Tamiya Monster Beetle

[Dangeruss]

In 1986, just days before Christmas, Tamiya put one of the best gifts of the year under the tree, their 1/10 2wd electric off-road Monster Beetle. A sequel to the recently released Blackfoot the 'Beetle was more than just a platform shared sibling as it contained a number of upgrades over its Blackfoot brother. While assembled with the same red space frame chassis and four-wheel independent suspension system as the Blackfoot, with its Frog off-road buggy derived small front upper and lower control arms contrasted by large rear trailing arms accompanied by newly molded front uprights to create a higher and wider stance, the 'Beetle would benefit from a long set of yellow plastic bodied oil-filled coilover CVA shocks with clip-in spring spacers hung off a tall plastic front shock tower. Precious few changes would be implemented to the rear suspension though, beyond a pair of yellow CVA's mounted horizontally between the trailing arms and chassis. Z-bend adjustable tie rods and ballcups run directly to the Kimbrough style servo saver would continue to provide steering duties, and the electronics remained situated just aft, under a molded plastic cover. The bottom loading transverse mounted battery was also retained to give the zap needed for the 540 motor to spin the pinion, counter, and bevel gear differential inside the metal side plated plastic transmission housing. Rubber boots hid metal dogbones that led to a new set of terra firma busting 4.8in. diameter rubber pin spiked All Traction Utility tires on single piece gold plated plastic wheels. And riding tall over the chassis was a highly detailed multi-piece molded plastic Baja Beetle body, replete with large front and rear brushguards, bushings, mechanical speed controller, Mabushi RS540 motor and Albert Attaboy Driver figure, all included in the unassembled kit. This Monster Bettle would be one of six vehicles built on the big wheeled ORV chassis, including the preceding Blackfoot and subsequent Mud Blaster, Brush Devil, Super Blackfoot and King Blackfoot: