We suspect that there’s a pretty large overlap between fans of old Japanese cars and radio control cars. After all, many of the best RC cars come from Japan, from iconic Tamiyas to new school HPIs, highly detailed Kyoshos to ready-to-run Nikkos. Plus, it’s just fun to tinker with mechanical things that mimic real cars, and there’s plenty of hop-up parts as well. It’s a great first step for those who aren’t old enough for a full-size car to get into all things automotive.
What’s your favorite radio control car?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the best rig for a novice off-roader?“.
There was a wide array of answers this week, ranging from Ben‘s 1995 Corolla to Fred Langille‘s M11-AI Armored Personnel Carrier.
Readers were big on small Suzukis, as avalonbench advocated for the new Jimny for non-Ameicans, StreetSpirit suggested the Suzuki Vitara/Geo Tracker, and Negishi no Keibajo pitched the Suzuki Samurai.
But therein lay another problem. We’d feel kind of guilty trashing a Samurai or anything from Dillon‘s list of Hilux/4Runner, Rodeo/Passport, D21 Pathfinder, and Montero unless it was already a basketcase. That’s why we liked Franxou‘s Subaru Forester, Bryan Kitsune‘s ubiquitous Jeep, and Taylor C.‘s Nissan Xterra for guilt-free four-wheeling. Jim Klein said it all when recommending someone else’s SUV.
The winner this week came from Nismo Power, who gave an excellent explanation for why a 20-year old Nissan might just do the trick:
Any Nissan body-on-frame SUV/truck from 2005-2017. It’s very hard to beat the value they bring. They are very capable from factory with true low range, excellent 4×4 system, and rock solid reliable drive train and a novice off roader will be more than satisfied with the adventures you can take. You’re getting Toyota reliability at the price of domestic sedans. You can easily pick these up between 7k – 15k for a good vehicle that may not need a whole lot to take you off the beaten path. These aren’t so old that you can’t get parts for them or are close to end of life (due to rust and other factors) or don’t have modern creature comfort and electronics such as navigation, dvd players, etc. and aren’t so new that you have unnecessary driving aids that are constantly beeping in off road situations. Speaking of parts, Nissan body-on-frame SUVs/trucks from this period share a LARGE number of parts making them serviceable for at least another decade. They are very easy to work on as well. Aside from capability, most people forget that you use regular roads and highways to get to off road areas and older SUVs (pre 2005) that may be affordable just can’t get out of their own way with the underpowered engines they have, not to mention the weight of additional gear you carry.
Don’t get me wrong, these SUVs/trucks are also great for experienced off-roaders because you can easily build them up as you get more into the activity.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
The Kyosho Turbo Optima Mid Special. Released at the end of 1988 when the Standard short wheelbase Optima Mid was barely a year old. It was the highest spec of the series with a graphite chassis and ball differentials, and oh so Japanese aesthetics. It looked meaner,sleeker and lower and more purposeful than the short wheelbase Optima Mids.
This is my favorite.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2090543904746426
Anything Tamiya from mid-80s to mid-90s should have a place in any enthusiasts’ hearts. From buggies to monster trucks (Bigfoot or Lunchbox) and later TA-series chassis with detailed shells that changed the game.
But ones that planted the seed were accessible ones from Tyco. The Bandit was loosely based on the beloved Nissan Hardbody. And who says R/C has to be on wheels? Fast Traxx had tracks and the Typhoon was a hovercraft. They were the Hot Wheels of R/C and captured imagination.
This OotW REALLY sparks up nostalgia! The only Tamiya my parents could afford were either the 1/24 model cars or the 1/32 mini 4WD cars. My radio controlled cars were limited to the ones sold at Service Merchandise or at (then) Price Club. At the school library I would be flipping through the “Radio Controlled Car Action” magazines and learn about the Clod Buster, the USA-1, the RC-10, the Team Losi JRXT, or the Vanquish. But I had two favorites, both which was definitely JNC: one was the Tamiya Nissan King Cab, and the other was the Kyosho Turbo Burns. I was definitely a Nissan fan, and a classmate had bragged about his four-motor’d Nissan King Cab (he was known to constantly brag and overexaggerate his claims, but I was pretty envious of his supposed asset). I thought the King Cab looked so cool, had such a cool name, and the oil-filled shocks sure added some flash.
The Turbo Burns, well, that was a beast itself. 1/8 scale, two-stroke engine, claimed 40MPH speed, monster price tag, I wanted that as my “unobtainium” R/C car. I didn’t even know what a two-stroke sounded like, but put it on my bucket list anyway!
In the end, my dad got me a Tyco Baja Bandit (with that stupid expensive “9.6V powerpack”, and years later, my uncle got me a Tamiya 1/32 Nissan King Cab Jr, the mini 4WD model, which I still have today.
I am a big diecast car enthusiast and I was just organizing my collection yesterday but as far as RC cars, I have one awesome memory. I went to HK with family with I was like 7. We took a one day layover in Japan and I am not sure if I chose this or not but my mom and dad bought me a Toyota 4-Runner (this was the early 80’s so it may have been a Hi-lux) RC car that as I kid I remember taking with me everywhere to show off to my friends. I remember bulding a little ramp so I could make sick jumps with it.
It was the beginning of my love for all things JDM car love and apparently that love started with a truck and not a car.
my favorite? my first!
i had a nikko 350Z as a kid, 1/10th scale and pretty accurate!
it came with chrome spinners, black paint, flat black hood and mountains of stickers.
first week i just had to get rid of the stickers, went to town on that matte black hood with turtle wax until it matched the rest of the glossy plastic and it turned out pretty decent if you ask preteen me. a VIP 350Z back when Fat Joe was still fat and the 350Z was about the hottest thing on the streets.
Our family owned a Tamiya Clodbuster, Kyosho Turbo Optima Mid SE, Team Associated RC-10 & RC-10L, and Tokyo Marui Big Bear Datsun. The RC that was most fun was the Marui Big Bear. It was 2wd with no shocks, a rear live axle and fat monster truck tires. It was the cheapest RC car we owned. It made you smile the way ran (wobbled) and took jumps not knowing whether it would flip over. At our local RC racetrack, the Big Bear class was the first organized race truck class and the races where fun to watch because the trucks were bouncing all over the track.