Moore's Ideal Products Tamiya Hotshot Ball Differential Pre-Order Announcement

Moore's Ideal Products (MIP) is planning to offer a ball differential set for the Tamiya Hotshot family of models very soon (later this December, 2017).

Similar to last year when MIP offered the ORV chassis ball differential as a special test-the-waters pre-order, this Hotshot ball diff pre-order will need to sell a minimum of 250 units before it will be approved for production by MIP.   If they do not receive enough pre-orders, the project will be cancelled and future Tamiya products from MIP may be in jeopardy.

Last year the ORV ball differential pre-order was successful and the hope is that this pre-order will follow in the same footsteps.

Once again it is Alberto (Pintopower on TamiyaClub and TamiyaBase forums) who is leading the effort to get MIP to make these products.

Here is a link to his post on TamiyaBase regarding this pre-order:  https://tamiyabase.com/forum/16-anything-else/19333-mip-prepared-to-build-ball-diff-for-hotshot-family

For convenience, here is a direct copy-and-paste from Alberto's first post in the thread on TamiyaBase linked above:

I wanted to let all the Hotshot owners in on the MIP ball diff update. MIP has the design completed for the Hotshot Ball diff! Here is where we are tentatively.

1. This will be moving forward with the presales campaign just like the ORV unit did.

2. The presales campaign will be discounted and include BOTH diffs for the Hotshot

3. The trans case will need a modification to work due to simplification of the diff. Without the mod, the diff cost would have been many times more than the projected cost.

4. Cost not finalized but will include the tools needed to make the modification

5. The is be focusing on the Rerelease version

6. The diff itself is compatible with all cars that use the HS diff but it is unknown what would be needed on a car like the Bigwig

7. This will not be sold through a distributor

8. Presales are planned to start the week before xmas and units are scheduled for shipment in mid February 2018 (recall that the orv units shipped early)

Cars that this should fit in are here (note that rere axles are different and therefore the cars will need updated units to work):

58047: Hotshot
58054: Super Shot
58055: The Boomerang
58057: The Bigwig
58062: Hotshot II
58066: Super Sabre
58391: Hotshot
58418: The Boomerang
57330: The Bigwig

We are using a rere and an original HS for these builds. Should you have a concern or feel there is an error with any statements I have said, it is critical that you let me know.

Please remember that these parts are designed, engineered, manufactured and mailed form Southern California. These are not trash parts. MIP is the last RC Car manufacturer that makes products in the USA.

This is what I need from you all. If you want this to come to fruition, I need everyone to splatter this information all over the web. Every forum, every FB page and every Instagram post. Remember, if you speak a different language, translate this! This is how we got the ORV diff into production.

In order to build this, MIP will need 250 orders in their presales campaign. You will need to pay for the units as before and when we hit 250, you will get yours as soon as production starts and units are completed. If this is a success, MIP is looking at other parts for the ORV (like telescopic driveshafts) and machined arms for the Hotshots. The only reason MIP is moving forward with this is the fact that the Blackfoot Diff was a massive hit. If we fail here, say good bye to anything else from MIP.

Remember, 250 units and we get some ball diffs for the Hotshot Line!

Like before, this will not succeed without you all. I will i keep you updated as I get more info.

As of this post, pre-order pricing does not appear to be known yet, so I would recommend checking the TamiyaBase forum thread regularly for more information as it becomes available.  I will try to check for updates and post them, but I could miss important, timely information due to the holidays.

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.

Tamiya Egress (2013 re-release)

Once again Tamiya has re-released a model that many will remember as something they wished they had but could never afford back in 1989 when it first came out.  The Egress (58583), a revision of the Avante chassis that was designed to be more durable and lighter in weight, was released near the end of 2013 with much excitement from Tamiya fans world wide.

Tamiya Egress (2013) (Picture from TamiyaUSA. © Tamiya, Inc.)

The box art is the same as the original even though the kit parts have changed a bit in this re-release.  For example, the blue rod ends of the original are now black, and the front uprights are gold like the 2011 Avante re-release instead of grey.  There are many other changes and enhancements designed to improve the performance and durability of the chassis as compared to the original.

Once the cover is removed, the two blister packs and center body section are right there begging to be opened and built. 

Tamiya used blister packaging for the re-release just like the original did, however some of the contents have changed for unexplainable reasons which drew some criticism from some fans (yours truly included).  The biggest complaint is about the green blister.  The large center blister in the original kit held the ball bearings in foam to make for a nice presentation but the re-release blister contains the gearbox plate instead.  But the blister wasn't changed to fit the smaller part, so it slides around.  What makes it especially odd is that the re-release kit contains full ball bearings just like the original, however Tamiya decided to not put them on display in the blister.  Perhaps the purpose of this was to ensure that vintage kits were easily distinguishable from the re-release.  Or the ball bearings were already part of other parts bags and would have been a pain to put them into foam for the blister.  Keeping costs down was likely a priority for this release although this is still quite an expensive model.  The pinion gears were also removed from the re-release.  You'll note the space where they used to be just below the gearbox plate blister.

I'm sure many people are thinking "who cares?" as they read this, and they are right, of course.  In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter.  It is incredible that Tamiya has re-released the Egress and I am extremely happy to own one.  It was another one of those models that was simply out of reach back when it first came out and became highly sought after as a vintage model and kit (if you could find one).

The carbon fiber plates are gorgeous

The presentation of the body and wheels was unique compared to other kits of the day.  Tamiya had designed the extra plastic flashing on the four corners of the body to be able to hold the tires as if there were wheels.  Definitely a cool look.

No motor is included, just like the original kit, however a 22T 0.6mod pinion gear is included.  It is recommended to replace the pinion with an aftermarket steel one, such as Robinson Racing #1122.  Also, no speed control is provided, unlike most US Tamiya kits. 

Watching the discussions on TamiyaClub, it is quite apparent that this kit is extremely popular among Tamiya fans.  The first run of kits sold out rather quickly leaving many to wait for the second batch to arrive at hobby shops and online stores well into late December 2013.  Stock does not seem to be a problem now.

The Egress was certainly a nice surprise considering the Avante and Avante Black Special were released on a very similar chassis.  I look forward to seeing what Tamiya re-releases next.

Team Associated RC10 Classic (2013 re-release)

Team Associated has re-released the RC10.  The classic, original, gold anodized stamped aluminum tub with white plastic suspension arms and 6 gear transmission that changed the RC racing world forever in 1984.  Associated part number 6001.

It is now only two months after release and this limited-production kit is already sold out at many online retailers and is becoming harder to find at local hobby stores.  Actual production numbers were not disclosed, but some people think the total number of kits produced was around 2500.  Many people were surprised at how quickly the kits were bought up, and others were shocked and disappointed at how the allocation and distribution of the kits was handled.

The box presentation is similar to the original.  Associated used the same picture of the RC10 flying through the air off a dirt mound as the original box.  The parts are very similar to the original, too, but with some updates necessary for 2013, such as the ability to handle mild brushless motors and LiPo battery packs.  Other more subtle modifications were made to most parts in order to differentiate the re-release parts from original parts, which is a good thing for vintage collectors and restorers.

One thing to note here is that the re-release kit was not made in the USA like the original, at least not all of it.  Some parts were made in the US, such as the tires (by Proline) and gold anodized aluminum parts, but the rest of the parts were manufactured somewhere else, like China.  The actual kit boxing was done in China.

When the kit box is opened, you are greeted by a sight very similar to the original.  Many bags of parts.

Proline tires and three-piece wheels

The original kit included bushings and so does the re-release.  It is highly recommended to purchase ball bearings in order to reduce wear and friction.  You will need the following ball bearings:

Inner diameter	Outer diameter	Style	Quantity
3/16"	5/16"	flanged	9
3/16"	5/16"	unflanged	2
3/8"	5/8"	unflanged	2
1/4"	3/8"	flanged	5

The original kit used a 32P spur gear, but the re-release uses a 48P spur.   The internal gears, however, are still 32P.   

The kit does not include a motor or 48P pinion gear.  The recommended pinion size is around 18 teeth when using a 27T stock brushed motor.  Associated does not recommend using a brushless motor less than 8.5 turns.

Six gear transmission, rear arms and battery holder

Shocks, spur cover, ball ends, steering parts and shock tower

Tie rods, gold aluminum nose and motor plate, front suspension parts

Gold anodized aluminum tub

Driver and rear wing

Body

A slip of paper like this one is included in each kit box.  Parts bags were checked off as each one was added to the box.  The online forums have already determined that the number at the bottom (2216) is not the kit number because many people have the same number.  It is likely to be the identification number of the person that performed the box contents inspection (quality assurance).

Quality control sheet

Decals, manual and antenna tube

Two different sets of decals are included. 

Decal sheets

The manual is similar to the original but has been updated for the re-release.

Assembly manual

There are some assembly issues to be aware of.  The RC10 experts at RC10Talk.com have compiled a list at this link:  http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=33130
In addition to that excellent reference, there are many other threads discussing the re-released RC10, so feel free to check them out and post your own experiences and opinions.

As for spare parts, Team Associated has stated that there will be plenty of spares available for a long time, so there should not be any worries of not being able to get spares of broken or worn out parts.  

Due to the plethora of spare parts availability it is possible to "build your own kit", given that the re-release kit is now hard to find, however the cost of doing so would be much higher than the kit price of $250 US.
 
In addition to spare parts, Team Associated has released hop-up parts for the RC10 Classic, as it is called, including black anodized aluminum tub, motor mount and nose plate, bellcrank steering kit, and more.  There is speculation that a re-released stealth transmission will be available in the future.

As a long-time Tamiya fan who has thoroughly enjoyed the re-releases over these past few years, I am glad that Team Associated decided to re-release the RC10.  It is truly a classic racing vehicle that changed how future car designs would be made and it's nice to be able to build one from scratch.