Avante 2011
Avante, what a name! A few years back, while collaborating with my friend Greg (aka Hairy Ogre) on a project we couldn't bring to life, I had the chance to learn a lot about this model and its fantastic complexity. Of course, I already knew the model, but Hairy Ogre's precise and detailed analysis about it definitely convinced me the Avante had to join my collection. So I was patiently waiting for an opportunity on the model when...
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TRF201
For about 2 years now, my models can run at the club. On regular basis, friendly races are organized and my extended collection allows me to run the different categories so far. For the first off-road races, my Sand Viper equipped with a 13T EZrun brushless combo revealed to be perfect for the job: tough and extremely reliable to face both my driving mistakes and other racers', easy to maintain and with enough performance for the time I needed to learn how to control it.
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Bear Hawk
I was not hunting for this model, but when I saw it in Ebay listings, it focused my interest. As a matter of fact, a friend at the club owns a Stadium Blitzer using the same chassis: this led me to some thinking about the re-released Blitzer Beetle and my conclusion was that the Bear Hawk buggy variant best suited my envy. So after placing a reasonable bid, this Bear Hawk arrived home a few days later 
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Manta Ray
Until recently, I was not much interested in the DF-01 chassis, probably because I already knew the TA-01 / TA-02 chassis mix (now called TA-02T) with my Ford F150. Also, the lack of a proper track to run it was a problem.
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Dyna Storm
Honestly, I was not actively looking for this model, but when this opportunity showed up on the Vintage-RC forum, I immediately clicked. After all, the Dyna Storm was somewhere on my (secret ^^) list of models since it has a significant importance in Tamiya history.
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Rising Storm
Because of the new off-road track at the club and because I sold my Dark Impact, I needed a new modern 4WD buggy as a counterpart to my Sand Viper. This is how this Rising Storm came by, which is also a nice opportunity to discover a new chassis.
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TamTech Gear The Hornet
Following the On-Road version of my Porsche 935 Martini, I am now trying the TamTech Gear Off-Road series. This choice was mainly driven by an easy access to a new indoor track in the nearby, unfortunately too small for 1/10th scale buggies I already own. However, this is a great opportunity to drive when the weather or temperatures don't let you drive outside.
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Wild One Off Roader
During the 80's, there was a time when I could spent hours reading my RC Guide Book dreaming about driving some of the models. For sure, the Wild One was one of these, but no period model came through my searches so far. Until recently when close friends of mine offered me a big parcel with this great model inside.
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Sand Rover
Thanks to a member of the Vintage-RC forum, this model now joins my collection. The re-releases had no real effect on the original Holiday Buggy and Sand Rover that remain rare due to the heavy modifications on modernized versions. So this model was a very nice opportunity I couldn't miss to complete my collection.
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Dark Impact
This model is a 4 wheel drive buggy meant for racing. In my collection, I own several buggies, but no "serious" 4 wheel drive: not that I get oriented to racing, but I wanted a modern vehicle that could handle a better motor. The Baja King should have been the good choice for that, but its design flaws make it a fragile buggy (at the front drivetrain) that is now great for off-roading (it just gets filled with all the pebbles of a track). Of course, I also have the Boomerang, but it is over 20 years old now: it wouldn't be wise to risk any severe damage with it.
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Madcap
This is an opportunity found on internet at a very good price. The model is in relative good state with full electronic equipment and fully hopped up: I couldn't resist
A few weeks before I got it, I received a full stock of new parts for this model by pure coincidence: this allowed me to get a Madcap, even if it was in a sorry state.
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Sand Viper
This model is an XB Pro Expert Build version. Unforeseen in my collection, it was so low priced that the radio equipment and the electronic speed controller alone merely represented 70% of the total price. I'm weak, I couldn't resist
This is a pretty well designed basic 2WD buggy that can become a pure racer after a solid hop up treatment. But this one will remain more or less stock.
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Ford F150
This model is the junction between an on-road chassis and a big wheels, but it doesn't belong to the "Stadium Truck" or "Truggy" categories (Buggy and Truck mix). It is a direct inspiration of the American Protruck category and some drivers run these trucks in the Rally Raid World Championship (the Paris-Dakar is one of these races). Afterwards, since the famous Traxxas Slash was released, this 1994 model reveals to be what we now call a Short Course Truck... making it the very first Short Course Truck in RC history!
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The Fox
This is a second hand model I found on Ebay Australia (thanks Adam). The previous owner cared it and it is in an almost perfect shape. This 2 wheel drive buggy released in 1985 reuses many technical solutions found on the Hotshot, especially the front mono-shock and front arms, as well as part of the chassis and the gearbox. Moreover, this is the first Tamiya model to use those famous bright yellow hydraulic dampers that would be fitted on many other models afterwards. They still even exist on an almost similar form, but are now only available in black.
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The Grasshopper II
This is the modified version of the original legendary Tamiya model. The Grasshopper Interview was a best seller back in the 80's and many made their debut with it. Version 2 was released in 1988, quite soon after the original release (1984). Basically, the Grasshopper II is a Hornet chassis with a new bodyshell shared with the Madbull. On motor side, Grasshoppers 1 and 2 were given a Mabuchi 380 that can be easily upgraded to a 540: the buggy then becomes much faster. The suspension being very basic (simple springs), driving gets even more approximative, but still grants great pleasure for a recreational use.
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The Boomerang
This one is an used model restored with original parts and car by Dollyfanny, a member of the Vintage-RC forum. It is a 4x4 buggy initially released in 1986. The Boomerang is one of the variants form a very popular chassis by the time: the Hotshot, the first true Tamiya off-road 4x4 chassis designed for competition.
Its specific feature a a mono-shock system suspension: each drive train only uses one single damper working with an very efficient cantilever system, coupled with anti-roll bars. In general, the design of this chassis was very innovative for its time, apart from little problems in terms of conception and reliability (especially for competition: this access to electronics is not easy, front gearbox weakness on brutal jump landings). Nevertheless, the Hotshot proved to be a serious opponent on the tracks.
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Madbull
This model is an XB Expert Build version. For Tamiya, this means a ready to Run model, already assembled and painted, with radio, battery pack and charger. It is based upon a buggy chassis (the RX Fighter's) mounted on Lunch Box tires and Wild Willy 2 rims. It is a simple 2 wheel drive entry-level model but very solid: perfect for some bashing... even more because I could get new for the third of its retail price.
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The Hornet
The RC family grows with the addition of a new Tamiya model: the re-release of the 1984 iconic model.
This 2 wheel drive buggy in the same category as the famous Grasshopper and The Frog. Its handling is very different compared to my two other models: when the Blackfoot goes straight like a brute with a relative slow speed, the Baja King goes much faster and it is more precise and agile. The Hornet goes pretty fast but with an unpredictable handling. I will directly fit ball bearings all around, but I won't change anything else.
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Baja King
As a result of surfing forums and RC sites, the passion stroke back. Today, a buggy comes in to join the BlackFoot Xtreme. A 4-wheel-drive vehicle, faster than the Blackfoot, but with a lower ground clearance. I directly fitted a more powerful motor and a full set of hydraulic dampers. This one will also be mainly painted yellow (official color scheme: just perfect as I had a yellow can left).
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