NIB vintage Futaba radio, use it/keep it mint?

[flipwils11]

What would you do if you were me? I just got this nib Futaba Magnum pcm1024 from JHarris's "I need to play the lottery" parts thread from the guy's old hobby shop (thanks JHarris, great guy to work with by the way!). As you can see from the pictures it is a time capsule. Check out that price!

Now, the caveat is I had this exact radio when I was a kid for my gold pan RC10 although at that point it was so heavily modified it was barely recognizable as an RC10. This radio is so amazing to hold and bring back memories but with modern technology, plus a perfectly good entry level radio (Traxxas) from civilguy, I don't need to use this. And unpacking it, charging it, and installing it will only be a onetime thrill.

I guess what would you do? If for example a Futaba Magnum Jr was the radio you had in the 1980's on your 1st RC10, would you get all nostalgia-ish as I am with this thing? It's just a radio after all, the car is the thing that brings us all to this site long after newer buggies have come out.

I also have a mint in sealed box Tekin esc that I bought from JHarris because I had one of those in my RC10. I might have to break open the seal at least to take it out and play with it, but not install it. The radio I think is the biggest new old stock thing that I can't decide on though. The esc is cool, but doesn't have that great feel in your hands like a nicely proportioned radio like you used to own...

Yes, I'm a dork.

[JHarris]

Run it!!!! I still have my 2 original Magnum Sr. radios with the rotating heads. If I could convert them to 2.4ghz I'd be using them. As cool as the M11x I use is, nothing beats the feel of my first radio.

[aconsola]

buy a used one for running your rc10, and preserve the minty fresh NIB example. There can't be many of those out there in that condition. That was the radio to have bitd, great addition to your collection!

[RC10resto]

original Magnum Sr. radios with the rotating heads. If I could convert them to 2.4ghz

So no go on updating the old Sr.? I was hoping that it was possible.

[civilguy]

I have to agree with Anthony... don't use it. There are VERY few radios NIB like that. You can likely find a decent used example for short money if you have the urge to use one. Personally we've made the jump to 2.4ghz in all our runners and will never look back.

[aconsola]

this radio can be used as a 2.4ghz. The spektrum module for the 3pj/3pk fits perfectly and worked fine if you set your modulation to ppm instead of pcm.
I had one briefly and tried the spektrum module in it myself out of curiosity. I wound up selling the radio, but wish I hadn't. Some day I'll get a good deal on another one for the collection.

[flipwils11]

Thanks everyone, you've given me a lot to think about! I'm strongly leaning towards keeping it mint and looking for another one that is in ok shape to use (I really like this radio style). As I mentioned in one of my intro threads on this board, I got a really, really rough one from ebay and had to return it to the seller. It was a heap. So I hope I can get one that's used but not in horrible shape to use for all around.

I'm very interested in that 2.4ghz option with this radio which sounds like a nice route to go.