Tamiya and other R/C vehicles (not just for Christmas)

Aye @mrjmt the mad van looks absolutely epic. It would be a significant grade up from a Blitzer Beetle (I have a BB, although it’s built as a Falcon). In a different league I think. And the brushless version has heaps of power too. I doubt you’d need to change anything out of the box.

I’m still not buying one though, just because a new purchase would need in large part to be to go through the build experience with my 9 yo. It’s a shame, because the MV really is the standout option for what he/we would like next.

Just remembered I haven’t updated my collection for a while in this thread, time for some piccies 🙂

First new car is an Element Enduro Sendero SE. Brilliant little crawler and so much better than the Carisma I started with. I’ve added a few accessories and some wood to the rear deck for extra scale points.

It’s a few months old now so bot in pristine shape, actually have two new bodies for it and deciding what to do with it next.

Next to arrive was an Arrma Typhon 3S BLX. That has had bigger wheels fitted for ground clearance and made it more controllable in the air:

Broke the chassis on it last time out though, one too many big jumps and it cried ‘enough!’

I might change this for a Rival MT10 which is what I wanted originally but they were out of stock for ages at the time so got seduced by a deal on the Typhon. It’s not really an out-and-out basher but then neither am I so will see what I decide when I rebuild it.

Bought a UDI Panther as a cheap drift car (haven’t got a picture of it!) which turned out to be lots of fun for very little money. That led to me rebuilding the Lancia into a cheap drift car, now looks like this:

Lots of fun at the local club drift night on carpet. It’s also running a brushless 3s setup for maximum wheel speed!

Had an inkling to build a caged crawler too so bought an Element Gatekeeper Builder’s Kit. Looks like this completed:

Currently running a Hobbywing 1080 ESC with a Holmes Hobby 16t 5 pole motor which is great. Trouble is I now what to fit a Fusion brushless setup in it! Before I do that though I need to have a clear out as I have far too many cars lying around the flat now. List is as follows:

Tamiya Lunchbox.
Tamiya TT02 Lancia Delta.
WLToys A959b.
Tamiya Blackfoot (spares or repairs, given to me by a mate).
Carisma Range Rover.
Element Sendero HD.
Absima Sand Buggy (spares or repairs now, electronics are in the Lancia).
Element Gatekeeper.
Arrma Typhon 3S BLX.

Current plan is:

Sell the UDI.
Put the electronics form the Sendero in the Carisma and sell that, the Carisma electronics are upgraded from stock so will go in the Sendero.
Sell the RocHobby Katana.
Possibly sell the Typhon, either forget about bashing or get an MT10 to replace it.

Scarily that doesn’t include the cars that I’ve already got rid of! I reckon I’ve spent well over £2k on the things just in cars since this thread started, plus upgrades. Really need to filter things down as I only really need 4 cars: 1 drifter, 1 basher and two crawlers. Much prefer the crawling side so that gets 2 cars.

Excellent stuff! @reluctantjumper I like the look of both crawlers particularly that Element Gatekeeper…

I’ve got another build on the go just now.

That’s either a Celica or an Audi Coupe. Either way can’t wait to see the result.

The Gatekeeper is great, really capable and the relative lack of body means it shuffles between rocks in tight situations. Currently a bit sorry for itself though as it took an accidental dunk in saltwater yesterday afternoon. The receiver is definitely dead but the drivetrain is seized too so new bearings required. Motor spins fine so just an hour or so to strip, regrease and reassemble. Need to rebuild the Sendero too before September as I’m going to the Southern Scale Trail event, a massive crawling weekend in an old quarry just south of Shepton Mallet. Went to the East Anglia Scale Trail one a few weeks ago too, spent a bit of time talking to Phil of Tomley RC about stuff there while he ragged a few trucks around.

Definitely more into the crawlers currently, hours of fun without the breakages or needing loads of batteries.

@mrjmt I turned my DT03 Racing Fighter into a Blitzer Beetle with a cheap Baja beetle copy shell and some Mad Bull front steering arms. Bigger set of wheels and tyres and it was done. Shell needed trimmed at the back to clear the motor but it was a fun project. Still run it on original shell as well with plastic bushings spacing the narrower front wheels. Handles better than stock due to the wider front track. You’d be able to do the same with a DT02 build as well.

@clubby thanks for that, funnily enough I let the kids loose with the neo fighter and holiday buggy in the back garden at the weekend, after repeated high speed impacts with the trampoline legs the neo fighter is absolutely fine but the holiday buggy has now got a broken front body mount and one of the front mud guards has broken off the body. I’ve ordered a replacement body but could only find one in the UK so shipping will take a while.

Can you remember what beetle shell you used? I’m intrigued by this idea now and might start a mini project with the holiday buggy (they’re also cheap cars so I might still get a complete new HB or Neo for the kids while I mess about modifying the broken one). I’ve found this shell on ebay: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/404354551036 is that the kind of thing you used? The DT02 is quite a bit wider than the DT03 but I think the beetle style shell should fit quite well.

@mrjmt I used this one

https://www.kamtec.co.uk/p/kamtec-baja-lexan

Right rear took ages to trim a bit at a time to clear the motor but happy enough with end result. Used the spare hockey stick shaped front mounts from original kit and drilled front holes. Rear, I glued magnets to the shell and clipped adjustable magnetic mounts to the original rear towers.

Great, thanks for the tips. I’ve ordered that one from eBay that I linked, I checked the measurements and I think it’ll fit, I’ll see when it arrives!

So, body clips, talk to me.

Keep losing the easy pull ones off the Tracer since they’re black and get lost on the tarmac, am I better off without the tabs, with something bright or something more like a hope pad retainer clip that can’t be yanked off?

Have a look on eBay for these – come with coloured tabs to make them easy to spot. Just to make sure they are the right size to go through the body post holes.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282791259873?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=EAIaIQobChMI2p6R-ZebgAMVFsHVCh38swgTEAQYDyABEgJVf_D_BwE

I suppose you could copy the above idea by “tagging” your black clips with these.

Cables ties

Can any Lunchbox users suggest a good replacement for the servo connection? I was bought a kit a month or so ago and that plastic connector had broken twice now. Or is it made weak to perfect the more expensive component?

Can any Lunchbox users suggest a good replacement for the servo connection? I was bought a kit a month or so ago and that plastic connector had broken twice now. Or is it made weak to perfect the more expensive component?

Are you talking about the servo saver, as in the bit that mounts onto the servo? If so, which part breaks? They are designed to be able to take a hit and there’s a plastic ring in there that flexes to absorb the shock.

When I broke the ball stud on the one for my Neo I could only get the ‘hop up’ version which used metal rings which is a bit stronger but to be honest it was rubbish, there was so much play in it but a bit of tension that the wheels would always be pushed one way or the other, I’d adjust the steering trim to compensate then it’d get knocked the other way and be out again.

You could replace the servo saver with a servo horn which is a fixed piece with no give in it, but then you’re at risk of breaking something else if you take a big hit. If it is the servo saver you’re talking about it does surprise me that it’s broken twice as it’s designed to ‘flex’ and absorb the force not break.

Are you talking about the servo saver, as in the bit that mounts onto the servo? If so, which part breaks?

It’s the part that the steering rods are attached to that has given way. The part that sits inside that plastic ring has sheared off. The first occasion was a pretty innocuous bump so I glued it and the same has happened again. Keeping it as a sacrificial part makes sense. Just a shame that is not really an in the field repair.

Moar Celica action..

@harry_the_spider the clips themselves aren’t black, it’s the rubber tabs that are. Though I realised heat shrink tube might be an option.

@bullet that’s what I was thinking though bright mountain rescue orange seems to be something nobody does, will keep looking.

Merak – that looks amazing. The rear looks very complicated with the multiple red stickers! Are you missing a black pillar off the rear windows? Seems to be a raised bit for one but wold only make sense if it was a 5 door shell, maybe a moulding crease?

My little maverick ion that we play with gets a bit bogged down in long grass, think that led to the motor overheating earlier in the year. Anyone got a recommendation for a similar sized model that can cope a bit better? Don’t want to spend more than £150, £200 absolute max. Do I have to go up a scale size from 1/18″ to gain more ground clearance etc? Quite like the smaller size, kids run it around our garden so much bigger/quicker would be more difficult to navigate I think.

You really need to go up a size to 1/10 to get ground clearance. I’d suggest looking at the FTX brushed range, they do a Bugsta , Carnage and Outlaw in brushed versions. Maverick do the Strada that come in a buggy, desert truck and short course body too. All of those cars are brushed versions of brushless cars so should cope well with being knocked around at the lower speeds the brushed motors do.

If you need the smaller size cars then the WLToys range is good but you’ll need to find the exact model number (they don’t really do names) you like, that’ll mean trawling through loads of YouTube videos.

Either way long grass really does load up the drivetrain and the motor regardless of size, sticking to shorter grass is always best.

Hmm, waaaay over budget but do you think this would cope?

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/traxxas-116-summit-xl-25-id-rtr-with-leds-427839

Might look for a second hand one if so.

At the budget end there is this from WlToys that might do in the meantime-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402547327800

Fixed my T34. New firing mechanism and a suspension/wheel assembly.

Tested it on my Farage action figure.

It works.

not sure if anyone has posted this already but this looks fun!! https://thelittlecar.co/tamiya-wild-one-max-launch-edition/

@Stevet1 that’s a wltoys 12428 which I’ve had a few of (see my pics earlier in this thread).

They’re ok for what they are, one thing to note though, they’re a pain in the bum to repair if anything on the drive train breaks as all the screws have some weird really strong epoxy or thread lock or something and they all just round off so you and up drilling them out. It’s a nightmare and they’re very well known for destroying their rear drive shafts. I’ve bent a lot of dog bones too. But if you don’t have any big crashes and get lucky with the drive shaft they’re a fun cheap RTR car, just that they’re more disposable than repairable.

Does anybody here have experience flying model rockets?  I’ve an idea that it may be fun to do with my 8 and 6 yo, but I’ve a few questions…  mainly how/where to do it without shooting down an aircraft or losing the rocket!

Does anybody here have experience flying model rockets?

I tried it once. Didn’t get a massive one that would have been capable of the kind of altitudes to put anything at risk though. They go up reasonably straight but come down on the parachute massively affected by any breeze. Went well away from any houses into some local fields to minimise the risk, and shot it onto the West Coast mainline. 🙄

So that was that for my rocketry hobby.

TLDR, large open area needed and very calm weather.

Water bottle rockets are great fun and you can get a kit on ebay for £13.

Yes I guess that’s key,  small rocket,  large space,  no wind.   The first is easy,  the last possible,  the middle one…. in London suburbs the best is a local park.   I’m trying to decide large park but well used/ busy,  or small rec surrounded by houses but quiet,  or accept its a non starter unless I go further to fly.

I spent much of my early teens mucking about with Estes model rockets, had a couple of mates into it too. Had a big sports pitch outside the village that was surrounded by open fields and still managed to lose most of our rockets. My Commanche 3 was supposed to do 2000ft+, first flight with all three stages I lost sight of it halfway up and never saw it again.

My kids are also 8 and 6, they have fun with the stomp rocket my youngest got for his birthday, going to try them on bottle rockets then maybe pick up a proper rocket kit in a couple of years. Stick to the A/B engines unless you have absolutely loads of space and very calm weather.

Oh yes we’ve been enjoying stomp rockets for a couple of years,  the 3yo loves those too.  Last half term i did small coke bottle rockets with them and got about the height of the 5G tower we were beside.

Bye heck! 2000ft!  At that height you’d be in to issuing notams to warn the helicopters that occasionally fly over,  I presume they are fast air taxis between Gatwick and Central London.  Hmm, I’ll not be going that big I think!

I’d quite like to teach the kids a little basic chemistry , and demonstrate just how much energy is in sugar,  by making a diy sugar/kno3 motor….. but it’s somewhat illegal to make your own explosives.   I understand why it is…. although I’m not convinced a law stops terrorists or anybody else with wrong intentions!

i just saw this video and thought you might like it (reading about your rocket making)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFyKgmnCF-8

Thanks raceface, yes I need to give match rockets a go.  I’m also planning a pop-pop boat at some point over the summer

My beetle body has arrived, it looks like it should be a perfect fit on the DT-02 from my holiday buggy, just need some paint now.

And here it is trimmed… Very exciting!

Amazing work as usual @merak !

I was going to ask, do you (or anyone else) have any advice on using window masks? That beetle body I got came with them and I’ve never used them before. Is the process to clean the body as usual, then apply the masks then key with an abrasive pad once the masks are on? I assume I just have to go careful around the edges of the masks when keying?

Also, one of the shops over here has just got the holiday buggy back in at AU$150 delivered (£79 ish). I’m trying to convince myself that I don’t want to just buy another HB to put that beetle shell on and keep the old one for the kids to bash around…

@mrjmt

No abrasives! The first one I did I had no idea you paint the inside of a lexan body!

You just want to wash the body with soapy water (inside) wait till it dries and apply your masks.

Apply your polycarbonate paint in very thin layers. The first few just want to be a dusting build it up really slowly, patience is key to avoid runs!

I like to remove the masks whilst the paint is still tacky.

There should be a protective film on the outside which you remove at the end, the best bit.😎

ah ok, I’m glad I asked!

If I get time later I’ll head out to the local hobby shop and get some paint, I think I’m just going to go all black for it.

Along side this, I’m also working on cobbling together a way to use 12mm hex on the front of the DT-02 so I will have a LOT more options for wheels for what is now becoming a monster ish beetle project! I’ve mocked it up using the hubs and stub axles (with dog bones removed) from a broken wltoys 12428 with the tamiya carriers, I just need to go to the hardware store to get the right sized screws to hold it all together, I’ll some pics once it’s done if it works out.

So, 12mm hex on a DT-02…

Tamiya on the left, wltoys on the right, needed a couple of spacers that it just so happens I had something suitable on the parts tree from some CVA shocks…

Screw it all together…

It all fits perfectly! The bump steer is now even worse though 😁

Just stuck some temporary wheels and the HB body on to try it, it’s a wheelie machine now!

I’m really pleased with how it turned out, just need to paint the beetle shell and now I’ve got a lot of options for some chunky wheels to go on it 😎

I wonder what’ll break first….

I just finished a TT02R which I bought on a whim in the Tamiya shop in Tokyo last month. Put a GT Tuned motor in it and the Yeah Racing steering upgrade + Tamiya hop-up servo saver and some nice blue alloy wheel hexes. It’s quick! Now I need to source a body…