Fun driving the Tamiya Hornet

If one reads traditional RC magazines it would seem that without the latest race - winning chassis and top of the line gear, the RC car hobby cannot be enjoyed. I once thought that my RC car had to achieve at least illegal real speeds before I was having fun. And yes, I do have some model cars that will do that. But guess what? They are the models that actually provide me the least enjoyment.  All that money tied up in high end gear, battery packs, and for what...to go 60 mph in a huge parking lot? It really is not that fun.

On the other hand, driving my newly built Tamiya Hornet in a vacant lot across the street from my house is far more enjoyable. I bet I never hit over 15 mph with my Mabuchi RS540 BRUSHED motor powered machine. I also did not break a thing, overheat a motor, or blow up an ESC. Instead I learned how to drive the sandy and rutted terrain with great precision despite the archaic suspension and high center of gravity. Thanks to a NiMh 6 cell battery ( no lipo power!)  with 4200mah I can get 30 minutes easily for run time!

The Tamiya Hornet is a great example of technology from 1984. A rugged and simple design that makes the most of its power;  providing decent speed from the 540 motor.  A simple modification such as the Tamiya black motor will give it even more speed...maybe even an unheard of 20 mph!!! Add lipo power and 30 mph is within reach, but that defeats the purpose of keeping things simple! Trust me, 20 mph in a Hornet is a handful!

For now though, I will continue with the stock motor and enjoy my time across the street till I master the vacant lot.  No, I won't win any races, but I will become a better driver and have immense fun enjoying my hobby.  Till next time - Mike.