Tamiya Fighting Buggy - 2014 Reissue Super Champ

[GreenBar0n]

The 1982 Tamiya Super Champ, official video.


No one is certain why the name had to change from Super Champ, to Fighting Buggy, but Fender made an amplifier called the Super Champ around that same time period, and Fender still uses that name on products.




This Fighting Buggy will be a Super Champ version.


Going to install the ball diff kit in this one.


The metal models are a favorite.


The window netting is great, might have to borrow this idea for other projects.

May have enough of the original sponsor decals to blend in with the reissue decals, and not need to buy a new sheet; need to go through the ones I have.

Have been looking forward to this kit and build for awhile now, it's the rear oil bottle suspension that gets me, that and it looks like a meaner metal Frog. This kit being discontinued now, and being Amain's last one, made me get it - the ebay/Klarna 4-pay was the kicker.


Wheels are on the way too.


Will sand and prime the body this week before the paint arrives, should be an easy one color TS-15 Blue paint job. Paint should be here this week.

[Dustydrone]

This is the car that started me down the rc car path at age 13. I definitely remember the commercial and still chuckle at the "water proof" rubber balloons. I learned a expensive lesson early and haven't driven a car in the water since. I have a NIB rere Fighting Buggy sitting in the queue for retirement For now I will live vicariously through your build

[GreenBar0n]

the '85 Frog came with those Tamiya black balloons, to seal the MSC and Futaba battery pack, but I tore both balloons on installation, and my water proofing was also compromised.

So stoked they reissued these metal classics, had to get them while they're still affordable, relatively.

[GreenBar0n]

Turns out Step 1 is the gear box, time to add the ball diff kit.


What's in the kit:


Replacing the stock locked diff:


Greased and assembled.


The short middle gear has a directional fit to it, one side has a longer end.



The ball diff feels pretty good, was interesting to build after building the last two SRB's with the stock locked diff.

Trying to keep myself from finishing this chassis in one night. Will probably build that crazy rear end mono shock and oil bottle rig, that has always fascinated me about this model.

[GreenBar0n]

Made it to Step 6, the rear shock is next, will save that for tomorrow.






Enjoying this one.

[GreenBar0n]

Rear is completed, the shock is interesting how it works.






Will most likely finish the chassis tonight, not much to these.

[GreenBar0n]

Need to figure out which servo, something that looks era correct.



Time to sand and primer the body.

The TS-15 Blue for this is supposed to be here next Monday, already have the TS-86 pure red for the roll cage.

[GreenBar0n]

The manual says to paint the roll cage bars with X-7 Red brush paint.


I'd rather spray the cage, instead of brush it. Ordered a can of TS-8 Italian Red, it should be here next week.


The TS-15 Blue will be here today. Need to sand this first primer coat and spray another, before painting.

Will paint the entire body in TS-15 Blue, then mask it off and paint the roll cage in TS-8.