RC Airplane World Forum

What a project!

For a while I've been restoring a Tamiya Sand Scorcher, which has cost me an arm and a leg and I feel that I've been single-handedly propping up ebay recently...
But it was a fun project, and it went from this tabletop full of bits...


to this....


The car took its first powered trip down the hallway yesterday. Nothing too impressive, but it looked good all the same.
It's not quite an A1 shelfie, but it's pretty neat if I do say so myself - a small piece of rc history to be proud of!

Now I just need to start on the Rough Rider....

awesome job pete....

I had one of these when i was a kid
and i have fond memories of tearing up the BMX track with it

Nice.
I love the scale R/Cs.
So much more fun (I think) to run something around that looks like the real thing.
That's another one Tamiya should think of bringing back. I'd buy one.

Yeah, me too - I bought the TamTech Gear Buggy Champ because it was the Rough Rider that I had when I was a kid, I think it's only fair that they release a Sand Scorcher to go with the Buggy Champ.
I do have a Rough Rider in my parent's attic (eBay, not my original...) awaiting restoration, can't wait to get my teeth into that one too!

Way cool Pete!

Hi.

I read with great interest your account of the restoration, as i am in the process of restoring my Dad's Mk1 Rough Rider which he has had from new.

You mention you used a dremel to clean the aluminium parts. Can you tell me what bit you used? Im using a brass polishing brush at the minute and whilst im having some success, its not great, as im having trouble getting into the corners, and the brush is wearing down quite rapidly

Thanks

Hi SpaceFlightOrange,

I just used the 'polishing' bits (the white material ones) of various shapes and some very fine grade cutting paste to eat away the grime. I couldn't get in to all the corners but the flatter areas cleaned up very nicely.
I've got a MK1 Rough Rider awaiting restoration, but I also treated myself to the re-release version. It's still in the box, but will be built soon and I'll post progress on the main site, and here as well.

Keep us posted with you RR job!

Hi Pete.

Sorry for the delayed reply, but i thought i'd update you on my restoration progress.

This is the car: its a Mk1 Rough Rider, My dad but it in 1979, when i was 7. I have vague memories of him building it, but i can clearly remember him taking me to our local club to race it.

It actually Appeared in the September 2003 issue of Radio Race Car. I had it with me when i was racing at Southport in the Radio Race Car summer series (i was racing a Schumacher Fireblade and an RC 10 not the rough rider ), and the magazine photographer took a picture of it while i was racing!


Its not in too bad condition, the body has a few cracks, the front suspension rods are all bent, and the front bumper and rear cage are both long gone


My dad smashed the front up years ago when he hit a bollard in his works car park, the car went out of his site. The top was broken off the body post when a marshall picked it up by the body after it rolled during a race, the body came off the car at the rear and snapped the front post! it was never replaced, we just kept the body on with an elastic band!


I smashed the cage up when i reversed into a radiator in our Scout hall!. My friends dad made the stainless steel replacement, and although its very good, its a bit long.

Its been completely stripped and cleaned. I've polished all the aluminium parts, using a metal polishing brush with a dremel, which was needed to get the corrosion off, and brass polishing brush (used for polishing gold) to give it an even finish. I also used some long term silver polish to bring it up. I noticed some parts seem to be made from a different grade of Aluminium or something as they have a different colour

Im now reassembling it:






I've replaced the front suspension rods and the bumper and rear cage. Im afraid to say these are off the new Buggy Champ, not originals, but this does mean they are pristine and they look the part, the only problem is the rear cage is not a perfect fit, the bottom lugs that fasten to the gearbox will need to be filed down as the holes don't quite line up.

Every nut and bolt has been replaced with new stainless steel ones, and ive got a new body post, which i was told was original and not off the new buggy champ when i bought it, but given the condition i'd say its either never been used, or is off the buggy champ, its A1

I'll update as the restoration progresses

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year

Great work, thanks for the update!! The Dremel has done wonders, I know what a fiddly job that is!

Well, I just couldn't resist treating myself to the new Buggy Champ...


As you can see I opted not to go for the usual box art finish. The complete build is on my website now, starting at http://www.rc-airplane-world.com/tamiya ... uild1.html

With the new ESC the 2009 version really flies! It's already been on its roof once, snapping off both spotlights and losing a fair bit of paint - I hit a pothole in the road at full speed and the thing just took off! My girlfriend was watching at the time, she gave me a big hug because she'd seen how much work I'd put in to it, lol!! Oh well, I've patched it up now and I dare say it'll be on its roof again sooner or later

My MKI is still in my parent's loft awaiting restoration.

Keep the pics coming!

Love the colour scheme. I'm not in to making the car up like the box art, there's too many of them about, should make it personal.

It was the Buggy Champ that re-lit the fire, seeing that made me want to play with the Rough Rider. I really fancy one, but am gonna wait to see what the Re-released sand scorcher is like.

A post on Tamiya Club show's a real-life Sand Scorcher being built in Time for a Toy Expo in February! http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=53472

Got the Resistor on now, nicely cleaned up (pic to follow) and the motor is in, no wiring yet, will do that later. may put the MSC back in if the Acoms gear still works, but i have a couple of ESC's also

I stripped and cleaned the servo saver last night, and realised it was broken and my dad must have repaired it at some point. Didn't notice when i removed it. Its probably stronger than the original might replace it at some point can still see a tiny bit of rust when looking at this pic, will have to sort that out.



Coming together nicely

Trying to decide what to do with the body, My dad wants to leave it as is, and i kind of agree, apart from basic repairs. To strip it and repaint it, is like removing its character, and a lot of memories too. If i had just bought this, i'd feel differently, but because we've had it from new...

Am tempted to buy another body, maybe a Buggy Champ body, to paint up like the current one, but just use for show.