Kyosho Beetle build

[mAdMan]

I love the scorpion so much I wanted a partner for it. This just arrived. I plan to pair these with identical electronics (GoolRc 3100 combos) and sand drag race them through camp in one of my favorite camping spots in the Mojave Desert.



Just one extra reason to drink a beer with some friends.



**I'm seeing a drinking contest in the near future. Looser drinks but picks his car for the next race.

[mAdMan]

I got as far as getting the box opened. I...um...didn't tell my wife about this one.

[ron]

could you post pics again, please

[CruzinCustomz]

This is on my list of must haves, but it's a long list

[mAdMan]

I feel like the scorpion could use some heavier oil up front I'm going to try 32.5 I think.

[mAdMan]

Whoops had the rear suspension on the wrong side of the tower on this build too!

Easy fix.

[mAdMan]

Wow these are really beautiful.

[mAdMan]

[ron]

The first time I laid eyes on the kyosho beetle, I fell in love, I don't have a scorp or tomahawk, find the design of the body to refined and designed purely for speed and performance whereas the beetle is all beauty, that round body with the round headlights, just gorgeous, the tires compliment the genderless beetle very well, I love the form of the kyosho beetle but have opted for the tamiya sand scorcher body cause its plastic rather than lexan. I love realism and scale stuff so the SS body won me over. A perfect combo.

The re-release kit will not disappoint, very very well made, for the guys who are owning it for the first time, the feeling is the same as when it was first released, kyosho have done a wonderful job! I have the vintage so I am sticking with that, just bought a few re-re hop-ups to make mine better!

[mAdMan]

The first time I laid eyes on the kyosho beetle, I fell in love, I don't have a scorp or tomahawk, find the design of the body to refined and designed purely for speed and performance whereas the beetle is all beauty, that round body with the round headlights, just gorgeous, the tires compliment the genderless beetle very well, I love the form of the kyosho beetle but have opted for the tamiya sand scorcher body cause its plastic rather than lexan. I love realism and scale stuff so the SS body won me over. A perfect combo.

The re-release kit will not disappoint, very very well made, for the guys who are owning it for the first time, the feeling is the same as when it was first released, kyosho have done a wonderful job! I have the vintage so I am sticking with that, just bought a few re-re hop-ups to make mine better!

I never looked at Kyosho kits until this year. I have to agree that the kits are just wonderful to build. The realism is all there in the chassis design. The transmission is something to gawk over. If I enjoyed the aesthetic design of the tomahawk and optima I would definitely pick them up. Thanks for the reply!

While I wait for the motor and ESC combos from China I decided to install a vxl-3s ESC and a trinity caliber 19t brushed motor. Reverse off because traxxas ESCs are lame and 100% reverse with no stopping in between forward shreds drivetrains. This car flys. I installed the included smaller gear ratio. I wish I could get an adjustable reverse like the castle ESC on castle link. I also purchased a XP2G radio and 4channel receiver off eBay for 30$ shipped. I like the adjustment on this radio and for less then a MT-4 receiver I am happy.

[ron]

sure is a beauty, too lazy to post pics here but here is my flickr link to my stuff

https://www.flickr.com/photos/110872915@N05/page2

Please browse through, I have added carbon fiber parts that I traced, cut and sanded for finish, a lot of little improvements, installed rare thorp ball diff, and later have put in kyosho 1886 red dampers, CRP swing shafts, GEARHEAD rear wheels, machined, split and fitted. I am opting for a 380 size motor, brushless, looking for smaller compact sized electronics so it does not 'crowd' the chassis. Have bought a motor and ESC for 1/18 scale, wonder if it will work, I have a vintage SS body as well as the re-re SS, the fenders for the re re have been cut to give it that 'baja' look. The vintage SS body will go on a 4X4 scorp custom chassis, will use assault gearboxes, a drive shaft will link the power through to the front gearbox, just like the tamiya avante has, it will be super, Phin gave me that idea, so thanks Phin, still an idea but I have collected a lot.

madman, the best thing yet from the optima re -re are the freaking awesome looking shocks, would be a GREAT hop up for the beetle and will look super nice. Get then at banzai hobby, they have it at a really good price.

good luck with your build, I just love looking at mine, thats why I have not progressed at putting the electrics in,

[RC104ever]

I see a lot of Sandscorcher design elements in this car. Which came first? I can also see how the RC10 might have evolved from a design like this one.

[mAdMan]

Sand scorcher 1979 and still die cast.
Beetle 1983 and now forged T6061.



Wow Ron. Just...wow.

[ron]

Thanks Madman , When I build a buggy or truck, it is never stock, there are so many elements that you don't like or can improve on, I have a taste for fine vintage scale looking parts, whatever works, I borrow parts from tamiya, AYK, yokomo, other kyosho parts, hah, you have a ride that is perfect in so many ways, I always keep in mind that is strong, light and functional at the same time.

Yeah, tamiya was big, more so than kyosho, they were and still are a model company, therefore so much realism and scale reflects in vintage buggies, trucks and cars, mores because they copied real racers of that time, many are american brand - chevy, ford FAV, dune buggies etc. Kyosho came in later and released their own rivals to tamiya's SS - kypsho beetle, super champ - scorpion, toyota 4x4 or blazer - kyosho datsun/chey. I love kyosho's designs, all geared toward functionality and performance, the contrast is obvious, the lighter scorps/beetles were beating the likes of the heavier scorcher and super champ.

The much forgotten kyosho chevy or datsun were 4x4, chain driven, very very simple compared to the tamiya toyota or blazer, but man o man, they functioned SO WELL over rough terrain, suspension articulation is just out of this world, like real off road trucks, they had trailing arms. I currently have a datsun and am giving it a real make over with bushings, bearings, super champ steering rod ends, you-g blue shocks and kyosho assault gearbox, it will be lighter, better looking and more functional, retaining the iconic chain drive.

[ron]

oh yeah, since I talked so much on the kyosho datsun/chevy (datsun was nitro, whereas chevy was 2 speed electric, thats the only difference), here is a youtube vid to prove it!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBHiZLv1f_M
[youtube]lBHiZLv1f_M[/youtube]