Clodbuster advice?

[RC10th]

Well, the Clodbuster volcano in my head has finally exploded and I've decided it's finally time to try and get one. It will be a runner, I want something slower that I can run around my driveway without tearing up the driveway and have fun.

Clodbusters are getting hard to find now. My dilema is do I find an old one and fix it up or buy a new one and make it look old?

Do I buy an old one? If I buy an old one certainly some things will be broken on it or needing parts. It will need a restoration and most likely the paint stripped and redone. I don't want to spend a fortune having to replace lots of stuff as it adds up quick making a cheap truck quite expensive. I don't really feel like a in depth restoration.

Do I buy a new one? I found a killer deal on a new super clod that is hard to pass up, we're talking $243 usd. They must be clearing them out and only have 2 left. How hard or expensive is it to find good used red parts? The blue parts drive me crazy. Plus you get the fun of sitting down and building a new kit from a manual.

I'm leaning toward the option of new although I'd prefer a vintage Clod....

[jwscab]

go with the new kit even though it's blue. you get the enjoyment of building the kit, which is really nice. You will spend that much easily to make an old one running reliably again. plus you don't have to deal with someone else's mess or crappy paint job.

you can find the red parts fairly easily, but you will pay for them somewhat, as they are usually part of lots or with other stuff you don't need. but you can consider it an upgrade for the future.

[jkelm24]

I've had the exact same thoughts about a Clod for the past several years and have never pulled the trigger (I've wanted one for 30 years). But I have done the homework in pricing the expected cost of buying used vs buying new. What I've found here in the States:

If you're wanting a stock Clod, it's generally cheaper overall to buy a new kit. You can simply add bearings during the build and find a set of red parts trees. You can also pick up a sheet of MCI Clod decals to give it the original look (the SuperClod decals are awful IMO).

When buying a used clod, they typically include a hefty shipping cost due to assembled size and weight (unless buying local), and require a bunch of repair if you're wanting it as a runner. They often require any combo of the following: various plastic parts trees for repair, chassis, tires to replace existing with flat spots from the shelf, body, bearings, gears...

Better to just buy a new kit if stock is your goal. But the blue parts and decals on the SuperClod have to go!

If you're wanting a hopped Clod with different chassis and/or suspension right out of the gate, then it might be cheaper to just buy a pair of axles by themselves.

[jwscab]

The clod I built I started with a set of used axles. They were in not great shape overall and I added some additional bracing and custom 4 link. It's what I wanted to start with, so it really depends on how you want to start.

[therigliveson]

IMHO start with a new kit, the old ones can be brittle depending on use/storage...under $250 shipped, I'd jump on it.

[Lowgear]

I wouldn't mind owning a Clod to run but the prices seem out of control to me lately for anything related to them no matter the condition. Hopefully it's just a bubble, and the prices come down to more reasonable levels. Something similar happened with the Tamiya King Cabs a while ago.


Back on topic. I'd go with the new kit myself for the reasons others have mentioned.

[RC10th]

It''s a tough call, the new one is $340 aus, roughly what is the going rate for used red parts?

I found a used Clod that's in good runner condition with nothing broken, only draw backs are non original shocks and a rough body needing a strip, paint and a chrome rollbar. It's has the Chevy grill and tailgate. I'm hoping to get it for $250 which would make it worthwhile, worst case is a complete super clod body set for $109usd....

[RC10th]

Not quite the original Samson but very close, has more "Bruiser" attributes.


When trucks were trucks !

[RC10th]

Well, I'm trying to chase down at least one of two vintage Clods that I can hopefully snag cheaper than the new one. I can't help it as I'm a vintage guy at heart.

Anyone know where to source an old manual online, all the old manual links that I came across seem to be invalid?

I've already ordered a few bits and pieces like a bearing kit and decal set as there are no hobby shops close to me anymore. What color red is the Clod supposed to be?

I've been digging through my ESC and electronics pile to pick out a few items, if I score a vintage Clod I will try to run period-ish electronics. If I get a new clod I will run more modern stuff.

What are the main differences between an 87 Clod or later versions aside from the Chevy grill and tail gate, when did they disappear? The Super Clod is obvious. With that said I found a Futaba FP-T2PKA that appears in the 85 Futaba Catalog and a Novak 1X which was also released in 85 so these would be a good fit for an 87 Clod. I also found a Novak T-4 which is from 88 so it's also fitting. Being Clods are slow I'm thinking either of these should be fine for a runner (provided they work) and a good period replacement for the MSC? What are your thoughts? If I find a later Clod I'll just run something like a Super Rooster or similar which everyone ran back in the day.

Are two silver cans wired in series excruciatingly slow?

[jwscab]

Wired in series? Yeah pretty slow. I would run the t1x but not the t4. Run the motors in parallel. Even if you run vintage gear, I would find a strong servo to run for steering that is a little more modern.

[RC10th]

With modern batteries I think the "economy" of series is null..... I wonder what sort of run time you can expect out of a big lipo and silver can motors in parallel, fairly decent I'd imagine.

The ESC I have is the 1X (not T1X) which is still rated at a continuous 360a so should be plenty for a Clod. I hope it still works.

The servo I want to use is modern and not really fitting with the theme though, albeit a bit overkill. It's a coreless digtal 219oz.in servo @ .11 so good torque and speed without being too fast or slow.

[jwscab]

whoops, missed the 'T' so it's an earlier non-tempfet esc. No worries as long as you run a heatsink.

yeah, with lipos you can get great runtime and performance all in one. I would also run a bulk cap in the BATT plug of the receiver to help give the BEC some oomph to the servo.

[Lowgear]

Anyone know where to source an old manual online, all the old manual links that I came across seem to be invalid?

Original Clod manual? Here: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/916738/Tamiya-Clod-Buster.html#manual or here: https://rcnewz.com/tamiya-clod-buster-owners-manual/

What are the main differences between an 87 Clod or later versions aside from the Chevy grill and tail gate, when did they disappear?

I don't think there's really any notable changes. The red parts are now blue, they changed to a blower/scoop on the body, chrome wheels, and include metal reinforcement plates where the ladder bars mount to the chassis. The bow tie grill and Chevrolet tailgate were only around for a short time in the beginning of production. Then they went to a blank grill and tailgate, and now the grill with 4x4x4 on it, and a blank tailgate. Of all the better options they could have chosen, why they went with that is beyond me.

[RC10th]

Thanks for the link, I have visited that link but finally figured out how to download it.


Is the Chevy grill/tailgate like the Edinger of RC10's or is it not worth worrying about?

[jkelm24]

If you're a vintage Clod purist or collector, the early bow tie models are the target as they were licensed and only available for the first few years of production.

If you want a runner, but hate the 4x4x4 grills, I've seen after-market aluminum and 3D-printed chevy grills that will fit the Tamiya body. I've seen them on ebay and Shapeways in the past.

If you want to know everything Clod (or nearly any other MT), go check out https://www.clodtalk.com/. They have it all.