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In the past, Tamiyablog has presented a few “fantasy” models, mostly modern models that had been modified or painted to look like vintage Tamiya models or how we imagine that a follow-up of a classic could look like (like Tamiya themselves have done for instance with the Blackfoot; Super Blackfoot, King Blackfoot and Blackfoot Xtreme).

This time it’s a little different. The pictured model is not intended to be a serious Rough Rider/Buggy Champ clone and also, it’s not something we could imagine Tamiya would ever make. It’s however a model with some of the visual clues of the Rough Rider/Buggy Champ, but with the handling, durability and parts availability of a modern model.

It’s pretty much a stock Sand Viper with the body cut and decorated to resemble the Rough Rider/Buggy Champ as closely as the basic shape allows. The driver figure is a selfmade resin copy of a Rough Rider figure. For a slight touch of the Special Racing Buggy chassis (used on the original Rough Rider/Buggy Champ), I changed the opaque black gear cover for the transparent smoke gear cover of the Super Fighter Buggy. The tires are aftermarket item from a German company. Their quality is inferior to Tamiya tires, but were still chosen because of the slight similarity with the Rough Rider/Buggy Champ tires. Stickers are a combination of purchased repro stickers and selfmade stickers, just like the Tamtech-Gear Buggy Champ presented here some time ago.

So, as much as I look forward to the release of the Buggy Champ 2009, I will still enjoy this Sand Viper for its superior handling and durability when compared to the original.

By the way, we will follow up with further “fantasy” models in the coming weeks.

Tamiya really manages to still surprise us, this time with a re-release which most people considered impossible and which will have a large impact on “investors” and vintage prices, the first racing buggy, the legendary 58015 Rough Rider / Buggy Champ. Thankfully, the re-release will also introduce several improvements as the original is quite a poor runner. Below a translation of the Japanese text which TamiyaTreasure kindly made for us:

The legendary Racing Buggy “Buggy Champ” is completely reissued! ! Released in 1979, BUGGY CHAMP, the key player of the Electric RC buggy boom, is coming back. Equipped with a 2 mm thick FRP and reinforced duralumin plate main frame, die-cast suspension arms, and transparent parts of radio deck without changing the basic structure. Structural changes were made to improve the strengthened front uprights, oil dampers and corresponding ESC. Experience the reailistc body and dynamic running, this is the model for entusiastic RC fans. A faithful reproduction of the original chassis, featuring the front double trailing arm, torsion-bar type rear suspension, gear case, front axle, rear sus arm, front sus arm and wheel hub are reproduced in new die-cast type.
★ Overall length 400 mm
★ Full ball bearing
★ Same blister packing
★ Plastic white body is easy to paint
★ Exclusive Li-Fe battery sold separately.

Official price is only 34000 Japanese Yen, which is approximately 340 US $ or 250 €, street price is usually quite a lot less. Seems it will have full ball bearings, new LiFe battery, improved dampers and stiffened chassis. We at Tamiyablog are very excited and are very happy also they brought back the blister packaging! As usual, we will permanently add details and photos as soon as we get them.

With the re-release of the (as unlikely thought) Rough Rider the question arises again (this time stronger then before) whether there was a long plan behind the re-releases. Around 2004? most of the later re-released cars where presented in a Japanese fair, we will add a photo when we find it. Later Tamiya released also those models as low cost mini “coffee” cars, high detail mini San-S models and small Takara Tomy RC models.