The Golden Era of RC, Tamiya Monster Trucks... 

Apologies 😬😬😬 The Brat was the first ORV chassis in July 83, the Frog was December 83 😳🔫

Clodbuster, Black Foot, Monster Beetle, Lunch Box and Midnight Pumpkin...these are the OG's of the monster trucks from Tamiya.

Great memories! Back in the 80’s, when I was a kid, we had we had a small group of father/son teams. About 8 of us in total. We ran Tamiya monster trucks exclusively in the most hilarious and exhilarating short course races. We would pitch tents around the track and race all weekend long. staying up late, running under lights in 24 hour Le Mans style races. It was some of the best memories of my childhood. Thank you for the trip down memory lane, Sir. I think I’ll go order a new Tamiya. 😁

I’m a 80’s KID. I love it. Pushing lawnmowers and selling soda and candy. I had black foot, midnight pumpkin, a Traxxas sledgehammer before I started to spend to much money on a Team Associated R/C 10-T, team truck

No love for the Midnight Pumpkin?

As a kid of the 80s, I wanted nothing more in this world than my own Clod Buster. Maybe some day!

The lunchbox was my first build when I was 7 or 8 still love it to this day and I'm 35!

I was born in '70, grew up on the US east coast. The most iconic Tamiya truck for just about everyone I knew back then, and I knew a ton of peeps, was the Bruiser. Hardly anyone we knew could afford one, that kind of money back then could buy you a Redline, Haro or GT Performer BMX bike. But I'll be damned if everyone didn't want one. We had all the other trucks, buggies, rally cars, group C, F1, etc... The Bruiser was like the Grail back then.

My very first rc was the Blackfoot. I got it in 1989. I was fourteen years old back then and I was hooked on rc's ever since .

My late brother had the Holiday Buggy back in the 80s, so much of fun. I'm going to buy a tamiya buggy just in honor of his name. And have fun too.

The best part about 80s - 90s RC was many things, but learning how to build a kit and having to understand all the components to make it work, didn't just teach us patients and understanding, it was also exciting and the most fulfilling memories of growing up. (in the RC hobby)

Always wanted all of these classic trucks from when I growing up in the 80s man they really don’t make them that they used to 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲

This really was the golden era for me. It was an obsession, Tamiya catalogues memorised, Radio active shop just down the road that stocked every car and spare. It was the art work, from the box art to the catalogues it was just perfect. RRC and Model cars adverts reviews and price lists. Personally I could only afford to buy second hand, but if I had had the money I am certain many of those cars would have been coming home with me. The feeling has never gone away either, I have raced for many years from when I could afford to. As far as Tamiya cars go many people in the rc racing world describe them as a very expensive four way tool. Does that detract from their desirability, not in the slightest. They were awesome.

The lunchbox and midnight pumpkin will always be top of the list for me. I’d like to get my hands on a Wild Willy 😳 if only for comedy value.

With you on the lunchie, just a fun bit of kit to run, out the box and will bring a smile to anyone’s face. Wild Dagger & Nissan King Cab though 😍🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤

My first RC was a futaba fx10, then a Blackfoot, then the Clod several years later. I had a blast with the Clod, have had a few of them since including the one i just ordered and haven't started building yet, lol

Had the monster beetle when I was a kid in the 80’s. Shortly after that it got my younger brother hooked and we went out and he spent all his birthday and allowance money on the lunchbox. To this day it’s still some of the best memories we had from our childhood!

The lunchbox was my first hobby grade RC, got it for Christmas in 1987. I was 7, and I still remember spending hours building it with my dad. And then once we finished it he brought out a Blackfoot that he had bought for himself to run with me. I ended up with the Blackfoot after I destroyed the Lunchbox along with the Midnight Pumpkin (surprised you didn’t mention that truck) body that I put on it after I broke the van body. I loved to jump them and the hard bodies didn’t take too well to bad landings haha

Monster Beetle and Lunch Box 😍😍😍 The Bullhead too

Some of my all time favorites.

That Blackfoot has had me hooked since I saw it tearing-up a gravel parking lot when I was 10. I finally have one in box ready to build and this video has inspired me to bring it to life.

My first rc was a frog at Christmas in 84. Got a Blackfoot a few years later. Traded them for a Losi in the early 90’s. Miss those so much. Going to get back into rc cars and the Frog and Blackfoot are on my to do list soon!!

You said it. I love going out to the park or the woods with my lunchie, they’re great fun

my dad bought me the Lunch Box back in the early 90's. in a couple of years when my son is a little older, i'll buy him one.

I’ve collected over time Blackfoot, Mudblaster, Monster Beetle, Lunchbox, Midnight Pumpkin, Bullhead and the 2001 Subaru Impreza WRC, all with Beatties Bags, Acoms Techniplus Controllers & was about to sell them but just looking at them brings me back to my youth and am going to keep hold of them a bit longer. Fantastic Models with excellent detail.

Looking foreward to the custom lunch box 👍

I love all those Tamiya's. I want a Lunchbox for sure as well as one of everything else Tamiya makes. Lol

I had a Monster Beetle in 90s and also went to Japan around the sane time. I came back with a powerful motor that stripped the teeth right off my plastic gears😂 Also I have to add that the tiny original owner shop I got it at in 1990 is still open, still selling RC, and still run by the same guy.

My first real RC was a Tamiya blackfoot. After playing with that I wanted a Monster Beetle really bad. Then I got a RC10Champion and it was RC love for life. Love that Blackfoot.

Owned an Original Blackfoot which I built one Christmas with my Dad. My Clodbuster is still back at my Mum and Dads house. Thinking of getting it up and running again it needs new wheels and battery.

Credit to Marui, the first RC monster truck was the Big Bear. I bought a second hand blackfoot back in the 80's such fun to drive until the diff failed. Didn't put me off as I own one now. I still own my original 80's lunchbox. I say original, many new parts over the years, still puts a smile on my face when I run it.

@TAMIYALegends The Super Blackfoot was the first pro hobby level kit i got when I got into rc. On an early run at a construction site i jumped it off a 8 foot high dirt pile. Unbeknownst to me there was a 6 ft deep pit dug behind it, about a 12 ft drop, and hearing crashing sounds accompanied by my friend's frantic yells that i broke my new truck, i came around expecting peices scattered. As it had tumbled around the pit it had split the beautiful styrene body lengthwise from hood to tailgate. Replaced the body with a lexan one and kept it from 92 till 2017. Lost it when i moved then. But, bone stock, that truck was nearly indestructible! 😊

My monster beetle had arrived when I got home today. So excited 😆

I had a Mud Blaster as a kid. Now I'm watching this while building a brand new original Hotshot

In 1989, I was given a Clodbuster, as a birthday present (best one ever). I remember building it with my Dad and running it for the first time like it was yesterday. I owned that truck for 25+ years and must have driven it for many thousands of miles. By the time I sold it, very little was Tamiya, so you are right, it was too complex. Battery run times were low and maintenance was time intensive. I loved it but don't miss it. The sweet spot for me was the 2wd trucks, I owned the Blackfoot and it was a fine machine, just a slightly weak gearbox. Easy to maintain and fun to drive. Amazing that these models are still in production.

Monster beetle, FTW! My first hobby grade rc car

Dont apologize when referring to the Golden Era of R/C. It most definitely was, with vehicles to suit every one! Fantastic promotional videos and catalogue to further enhance the brand!

my first RC was a Black Foot. I liked it soo much to screw it together with my dad. Learning these english words in the manual, as a 10years old german boy. After that i have seen our VW Bus had the same axle configuration, so i was really proud of it, to get the same as my dad.

IN 1987 I bought the Blackfoot loved it had it for 25 years! I raced The Big Brute from Kyosho and the Traxxas Sledgehammer. The latter made me retire the Blackfoot but the fun factor of the Blackfoot has never been equaled in that era.

Best friend got a blackfoot and the obsession started from there. Video is right on the button. You are right about the clodbuster but still had to have one.

The Golden Age of RC👍 I remember as a kid, these were at the top of the wish list. Now I can enjoy with my own son. The Lunchbox is iconic, and I agree with your comments. Thank You for posting.

I built a Lunch Box about 4 years ago. I Use all ball bearing Savox servo but never used it except to test after built. absolute shelf queen. Buy the way great video

I had two buddies that got me into hobby grade RC in the 80s. One had a Blackfoot and one had a Lunchbox. After doing my research (reading RC Car Action), I decided to buy a Kyosho Big Brute. To this day, the Brute is my favorite RC I ever owned. But man did I love my friends’ Tamiya trucks, too. Some of the best monster truck racing we ever did with those three trucks. Awesome video.

Bush devil was released before '92 as my mate got one for Xmas '91, I got a Mudblaster and another friend an Astute that same Christmas. Great memories of driving them together and Great video

I agree with you Glenn I love the tamiya monster trucks I’m lucky enough to own all these originals. In my opinion mid to late 80s was the golden era of Tamiya. Christmas 87 me and my friends all got Tamiya’s mostly monster trucks it was an awesome time in my childhood.

Had a Clod Buster! Loved it!

Lunch Box Black and Blackfoot re-re both waiting for me to build, great watch Glenn!

Keep up the old memories thank you

My God, the mid-80s line-up from Tamiya was just game-changing. Remember in 88'-90' getting the R/C magazines and the Tamiyas were just...definitive.

The Clodbuster can be made a real good runner, with keeping it on the stock chassis and suspension. All I did was axle mounted steering, hot racing air shocks with lift plates, and an aluminum skid plate that reinforces the suspension mounting. I used waterproof electronics, too. It goes through the woods and in mud as good as anything, and afterwards I can drive it through the lake to clean it off since it floats and gets around in the water surprisingly well.

Used to spend every sat morning drooling over the monster beetle the other tamiya's in the basement of our local toy shop. My dad's mate had a blackfoot I got to try for about an hour. The next week dad says I've told my mate you'll wash his car, go out to the drive with the hump and there's the Blackfoot sat waiting for me

March 1 2024 Thanks for such a great review of the monster trucks that made Tamiya the king of radio control, in my book that is. And yes The lunch box was a blast for me to own and drive, and it's my personal favorite Truck too. Be blessed my friend from a fellow RC modeller from Michigan USA

I live in Laos I’m in the Unexploded Ordnance field, my first was a grasshopper then a hornet I’m 46 now and rekindling my youth, I hope to share my pics with ya and videos of using my classics in the wilds of this country no tracks here. Thanks for your videos always brightens my breakfast.👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😁

Wish I could give this video a million thumbs up!👍

Great vid, I will always have a soft spot for these old rc cars, so iconic for us 40+ gents. I had the brat back in 1987 absolutely loved it, would like to purchase another one some day

Brings back too many memories

How could anyone not like this,,. I had a Tamiya Mud Blaster when younger. It performed magnificent on hard flat beach sand which we have a lot of here. So a week ago I couldn't help myself after watching this video -- and now have a lunchbox coming in the mail. I'm wicked excited.

I'm 37 my neighbor had a clot-buster when I was a kid that thing was badass

Wish I had my Blackfoot from back in the day. My cousin gave it to me when he was done with RC. I had so much fun with that back in the late 80’s through the mid 90’s. Still to this day I’ve never seen another Blackfoot with a baby blue chassis

I like the lunchbox too! It makes me laugh!

Started my RC life with a Black Foot. I loved it to death... like literally ran it into pieces. Recently got the remake and it lives happily on my display shelf and gets run carefully every so often. Love the trip down memory lane!

I took my Lunch Box to a park and im not kidding there was at least 10 little kids running around chasing it. Tons of good memories of it. Gave it to my brother for Christmas for his family. They enjoyed it in the snow also.

Loved racing my Monster Beetle against my neighbours Blackfoot back in the day when I was a kid. Even the wife wants me to get back into it, she’s loving watching your videos.

I had a Clodbuster... fitted a pair of matched pair of high revving 22x2 race motors, changed the shocks to oil filled, upgraded it to take an 8.4v, electronic speed controller - there's a bit of plastic that's weak, the part frame to replace it was very expensive, so I made my own replacement parts out of mild steel for it... all of that made it marginally faster than a standard 540 motored 7.2v Blackfoot 😄 Also had a Bigwig with an 11 triple, they were designed so they could also take an 8.4v battery.

I love these monster trucks, I wish I could have one. Didn't even seen any in love haha

Glen.. how can you talk about legendary monster trucks and not have a midnight pumpkin.😳...great channel mate... Love the work and passion you put into it..👍🇬🇧😎

I had the Blackfoot and the big yellow Big Brute by Kyosho! Being an 80’s kid was pretty rad!

lunchbox I loved it had so much fun with it

Thanks for making this video.....I love these tamiyas and the lunchbox is also my favorite

So cool these tamiyas were the ones I always wanted when I was a child , liked and subscribed 👍🏻

LOL Glenn, I Love your last 20 second speech. I don't understand why people put thumb down. Great video for Tamiya trucks.👍

The Tamiya Hornet was my first RC car, followed that up with a Foxx.

I adore my Blackfoot! It is awesome! You are on point! I might get a lunchbox in a few years if they are still around!

Supershot was my all time favorite tamiya.

Just trying to choose a new Tamiya to go after. I think this video has set me onto the Lunchbox. Always wanted one. Guess it’ll be the next one.

My dad and I built the OG Black Foot. I drove the shit out of that thing even at the BMX track. LOved it. Getting a branf new lunch Box in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the video my friend. See you agsin soon.

Awesome! I have a king cab and lunchbox I agree king cab is a stadium truck. One truck I consider a monster truck is the Bruiser. 👌

I got the Black Foot the xmas of '86 when I was 5 years old. Was a bit too much for me at the time but I loved that thing!

Mannnnn you took me back .. I wanted the Lunchbox so bad ( i have one now ) but my buddy had Blackfoot , Monster Beetle , Rc10 , Hornet , Grasshopper .. Lucky bastard

What a nice travel to my young memories. I love the video, I really enjoyed.

I'm the proud owner of several Tamiya monster trucks. Some of them being x2 Wild daggers and a converted Clodbuster Clodzilla sport.

Don't know how famous/popular it was/is, but the Midnight Pumpkin was one I always lusted after as a kid.

Is Tamiya paying You?! TAMIYA are you watching?! This man needs to be on your pay roll! This is the best advertisement for tamiya RC! After watching few of your videos I dropped few grand just to tamiya on. Top force evo trf420 trf415 super avante Egress. Now time to re collect kyosho too!

Bruiser? I always thought it looked epic next to the Monster Beetle and Blackfoot as it has the same size tyres, same era and also a lovely detailed body.

The golden Era again Glen!!!. I love em all ..... but I agree with you the lunch box is my favourite.. I didn’t manage to have a lot of brand new kits back then most of what I had were second hand runners... however I did get a brand new lunch box that I bought from the model engineers show that was held every January if memory serves.. it was held at Wembley arena I think???. I used my birthday money to get it and I remember me and my mate coming home on the bus with all our Tamiya goodies stacked up on our laps.. great memories again Glen👍👍👍👍

I only had a blackfoot as a kid in the 80s.. So I got them all as an adult!

I appreciate these videos. Takes me back a long long way. Thank you!

Nice vid... Can't wait for tamiya to join the 21st century! 😉

The clod buster is my all-time favorite tamiya monster truck :)

most iconic for me. grasshopper, wild willy, blackfoot, hotshot, frog and *drumroll* THE BIGWIG :)

Awesome Glenn can't wait to see that lunchbox build sounds really cool. Thanks for the vid 👍👍keep safe

Hi mate just watching some of your back catalogue love it

When ur 8 years old and every kid on my block got RC cars and my old man gave me a blackfoot....then no one wanted to play...lol much love from Cass city mi

Brilliant Video Mate ! I remember vividly the first time I saw those airy tyres shooo. shooo ! iconic Tamiya !

The lunchbox was my first ever RC build when I was a kid, and as you say Glenn it prob the most fun RC Ive driven....I think the fact its not so planted and controllable make it all the more fun, so will always be my favourite Tamiya monster truck. I did buy a Clodbuster a few years ago, I never got it running unfortunately, I donated it to a mate to try and get him involved in the hobby...I thought Id love it but I just wasn't sold on it once I got one in my hands :/

I think it was the Monster beetle that captured my imagination the most, it just had everything, what with the awesome shell, 'better' yellow shocks and such fun to drive. love them all really though of course!

Oh that takes me back. I remember the Subaru Brat, Frog…I had the Hornet and I remember modifying it using parts from the Fox. Well after a 36 year break of RC, I’m back and loving it. Nice memory lane video 😉

The bush devil was my first rc truck Amazing bit of kit at the time I was that young i even painted the outside of the shell instead of the inside hahah Looked cool though matt black lol

What a great clip and channel I stumbled upon, you have absolutely brought me back to 1986, I was 9, my first RC was the Blackfoot. What a super cool era. The hornet , lunchbox, grasshopper, midnight pumpkin and the list goes on and on….. Thanks for the video friend!

Just getting into Collecting/building/buying/running Tamiya .. . have had Traxxas and others over the years . . . Your Vids are helping me get up to date!!