Blackfoot price?

[Steve71]

Okay as many here know, I'm not a big vintage guy. I'm 50 yrs old so when I use to own them, they were not called "vintage" lol. Anyway. I'm mostly a Monster Truck guy these days ..but there is one "Vintage" rc truck I would like to own, and have started looking at lately on ebay, but prices seem to be all over the place.

So figured here would be the place to ask. When I was a kid in the 80's I had a Hornet, grasshopper, fox, Big Bear, Clodbuster, but one I always wanted but never had, was a Blackfoot. I have started looking on ebay for them, and I see them from $75 to $250 ? Some look beat to hell, and some look fully restored/clean. So what is a realistic price for a well used but good shape Blackfoot? Am I wrong thinking $125'ish? I'm not a big vintage guy but thought maybe that was a decent expectation? Or am I way off?

[Dadio]

What may be affecting price is weather is an 80s original or a modern re re, if it's a modern re re then it's really just a second hand RC car but if it's an 80s car then it's worth more, you seem to like to run em, jump em, and modify cars so getting a re re at a lower price is probably the way to go and $125 is probably a high budget for a re re but low for an 80s car, for not a lot more you could get a new re re kit.

[TRX-1-3]

They re-issued the Blackfoot a few years back. There are some subtle differences between it and the original. For example there were some licensing issues and the body does not say Ford on it I don't think. Some of the price swings might be from the "original/survivor" status and the condition it is in vs. the "it's not the re-release, therefore it should be expensive for no other reason than that" regardless of what condition it is in. You can get a brand new re-release Blackfoot for not much more than what you were thinking. And you would get to build it and not have to deal with someone else's stripped holes and micro cracks at every attachment point. The plastics would also be newer and not as fragile (in theory)

[Steve71]

I really appreciate the info guys. I won't lie...as a MT guy (non vintage lol) I actually had to look up what "Re-re" was. Prob makes me sound stupid on this site lol...but don't know if ya don't ask I guess. I see now, re released vs original. Glad I asked.
I didn't know they even re-released the Blackfoot new. I'll have to Google it and see. If I can get one close to $125-$150'ish...sold! lol

EDIT- $203 from tower hobbies... I think I know what I am buying for myself as a 51st B day gift next month! Thanks again guys!

[Frankentruck]

The one improvement I'm aware of with the re release Blackfoot is an important one, the outdrives and dogbones. The original had hex shaped dogbones that were prone to getting rounded off. The fix was to get a Thorp setup. The new version is the standard ball/pin dogbone setup that it always should have been.

[Dadio]

I really appreciate the info guys. I won't lie...as a MT guy (non vintage lol) I actually had to look up what "Re-re" was. Prob makes me sound stupid on this site lol...but don't know if ya don't ask I guess. I see now, re released vs original. Glad I asked.
I didn't know they even re-released the Blackfoot new. I'll have to Google it and see. If I can get one close to $125-$150'ish...sold! lol

EDIT- $203 from tower hobbies... I think I know what I am buying for myself as a 51st B day gift next month! Thanks again guys!

One saying I created is "it's better to sound stupid than act stupid"

[romulus22]

I was lucky to find this gem not long ago. More than I would have liked to pay, but very fair price I think. It was one of my childhood favorites. Only an original was going to please the void for me.

[JosephS]

The one improvement I'm aware of with the re release Blackfoot is an important one, the outdrives and dogbones. The original had hex shaped dogbones that were prone to getting rounded off. The fix was to get a Thorp setup. The new version is the standard ball/pin dogbone setup that it always should have been.

The original drive shafts still haunt my earliest RC memories. They were just terrible. Even the kit stock motor,1200 mah nicad, and manual speed controller was enough to round them out quickly. Without a constant source of them the truck will quickly become un-drivable. A used one is likely to be well on the way to rounding out if not already rounded. Then *if* the drive shafts lasted the diff gears were made of pot metal and the splines of the outdrives would strip them out. Modern electronics would only make it worse.

If the re-release fixed those issue it's going to be much more useful as a runner.
While many classic tamiya kits remain in production, the blackfoot was discontinued with cause. It was poorly designed.

The clod buster was a better design at the time, is still in production and has available parts. The lunch box is also still around though less popular than a clod. Those designs have stood the test of time and aged gracefully.

[morrisey0]

IMO, a re-re with old body/grille/tailgate/decals and older style rear shocks will fool 90% of the population, outside of it being too clean.

And if you are really good with model work, you can make the new body look just like the old one.

[XLR8]

I agree the Blackfoot is an iconic RC. One of my high school buddies race a BF back in the late '80's and I really wanted one for the collection.
Since I also plan to run my truck, for all the reason mentioned above I opted for a re-release and ordered the repro vintage decal set by MCI to replace those quirky generic stickers included with the new truck. I haven't done so yet but my plan is use a vinyl cutter to restore "FORD" to the hood and tailgate. I'll probably do those in white.
Ampro has an insert to address the changes to the grill. I happen to like the new grill so this isn't something I would consider.



I got a BF re-re before the recent price increase - roughly $180's.

just my two cents...

[Dadio]

And if you are really good with model work, you can make the new body look just like the old one.

I can make a new body look old really easily and in no time at all

[BattleTrak]

I would get a rere kit. It comes with oil shocks and esc..then upgrade it with bearings and the MIP ball diff.