Better late than never!
Most of you might think“ just another boaring Re-re Hornet“ but for me this little rascal is something special. In 1984/85 I saved all my pocket money for months and even sold the remains of my model railway in order to buy my first RC car ever. I pressed my nose to the windows of my LHS almost every day and found that Tamiya’s Hornet was the one to have. I just loved its agressive looks on the box art. As I finaly got enough money I went to the shop together with my dad. He asked the salesman if he would recommend the Hornet or rather something else. This stupid guy said that he would rather go for a FAV because its styrene body would be more rubust that the Hornet’s brittle lexan body. So I got a FAV. Soon I got hold of a RC car magazine and saw the first pictures of RC Buggy races. (for the ones born much later: we didn’t have internet back in the days ;-) ) I felt that this was the way to go: racing! Unfortunately my FAV had nothing in common with those racing cars, no oil filled dampers, no spiked tires and no lexan body. Man, I thought I made a mistake buying the FAV. In my eyes the Hornet was the epitome of a low budget racing car. As I finaly got into RC racing some years later I already knew that neihter the Hornet nor the FAV were the best choice of competition cars but somehow I still remembered how I felt about the Hornet back in the days. Last year (24 year later) I showed pictures of the Re-re Hornet to my wife and told her about this story. She seems to be a good listener because she gave me this Re-re Hornet as a birthday present in September. Due to our move to a new flat I only managed now to assemble the kit. Its quite stock except for ball bearings and a better looking driver bust. The maiden trip took place on a local soccer field. The maximum speed with the stock silver can motor is quite OK but I will go for at least a bit more power soon. It handles well in comparison to a stock Grasshopper so I’m very pleased with it. Finally the 2 of us got together, better late than never. I would like to take it to a racetrack like they used to be back in the days without those insane high obstacles but I don’t know a such. Anyway I’ll never give up hope that sooner or later a few people will understand that the oldschool low tech and low budget way of RC car racing wasn’t that bad and that we will see those beautiful cars doing what they were meant to do: racing in the dirt! Ooops, that a long essay so I don’t think that anyone will ever take the time to read if. But if someone did I’d like to say “Thanks for watching”.
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
Birthday presents
Comments
Davecul
Lovely story and some nice pictures as well. The driver looks brilliant and Picture 3 is an excellent action shot, nice work!
mad maz
Also my 1st car from back in the day i had a paper round and it seemed to take forever i really wanted a m/b but way to much and the hornet it was such a great car still my best to date ...nice pics
CASE1
I read your story, very nice! It's great we can sometimes make up our mistakes when we get older Nice build, the driver is very good, and I like the action pics, looks FAST! (but now, what are you ging to buy your wife? )
mr_pushrod
Nice story, glad to hear you finally have one!
Funracer
@CASE1: I got her an Axial SCX10 for Christmas
sony-sonic
Its one of the best cars in my collection.. and I think it always will be!! My most used runner keeps coming back for more and never suffers breakages! Nice job on the driver paintwork!
JWeston
Great story. Fantastic car. J
tamiyaonebay
Well I was in the same boat back in those days except I was lucky to actually get the Hornet. It was my first Tamiya made kit. I recently got it again and I love it. I think I use it more than any other RC I have, which also means I've repaired it almost to the point that I've replaced every part that can possibly be broken. But yeah they are super FUN! Your story is very heart warming...although if you had your FAV today, you could sell it and get about 4 Hornet NIB!
DImblum
I read the whole story It brought me back too since my first RC car was a GrassHopper. I always liked the look of the Hornet and added one to my shelf queen collection when the re-re came out. If I could have had this car back in the 80's I would have.
CASE1
you must be a good husband
supergreg
nice read, Nobby!
Jorisschulte
Great story. Very nice to read it. So familiar
I like the driver, looks good.
pcw 064
That are kind of story I like.My first Tamiya buggy was a grashopper and it's still the most beautifull buggy in the world for me even if it drives like a nightmare.
HomerJHandley
I love the hornet, it is such an iconic car
zakspeed
I can 100% relatet to that story i did the same thing saved up and went to what is now Otley Modelsport back in 1985 !! and bought a brand new kit - it was ace and I loved it. Used to race it as well, it did fine back then due to weight what it lost on the corners it gained in out and out speed on the straight. ah memories ..
Tamiyamandan
GREAT STORY !!!!! I never ever get tired of seeing the Frog, Hornet or Grasshopper....3 of my all time favorite cars....I actually got my Hornet in the mail yesterday....And fealt just like I did 26 years ago when I got my frog.....
Funracer
@Tamiyamandan: The Frog was my second RC car, got it for Christmas 1985. When I tried my Hornet in the livingroom this week and heard the sound of the wide spiked tires on the floor I remembered the Frog immediatly. Can you immagine remembering a RC car after 25 year just by the sound of the tires? I begin to think that I'm slightly nuts
Boothy
Great story and your Hornet looks fab! There is a link over on the forum to hornets and grasshoppers racing and it looks like great fun, I really wish there was a place round here to race old vintage cars.
Fernado Alonso
You just cant go wrong with a hornet
Cheers Alex
jeffy
Fantastic story and I'm sure many of us older modelers can relate to it. All with similar stories of drooling over the cars at the LHS. Great car and action pics. Thanks for sharing
7.2inchdriver
thanks for the trip down memory lane, and i am sure lots of others here have similar stories too. i have always said this hobby was more about passion and how these little cars make you feel than anything else.
rizzo rat
Love the Hornet! One of the best along with the falcon.
swedishwiking
Imagine the impact these little cars made back then. I still get that same feeling when looking at pics like that and I´m soon reaching 40 notches. I simply love this hobby!
def4x4
Nice story and a great bugg, the driver looks really good!
mr.retreader
Yeah, great looking Hornet and story. Feel the same was about the Hornet and acually have a very similar story. Nice shots.
bigwfrog
Awsome story,in 1985 my brother and i used to stare at the frog hornet and grasshopper in a shop called big w in australia my parents never got us one ,now we have all three vintage ones in our collection i love the vintage smell and the noise the tyres make on the floor also.I really liked reading the story good job on the hornet looks great .
pastimesteve
Great pictures and story! Thank you for sharing!
taliesin
Isn't it great to feel like a kid again! Glad you got your Hornet after all.
Toykid
Great story and you made the best mod possible by adding the new driver
R/CVET
Great story and nice job on the car. I just assembled my re-re Hornet also after losing mine as a kid and can't wait to run it.....these cars are truly iconic!!
slimmy
The car does look good. and the driver figure is spectacular. the first RC i ever had was a hornet. that was back in the early 80's.
Funracer
Thanks for all the nice comments guys! Actually I thought that none would care about this car but obviously as 7.2inchdriver said: this hobby is more about passion, at least for TC members
steerfromtherear
Great story, My 1st car was the Hornet. I loved it, the last pic of yours could so easily be a time warp pic of mine in Oman circa 1986 . I am goin to have to buy myself another Hornet soon!
Crash Cramer
That may be just 'another Hornet' but it is yours and you have made it such. That driver is nice, lets have another photo or two of him, please.
slimmy
Well I didnt read your story the first time I commented. but, I have now. We all have our stories from our past. I think thats why we are now collectors. The hornet was the first car I ever owned as well. Went through several sets of tires and bodys. Mine had a full complement of you-g after market shocks and nerfs and a reedy stock motor. I thought the little car hauled @#$! Its a fast well handling little car. And I think it would have been the better choice over the fav for your first car. To bad the guy at your LHS didnt know what he was talking about. Glad to see you have the right machine now. And your driver figure is spectacular. I would really like to see more of it.
scorcherboy77
Neat car! Great story! ...mine is quite similar ...just finished my re-re Hornet a couple of weeks ago! Also awesome work there on your pilot! You are right, the original driver body is a definite no-go!! How is the poor guy steering without arms?
I got me a Scorcher driver's body... what did you use?
Funracer
@scorcherboy77: Thanks for your comment mate! Welcome to the Hornet's nest The driver body I used is from a Tamiya F1 Ferrari.
delux
I just read your story. Well said. Many of us are still here for the same reasons me thinks! My friends all had these and grasshoppers. I wanted one so bad but I only had a nasty radio shack corvette until I started work and bought my own Wild Willy2. I think it's time I found myself one of these...
RACECRAFTERS
Cool story Funracer and it's never too late to be a Boy again
I'll know when I find me the right lady - She'll be the one who also likes RC Cars, or rather, 'just buy them for me
She's a keeper! ..the Hornet that is
Nayfy
great car! I have just bought my Re-re Hornet as I only ever had a nikko 1/14th scale copy as a kid. It's all about the looks with this Iconic buggy!
scorcherboy77
Nice story! ...always wanted a hornet too as a kid ...and finally got one Christmas 2010!
Great little buggy the hornet!
MadcapIwant1
The Hornet definitely looks at home here, ripping through the dust and sand, the last pic sums it all up for me……R/C fun rocks !!!
Sad Sammy
Thanks for the show and tell, I think I have something in my eye! Oh its a tear. A familiar story for a lot of people here.
R/CVET
Fantastic story and awesome re-re! Great pics too. The Hornet is near and dear to my heart as well since it was the first 'real' r/c I ever had and my remains my favorite of all time. Sadly, it was lost down a sewer drain when I was a kid in the 80's. Consequently, when the re-re came out in 2004 I got one a few years later and built it to run but it was too nice when finished so it became a shelf queen. Then my Hornet quest really began when I needed to have and acquired a NIB original. That was then recently followed by an original budget runner I just purchased and am currently rebuilding old school - MSC, non-BEC Hitec electronics, 540 motor, stick radio, etc to be just like my 80's original. I could get rid of my entire collection tomorrow but would never part with my Hornets!
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