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Letting this spare model go from my vintage R/C collection…
Nikko Thunderbolt
SOLD: AU$270 on 21st November 2017
Condition: 9.5/10. 100% working. Clean and boxed.
Scale: 1/10
Type: Ready To Run
Year of release: 1985
Batteries Required: 4 x AA, 1 x 7.2v battery pack (Car). 8 x AA (Transmitter)
Any vintage R/C model I sell has been personally tested and assessed.
About this example…
✔ 100% vintage. Made by Nikko in Japan from 1985.
✔ 100% working.
✔ Clean condition
✔ Battery compartments clean
✔ Transmitter included
✔ All headlights included
✔ All paperwork included
✔ Wrench, antenna flag, etc included
✔ Box in mint condition
✔ Nothing broken.
– Rear tyres are about 80% new. No cracking. Front tyres are brand new.
Conclusion: This Nikko Thunderbolt is an absolutely mint, brand new car – except that a pair of slightly used original rear tyres have been fitted to this one. They have 80% tread left on them. The front tyres are mint, brand new. The rear tyres are the only thing preventing this car from being listed as totally “brand new in box”. The car itself has never been run, nor seen any dust. Very hard to find in such mint condition, and in a sparkling new box like this. Priced according to rarity, condition and past examples I have sold.
Please see the photos to understand the condition. Feel free to contact me to find out more.
History
The Nikko Thunderbolt was a variant of the Nikko Bison F10, which was the first 1/10 540-motor powered buggy ever made by Nikko. Essentially identical to the Bison F10 except for it’s body colour and decals, the Thunderbolt was released in either late 1985 or early 1986, and came in either yellow or blue (whereas the Bison was red or blue). It also came with either a 380 or 540 motor (the one featured here is the 540 motor version), and it represented Nikko’s entry into the 1/10 scale buggy class. At the time of it’s release, these cars were the fastest R/C cars Nikko had ever produced, and they helped Nikko make inroads into the market share dominated by category leader Tamiya, by offering a similarly fast and well-made 540 motor powered buggy to some of the Tamiya models, but which was ready-to-run straight out of the box. Featuring onboard electronic speed control circuitry, spring suspension, easily removable body and wheels, digital proportional transmitter, and very attractive scale realism, the Thunderbolt was a hit for Nikko, and capable of speeds nearing 30km/h. A spare parts line was even available for these cars, and they were also sold (again with a different colour) as the “Nikko Rhino” in the USA. A true mid-1980s classic of realistic design, today these buggies epitomize an era of off-road R/C that was characterized by colourful buggies with angular bodies, headlights, and big tyres.
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