TOPIC:

So, I get why people these days use 2.4GHz kit etc...[before anyone shoots me down in flames!]; however, to achieve an entirely old school setup, albeit reduced performance; crystals, 27Mhz without a sniff of bluetooth in sight and without spending BIG bucks on a vintage NOS 80's set and radio gear, I just wondered if i bought a brand new set for my kids, is it doable to purchase the additional earlier style gen components , radio gear, servos etc... and have it all work at 27Mhz like back in the day, if i replace the new with old will it all fit in the newer model - i know most people with older sets would be upgrading the other way round, but in short I'm looking to run a brand new set, but at the older frequencies/aerials etc...mad i know, but i can't find the answer anywhere - I'm not interested in the "where's" and "why" i would want do this, but simply interested in what exactly is involved. I'm assuming once i bought a new Tamiya kit, Grasshopper, Lunchbox etc... i just need to find a NOS radio gear plus batteries and swap it all over?

Please be gentle with me - I recall Tamiya from my childhood in the 70's/80's and would like an authentic 'warts and all' [less performance] setup with out breaking the bank on an un-opened NOS kit such as this 

Hope someone can help - links would be fab!

Cheers,

John [UK]

 

Old setups are interesting for old rc. If you buy a rere kit you'll need a msc and radio with 2 servos. It's a nice solution for the lunchy for example because you have all spares needed for the msc. You can find cheap 27mhz radio set. But honestly, 2,4ghz and modern esc are easier to use and cheaper now. For the batteries nimh are now standard. Unsure you could find nicad ones.
your goal is nice.

Welcome on board chap

Perfectly do-able, the main problem is that the re-release kits have an ESC - electronic speed control - instead of the old MSC - mechanical speed control. If you want to go full old skool you'll need to find an suitable MSC with resistor (and probably make your own linkage), they are always coming up on eBay (even unused ones) although they are getting rarer and more expensive as a lot of people are realising they want the "charm" of the "correct" speed control, fire risk, shorter running time, lack of control. risk of runaways and all

The leads on this one are probably too short, but it's clean and has the right form factor - www.ebay.co.uk/...5495273921

2nd issue is BEC - battery eliminator circuitry - which removed the need for the separate 4 AA batteries on the car, using instead a widget (1984/5) on the switch or built into the receiver (1985 to 2010ish) or ESC (present) to reduce the voltage of the main drive battery to safe levels. point is, not all parts from all eras will paly nicely with each other so you need to check.

Entry level batteries (not counting Lipo) are the same voltage & physical dimensions as the old stick packs (or even hump packs if you prefer for some models - not the re-release Hornet as the chassis has changed a bit) - just slightly different chemistry (NiMH instead of NiCd) and of much greater capacity (typically 3700mAH instead of 1000-1300). I'd recommend Vapextech.   www.vapextech.c.../4-8v-7-2v - scroll down for the 7.2v, 3300mAH one.

Old radio gear is increasingly rare and getting pricier - especially unused, still in the box - but shouldn't be a problem. I don't know how fussed you are about having what you had before, I'd look for servo reversing switches on the transmitter and BEC on the receiver (Futaba Attack R, "New" Attack R (in chrome), Acoms Technidrive & onwards, Sanwa Dash R2 all come to mind) rather than the Acoms mk.i & ii, + Futaba Medallion that you may have had before. We have a fairly extensive thread on old Acoms radios and a lesser one on Futaba if you want to look

tamiyabase.com/...ution.html

tamiyabase.com/...on?start=0

This is an Acoms mk.iii & back in the box rather than never having left it, but is "correct" for an early Hornet - www.ebay.co.uk/...4224006807

nb "untested" on ebay means has been tested, didn't work but the seller will hide behind that caveat

Fusion Hobbies often let you take out the ESC for a small saving - www.fusionhobbi...iya-hornet

Get bearings - they are so much cheaper than they used to be. I'd suggest the Lunchbox over the Hornet, you can use it in more places, and two or more Lunchboxes in the same place automatically become a silly race where their crapness jut adds to the fun
    

For the 934, modern setup is not possible. It's a piece of museum. 

Hi there!

It is not possible to run new radio and receiver on 27mHz I'm afraid.

But what you can do is to run your vintage set by fittting the new 2.4 stuff on the inside.
Several has done this.
2.4 systems can handle two servos without problem, to use a MSC from the second servo.

I know you are looking to use the new gear, but on crystal setup, but it is not possible.
But with the solution above, it will look vintage.
The receiver pack with 4 batteries can be used to power the new 2.4 receiver, but how long is the question as those like to receive approx 6 volts all the time (some may like more or less.
I do understand why you want to use MSC, as I honestly prefer MSC over ESC. Stronger brakes, more powerfull 3 "gear" instead over 100 steps which make it more linar.

The old receiver can be opned and the new 2.4 unit put inside so it looks vintage from the outside.
Just make sure to bind them together before closing the case.

In my runner Striker, I run vintage Tamiya Technisport 27gHz gear, but with a old TLU-101BK Esc.
As there is more radio waves in the air now than in the old days, most likely you will get more inference today than lets say 30 years ago.
I did with this setup. so max distance was about 20-30 meters before it began to acted wierd, and this was on the countryside with approx 500m to the next house in both directions.
With 2.4 systems, that is a thing in the past.
Many 2.4 systems has failsafe as a feature built in if you make the setup, but I have never needed a failsafe on a 2.4 system.
I wish I had a failsafe on my radio in 92', when my nearly unused Kyosho Pug 205 decided to loose signal at full throttle and that ended head on with a concrete wall.
Approx 35mph did not good to that car. My first new one I bought for my own money at age 15.

The safest step is to camuflage a modern heart into a vintage looking radio set. But keep the MSC, just do maintainence on it regularly to not burn or make grooves into the metal contact points. Adjusting end points properly so the arm is resting on the contact patch and not at the end, and use switch lubricant to keep it as good as possible.
Balloon of some sort is not a bad idea.
I did never killed a single MSC in all years I dove mine.  The heat resistor don't like to be driven much at step 1 and 2, so try to drive at full speed as much as possible.
Think I replaced only one resistor in all the 15 years or so I drove before I got my first ESC.

As JR said, NiMh still looks the same as old battery packs, and most have the same size as in old days.
Just be aware most above 4200mAh ish begins to be slightly bigger than chassis with oval holes for battery.
4000 should work fine.
4000 has about double of run of an 2000 pack, so higher ones are good for run times.
Still plenty that still ued the Tamiya battery connector.


Would be great to hear what you you will go for when time comes.

Cheers!

Hey!

Firstly, straight-off, thank you all so much for all the great replies and certainly some great info to get my teeth into...

So, I'm not too bothered what car, Hornet, Grasshopper, Holiday buggy etc...just want old school 27Mhz and new condition.

To put another slant on it, do NOS 80's kits of the above surface at shows/forums from time to time - I'm just thinking, everything would be alot easier if i sourced an unused original kit and appropriate radio gear, again, not too bothered by model, assume the older, the rarer, the more mint the set etc... ultimately affects its value, just like anything, Starwars etc...but would be buying to use not to display, so no that bothered about a bashed box.

Any good sources apart from ebay [UK/US] i can find unused NOS sets?

Many thanks,

John

I have seen several struggle to sell old 27mHz sets on non ebay selling sites.
So I would look at marketplace pages, Facebook sites etc.

Think it easier to find a good seconhand radio sets together with complete cars.
I'm located in Norway, but I have scored
Striker with Tamiya Technisport transmitter with spares for about £75
Fox for free with Futaba Attack R only paid for shipment and various others around 50 quid mark.
I now have 3 or 4 Attack R transmitters.

In the past I have also snapped up cheap Traxxas 27mHz recivers when upgrade their gear. Traxxas transmitters tend to go broke after a while so usually there is more receivers for sale than complete sets.

If you hang out on vintage rc FB pages you can find people selling crystal based radio sets for cheap as most don't like vintage stuff it seems.

I have also been given stuff in the past as they know I'm into rc and they have moved on to something else.