IS IT CHEATING

[Tadracket]

I wonder what the chances are of Team Associated doing a Tamiya style re release of the origional gold tub.

From what I gathered talking to Cliff Lett, they would have to retool to do it. A lot of the equipment was dumpsterized. Associated does not have the following the old Tamiyas do (yet). Associated is going to keep moving on because they change with the technology, evolve to better themselves and equipment.

Tamiya is happy building cars that pose no use other than looking pretty. They don't need to keep up with technology so they can easily reproduce an old favorite to take advantage of market demand.

When a NIB RC10 sells for $2500, you may see Associated take a shot at a re-issue. Till then, leave the re-releases to those with nothing better to do.

[Asso_man!]

can't say it better, and please let me laugh out loud with you Tad

[mrlexan]

I have a buddy back in the Detroit area that I KNOW has the capablity to make the tooling for the tub chassis and nose plate. I am sure it won't be cheap, but he would cut me a bit of a break just because. He has done some amazing stuff in the past for me when I was at Roush.

[Erich Reichert]

Ya, one night when we were all out to dinner we talked about it. Something along the lines of a limited, numbered/serialed rerelease and they weren't into it at all. The opinion of the powers that were over there at the time is that they are focused on making NEW quality cars not revisiting old ones. Makes sense i suppose, although i would've loved to see it happen.

[Moggie XL]

I understand every company needs to move forward but as this forum proves racing is only part of this hobby.

[Tadracket]

I understand every company needs to move forward but as this forum proves racing is only part of this hobby.

Tamiya has been proving that for years. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[Erich Reichert]

Ya i hear ya. Tamiya and AE are differnt business models though.. and i dont' mean just about racing for AE above.

[Minicooper 35]

I understand every company needs to move forward but as this forum proves racing is only part of this hobby.

Only a tiny little fraction of our hobby is about racing. That's why we have so many crappy plastic Ready-to-Run nitro cars that will never in a million years see a permanent race track!

[Erich Reichert]

absolutely! racers are by FAR the minority in our hobby.

[Dnewish2]

Are there reproduction parts around?
let's see, there's original, used, nos (new old stock) and all that still in production stuff around.
I can't say i've seen much, if any, current production aftermarket parts for 10's. (not counting CVD's)
back to the original post...

[MOmo]

Origonal NIB is tough.

Im lucky enough to have one with all the parts still in tact and never run. Finding the "white" parts is tough, but feasable. Im sure people here have a "stash" of NIB parts.


As for reproductions, I would LOVE IT! Bring back some of those old kits. Obviously the origonals would be more valuable. I think the nostalgia stuff is making a comback. Its worked for Tamiya so far, but I think its a bit different give the sheer # of kits. Tamiya is like 10 to 1 compared to companies like AE or Losi.

I agree, for AE to bring back many of the kits, it would require re-tooling and probably some $$ in materials. Compare how much Aluminum was used then, and now. Given the "space-age" technology, and the CF and lighter materials, perhaps a "hybrid" could be developed. Which could be cool.

I wish more MFG would bring back older kits/parts (MIP, RPM) but in all honesty, WE are the minority. most people don't like nostalgia, they want newer, better, faster.

When I have taken my vintage stuff to the track, its cool to rub in the faces of younger racers " hey this thing is older than YOU ARE" and show them what "we" used to have to race with.

I too have a friend w/ a machine shop who is looking for new niche stuff to make. Which would have been great for all the T-maxx stuff that was made a few years ago. I wonder what AE would charge someone to buy the "rights" to reproduce certain products.


MOmo

[Tadracket]

.....I think the nostalgia stuff is making a comback. Its worked for Tamiya so far, but I think its a bit different give the sheer # of kits......MOmo

I think the main reason Tamiya pulls this off so well is because of the kind of cars they build. Tamiya is aces when it comes to real looking models, be it RC or static. No one wants a reproduction racer because the technology is too far behind. The RC10 is so popular because it was the first REAL racer. I believe if a racer can be reproed, the RC10 is the only one that could get away with it.

But then again, I am a fan to only the old goldies. I'm sure a Dog Fighter or Optima repro would hit a cord with almost as many people. I bet I would buy an Optima repro.

If the vintage races get more popular, we may see a potential of some old racers brought back to life. But I doubt it.

[Moggie XL]

I would also like to see Schumacher make the origional short wheel base CAT and TOP CAT as these cars are so rare.On british grass tracks there was nothing to touch them in the late eighties.

[shodog]

Back to the orignal question

There are no Concours d'Elegance of R/C car building. You have to determine for yourself what level of restoration do you want. Some people are sticklers for original parts only and aftermarket hop ups are majorly frowned upon. Some people are cool with slapping it together with a miss mash of parts built with screws bought from Home Depot.

I try to shy away from reproduction parts. While they look good and sometimes they are better than the original, they are still not vintage.

[Dnewish2]

yea,
build what makes you happy.
if you want a box art car, then build one. If you want a replica of your first 10 build that.
I've seen lots of 'if i had the money back then cars'. cars that people would have built given the cash back in the day.
Me, i've got an as built Worlds car which has had only had 1 suspension arm changed, though it will have an Fm rx in it soon.
my 10t is as raced, which means up grades and aftermarket parts everywhere, there's not much from the kit there. soon to be less as i'm replacing the shocks and installing CVD's when the gearbox is rebuilt with ceramic balls (lol).