Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

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Dangeruss
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Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by Dangeruss »

In 1989 Tamiya brought the Midnight Pumpkin into its QD 1/14 2wd electric fold. The QD (Quick Drive) line of cars started in 1988 with the Thunder Shot QD buggy as a way to draw interest away from toy brands and into Tamiya's RC vehicles, a philosophy that was carried on with the Midnight Pumpkin monster truck. Simple in design and construction with a two-piece molded clamshell chassis supporting a pair of pivoting solid axles suspended by a set of undampened sliding pillar coilover springs the downsized 'Pumpkin used z bend tie rods connected to a direct mounted servo saver up front and a 280 powered selectable two speed gearbox out back. The PCB speed controller and receiver with interchangeable crystals for the fully proportional pistol grip transmitter were enclosed inside the chassis above the bottom loading battery bay which housed 8 AA batteries while the black molded plastic Ford F-100 body rode high atop its chevron style All Traction Utility rubber tires on single piece yellow plastic wheels. A chrome grille and rear bumper, yellow roll bar, and black brush guards front and rear completed the predominantly assembled kit:

Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD.jpg

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Re: Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by Lowgear »

I've brought this up a few different times on here but there was a show on Nickelodeon called Wild & Crazy Kids which had a bunch of R/C content. One episode had a contest where contestants were on a beach and had to drive QD Midnight Pumpkins over a minefield type course. The object was to make it as far as possible without having your truck blown up. :)

I've tried in the past to locate a video of the episode but never had any luck.


EDIT: Finally found it, and they use QD Monster Beetles as well!

https://youtu.be/6H2lXAI1WTY?si=RvVQQ8pq7LE32QLd

Starts at the 15:14 mark:

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Re: Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by RogueIV »

Lowgear wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 5:00 pm I've brought this up a few different times on here but there was a show on Nickelodeon called Wild & Crazy Kids which had a bunch of R/C content. One episode had a contest where contestants were on a beach and had to drive QD Midnight Pumpkins over a minefield type course. The object was to make it as far as possible without having your truck blown up. :)

I've tried in the past to locate a video of the episode but never had any luck.


EDIT: Finally found it, and they use QD Monster Beetles as well!

https://youtu.be/6H2lXAI1WTY?si=RvVQQ8pq7LE32QLd

Starts at the 15:14 mark:
I know they're kids but man that driving is pretty bad hahah
Consistency is the key I keep misplacing.

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Re: Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by Dangeruss »

Lowgear wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 5:00 pm I've brought this up a few different times on here but there was a show on Nickelodeon called Wild & Crazy Kids which had a bunch of R/C content. One episode had a contest where contestants were on a beach and had to drive QD Midnight Pumpkins over a minefield type course. The object was to make it as far as possible without having your truck blown up. :)

I've tried in the past to locate a video of the episode but never had any luck.

EDIT: Finally found it, and they use QD Monster Beetles as well!
Ha... you beat me to posting it :P

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Re: Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by TRX-1-3 »

Very Arsenio Hall"ish" rolling fist pump from the young lady on the pink team there around 18:50. Ah, the early '90s.
Hope you're doin' something fun.

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Re: Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin QD

Post by Lowgear »

RogueIV wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 5:59 pm I know they're kids but man that driving is pretty bad hahah
I remember it bugging me back in the day watching it. :lol: Looking back, it was possibly the first time some of them drove an R/C vehicle... especially on sand.


Dangeruss wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 6:00 pm
Lowgear wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 5:00 pm I've brought this up a few different times on here but there was a show on Nickelodeon called Wild & Crazy Kids which had a bunch of R/C content. One episode had a contest where contestants were on a beach and had to drive QD Midnight Pumpkins over a minefield type course. The object was to make it as far as possible without having your truck blown up. :)

I've tried in the past to locate a video of the episode but never had any luck.

EDIT: Finally found it, and they use QD Monster Beetles as well!
Ha... you beat me to posting it :P

I just noticed it was only uploaded to YouTube a year ago which is why I could never find it until now. I've been looking for a least 15 years according to my posts on here. :shock:

Seeing the opening montage/intro again brought back a lot of nostalgia for me as well! :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaQ_DPhlTzU


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