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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71529

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I didn't know anything about the "Dragon" bodies when I started this project.  Why would Tamiya release another body on the Thunder Shot chassis only 4 months after unveiling the new 4WD chassis in the first place?  It turns out that this was a marketing crossover with a manga company called CoroCoro Comic.  This comic had a character called Radicon (R/C) Boy who raced Tamiya Mini4WD models.  There were 4 CoroCoro themed "Dragon" bodies that came out over the course of a couple of years starting in the late 1980's, first as Mini4WD models then as larger scale R/C counterparts.  The 58073 Thunder Dragon and 58078 Fire Dragon came out in 1988 and 1989 on the Thunder Shot chassis.  The 58083 Saint Dragon came out in 1990 on the Madcap chassis.  The final body type, the Super Dragon, was not released on a chassis and was only available as the 50364 body kit.  All of the others were also available as separate body kits.  All of these models were re-released decades later with the 47459 Saint Dragon moving to the Thunder Shot chassis and the 47438 Storm Dragon (now called the Super Storm Dragon) now available as a kit with the Grasshopper chassis.  My 47458 Thunder Dragon is the 2021 re-release.

The Thunder Dragon chassis is identical to the Thunder Shot from a year earlier.  This model has four wheel double wishbone suspension, but the front is not quite independent since the left and right sides share a single shock absorber.  The main chassis is a bathtub type with front and rear modular gearboxes which assemble to it.  The suspension arms are made from a softer blue plastic to absorb impacts.  The shocks are early plastic CVA oil filled type.  There is a front sway bar supplied as stock, but no ball bearings.  Like most early buggies, there is a driver included.

As described previously, this is a great chassis with much improved handling over the Hotshot.  It would have been almost a perfect Hotshot successor if it were not for the weak A5 part which has never been corrected, even after decades of production.  Luckily, aftermarket upgrades to fix the problem are readily available.

I really had no intention of buying the other Thunder Shot chassis models since I figured one was enough, but the collector in me usually wins out, especially once I realized I could have a complete collection of all 4 Thunder Shot models as re-releases.

The chassis of the Thunder Dragon is identical to that of the Thunder Shot which I've already documented in detail.  Please see  that page  for more information.  I'll only discuss the relevant differences here.

Here is the box of the modern Thunder Dragon re-re.  The contents of the box are shown on the right.  Note the painted body included in the kit. 
   

This picture shows all the parts laid out on my building table.  Everything was very familiar after my build of the Thunder Shot apart from the brand new TBLE-04s speed controller, my first glimpse of this ESC.     

The next few pictures will show differences between the Thunder Shot and Thunder Dragon.  Note that these differences only occur because I am comparing the 2008 Thunder Shot to the 2021 Thunder Dragon.  The original chassis released in the 1980's were identical.  On the left you can see the sheet metal motor mount from the older model.  Compare that to the machined aluminum mount of the newer model on the right.  The old model also shows the stock aluminum pinion which I replaced with steel on the right.
   
    

One thing I was smart enough to do during this build was install a steel reinforcing plate to the A5 part (front lower suspension mount).  On the left you can see my older model which used no support and broke immediately.  On the right you can see the steel support which I now add to all my Thunder Shot chassis.
   
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71530

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Another update to the newer model is to the steering rods.  On the left you can see the older model which just uses threaded rods.  The newer model on the right uses turnbuckles which are slightly harder to assemble, but much easier to adjust once the model is built.
   
    

Here is the completed Thunder Dragon chassis.  I installed the unnecessary MSC cover over the battery just to help tidy the wires.  On the right I directly compare the Thunder Shot and Thunder Dragon chassis.  You can see that they are virtually identical.  A close look will reveal that the front body post is flipped 180 degrees on the Thunder Dragon chassis.  That's it.  Same model, different body.
   
    

Have I mentioned that I hate painting driver figures?  I gave this guy a blue helmet to match box art and to distinguish him from the Thunder Shot driver.  The driver part does a good job of covering the chassis as you can see on the right.  He can be removed with one screw.
   
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71531

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The body came trimmed and painted out of the box as you can see on the left.  This is a single color (silver) paint job which I could have easily done, but I am happy not to have to trim those interior angles on the back of the body.  On the right I've removed the protective film and applied the stickers which really liven up the body.  That little dragon on the nose is apparently the logo of the manga.  You'll find him on all 4 Dragon bodies.
   
 
Here is the final model with the body on the chassis.  On the left I hadn't added the driver yet.  It makes a pretty big difference to the appearance to have him installed.
   
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71532

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I wasn't really a fan of the "Dragon" series of bodies prior to building this one, but I have to admit that they are growing on me.  Now that I understand that this is a comic book tie-in, the styling makes a lot more sense.  The sleek, angular body is pretty unique, as is the huge transparency for the driver.  I retroactively approve.


   

   
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71534

Nicely documented, as always...
I buy kits to built and ru(i)n them :-)
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71537

I learned a lot about these ugly bodies. Thanks blackbird.
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Blakbird's 47458 Thunder Dragon Build 1 year 10 months ago #71539

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I learned a lot about these ugly bodies. Thanks blackbird.
 

Glad to hear I am not the only one who thinks they are ugly.  Although, like many Tamiya models, they are growing on me now that I see them in front of me.
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