I finally gave in and bought a Tamiya F350

[MelvinsArmy]

I was itching to build a new kit, and had been eyeing the High Lift for a while now. I had also been watching Mountaineers on ebay, but no way I was going to pay $700+ for one that was half way decent. I've owned a Bruiser and a Mountaineer and they were a lot of fun, but I just don't think they are worth that much money. So, I went ahead and got an F350. No big plans right away, I'm just going to build it stock with full ball bearings. I've already got a 4 channel from my tank. I don't really have anywhere to go crawling, so it probably won't get to crazy mod-wise. Maybe some aluminum wheels and cosmetic upgrades. Or, maybe I'll get it together and drive it once and realize it's not my bag. But, it's on the way. I can't wait to open a fresh Tamiya kit and put it together, it will be the first time for me since the Lunchbox was re-released two years ago. I'm excited. I think I'm gonna like this little truck. Heck, maybe I'll make it a trailer to pull an RC10 around on.

Oh yeah, post some picks of your F350, or pics of any awesome F350's you might have. I have no idea what I'll do paint-wise, so I need some inspiration.

[scr8p]

congrats.

when they first came out, i debated on getting one. but, if i drove it as much as my clod (almost never ), it's just not worth the investment. hell, i have a nib super clod in my basement that i've been procrastinating building for the last year and a half.

[shodog]

Here's the deal, when you first drive them, they are not earth shattering. They are just a good solid scale truck.

As with anything, I recomend bearings. This is a complicated build and to build it without bearings would be an injustice. The low speed in the transmission is really low so getting a motor with a bit more speed would be prudent. I have a tamiya sport tuned in mine which gives me plenty of torque and a decent top speed. I also sprang for the MFC-02. you have to see one of these in person to understand why you would pay ~$300 for a piece of electronics. they are really that cool and make the driving the truck way more enticing. Sometimes its fun enough to let the sucker idle while slightly reving the motor.

Here is mine http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=51575&id=34 but you can see a boat load of good, bad and the ugly at this link on scale 4X4 http://www.scale4x4rc.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7094

[/img]

[MelvinsArmy]

Shodog, that is a real beauty. As usual, coming from you.

Yeah, I knew it wasn't going to be fast, no problem there, I'm not looking for a speed demon. But, thanks for the Sport Tuned suggestion, I happen to have a couple of unused ones left over from my racing days. We used to throw them in Mini Coopers, I still swear to this day that racing a group of Sport Tuned Mini Coopers is the most fun you can ever have with R/C. I miss those days. Anyone out here in Brooklyn that wants to race some Minis in a parking lot?

I have seen the Tamiya video of the multi-fuction kit. It sounded pretty awesome. That might well be an option I'll pick up down the road. I know that my full option Tiger II sound is awesome, the sound is huge part of how cool that model is.

I definately want to get one of those Juggster brush guards. The stock one looks way to bulky for my tastes. And dang it Shodog, I've got 3 brand new cans of Tamiya red paint I was thinking of using on this truck. I'll figure something out paint-wise. The box art colors are beautiful, but I've seen about a million F350's done up in that blue, so I want to do something different. I also keep eyeing the RC4wd scale 1.9 aluminum wheels. They look really nice. I had a set of RC4wd Clod beadlocks, and wasn't very impressed with the finish, but they were nice wheels. Not sure what I'll do yet. I'm thinking I'd like to keep it 1.9, but I may get the urge to go with 2.2's. Who knows. I just can't wait to open it up and start building.

[shodog]

I think Tamiya's video of the High lift MFC is pretty lame. Its actually a lot cooler than they make it out on the screen.

The juggster brush guards look sweet but they offer none of the protection that the stock bar has becuase they just mount to the bumper and not the frame like the stock one does.

The RC4wd wheels are really nice and are much improved over older wheels. I just picked upa set of 2.2's for my second high lift that I am going to build. I am slowly assembling parts as my spare change will allow. eventually it will be a modern day bruiser but with a full aluminum frame, axles and wheels

[badhoopty]

sweet, i defintely like me the tamiya f350.

[RichieRich]

I think the F-350s are fun. They top out at around 10mph. I've seen the MFU in person at RCX and it's fantastic. At first, I thought it would be pretty lame. I quickly understood the weird exhaust tip mounting situation.

I too didn't want another box-art blue truck, so I painted mine with duplicolor color shifting paint. Mine goes from blue to red. I guess it's "sorta" box art. I'd like to upgrade the rims to something like the ones shodog has. They look nice. With all that heft and the metal frame, it needs some metal rims.

[Synergy]

Good choice I haven't been running mine long and I love it , I'm considering linking the suspension and changing the shocks but trying to keep it as scale as possible, I understand the standard shocks can get a bit sticky when they get wet/muddy.

I think this one has managed to keep a great scale look with linked suspension, I hope _anders_ doesn't mind me posting this link.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img19793_01042007133031_1.jpg


There are some great paint schemes out there including Shodogs here are some other of my favorites,

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img1604_25102006130123_3.jpg
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img11086_24102006001145_3.jpg
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp?t=n&id=img380_22122006122705_1.jpg

[MelvinsArmy]

I'm totally stealing that fakey roll down side window that's on the white truck. I know I had seen that on a Clod years ago, but I totally forgot about it. See, it's little things like that that really set the truck off.

[aconsola]

They are definately cool trucks. I have resisted thus far as It would likely mean a $1k investment to get it set up to my liking with a nice 4ch radio, mfu, bearings, hi torque servos aluminum chassis . . . .
These things are all such money pits.
Is this why you are listing your PFT for sale?
I was too lazy to register at vintagebmx to be able to post.
-Anthony

[shodog]

They are definately cool trucks. I have resisted thus far as It would likely mean a $1k investment to get it set up to my liking

ugh don't remind me. Yes they are expensive but the alternative is a vintage bruiser or hilux where you can easily spend 1K on just the truck.

The truck is well engineered and the MFU would be a bargain at 1.5 X the price. I hope the Hi-lifts popularity continues and they bring out more trucks with different bodies

[MelvinsArmy]

Is this why you are listing your PFT for sale?
I was too lazy to register at vintagebmx to be able to post.
-Anthony

I'm selling it because I never ride it. It is my childhood dream bike, I love it, but I ride it about twice a year. It hangs from the wall in the kitchen and collects dust. I just keep looking at it and I think I must look like a cartoon charicter with $$ signs in my eyes. It will pay for the F350 yes, but I have been thinking of selling it for a while now. I've got a Kappa K-24 that I ride all the time now.

[shodog]

what is a PFT? I know it's a BMX bike but which?

[MelvinsArmy]

1987 GT Pro Freestyle Tour Team Model. IMHO, the highest point of BMX freestyle.

Tough choice to put it up for sale, but I just don't ride it.

Here's the ebay link:

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=32256371&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=140121818133&lk=URL

[shodog]

1988 explains it as I was pretty much out of BMX by '85. I kick myself for giving my bikes away to the brother of my girlfriend at the time. He got a very nice Diamond back Team pro and an SE Quadrangle. The SE was about the only frame I couldn't break.