KCRC #6: Tamiya Sand Scorcher & Kyosho Beetle Comparison and thoughts
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- My take on the Sand Scorcher and Kyosho Beetle. This isn't a comprehensive review, just my thoughts on these two fantastic buggies from Kyosho and Tamiya. If you're thinking about getting one or the other, then you may, just possibly, find this useful.
I'll have a running video featuring the Kyosho Beetle up sometime in the near future.
As always, thanks for watching!
Wow, blast from my past! Thanks. After seeing your video I dragged my Sand Scorcher out for a run in some gravel & deep puddles with my son. It's 40 years old, but still as much fun to run as when I was 11 (yes, I'm THAT old!). Also, the electronic box is still totally fine to deal with slow or fast drive through deep puddles or hosing down afterwards, the 7.2 Ni-Cad "bump" battery is still happy to be charged, and my "crystal" based Futaba radio + server set does it job ,,, until the signal range runs out. The suspension will always be what it is technically; however this has never had any influence on my level of immense enjoyment racing the RC. (OK, maybe "racing" is not it's strength ,,, ) Saving up pocket-money for nearly 2 years with my brothers to buy it, the amazing fun of building it over Xmas (mainly "out-sourced" to my older brothers), then the pride of seeing our finished "masterpiece" was/is something priceless & unforgettable. Guess both the old RC and the memories were built to last! I'm totally biased, never built and owned a Kyosho; but I have fallen in love with my Sand Scorcher again; and from your video, hope some more people do too! Thanks again
Thank you for the kind words! ☺️I'm glad that my video rekindled you love of RC! 👍 I think I speak for many of my viewers when I say, we all have fond memories of growing up during the Golden Era of RC. I personally recall many a great time racing with my brothers at local parks or just in the street near our house. Those were the days eh! The Sand Scorcher is a very special RC, there is something about it, hard to define, but the joy it brings while driving is hard to beat.
Saving for 2 years... I felt that. I remember those days. Thanks for the memory!
I had a paper route back in the 70s. Spending over 200-300 dollars back then was a major undertaking. Im just sorry I sold all my vintage stuff when I bought my first home. But I am glad they reissued it. Im 60 and retired and Im building all the RCs I never had the chance back in the day. Im betting on having a collection of at least 35-40 RCs over the next 5-8 years. If not more.
Likewise I had a couple of paper rounds that I did to get money for RC. Back than I could only dream of owning something like the Avante or Optima Mid.
Still got my SS 1979 version. I recently found I still got the strange bulky 7.2 NiCad pack !
Yeah definitely the Tamiya sand scorcher for the looks and vintage feel, one of the best ever kits of all time 😊
Im currently building a Sand Scorcher. I up graded the torsion bar to actual coil over shocks. I upgraded to a ball-diff. Im putting in a full interior by Ampro too. Im going to run mine mostly on a beach here where I live in Michigan so I will keep the roll overs to none hopefully. I have a custom RN36 Bruiser too. These two RCs are synonymous with Tamiya. Tamiya made my childhood and into my 20s the happiest I can remember. As a retired 60 year old I am building a lot of their RCs in the next 5 years. Looking forward to it.
Thanks for taking the time to comment! I haven`t really done much to my Sand Scorcher as I love it just the way it is, poor handling and a tendancey to roll over included. 😁
Running at the beach is something I have never yet managed to do, but hopefully one day!
Had mine ran on a beach but sand gets everywhere. Rough roads, smooth roads, deep puddles, even snow !
Great comparison of the two platforms. Personally I would go with the Sand Scorcher just for the looks and the uniqueness of it. The Kyosho on it cool but it is not terribly different from the Tomahawk and Turbo Scorpion I have already and the Scorcher is vastly different in design. To be honest I still want both! In time I will probably get them both and thanks for taking the time to kind of lay it all out there for everyone to help understand the differences!
Thank you! You are right, the Kyosho Beetle is almost identical to the Scorpion and only slightly different to the Turbo Scorpion and Tomahawk. As such, it was familiar territory for me in both the build and running. It's still a great buggy and far superior to the Sand Scorcher in many ways, especially performance. But there is something about the Scorcher that really appeals!
Definitely get both if you can!
The re release of the Sand Scorcher is what sparked me to get back into rc. A friend of mine had one years and years ago, it was still 20 years old back then, missing SO many parts, and i always wondered what it would have been like complete (i was born in 1984 so by the time i could walk and feed myself these were already antiquated lol)
So I bought one, and I love it.
Then I saw this video and it forced me to get a Kyosho as well. I put a Castle Sidewinder 3800kv esc/motor in it, and, omg, this thing flys woth a 2s lipo. Ive been bashing it for weeks and nothing has happened other than a few screws coming loose (loctite EVERYTHING)
I honestly couldn't pick just one. I think i have a soft spot for VW's, i also have a Tamiya MFxo1 rally beetle, and ive owned 3 (still have a '66 baja bug) real vw's, my dad had like 6 of them, i just like em.
That was a really well done video, excellent footage and narration. I have a massive soft spot for the Sand Scorcher, but haven’t started the build yet (got the kit sitting patiently in a cupboard though). The Kyosho is a massive nostalgic trip for me, I just can’t resist it. Your cars look absolutely smashing, color choice is superb.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks! 👍
Great content again David - thanks for your review of these two classics
Thanks! I'm glad people are finding these useful. Cheers. 👍
Great video. A thorough comparison!
Very interesting comparison, they both look really cool. I am leaning to getting the Kyosho Beetle though. Thank you for sharing and have a great weekend 👍
Thanks for watching and glad you found the video useful. ☺️
@@KaiCityRC And now I have one order,I got it a supersale for about 2900 swedish kroner,I dont know how much that is in yen though.Have a nice weekend!
I think a point that's often overlooked is Tamiya is a scale model. From a model making company. They're unique in that way. Performance is confined by scale. Kyosho and almost anyone else is about performance with scale realism way lower a priority. I love Tamyia for its commitment to its model qualitys. Tamyias are best running with each other. Everything else fits together cause they're not models, or scale. And that's a different class in my opinion.
Great comparison! I too am partial to the SRB but I plan to get the Kyosho as well some day. The quirkiness of the SRB chassis and scale has aged so well. I would love to see box stock lap time comparison with identical motors as a potential video idea!
Thanks, and nice suggestion. I think the Scorcher would be quicker in a straight line, but the Kyosho would take the lead in the corners. 👍
I love the Sand Scorcher's timeless looks and detail. It is the one I'd chose as well.
Excellent comparison video!👍😊 I love the SandScorcher mainly for it’s looks at first and have used the body on my Frog. Only recently have I got to experience driving it via my re re rough rider.😂 Love the look of the better performing Kyosho beetle too. Especially in blue!👍😊
Thanks! Performance and handling wise, the Kyosho is so much better, but I enjoyed building and running the Sand Scorcher more.
I think the Blitzer -v- Kyosho Beetle would be an interesting comparison, as neither are scale models of a Beetle dune buggy like the sand Scorcher is.
Thanks David, Great video, really enjoyed your moving shots and comparison!
Thank you for the kind words! Very much appreciated. 👍
My first real RC car back in 1982 or 83 was a Sand Scorcher.
However, my first national off road race in 1985 was with a Kyosho Beetle.
I still own both today, (I have original and re-releases of both)
Both models for sure have their place.
I’d probably run the re-release Kyosho car today over the Scorcher. But still, you never forget your first 😉
The Scorcher is such a nice RC to build and run, but not really suited to regular track use.
I'm loving your videos David!
My first Tamiya was the original Holiday Buggy. Back then all I could do was drool and dream of a sand Scorcher. I have one now actually three, one Baja Bug, one Buggy Champ and one for later.
Thanks!
I dreamed of it for a year and guess what santa claus brought it when I was 12 ! My dream, my toy, my childhood.
Thanks for all the great information. Nice clean builds!!
Thank you!
Just stumbled across this channel and have subscribed 👍 I had both back in the day, the Kyosho is the better performer but the Tamiya is much more robust. I would go for the Tamiya as I was always buying spares for the Kyosho.
Thank you!
Ha love the sandscorcher, my daughter and I are in a club joined this year and loving it, best thing ever
Yeah, there is just something special about the Sand Scorcher! 👍
Thanks for the review! Very nice looking rides!
I'm in the process of adapting the rear swingarms from the Kyosho into my Sand Scorcher chassis. I LOVE the detail Tamiya put into that model, but then they put THAT rear suspension setup in it, and kinda ruined it! A REAL bug has trailing arms like the Kyosho version... Why'd they do that?
Your videos really have me wanting a Kyosho Beetle, as I don't have any of the trailing arm 2wd Kyosho ReRe kits....and also I'm wanting a Blitzer Beetle in a bad way....
One of the best and worst things about the RC hobby, there's always a giant list of stuff to enjoy, amd kits to want for... and it seems I'm always adding more kits to the list faster than checking ones off the list...lol
Cheers!
So true! My list of kits I would like to own someday never seems to get any shorter! 😅
I'm 53, and in 1981(11yrs old) I saw an advertisement for the Sand Scorcher in the back of a BMX magazine(perhaps BMX Plus!?) Ever since then. although I've owned multiple RC cars in the past, this damn Sand Scorcher has been engraved in my mind. In the BMX magazine advertisement, they showed someone running a hose over the insides of the Sand Scorcher to clean it, and photos of it roosting somewhere on a sandy beach. I still want one so bad.
There is something special about the Sand Scorcher. I'm so glad I was finally able to get my hands on one. It has quickly become one of my all time favorite RC's. 👍
Very cool video. Beautiful cars
Thank you 👍
Great video on 2 iconic buggies
Thanks vsry interesting comparison. I lke your Sand Scorcher bodyshell painting. Simple one colour no decals yellow headlights. I like it this way: chic.
Thanks for watching! 😊 I prefer simple color schemes for pretty much all my buggies.
I can’t wait to get the kyosho beetle this Saturday at my local hobby shop the Tamiya sand scorcher will probably be my next car kit or some of the other kyosho car kits
Good luck with the build! 👍
@@KaiCityRCthanks I’ve bought it I just need silver spray paint I’ve got all of the other paints and tools with remote,batteries and charger and headlights. I can’t wait to build it.
@@KaiCityRCI’ve made mine I can’t wait to get it running this Sunday
Nice overview 👍🏼
Thanks! 👍
I was asking this question this week ! Thankyou 👍👍👍
Glad you liked it.👍 I saw your post on Insta earlier, but at the time this video was still being edited! 😁
@@KaiCityRC I will probably go scorcher but funds aren’t there yet 👍thanks buddy
Great Job David!
I agree with you!
Asplenia.
Great vid got to admit I love the scale looks of the sand scorcher that would by choice.. 🤩🤩🚴👍
Agreed! 👍
very nice commentary and comparison! I like how you cycled between the good and bad of each buggy. Both are great and the disadvantages are outweighed by their beauty and character. Personally I have always preferred kyosho chassis over tamiya's and tamiya bodies over the kyosho lexan ones. I combine the two to get the best possible buggy. The sand scorcher body looks a bit too big on the scorpion chassis so I cut off the fenders (good way to spoil the SS body 😞). Still did not look nice. then I discovered the tamiya QD monster beetle red 1/14 body that had the width of the kyosho beetle body. It being short was an issue, I shortened the score chassis by 15mm or so and it fits perfect and looks the part. Very nice, always preferred hard bodies over lexan. On another note, the kyosho field baja bug chassis goes very well with the SS VW body! The combo can be treated as a stadium beetle or a monster beetle depending on your choice of tires.
Thanks for commenting. I have to agree with you, Kyosho's chassis tend to be nicer, but Tamiya's bodies are way more detailed. Their driver figures too. 👍 Never thought of combining the two. 😁
@@KaiCityRC I have always combined parts from different vintage manufacturers to get the one that I love. am a sucker for VW bugs. have a cox VW bug that I want to turn into an RC, believe its 1/12 scale. then I have the TMNT channel 6 news van that I want to do the same, that reminds me of the VW kombi van. Going off tangent there but its great fun to do custom work on different unique well made toys. Some are underdogs that are amazingly good. One such underdog is the kyosho 4x4 chevy or 4x4 datsun truck, amazing suspension articulation. Will be watching your other vids
Hi I have just subscribed looking forward to loads of video
Thanks!
Love both a lot and Tamiya gets the scale Kyosho in my opinion gets the performance and handling.
They are both beauties! but for drivability the kyosho beetle will outperform the sand scorcher all the time. I like both mine!
Absolutely!
Love both and had both, but the Kyosho will out handle the sand scorcher any day . The metal buggies were the best. Great video as for scale the SRB SS hit the mark.
Thanks 👍
Just got the Kyosho, what a fantastic quality buggy for the garden! Impressed with the quality. I See sand scorcher bodies available for reasonable money on ebay, do you think I could adapt the tamiya body (which I really love the look of) on the Kyosho legendary? Thanks for the video.
They both mount in a similar fashion - single body post at front, roll bar at the rear. It maybe possible to fit one on the other, and I'd imagine someone already has. The only downside I can see, the Tamiya body is far more detailed and takes A LOT more time to do right! But it is damaged easily, especially during roll overs. (don't ask 😥)
Not too much of an issue when mounted on a Sand Scorcher, as the whole thing has more of a "static model you can drive" feel to it. Let's just say it almost demands to be driven with care!
The Kyosho chassis is far more capable, but I know that if I'd fitted a Sand Scorcher body onto it that had taken hours to get right, I'd be driving it like I was driving Miss Daisy...😁
Very good point. and thanks for the answer!@@KaiCityRC Will put a rack on my Kyosho and some lights, and add realism to it and drive it like a lunatic. Just went for the kyosho as the chassis is just wow! Mine's setup brushless and wants to fly so considering your comment, I might just not put the scorcher body on it.
Cool rc’s! Great job 👏
Thanks 👍
Just found your channel, great video!
Thank you and welcome! 👍
Nice comparison. For me it came down to my level of dislike for yellow wheels lol.
😁 Funnily enough, prior to building the Beetle I had no plans to use the kit wheels and prepared black, white and chrome alternatives. But once I'd done the body, I discovered I liked the yellow wheels the best!
Thanks for the great video! I want to get the Kyosho Beetle but they're out of stock everywhere or way overpriced on Ebay :( I just might go with the Tamiya Sand Scorcher for the time being, mostly because of your review :)
You won't be disappointed with the Sand Scorcher, it is a fantastic car to build and run. While it doesn't have the performance of the Kyosho, it makes up for it with lots and lots of character. 🙂👍
The Kyosho Beetle is really hard to get hold of everywhere. Kyosho recently ran a fresh batch off over here and they sold out pretty much everywhere almost immediately.
Thanks for the kind words. ☺️
Kyosho Beetle hands down!
Great comparison! Thank you sir 👍🍺
Glad you liked it! Thanks!
The Kyosho just looks weird. I'm thinking put the Sand Scorcher body on the Kyosho chassis!
Yeah, I have to admit from some angles the proportions on the Kyosho body look a little off. 😁 It's grown on me though! The Sand Scorcher Body on a Kyosho Beetle chassis would be likely the best of both worlds - looks and the performance to go with it! 👍👍
I love my tamiya SRB's, I take them to the beach every year. However, if I was entering a vintage race I would use my Scorpion every time.
Absolutely. The SRB is many things, but a racing performer isn’t one of them! 😁
J'adore 💕
I seen people run nine and a half turn brushless in sands scorcher.
I was wondering how do you record the car run? Do you running along the car? I was trying to get a good footage of my car as well.
I run alongside the car, filming with right hand and driving with left. 👍
It's funny how usually it's Tamiya that looks more "toylike" but in this instance the Kyosho looks quite cartoonish
Wtf lol they both look great 👍 compare them to a traxxas or hpi and see what looks more like a toy... not the tamiya or kyosho. They look scale.
The Tamiya beetle driver looks like the villain in old Golan/Globus movies….
I love both
The sand scorsher looks much more scale.
But kyosho is by no means less than, a beautiful kit
Oh yes, the Sand Scorcher body when done properly is so much nicer.👍
It also damages so much easier too. 😩 Mine is currently in pieces being repaired and repainted.
my biggest question is can u put the sand scorcher on the kyosho beatle to have the best of both worlds
Anything's possible! The heavy Scorcher body would impair the Kyosho chassis's handling somewhat, but it would certainly look better.
Hi, can you give me code color of sand scorcher matt grey??
Tamiya PS-12 (I'm aware it is meant for polycarbonate bodies).
I'm in the process of building the kyosho beetle.
Good luck with the build!
Kyosho limited fun, you break it, then good luck finding parts just after a short while 😂😂😂
I'm fortunate to live in Japan where it is (usually) easy to get hold of most parts...usually! 😅
@@KaiCityRC Nice👌 the best place for kyosho and Casio! 😁 but I think Tamiya is cheaper from rcmart HK. Been in Japan 1 time, I LOVE IT!!! My brother twice already. I hope we can be back again, the only problem with us is communicating. Lucky you 👍😊👍
I've been thinking about this!!! They re-release this stuff then you try getting a replacement part and they've discontinued everything, or charge you an absolute fortune for it. It's so out of order 😂 that's why i haven't pulled the trigger on buying one. I really wanted a Kyosho Beetle but I wanna use it. Not just stick it on a shelf
fighting buggy 2014
One of my favorites. The design of the rear end with mono shock and external oil reserve is so cool. Reminds me that the FB is long overdue for a run at the park. 😊
the Kyosho is a real ugly shell , compared to Tamiya ! Best wishes from Wales 😍😍
It certainly lacks the detail of the Tamiya's.
Let's grow up together 👍🔔💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙