Kyosho Scorpion 2014

Kyosho has finally decided to enter the re-release arena with an absolutely spectacular first result.

The Scorpion 2014

Image Copyright © Kyosho Corporation

Many hobby enthusiasts figured Kyosho would stay away from re-releases simply because the company has always done things a little bit differently compared to others.  They've always been more race-oriented and focused on the next design, never looking back.  In fact, some informal discussions with Kyosho representatives with customers and fans as recently as a year ago had basically confirmed that Kyosho was not interested in re-releases at all and had no plans to make any.   While disappointing to some, it seemed to fit in with what was known about the company's ideals and philosophy and as a result it did not create much discussion on the internet forums.  Everyone just accepted that Kyosho was not going to re-release any models because that was not what they were about.

But then, earlier this year, Kyosho's 50th anniversary celebration began and with it a new slogan "No Borders!!!".  The below image is a link to a 106 page book.  If you have not seen it, please take the time to check it out.  It is a great read.

Image Copyright © Kyosho Corporation

Kyosho spent a lot of time and money to create the 50th anniversary "No Borders!!!" campaign, so clearly they understand how important their history is and how many fans they have around the world.  Kyosho is very proud of their history as a hobby company and their many accomplishments as they rightly should be.

Unlike some other industries, the hobby industry is very good at keeping secrets, so there was no early warning that Kyosho might be working on a re-release of any kind, let alone the original Scorpion from 1982.  When the news broke a few months ago, it swept through the RC world quickly with much excitement and anticipation.  The high-quality pictures of the re-released model dispelled any question about how it would look.  It is a true re-release, very much like how Tamiya re-released the Avante 2011 and Bruiser 2012:  The basic design and aesthetics are the same as the original, but improvements have been made in many areas to improve durability, remove shortcomings and keep up with modern technology. 

It appears that most parts of the Scorpion 2014, including the front and rear arms, gearbox and radio tub are all recreations of the original design rather than from the original molds.  If anything, this proves without a doubt that Kyosho is not afraid to spend time and money making re-release models. All of the parts are well made and high quality.  Kyosho really did everything right when making this re-release.

The quality of the kit and parts is extremely good.  The machining and tolerances are excellent and the kit is an absolute joy to put together according to most everyone that has built one so far.  Comparisons to the Team Associated re-release of the original RC10 Classic were made in various forums and most builders agreed that the Scorpion 2014 kit was less fiddly with fewer problems than the re-released RC10 Classic.

The most popular complaints were about the shocks.  Lacking bladders just like the originals, they are time-consuming to build and "get right" because of the need to bleed the oil through the threaded cap while compressing the piston and tightening the cap to seal the shock.  The thin, clear plastic seals are also a source of problems.  In fact, a set of front shocks I purchased separately to use on a Kyosho Raider rebuild I am working on was missing one of those seals.  Thankfully, the shock with the missing seal has not started leaking yet.   

Recommendation to Kyosho:  Redesign the shocks to use a different seal or supply one extra seal with each shock kit.  They are easy to lose and a pain to install. And finally, sell the seals by themselves, please (8 to a package or something).

Another problem some builders have experienced is binding of the dogbones after rear-end assembly.  The most popular recommendations are to loosen the gearbox and ensure it is exactly 90° to the chassis and loosen the rear arm mounts and push the arms forward (as if to create more toe-in of the rear axles) and then tighten everything up.  The binding should go away.

All in all, the problems have been very minor and everyone has been pleased with how the kit went together and how it looks.

Did I forget to mention that the kit has blister packaging?  Oh yes, it does!  The yellow radio tub and lexan body float in the center section.

It is not known if the lexan body is made from the original mold or a new one.  There are no marks or flashing because Kyosho removed the excess material during manufacturing.

The radio tub is definitely a new design and not from the original mold.  The original tub was textured on the outside while the new one is smooth.  The basic shape is the same, however there are new holes and modifications of old holes that are part of the "modernization" process each kit piece went through.  The steering servo mounts should be better than relying on servo tape in the long term - a nice enhancement to the original tub for sure.

The battery compartment has been designed to hold most modern batteries.  The approximate dimensions are 144mm x 52mm x 28mm (LxWxH).

Not shown here, but the rear arms are machined after molding where the ball bearings are installed.  It must add to the cost of production, but is a much better practice than relying on metal molds for bearing alignment and dimensional accuracy like the original arms did.  Unlike the original Scorpion's solid final gear (no differential), the 2014 version's kit-supplied differential is gear-based.  The optional Ultima SC ball diff (UMW602) can be swapped in if desired.

The shocks are assembled for display purposes, but not filled with oil yet.

All gears are 48P and full ball bearings are supplied with the kit.  No bushings here.  A slipper is now included as well. 

The tires have the Goodyear logo silkscreened on them at the factory.

Not really a whole lot of parts make up the kit.  Just six main parts bags and spare parts bag plus the parts contained in the blisters.

Kyosho even went a step further by making a bunch of optional parts and hop-ups available, including the already-mentioned ball differential (UMW602), LED lighting kit, alternative wheel finishes (polished chrome, black chrome), radio tubs in red and black and more.  Some parts are available now while others are still in development.

The Scorpion 2014 (30613B) is a re-release done right.  Here's to hoping that some form of Optima re-release is next on Kyosho's agenda.