Willys new ride – the Volkswagen Type2 (T1) Wheelie

Here it is, the newest addition to Tamiyas range of fun and stunt cars after the Mitsubishi Montero.  A true classic, the Volkswagen Type 2, also simply called the T1.

The team of Tamiyablog was very happy when Tamiya announced that car in 2011. Wild Willy was waiting too long for a new vehicle. And i knew, i had to have this kit, as soon as possible.

It´s  very nice to see the VW body sitting on the famous WR-02 chassis. A chassis i really like. The Wild Willy 2 is still one of my favourite runners.

It can be a great performer with some slightly modifications like oilfilled shocks, ball bearings and a 20T pinion.

Tamiya did a fantastic job on the lexan body. Masking the body and doing the two tone paintjob takes a while, but in the end you will be rewarded with one of the coolest looking Lexan bodies Tamiya ever made.

I chose a nice metallic orange for my T1 which i think suits the old VW very well.  The Wild Willy driver figure is well known from one of Willys old cars, the superb “Willies Wheeler”.

All in all i would like to thank the Tamiya Company for still producing such nice and funny cars like the VW Bus. The world of RC Cars is actual dominated from mostly boring and bad looking products which are mainly speed and bashing oriented. Tamiya is nearly the only  manufacturer who breaks this rule.  I would also like to mention the beautiful box  art picture of the VW kit. One of the very best ones Tamiya ever did. I really like to see  such a piece of handmade art in our computer dominated world.

Go for the Type2, it will take a smile on your face.  On the shelf and on the track !

Tamiya 58527 1/10 RC The Hornet by Jun Watanabe (updated 17.02.2012)


Kit No. 58527, Japanese release date late March and list price 13800 Yen.
Color ring decorated with black polka dots on a white base can be finished easily with a large sticker.
The chassis employs a color molding of purple, pink design that combines black wheels and tires is characteristic. Moreover, it is also set black white wheels and tires for traveling.
The item that was stuck to the wheel nuts and upright design, adjusters, etc., to detail which is integrated in the spring of white or pink.
Adopt a high-impact design of the original image while also followed the package, emphasized the design.

Ongoing collaboration project by Tamiya RC and Mr. Jun Watanabe

The collaboration project between Tamiya RC and “ZOZOTOWN” creative director JUN WATANABE is in progress and more details will be published on February 15 (Wed).

JUN WATANABE
Creative director of department of fashion design for online shopping site “ZOZOTOWN”. Scope of activities are diverse ranging from corporate branding, to web site design and TV CM. On the other hand has worked on many fashion and design collaborations of brands such as sneakers, also active as an artist for creative paintings and video works. Has been highly evaluated from overseas media and his pop colors are distinctive and not only domestic. Is an avid fan of Tamiya since childhood and loves radio control models.

Jun Watanabe web page

Tamiya 2012 RC Modelers Work Contest

As always, astonishing Japanese creativity and quality of execution.

First Tamiya 58519 Toyota 4×4 Pick Up Bruiser (RN36) impressions (added one more video 06.02.2012)

The team of tamiyablog.com had the chance to the see and drive the new Bruiser re-release at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2012. Our first observation was that the new gearbox drives similarly quiet as the old one and shifts gears very smoothly. Also although not many changes have been made at the steering (at a first glance we only noticed new steering knuckles) it seems to respond better and turn quite sharper which is probably also because of the differentials. Another observation was that it doesn’t have front free drive wheel hubs any more (as they aren’t really needed with a diff) and so climbing in reverse is significantly improved. The tires of the 2 running prototypes seemed also a bit softer then the old ones and the tires of the demonstration chassis were significantly softer. The new gearbox is shorter and elastically mount only in the rear (front mount is stiff) and it has 2 lugs which aren’t used, so maybe Tamiya has more future plans for it? Also in the end there is a rod which at first glance has no function but possibly is for easier servo rod alignment. The differentials have a screw and thread on the upper side which is probably for locking them. From what we understood from a Japanese employee the box won’t have blisters and that there won’t be a Multi Function Controller for it, the runners in the fair had just both TLU-01 and TLU-02 light units. The decal sheet has 4 blue squares to possibly cover the side bar screws, weird it didn’t have 6 or 8 for all the screws. All in all we were extremely satisfied by this unexpected re-release and the amount of important but well hidden improvements.

More photos of the fair can be seen here.