Yes! I built a Turbo Scorpion like this, one of the best weekends of my life and worst due to lockdowns. Was my 2nd Kyosho Build, shocks still have not leaked nor any signs of leakage. Running at least once a week. My xp with kyosho shocks have been great, even my older Giga Crusher shocks seals just as well.
I think it looks great and you did us all a service by doing this! Seems like Kyosho did it well when they did it and not much meat was left on the bone! The carbon bits and pieces loo great on yours and I think it was all worth the effort. Some times you have to bite the bullet and give it a try to find something out. You won in the end and learned a bit more and also scored yourself and awesome new Tomahawk!! WIN-WIN!
Thanks! I don't think you could really reduce the weight much further without removing parts! 😁 It's pretty light as it is. On the makeshift track Kyosho set up for as at the Vintage Meet, the terrain was very bumpy and the Tomahawk struggled for traction. In the end I ran the 4WD Optima, as its tires gripped better and it seemed more composed on the rougher stuff.
The finished result looks awesome. Interesting result on the weight savings. Looking forward to your race report to see if the car feels different from stock even though weight is about the same.
Thanks! 😊 In truth, I expected to lose a little more weight than that, but nevertheless I'm happy with how the buggy turned out. I doubt I'll notice the 19g difference between my two Tomahawks, especially just out in the park. On a track, maybe. Once I get chance, I'll do some back to runs to be sure. 👍
I bought and built a tomahawk. I absolutely love the thing. It gets a little bit of light use but I just like it to be there to look at. I also picked up a Tamiya avante black edition that I haven't completed. Wanting a turbo optima so bad it hurts. Kyosho ultima outlaw was my first higher quality car as a kid after a grasshopper so I have a very soft spot for the 2 brands. This 40th edition RC10 has now entered the chat and has president over the Kyosho's at the moment. Wish I had more money.
Man David I feel like I’ve just meditated after watching one of your videos even though your talking about a lot of technical things ☺️ I really admire how much thought goes into your projects and your videos - perhaps one day when we’re all making RC parts from graphene we’ll be worrying about how best to add weight 😄 keep up the great work!!!
Thank you for the kind words. 😊 I feel I tend to over think things and it takes me forever to complete a build if it involves any kind of modification or custom work! I'm constantly thinking What if..? How about..? Might try this..? 😅
Very good effort David. I hadn’t realised the tomahawk was so much lighter than the rest. 1185gr is a super light kit and now fully appreciate the whole concept kyosho came up with. In term of look your new build with the black body and the original wheels is my favourite. The turbo wheels are just too big/not to scale. And the scorpion shocks add to refined look. I would only swap that black plastic motor protector to aluminium. Thanks for this informative video and have a great day. Laurent.
I thought the same thing about the rear motor guard! 😊 I've seen some metal ones for the Sand Scorcher and thought they'd look great on this build. I have to admit, I wasn't too disappointed about not fitting the Turbo's wheels and tires. They do look a little large compared to the body and kinda reminded me of that trend to fit massively oversized wheels on small hot hatch backs! There is an added benefit, on grass at least I find the Tomahawk kit rear tires to have superior grip. 👍 Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi David, while not a great deal of weight saved as expected it's been really interesting to watch the process and conclusion! I think it's always worth pursuing these kind of tests (although expensive😅) and we always learn something from it...and those carbon parts look amazing!!!
Yes, if I was purely after weight reduction, then it has cost quite a bit of money to lose a mere 19g! 😅 Thankfully, it was also about the looks, the experience and just having fun customizing. 😊 (and any excuse to spend money on RC!)
Absolutely! It cost a whole lot of money to lose a mere 19g! 😅 I don't think I'll notice the difference casually running them out in the park. But on a track, the "Carbon Spec" Tomahawk should accelerate, corner and brake better than the stock one. 👍
Thanks 👍 I didn't set out to make a lightweight version, but it just kinda morphed into one. I'm hoping to acquire a couple more carbon options and take the weight reduction down further. After that, the only real way to reduce weight would be to remove parts. But even on a standard Tomahawk they're isn't a whole lot I could remove... Go driverless I guess! 😁
Looks fabulous. I did a bit more mix and match between turbo scorp and tomahawk for mine. I like the wider front track and longer wheelbase of the TS I prefer the look of the 2.2 rims I’ve got it where I can use the TS wing with the Tom body with a sort of quick release so I don’t need to hack the body. I’m not sure if I prefer the look of it with or without the body. Such great, simple, cars. Another great video 👍🏻
Love the video! I do think that the pro spec tomahawk looks amazing under the shell. It’s a relatively small weight saving but if you think of the fact it’s a 1/10th weight saving, it’s actually quite significant. Other than the weight there will be less measurable things like stiffness and lower centre of gravity. I bet it drives very different on the track. Brilliant work as always. 👍
Thank you! Yeah, unfortunately all that lovely carbon gets covered up with the shell on it! You can tell the Tomahawk is lighter and a little more responsive compared to the heavier Scorpion etc. The difference is most noticeable off the line. I've not have chance to drive my two Tomahawks back to back yet, but so far I can't tell any difference between them. 😅
I put together a similar Tomahawk, but I anodized all of the aluminum parts black then added the carbon. A few years ago I was also able to find SCW004 for two builds but still need to find one additional. They’re like unicorns.
Hi David. You mentioned in a recent video that you use the same motor/esc combo in all your builds, but I’ve not been able to work out what it is! I currently only have modern Tamiya motors and escs, which I don’t want to put in my Turbo Optima and Tomahawk! What do you use?
@@reldwob22 All my 2WD buggies run the brushed Le Mans 490 30T motor and kyosho branded hobbywing 1060. My Optima and Javelin are also brushed with the same ESC but Kyosho’s G15 15T brushed motor. I tried to keep things old school! 😅 However, my Turbo Optima and Optima Mid are brushless with the Le Man 240 Gold and Le Mans 240S ESC. The buggies can handle faster motors without issue, but I’m happy with the performance I get from them. 👍
Excellent work, I prefer yours compared to the stock edition. I want to have a go at a Turbo Tomahawk now! Gold Kyosho shocks and a black body would look good.
That would look very cool! 😎 The Turbo Optima kit shocks (or perhaps the optional gold Ultima shocks) might fit with some modifications and would look very nice! with contrasting black body. 👍 Thanks!
Looks fantastic! Not a big improvement in terms of weight but let’s hope you will notice a performance and handling improvement! Very nice video as always 👏👏
Thank you! Looks wise, it's exactly what I wanted. But I don't think I'm likely to notice a mere 19g in weight reduction. Maybe on a track. But out at the park, probably not! I will take both Tomahawks out and do some testing to make sure! 👍
It looks stunning, superb job. You know you’ll need to see if someone does a carbon chassis now, not that there’s much to the Scorpions already 😂 but that could mean another Scorpion build haha. Hope the weather holds out for you on the event 👊
Thanks! A carbon chassis conversion would be interesting. 🤔 Actually, thinking about it, it wouldn't be that hard to custom build one as it'd essentially be a rectangle with a few countersunk holes drilled into it! 😊 Kyosho did optional hard chassis rails, but they're about 10g heavier than the stock ones. They're also quite expensive for what they are.
I love the way you describe all the details and also the excellent video quality. Those 19g are definitely going to shave a few thousands of a second from the lap times 😋 I am still hoping to see a driving video of the BBX side by side with the Kyosho buggies and your view on the differences 🙂
Thanks! It will be interesting to see how much faster the Carbon Spec Tomahawk is compared to the Standard Spec! 😁 I've been so busy with work and various other projects that I haven't had chance to run the BBX much. Hoping to get out to the park for some runs soon! I will say the BBX is really nice and one of the best buggies Tamiya has released in the last few years. (IMHO). It has a vintage vibe about it, but also a modern and distinctly "Tamiya" designed chassis. I've not ran mine much, but it handles well and has got to be one of the quietest buggies I own. My only real gripe is that it tends to traction roll a lot, something made worse by mounting the spare tire on the back. (but it looks so cool with it on! 😎)
@@KaiCityRCInteresting to hear about the traction rolling of the BBX. Is it more a result of the chassis geometry/design, high placed center of mass or tires that are too grippy on high traction surfaces? Anyhow - looking forward to see it all in a video once the time on your side allows :)
I think it's a combination of relatively high centre of gravity (the ESC is mounted high up) along with the kit tires that have tall profiles. Throw a spare tire on the top and the whole thing rolls over frequently on short grass. It drives better on dirt though.@@matusknives
Didn't Joel Johnson have exhaust on his 87 Ultima? Noticed the Kyosho 60th anniversary JJ has no exhaust in the kit. Guess I can always buy a exhaust from the Tomahawk.
I don't recall if he fitted the exhausts.🤔 Probably not though as he was racing and they're just for aesthetics. The exhaust tips, motor cover, light buckets and inner roll/bracing are all included in the Tomahawk body set if you're looking to add them to the JJ replica. 👍
David, are the Tomahawk shocks the same diameter as the Optima/Javelin. I'm thinking of buying a Tomahawk and some cosmetic parts but need this information.
It might be possible to fit Optima shocks on the Tomahawk. Some info: The Tomahawk, Beetle and Scorpion use the smallest bore and stroke shocks of all the buggies. They're a very basic design, single o-ring and both front and rear are identical except for shock piston holes. The Optima shocks have a larger diameter and are more complex, with two o-rings, additional shaft guides etc. The Optima front shocks are a comparable length to the Tomahawks (~70mm) but the Optima rears are considerably longer. (~95mm). I think with some adjustments it would be possible. Might be a good idea to get the longer shock stays. And the Optima front dampers will be set up for a heavier 4WD chassis, so some tuning would be necessary .
Some of the items that add weight also add performance such as the dampers; better at jumping &rough surfaces. Sticking with the lighweight wheels/tires is your best decision . Rotating items take more energy to get them rotating and also the energy used to move them with the car. Im not an engineer but i believe thats how it works Keeping rotating items light really helps!
Yes! I built a Turbo Scorpion like this, one of the best weekends of my life and worst due to lockdowns.
Was my 2nd Kyosho Build, shocks still have not leaked nor any signs of leakage. Running at least once a week. My xp with kyosho shocks have been great, even my older Giga Crusher shocks seals just as well.
Aluminum nuts and ti screws throughout makes a significant difference
Just want to say your videos are so enjoyable to watch. Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks! Glad you like them! 😊
I think it looks great and you did us all a service by doing this! Seems like Kyosho did it well when they did it and not much meat was left on the bone! The carbon bits and pieces loo great on yours and I think it was all worth the effort. Some times you have to bite the bullet and give it a try to find something out. You won in the end and learned a bit more and also scored yourself and awesome new Tomahawk!! WIN-WIN!
Thanks! I don't think you could really reduce the weight much further without removing parts! 😁 It's pretty light as it is. On the makeshift track Kyosho set up for as at the Vintage Meet, the terrain was very bumpy and the Tomahawk struggled for traction. In the end I ran the 4WD Optima, as its tires gripped better and it seemed more composed on the rougher stuff.
Love the stealthy look of your new Tomahawk. Great job as always!
The finished result looks awesome. Interesting result on the weight savings. Looking forward to your race report to see if the car feels different from stock even though weight is about the same.
Thanks! 😊 In truth, I expected to lose a little more weight than that, but nevertheless I'm happy with how the buggy turned out. I doubt I'll notice the 19g difference between my two Tomahawks, especially just out in the park. On a track, maybe.
Once I get chance, I'll do some back to runs to be sure. 👍
I bought and built a tomahawk. I absolutely love the thing. It gets a little bit of light use but I just like it to be there to look at. I also picked up a Tamiya avante black edition that I haven't completed. Wanting a turbo optima so bad it hurts. Kyosho ultima outlaw was my first higher quality car as a kid after a grasshopper so I have a very soft spot for the 2 brands. This 40th edition RC10 has now entered the chat and has president over the Kyosho's at the moment. Wish I had more money.
素晴らしい! Have fun at the vintage meet!
ありがとう😊
Man David I feel like I’ve just meditated after watching one of your videos even though your talking about a lot of technical things ☺️ I really admire how much thought goes into your projects and your videos - perhaps one day when we’re all making RC parts from graphene we’ll be worrying about how best to add weight 😄 keep up the great work!!!
Thank you for the kind words. 😊 I feel I tend to over think things and it takes me forever to complete a build if it involves any kind of modification or custom work! I'm constantly thinking What if..? How about..? Might try this..? 😅
Very good effort David. I hadn’t realised the tomahawk was so much lighter than the rest. 1185gr is a super light kit and now fully appreciate the whole concept kyosho came up with. In term of look your new build with the black body and the original wheels is my favourite. The turbo wheels are just too big/not to scale. And the scorpion shocks add to refined look. I would only swap that black plastic motor protector to aluminium. Thanks for this informative video and have a great day. Laurent.
I thought the same thing about the rear motor guard! 😊 I've seen some metal ones for the Sand Scorcher and thought they'd look great on this build. I have to admit, I wasn't too disappointed about not fitting the Turbo's wheels and tires. They do look a little large compared to the body and kinda reminded me of that trend to fit massively oversized wheels on small hot hatch backs! There is an added benefit, on grass at least I find the Tomahawk kit rear tires to have superior grip. 👍
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi David, while not a great deal of weight saved as expected it's been really interesting to watch the process and conclusion! I think it's always worth pursuing these kind of tests (although expensive😅) and we always learn something from it...and those carbon parts look amazing!!!
Yes, if I was purely after weight reduction, then it has cost quite a bit of money to lose a mere 19g! 😅 Thankfully, it was also about the looks, the experience and just having fun customizing. 😊 (and any excuse to spend money on RC!)
Its an interesting study into how much it costs to go faster, and make the model perform better. Much like real race cars. Thanks!
Absolutely! It cost a whole lot of money to lose a mere 19g! 😅 I don't think I'll notice the difference casually running them out in the park. But on a track, the "Carbon Spec" Tomahawk should accelerate, corner and brake better than the stock one. 👍
Another great episode of your Kyosho series. Interesting stuff regards the weight. All the best 👍🏻
Thanks 👍 I didn't set out to make a lightweight version, but it just kinda morphed into one. I'm hoping to acquire a couple more carbon options and take the weight reduction down further. After that, the only real way to reduce weight would be to remove parts. But even on a standard Tomahawk they're isn't a whole lot I could remove...
Go driverless I guess! 😁
Lovely video David. Always enjoy your videos on these Kyosho models dude 🙌🏻
Thanks! 😊
Looks fabulous.
I did a bit more mix and match between turbo scorp and tomahawk for mine.
I like the wider front track and longer wheelbase of the TS
I prefer the look of the 2.2 rims
I’ve got it where I can use the TS wing with the Tom body with a sort of quick release so I don’t need to hack the body.
I’m not sure if I prefer the look of it with or without the body.
Such great, simple, cars.
Another great video 👍🏻
Thanks!
Love the video! I do think that the pro spec tomahawk looks amazing under the shell. It’s a relatively small weight saving but if you think of the fact it’s a 1/10th weight saving, it’s actually quite significant. Other than the weight there will be less measurable things like stiffness and lower centre of gravity. I bet it drives very different on the track. Brilliant work as always. 👍
Thank you! Yeah, unfortunately all that lovely carbon gets covered up with the shell on it! You can tell the Tomahawk is lighter and a little more responsive compared to the heavier Scorpion etc. The difference is most noticeable off the line. I've not have chance to drive my two Tomahawks back to back yet, but so far I can't tell any difference between them. 😅
Looking excellent, good luck for the weekend!
Thanks! It was a great day. Video coming soon. 😊
A very mean and extremely cool looking 👀 tomahawk David, definitely the best one I’ve seen, good job 👍🏻
Thank you! ☺️
Just out of interest, is that gun metal on the body and did you dye the kit wheels black?
@@KaiCityRC just out of interest what colour did you paint the body, it looks like gun metal and did you dye the kit wheels black?
Yes, the paint is Tamiya Gun Metal. The wheels are the optional black Scorpion wheels. @@garybennett7026
I put together a similar Tomahawk, but I anodized all of the aluminum parts black then added the carbon. A few years ago I was also able to find SCW004 for two builds but still need to find one additional. They’re like unicorns.
Yeah, SCW004 is very hard to come by.😞
I bet that Tomahawk looked amazing all blacked out! 👍
@@KaiCityRCwhat’s your email address? I’ll send you some photos.
Beautiful build. Good luck at the weekend!
Thanks!
Hi David. You mentioned in a recent video that you use the same motor/esc combo in all your builds, but I’ve not been able to work out what it is! I currently only have modern Tamiya motors and escs, which I don’t want to put in my Turbo Optima and Tomahawk! What do you use?
@@reldwob22 All my 2WD buggies run the brushed Le Mans 490 30T motor and kyosho branded hobbywing 1060. My Optima and Javelin are also brushed with the same ESC but Kyosho’s G15 15T brushed motor. I tried to keep things old school! 😅
However, my Turbo Optima and Optima Mid are brushless with the Le Man 240 Gold and Le Mans 240S ESC.
The buggies can handle faster motors without issue, but I’m happy with the performance I get from them. 👍
Cheers!@@KaiCityRC
小さい時、京商トマホーク、あこがれました。
The grey one is so beautiful
Thanks!
Beautiful build!!
Thanks! 😊
Excellent work, I prefer yours compared to the stock edition. I want to have a go at a Turbo Tomahawk now! Gold Kyosho shocks and a black body would look good.
That would look very cool! 😎 The Turbo Optima kit shocks (or perhaps the optional gold Ultima shocks) might fit with some modifications and would look very nice! with contrasting black body. 👍
Thanks!
Looks fantastic! Not a big improvement in terms of weight but let’s hope you will notice a performance and handling improvement! Very nice video as always 👏👏
Thank you! Looks wise, it's exactly what I wanted. But I don't think I'm likely to notice a mere 19g in weight reduction. Maybe on a track. But out at the park, probably not! I will take both Tomahawks out and do some testing to make sure! 👍
It looks stunning, superb job.
You know you’ll need to see if someone does a carbon chassis now, not that there’s much to the Scorpions already 😂 but that could mean another Scorpion build haha.
Hope the weather holds out for you on the event 👊
Thanks! A carbon chassis conversion would be interesting. 🤔 Actually, thinking about it, it wouldn't be that hard to custom build one as it'd essentially be a rectangle with a few countersunk holes drilled into it! 😊 Kyosho did optional hard chassis rails, but they're about 10g heavier than the stock ones. They're also quite expensive for what they are.
I love the way you describe all the details and also the excellent video quality. Those 19g are definitely going to shave a few thousands of a second from the lap times 😋
I am still hoping to see a driving video of the BBX side by side with the Kyosho buggies and your view on the differences 🙂
Thanks! It will be interesting to see how much faster the Carbon Spec Tomahawk is compared to the Standard Spec! 😁
I've been so busy with work and various other projects that I haven't had chance to run the BBX much. Hoping to get out to the park for some runs soon! I will say the BBX is really nice and one of the best buggies Tamiya has released in the last few years. (IMHO). It has a vintage vibe about it, but also a modern and distinctly "Tamiya" designed chassis. I've not ran mine much, but it handles well and has got to be one of the quietest buggies I own. My only real gripe is that it tends to traction roll a lot, something made worse by mounting the spare tire on the back. (but it looks so cool with it on! 😎)
@@KaiCityRCInteresting to hear about the traction rolling of the BBX. Is it more a result of the chassis geometry/design, high placed center of mass or tires that are too grippy on high traction surfaces? Anyhow - looking forward to see it all in a video once the time on your side allows :)
I think it's a combination of relatively high centre of gravity (the ESC is mounted high up) along with the kit tires that have tall profiles. Throw a spare tire on the top and the whole thing rolls over frequently on short grass. It drives better on dirt though.@@matusknives
@@KaiCityRC thank you
Look's good David 👍😊
Thanks 👍
Beautiful 😍
Thank you! 😊
Hi David. Loving your videos. Can I ask where the black wheels are from… are they kyosho ones?
Yes! Kyosho make several different colors available. 👍
@@KaiCityRC cant find black ones anywhere. maybe not looking in the right place 😂
Like them both 😅 Well done 👏
Thank you! 😊
Didn't Joel Johnson have exhaust on his 87 Ultima? Noticed the Kyosho 60th anniversary JJ has no exhaust in the kit. Guess I can always buy a exhaust from the Tomahawk.
I don't recall if he fitted the exhausts.🤔 Probably not though as he was racing and they're just for aesthetics.
The exhaust tips, motor cover, light buckets and inner roll/bracing are all included in the Tomahawk body set if you're looking to add them to the JJ replica. 👍
I just watched the 1987 race and Joel Johnson's Ultima did't have the exhaust or side mirrors. Ya just aesthetics...@@KaiCityRC
Gorgeous.!! 👍 👍 👍
Thank you 👍
David, are the Tomahawk shocks the same diameter as the Optima/Javelin. I'm thinking of buying a Tomahawk and some cosmetic parts but need this information.
It might be possible to fit Optima shocks on the Tomahawk. Some info: The Tomahawk, Beetle and Scorpion use the smallest bore and stroke shocks of all the buggies. They're a very basic design, single o-ring and both front and rear are identical except for shock piston holes. The Optima shocks have a larger diameter and are more complex, with two o-rings, additional shaft guides etc. The Optima front shocks are a comparable length to the Tomahawks (~70mm) but the Optima rears are considerably longer. (~95mm).
I think with some adjustments it would be possible. Might be a good idea to get the longer shock stays. And the Optima front dampers will be set up for a heavier 4WD chassis, so some tuning would be necessary .
Hello again David, I just wanted to ask, is that body colour gun metal?
That is correct. Tamiya gun metal PS paint. 👍
A bit of a fail but the end result is quite sexy and spectacular! A Tomahawk to be proud of😊
Thank you! I'm really happy with the end result. 😊
Some of the items that add weight also add performance such as the dampers; better at jumping &rough surfaces. Sticking with the lighweight wheels/tires is your best decision . Rotating items take more energy to get them rotating and also the energy used to move them with the car. Im not an engineer but i believe thats how it works Keeping rotating items light really helps!
Very Cool!!
Thanks! 😊
Very nice 🤩
Thanks 🤗
Hello, what color is the PRO SPEC car? Thank you
Tamiya PS Gun Metal. 👍
Nice upgrades 👍 must have cost a fortune 💸
Yeah, the carbon pieces can get expensive really quickly! 😅 😧
Nice.
I remember my old blitzer Beatle.
Great video ,lovely narrative too.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks!
Carbon chassis should be put in to that.. Easy to make..
I've seen a few custom made ones and they looked great. A future project perhaps...🤔
I guessed 1,136 😊
both my rear shocks are leaking and no i did not over fill them///