MRC MRX

[Mike73]

MRC MRX - I remember a good few years ago seeing this advert, it was in Radio Control Model Cars, May 1988 as a kid I was thinking this car looked pretty rad. So here we are 33 years on and I've picked up this MRC MRX off a great chap as a winter project for me and the boys to tackle. A mate had some wheels and amazingly the correct tyres which he’s kindly agreed to forward onwards. Looking carefully at this pic I noticed the front tyres don't match the rears so finding these tyres in new condition was a real stroke of luck!
Just need a bodyshell to source now, thinking an RC10 Eagle or maybe able to get an original pulled soon, I've tracked down an enthusiast in France who has already pulled the Santana shell and has recently acquired and plans to do the MRC MRX which would be fantastic.
Only other parts to source are the wire wing mount parts for attaching wing to the car and new bumper
Will keep you updated as I go if of interest to you all.....

P.S - How do you order photos on here like to get more up in the order i'd like

[blast]

Nice to see some french stuff here.

[Mike73]

Nice to see some french stuff here.

Cheers its a great looking car, however needs the body fitting correctly in my opinion as per these pics from the 1988 mag article check out how they set the body further back to give it a lower meaner look and don't use the front body mount

[juicedcoupe]

P.S - How do you order photos on here like to get more up in the order i'd like

Type whatever you want to say, then hit enter to go to the next line.

Upload the photo that you want (3mb limit). Once the photo has uploaded, hit "place inline". Then hit enter (I do it twice) to go to the next line.

You can then type more or upload another image.

Before submitting, use the preview. You may want to adjust spacing or something.

[dinglem]

Always liked the look of these myself too. It almost felt like the pre-cursor to the Optima Mid being released, and once it did the MRC was hugely overshadowed and faded from memory. That was a shame I think as this car initially showed masses of potential. I remember it actually being confused for the early Mids at various European events in various magazine reports.

Nice to see yours on here - i know we have discussed this earlier - i think you are correct to try to stick with the original shell if at all possible. I agree you need to try to hunker it down, especially at the rear to make it more aggressive looking. I did the same when I placed my Parma Eagle shell on to the Brimod prototype and that effect really worked.

I look forward to seeing what you do with it mate.

[Mike73]

Always liked the look of these myself too. It almost felt like the pre-cursor to the Optima Mid being released, and once it did the MRC was hugely overshadowed and faded from memory. That was a shame I think as this car initially showed masses of potential. I remember it actually being confused for the early Mids at various European events in various magazine reports.

Nice to see yours on here - i know we have discussed this earlier - i think you are correct to try to stick with the original shell if at all possible. I agree you need to try to hunker it down, especially at the rear to make it more aggressive looking. I did the same when I placed my Parma Eagle shell on to the Brimod prototype and that effect really worked.

I look forward to seeing what you do with it mate.

I hear some Kyosho parts can actually be patched onto the MRC and i can see the similarities in many of the parts arbs components, shock (uppers) turnbuckles, wishbones its an impressive little buggy. Got to decide whether to keep the original electronic setup or take out and go with ESC etc. Got to see what i have and think what period electronics the guys may have run BITD in the MRC MRX. My go to motor as a kid would have been a Demon motor, loved that label and first esc a Silvermaster Silverstar was about the limit of my pocket money. I'm going to be patient and get body shell which hopefully gets pulled and I cant wait to get these tyres on the car, currently in the post check these out they are mint...

I've started cleaning, removed the belt cover and removed that shocking double sided tape, I'll probably do the bottom as well and replace with clear or black double sided strips.

[blast]

Nice to see some french stuff here

Cheers its a great looking car, however needs the body fitting correctly in my opinion as per these pics from the 1988 mag article check out how they set the body further back to give it a lower meaner look and don't use the front body mount

I think it's because the sides of the body in the first kits were too short . Later MRC fixed that problem with longer sides.

[Mike73]

[/quote]
I think it's because the sides of the body in the first kits were too short . Later MRC fixed that problem with longer sides.
[/quote]

Thats good to know they updated the bodyshell, have to make sure the chap who plans to pull a copy has the correct later bodyshell.
Take a look at this body below, its been mounted on the front correctly but look how high its sitting .

The magazine car mounts behind and lower than the intended position, not on the front gearbox casing if you like, hence sitting way lower, possibly further back as well. I will play around with the shell when I get it but definitely prefer the lower sleeker look.

[blast]

The lower position of the body looks really cool indeed! But with an updated body it's not so bad either in my opinion.

[Mike73]

The lower position of the body looks really cool indeed ! But with an updated body it's not so bad either in my opinion

Wow I see what you mean with that shot, a few mods to the body, longer sides and yep looks fantastic. Like that paint scheme as well good job

Need to look out for some MRC stickers are these reproduced by anyone I’d ideally like the one on the magazine car. Thinking about it I wonder if the MRC MRX was featured in any other magazines of the time, anyone?

[Mike73]

Was getting a little worried these had got lost in the post then they rocked up, quick bit of tea and then bolted on this eve, looking more like an off road buggy now
So bodyshell, wire wing bits, stickers to locate and then decide on a paint scheme to compliment the yellow rims.

[blast]

The lower position of the body looks really cool indeed ! But with an updated body it's not so bad either in my opinion

Wow I see what you mean with that shot, a few mods to the body, longer sides and yep looks fantastic. Like that paint scheme as well good job

Need to look out for some MRC stickers are these reproduced by anyone I’d ideally like the one on the magazine car. Thinking about it I wonder if the MRC MRX was featured in any other magazines of the time, anyone?

Thanks I tried to create a basic paint scheme as i find the shape of the body a bit special, i don't manage to imagine an ideal pattern ...
Here are two examples from french magazines:
https://www.retromodelisme.com/article_page/7795/mrx-4x4-mrc.html
https://www.retromodelisme.com/article_page/4815/essai-mrx-4x2-competition-mrc-mrc.html

The big MRC sticker on the wing is not included on the original stickers sheet , it was used on 1/8th gas buggies.Don't know if MCI makes a repro.

[Mr. ED]

ah finally I understand why that original body was sitting so high onthe MRC I owned years ago.
That magazine really put in some effort to correct for the short body; look at how they cut out the rear to allow the shocks to pass through

[Mike73]

Correct the mag author arrenlty spent all night revieiwng and thinking that one through and made it look 100 times better though i'm sure it'd let a lot more dirt through!!!
I'll defo be cutting and shutting the shell to fir as low as i can get it just looks fab done that way.
Still not sure on a colour scheme something to compliment the stock wheels and tyres i've now managed to locate

[DACECOLI]

Hello Mike,
No photo with complete restauration with my new body?
Damien