Hi Mark, I know this is an older post, but if you don’t know already about the pivoting point of the Grasshopper 2, that pivot point basically was to give the rear gear box a side by side articulation similar to a independent suspension. If you notice on the original Grasshopper the gearbox will on pivot up and down, but not side to side like a independent suspension. On the Grasshopper 2, Hornet, Super Hornet, Mad bull Lunch Box, Midnight pumpkin and Mitsubishi Pajero they all had that front spring pivot point on both sides to give that side by side articulation like I said as a independent suspension. It was something Tamiya designed to give the rear solid axel better suspension handling. Oh plus note on the Lunch Box, MP and the Mitsubishi Pajero CW-01 chassis the rear spring pivot point for the solid axel also gives the trucks that nice wheelie that those Chassis’ are known for. I’m so glad that you are collecting more Tamiya’s. I grew up with Tamiya’s as the Grasshopper was my first hobby grade RC my dad bought for me back in 88’. So many memories as I still have mine restored and put away. Tamiya’s will always be my go to RC as that’s the only brand I have except for couple Associated gold pan RC-10’s. Hope this solves the spring pivot points if you don’t know about it . If you do know then, awesome!😀. Keep up the great work. Hope to see you buy, build and race some Tamiya RC’s in future videos!
I had just finished restoring my great grandpas Tamia frog. He had bought it when it first came out and after a while he passed it down to my grandpa, which he had no idead what to do with it. My grandpa gave it to my uncle, which my uncle burned a battery in it, melting some of the parts. After that, he gave it back to my grandpa where it sat up in a closet, until I noticed it and asked to restore it. He said that if I can fix it, I can have it. So here I am, with a restored, and running original Tamia frog, with even the original analog controller. Though my great grandpa didn't have the chance to see it run again, my grandpa was really proud of my restoration skills.
A vey good review as usual.The Hornet, Lunchbox, Blackfoot, etc. had 540 motors. The advantage of the 380 is that for kids starting out the cars will run for a very long time on one battery.
I have an OG 1984 grasshopper and both the white and black grasshopper II. Will build the white one with a 540 motor. Hold on to the black one for my grandson so we can build it when he gets older
Hmm electronic speed controller. Mine had a servo turning a piece that rubbed contacts against a metal bar and i remember a ceramic block maybe it was a resistor that would heat up as well.
I had a Hornet 🐝 for like 20 years Big Dawg!! You did it right! That’s how that rear end works sir. Those springs do seem rather dainty for the job they have to do, but it is what it is man. Like you said man, the technology of the day! ✌🏽
The midnight pumpkin has similar chassis and has those goofy “ anti axle roll “ pivot springs also. It works well, my niece has driven the wheels off of it and now my nephew wants it! He’s gonna get a grass hopper because he’s severely destructive! Lol
I remember the hobby store guy explaining the grasshopper was a good beginner car because it was slower but had longer run times. When you were ready you could upgrade to a 540 sized motor....not sure if that was accurate or if it applies to the GH2. I ended up with a used Wild One for my first car and raced my dad's original RC10. The lunch box had those weird springs and I never understood why they were there. Fun memories!!
building an original grasshopper and mounting the tires is a right of passage, one cannot ascend to the upper echelon of hobbyist without experiencing this pain.
I owned the original '88 Grasshopper once, loved it. Sold it. Big mistake. Still like it MUCH better than the Grasshopper 2. Wonder why with the new version they can't give the driver some arms and a steering wheel, there is enough space...
@ 7:32 The Lunchbox uses same spring mechanism on rear end. I thought I may have assembled it incorrectly 😆 I really like the Tamiya re-released RCs. Wanted the Lunchbox so badly when growing up
no way with that motor... my hornet came with the 540s and that was too slow. that 380 i never used. i bought the trinity monster horsepower modified motor and turned my hornet into a beast and replaced the body with the parma stinger. that car was a machine with the upgrades i made with it. liked the grasshoppers paddle tires best cuz they didn't wear out. i still have the original paddle tires from 1985. man i loved upgrading that car and whipping my friends frog and the kyosho icarus in speed runs!
Very cool, I was looking at one the other day I think it was called the scorpion, I will have to look, but does that ring a bell. Great job on your builds. My bad I looked and the scorpion is a Kyosho....but still cool I think.
I put a 3s velenion system w/ 2s short traxxas lipo in my grasshopper. Insane out of control! The gearbox is holding up well, I can only drive it on the beach w/o crashes taking chips out of the body. Call it my Tami-ass 😆
540 what is a (550)??????????? Is there a 550 because I know for a fact the hornet and most stock Tamiya come with the silver can 540 -27 turn. The 550 might be a Chinese motor but I’ve never seen one in person not sure if people are just mistaken or maybe I am but not about the Tamiya cars built to many .
You have the spring wrong. That loop goes inside and one of the screws goes through it to hold it in place, if my memory serves me right. Then the two wires, one is supposed to touch the upper part of that opening and the the other side of the wire is supposed to push down onto the top of the axle part that slides up and down. Theres also a very good mod for this if you look up tamiya hornet third shock on youtube you can see
why would it be worst? Most of the tamiya cars back in the 80s are all worst compared to todays r/c cars. They are toys basically made of mostly plastic and rubber parts hardly any metal parts in it. I would say probably the best r/c cars to get into back in those days is Team Associated RC-10 and Kyosho's R/C line of buggy's like the Optima and Javelin. I remember back in the 80s my first R/c cars was the Tamiya Hotshot and Grasshopper which i could only afford i was in my teens and money was tight for me then I wanted the RC-10 and Kyosho optima but they were out of my price range.
For that reason, even as a shelf queen, I'd still add bearings and a 540 motor. I remember the looks of my original grasshopper were destroyed by the time I upped the power. It would be so cool to see one run decades later with the faster motor but with it looking like it did when it was new.
Yea I always tempted to buy a tamiya but lhs not having the bearings in store stops me , meanwhile It probably just be self queen for the most part , someone was throwing out a original frog , I threw stock electronics from gen8 12t 550 and it was fun fast till I stripped something in gear box , amazing our rtrs take out stuff faster than race stuff 20 30 yrs ago 😆 🤣 happy Thanksgiving
