quite pleased.

And so, despite setting high standards for the build and low standards for running, the Hotshot managed to exceed all of my expectations. To me, that makes it a truly a special car.

At rest:

Two things I did add after the run were two more zip ties for the cage and the mesh:

It appears that I missed applying these (the bands nearest the roof, on what would be the A-pillars). I think it was because the manual cover model did, too:

This led to the discovery that the original in fact used enamel wire to secure the mesh:

Fascinating! It likely would have looked a lot more scale than zip-ties.

In any case, the mesh is now secured, and now I am waiting to continue the next adventures of this Hotshot! After that first performance, I think I will continue to have lots of fun with it. 

[Krustybus 214]

Thanks for sharing the detailed write up

I quite fancy a Hotshot, there's just something about them and judging by your review they're good runners (I'm not a 4S LiPO, small turn motor, basher!)

[Badcrumble 4202]

Great to so the return of @Grastens and to see the Hotshot running!

Thanks for sharing the build. I have vague memories of this being the car I wanted as a kid, poring over the catalogues. It was the closest to my Taiyo Mini Hopper - it was a buggy, it was red.

I have now have a very beaten up Hotshot in a plastic crate waiting for some attention. After reading this, I wish I'd bought a new one!

[silvertriple 3557]

Started to build the Super Hotshot. As expected the two gearboxes are exactly the same as the Hotshot ones. I've not opened the B bag yet, it will be for later...

[Grastens 2795]

It was an unexpectedly-bright and beautiful day for the next occurrence of the

It happened after the first run of my Tamiya VQS. Having run a battery through it and lost a suspension screw, I decided to pack it in for that buggy. It was still early in the day, though, and conditions were excellent, so I made the decision to swap out for my Hotshot.

As in “Grastens Builds the VQS/Vanquish,” I had fun with the other buggy, but felt afterward that my expectations were too high for it. Since the Hotshot had been the car that set those expectations, that was quite indicative of its off-road prowess!

In the intervening time between sessions, I elected to remove the dummy heat sinks from the rear of the car. I kind of miss them, but only when the car is not moving.

And so, it was a quick rollout:

I was by myself this time, so no photographer was on hand. I still managed a few pictures, though:

I found a series of boulders at one end of the pit, and subsequently set up there. Here, the Hotshot is taking a breather after the first battery pack:

That maintenance stand is something else!

If I had been humbled by the VQS, I was emboldened by the Hotshot! I was almost appalled at the punishment this car could take. I ended up running full-speed into several substantial rocks (all by accident, I assure you!), and still the Hotshot kept powering through it. After enough of them (I was not really driving all that well that day!), I was shocked to find an inspection turned up no damage!

It had me asking myself again: how does this car just work? In several respects, it is inconvenient to build and maintain, and in others it should be a deficient design, and yet everything comes together so beautifully in this buggy. After the skittish behaviour of the VQS, the Hotshot seemed to eat up the worst of the terrain where I was running it. I even managed to power up near-vertical inclines, just like in the original promotional videos!

About the only things stopping the car today were particularly-tall bumps, particularly-thick weeds (which were tall and so beached the car), and the open gear differentials. I now understand why the ball differentials are so sought-after for these things; from my experience, they may be the only limitation for the Hotshot’s off-road performance.

Perhaps I am being overexuberant about its abilities, but really, the Hotshot continues to show that it is the best buggy I have ever run in my time as a Tamiya enthusiast.

It even looks the part, parked on the dirt:

It could very well be that by coincidence, I have ended up in the very terrain and the very situation where the Hotshot really shines.

Crash Cramer got a clod of dirt to take home:

I have been bashing this car so hard – quite literally, in some cases – that the rear wing paint is starting to flake off. The only other victim of the spirited session was the 3 x 6 mm screw that anchors the front of the bumper. This made perfect sense, given the pounding that bumper was taking.

Upon further inspection, it was revealed that the screw may have actually been ripped out of the metal bumper stay at the front gearbox. Nothing of that length would thread into it, so I used a 3 x 10 mm screw, an additional washer, and a spare black O-ring to take up the slack and provide some buffering. It stands proud of the bumper, but somehow, I believe it will hold up.

Even when all the forces through the bumper were being directed into two screws on the monocoque chassis, the design worked. I found no evidence of cracking or fracturing at the holes, despite the massive punishment meted out to the bumper and chassis.

… Maybe the Hotshot can exceed my limits for thrashing! There were enough risky jumps and frontal collisions with it during that session to convince me to tone things down, but the Hotshot seems game! What a remarkable buggy 

[silvertriple 3557]

Quick update as I move a bit forward on my Super Hotshot. It's far from finished, but the chassis starts to shape

The differences during the build compare to your Hotshot are quite rare.

• Front gearbox not having the sway bar attachement is the first of them
• While there is 3 white foams provided to be cut in half, the Super Hotshot manual indicates to put one part on each side of the rear gearbox, none on the sides of the front gearbox, and for the central drive shaft only on the front gearbox. I checked the manual twice, and a third time after reading your post...
• Beside this, front shock stays are added when you join the front gearbox to the chassis while on the Hotshot, I believe the same attachement is used for the sway bar, and the Super Hotshot don't have the pivot for the rear unique damper. Obviously, those differences were expected.

I guess next part will be much different from the Hotshot, as the key difference is the dampers...

[Grastens 2795]

Interesting! It is nice to see that the basic design has gone unchanged so far, in the sense that it really makes the kit a "Super Hotshot."

Wonderful work on the driver figure, by the way 

The

has become my go-to runner. Whatever I decide to do, the Hotshot has become the first car I will pack up and leave with. I have found it fits easily into a backpack (helped by the big front bumper and the rear wing being within the car’s wheelbase, making it easier to transport), and my past sessions have proven it to be quite rugged.

That latter point is probably why I am finding its limitations more easily. I have had the pleasure of multiple runs with this car now, and notice the following:

- I seem to flip the car over on its roof more frequently. However, some rain this week has also “hardened” the loose sand where I run, so not only is there more grip, but bumps and jumps are a bit less forgiving than when everything was dry.

- The differential has definitely loosened its action, and as such I am getting hung up more often on obstacles. Not much to do about that, though, and most of the time the car gets stuck on bumps that it likely had no business with, anyway!

- I also lost a small screw on the right front lower ball plate. Fortunately, spare 2 x 6 mm screws are part of the kit, so I was able to replace it. The car ran without problems regardless; there were two more of them to anchor the plate.

- Curiously, the front left wheel struggled to rotate with the others. It had noticeably more friction than the others, and I observed a gouge of plastic taken out from inside the front left wheel. I had figured it was mud accumulating on the wheel that interfered with it, but the problem returned some time after cleaning the affected area.

And so, ironically, I found myself taking the time to service the Hotshot after a few runs. I say “ironically” because I suspected that a car that performs invincibly probably does not attract much maintenance. However, I wished to take care of what took care of me.

That maintenance actually amounted to little more than lubricating the pivot points and cleaning the uprights’ bearings, but that is still more involved than I get with a lot of my other vehicles. In my case, I wanted the car to continue performing as it does, so I saw fit to give it a clean.

I did clean it, though, as you will see! Pictures below:

 

 

These cars look quite glamourous with a bit of mud and dirt:

But they stop performing as such if said mud and dirt stay on for too long:

I actually used my bike cleaner and a proper rinse with water on everything, letting it all dry (anything I could not get with a towel, I left to air-dry). It was not spotless, but still a lot cleaner than leaving it alone, which was the objective:

The next day, it was back out there:

I feel like I absolutely thrash this car, but the Hotshot never complains:

Five battery packs went through it this weekend – and today was a good day:

The aforementioned binding on the left front wheel went away after cleaning and lubricating the upright’s bearings. I also cleaned and lubricated the suspension balls, which really freed them up after the dirt and grime from these sessions.

I have found that a good experience maintaining a car is a lot about one’s state of mind. Despite the difficulties I had alluded to in servicing the Hotshot, I did not really mind that much. I no longer really cared that seven screws are required to access the electronics (six in the chassis, and one in the bumper), or that the front suspension uses eight screws for each upright alone. Of course, I was doing nothing as involved as tearing it all down for a thorough cleaning, but I get the feeling even that experience will be pleasant.

As I was servicing it, I found out that I even managed to bend a steering rod! I have never done that before on any of my cars, not even the ones using bent wire links. It shows just how hard I have driven this thing. It is not a major bend, and as the Hotshot has questionable steering geometry anyway, I do not believe it will be worthwhile to straighten it.

The suspension arms still show good action, but there is now noticeably more play in the front upper arms than anywhere else. The pivots must be wearing quickly with all this hard driving; I do not remember seeing that much slop when I first built it… It is not a problem yet.

Overall, the Hotshot strikes me as a collection of odd designs that come together to work with astonishing effectiveness. That front bumper in particular is incredibly resilient, and has been superb in protecting the car from all types and magnitudes of frontal collisions. The rear wing paint is flaking off from all the hits it is taking in rollovers, but having a proper metal plate for a roof instead of a polycarbonate surface is still proving quite useful.

… If the Hotshot is this rugged, then just how good is the Super Hotshot? 

[Fuijo 880]

Another great read. Thanks for posting it.

It's reassuring to hear that it's not a particularly fragile car. I haven't managed to pluck up the courage to run mine yet. It seems I'm missing out on a lot of fun.

[silvertriple 3557]

Hi!

Progress on my Super Hotshot and some interesting things I noted during the build (a detailed thread for this will come in its time, when the paint will be done, and the buggy ready to run).

As expected, the real differences came into picture with the building of the CVA shocks. I noted the rear one have an aeration.

When building the Super Hotshot, it's difficult not seeing it is an Hotshot with additional hop ups. I was surprised to see that the the battery door underside (fixed with clip to allow easy access to the battery) is made totally useless by the skid plate fixed with tapping screws front an rear... Instead, the battery is supposed to be inserted by the left side. Where the rear screw for the battery retainer is not figured on the step to mount them. What is really funny in this is that on drawings of each and every steps you can see the left battery retainer, there is the two screws drawn... I'm pretty sure they re-used the drawing they did for the hotshot, at least partially, and it is likely the reason... I love those type of anecdotical discoveries during a build :-D

As for the question on the rugged side of the Super Hotshot, difficult to say before I can run it. The skid plate is likely to make the chassis more rigid than the one from the Hotshot. Not sure it is good thing or not, as the suspensions arms are exactly the sames as the Hotshot ones...

Time will tell...  Any case, I had pleasure to read your thread and it was very easy to see the differences while building the Super Hotshot. Thanks for that, this is making a build even more interesting.

Thanks!