Released in 1988 and based on a series of real desert racing trucks, this beautiful ready-to-run Nissan Pick-Up R/C model was made by Taiyo of Japan. It is arguably one of the most eye-catching R/C models in Taiyo’s history.
Author: R/C Toy Memories
Longtime collector of R/C model cars. And the sole owner and editor of R/C Toy Memories.
Collecting, and the ones that got away…
Being a collector means riding a roller coaster of exciting highs and tragic lows. Some YouTube stars now make collectibles come to them – for free! While others (like me) still trudge across the barren wastelands of Fantasia (eBay) like Atreyu on a hero’s quest…
The Tamiya “First 100 cars” poster
A recent addition to my collection is an original copy of the much admired, but vanishingly rare Tamiya “First 100 cars” poster. A little item I’ve been searching for, for two decades…
Tandy/Radio Shack Turbo Racer 27 (1988)
Essentially a Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar Rally Winner, the Tandy/Radio Shack Turbo Racer 27 (by Atcomi) was an oddity in the 80s – a ready-to-run R/C sports car model, designed to go off-road.
Why I reject social media
Social media has all but ruined the “open” web I once knew. And that includes the community of R/C fans, who once created an interesting network of websites about vintage R/C cars. The new Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma”, is an eye opener about how the Internet has changed in the last 5-10 years. Mostly for the worse.
Italian collectibles show features vintage R/C cars
Back in 2017, an Italian TV show called I Fatti Vostri featured a segment about collecting that featured vintage R/C cars. Watch the video.
Gama/Matsushiro Land Rover (1982)
This R/C Land Rover from Japanese ready-to-run masters Matsushiro, was an astounding R/C toy for 1982. And it was based on a real Land Rover used by a famous Italian adventurer in 1969.
Lockdown… but an upturn for hobbies?
It’s a curious fact that the tragic COVID-19 pandemic has triggered some tiny silver linings in unexpected areas of business. And one of those might be hobbies – and hobby stores.
Lost Hobby Shops: Toyworld
A lot of Toyworld businesses are still going strong, but many of the stores in Sydney suburbs and towns have closed up over the years. Including where I grew up.
Perhaps there’s endless demand for vintage & retro R/C
What if the Internet is causing the demand for retro and vintage items of all kinds (including vintage R/C cars), to remain strong indefinitely?
“The Frog”, by Tamiya (1983)
An icon of the Golden Era of Tamiya R/C modelling, almost unsurpassed in it’s appeal and popularity to this day.
A tale of two buggies…
…and the day they went racing as slow Historics, against a friend’s Brushless Fantastic.