TOPIC:

hi all , this is the chassis stamp on an original issue grasshopper , has anyone seen this and do you know why or when please ? tamiya stars but "off roader" the hornet roof decal instead of tamiya under them

Have a bunch of Grasshopper chassis myself and they all say "Tamiya" there.
Interesting to say the least...

Followed the suggestions on TC - guess it must be either an early variation or a clone.
Although I can hardly imagine they changed the mold, it looks original.

Edou wrote:

guess it must be either an early variation or a clone.

Maybe only this part is from a clone.

thanks both greatly for your input , theres no clones that i or many others can find with anything remotely like this , the car is all original so a clone chassis or any other has never been fitted , if its a clone then it was boxed up by tamiya in factory or as one suggestion replaced in a kit in the model store before purchase , ?? but the "off roader" stamp is also a widely used tamiya slogan ? being a hornet roof decal and the chassis is used by both hornet and grasshopper it could be a short run chassis after the 9th of october 1984 maybe?
heres more pics , im convinced its tamiya though ?

someones just noticed that the rod ends are black too , like an SRB , all GH were white so looks more like mk1 GH now

Well spotted. And another interesting detail.

Did your friend upgrade the motor later?
If I'm not mistaken, I see a 540...

Edou wrote:

Well spotted. And another interesting detail.

Did your friend upgrade the motor later?
If I'm not mistaken, I see a 540...

no edou , its an early mabuchi 380 the whole car is original as was , i have had someone suggest that its an early academy galaxy or roadrunner , knock off tamiya chassis ,as he has one and it reacts the same when photographed under a flash , but i have to rule that out completely as them chassis do not carry the stamp in question on mine ?

I know Jonny did a whole thread about the silvercan history :

www.tamiyabase....mitstart=0

Dating the 380 might give some new clues. Don't have that know-how myself.
One photo that might tell a bit more is one from the top, preferably without the electronics.
Looks like the spot to mount the MSC is a bit different on a Roadrunner at least :



Photo borrowed from Twmaster on TC :

www.tamiyaclub....839&id=851

Tbh, the plastic did seem a bit darker/shinier/harder than I remember.
Which really doesnt say much about the origin in itself.

Edit - a simple chassis switch wouldn't account for the adjusters btw...

I am not sure that it is a precoce version. The MSC is the second version without the fuse.

stingray-63 wrote:

I am not sure that it is a precoce version. The MSC is the second version without the fuse.

the msc in the GH of mine has the glass fuse ?

and the msc seat is clearly tamiya GH and not academy roadrunner as in the pic edou posted ?