TOPIC:

I'm probably going to be shot (pun intended) for yet again bringing up the topic of gold wheels being issued with early Hotshots. At least on Tamiyaclub that would be a reason for a lifetime ban, as it will contradict what the hotshots (pun intended, again) there have established as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I hope the fine people of Tamiyabase can be more open to "alternative facts", and not just dismiss it as "fake news".

I have for a long time been one of those insisting that I got gold plated wheels with my Mk.1 Hotshot that I bought as soon as it was available at the LHS (Modellbygger'n, Tromsø, Norway) before the summer of 1985. The LHS got two Hotshots with that first shipment (yes, I know, small town), one pre-built display model, and one kit that I bought. Both of these had gold plated wheels. I remember buying plain wheels a short time after, because the "gold" started flaking off around the axle hole, and I didn't want to ruin them. I still have those wheels.

Looking at the 25. December 1985 release date of the (5266/50266) gold wheels one can of course dismiss my "story" as BS, as this is more than half a year after I bought that Hotshot. This can be backed up by claims from people supposedly having been in contact with Tamiya about the matter, and got confirmation that the gold wheels never were shipped with Hotshots, and wasn't available until the mentioned December release date.

This has been something that has been bugging me for years, not being believed on something you just know for sure is true.

Well I have news for you!
On July 6.-14. 1985, the first IFMAR 1/10 Off-Road World Championships were held at the Ranch Pit Shop in Del-Mar, California. One of the participants was the Japanese driver Yoshiaki Shimotori, that had taken the trip to the World Championships, armed with a Tamiya Hornet and a Tamiya Hotshot. And what do you know? That Hotshot had nothing less than GOLD PLATED wheels! That was less than 3 months after the Hotshot was released, and more than 5 months before the gold wheels were officially released.



This picture is taken in July 1985 in California. Yoshiaki Shimotoris Hotshot in the middle, with gold wheels.

He also did some modding to his car while at the Worlds, with the help of John Gudvangen of JG. Mfg.



Of course there is a possibility that he could have had them gold plated himself, but I find that highly unlikely. That could possibly had been the case if he wanted to make it a box art look, but the Hotshot of Y. Shimotori was nothing like box art.

I still stand by what I have said before. The very first Hotshot kits (probably just the initial batch) came with the gold wheels, but was changed for the plain wheels in the next (larger) batch, or maybe they had a small supply of gold wheels that they issued with the first kits that was meant for store displays, special occations etc.and that I was just lucky to get one of those kits?

Tommie your history is awesome! Maybe you have one of early first / proto hotshot. That is crazy.

Unfortunately I sold that Hotshot back in the day, but kept the wheels for some reason.

I think thats a normal sales routine at Tamiya, release kits with certain parts and much later release these parts as hopups. Depending on how much demand and production capacity.

You know what, I believe you - even without the "proof" ... I've long been skeptical about the "official" release dates for some time, if we've learnt anything about Tamiya as company, it's that although there many be many bright, enthusiastic & talented people there, as a whole, RC is only a small portion of what they're interested in or produce, at best they're indifferent to (or maybe confused by) their customers outside Japan (and maybe the US), ditto for collectors (TBH what I really think is that they don't give a strong four letter word about their European or Antipodean customers ), they simply don't publish any information about financial information/sales numbers, and even though they appear to care more about their RC history than some other manufacturers, their "museum" contains several cars in the "wrong" livery and/or in a state of dilapidation. Perhaps more pertinently, what little information they've given out is wrong or confused (see www.tamiyabase....and-tamiya for example).

Against this background, we're supposed to believe the list of release dates that emerged fully formed, out of thin air (or whole cloth?) in the first "Perfect RC" "book"?

The chap I bought a mk.1 Scorcher from was absolutely convinced he'd bought it in 1977 (so the year before the "official" release date?), and I'm very sure I got my Grasshopper in the summer of 1983 (well before the "official" May 1984 release date?). Then there's you and your Hotshot, with gold wheels no less ... I'm not saying that I (or him) couldn't be wrong, but accepting the dates from one unconfirmed source & then putting them up as "fact" with no caveat is definitely wrong. TB is just as guilty of that, the dates really ought to have an asterisk & the source cited, along with "unconfirmed".



ps - I don't know if it's helpful to rubbish other RC sites. For a whole new perspective on other members squealing to mommy any time they felt a rule (published or not) infraction had taken place, and hyena like pack attacks on anyone posting anything that might even slightly contradict their worldview in any way, not to mention claiming inside knowledge, then you really need to try being a member of Facebook vintage Star Wars toy collector groups

The release dates on TB are Tamiya's own dates. There are no other dates available.
But, the release dates of thing are not something I would put too much emphasise on as we know they are not precise.
Even today, Tamiya put release dates way later than when the model/part is actually available in the market. (could be months in difference)

On the other hand, there may be many reasons why your HotShot had gold wheels in the kit. It could be the that Tamiya had gold wheels in the first batches or it could be either the shop or the importer replaced the white ones for some reason. We just don't know.

I've never seen a NIB kit with gold wheels in it, so I remain a sceptic.

-Lars