The Spadgent

Beautiful work with the clear stuff. I don’t envy you. Not one bit. 🫣 Johnny

Good luck with the sandin’ and a fixin’ Alain. Alas it’s an Avenger that I have the kit for. Regardless I’m going to love watching these beauties get fashioned. 🤩🤗 Glad the shoulder is getting better, sad the work has started. 😩 Johnny

Ok so where were we? Oh yes adding servos. The steering servo got its rods added. And the one that runs the MSC And a test for good measure. oooh yeah!!! Happy with that. 🤗 Time to replace the DIY Suspension struts. Much better. front wish bones and new bumper added. the front suspension got dismantled cleaned and re greased. And then popped in place. Front. And rear wheels got tidied and put back together complete with new bearings. I can’t tell you how happy this is making me. I do wish I had mine but this is as close as it gets. And there we are for the chassis. what a beauty. An absolute pleasure to bring her back from the dead. Not Zombie dead I’m thinking a more vampiric reanimation. She was in pretty good condition just needed some TLC and some virgins blood. 😉🤪🤣. By the way I mentioned the time capsule box and here’s what I got. Well the box is a pretty cool think to have. You’ve seen the front but it also has the card divider with the RC cars of the day. A boxed Acoms charger. A boxed complete with plastic insert and instructions. Tamiya Racing pack. Loads of spares and original screw bags. Look at that!!!! Even the PC paint of the day. Not sure they sell it like this anymore. It looks like a regular acrylic pot but it’s quite a bit bigger. Even some old Humbrol. @perdu would like that. 🤗 And even some 40 year old damper oil. Sorry if it’s a bit boring but I really loved getting all these extra goodies. Really adds to the nostalgia. so what’s next? The shell. Not bad but not great. The stickers are misplaced and coming away and the paint is a little thick. The white roll bar is a bit baff and painted on the wrong side too. I also have a spot light missing. you can see what needs replacing. This guy looks a bit worse for ware too. 🥹😃🥳 So the plan is to keep what I can and replace the rest with Re Re Stickers. I’m going to try and keep the sponsor parts vintage if I can. looks like I can strip the paint with IPA which is nice. After that we I spent the Sunday with my youngest in Church Stretton. Things are looking rosy. Thanks for dropping by. More soon but I do need to get back to my other builds. I might switch back to the Dinah for a little while. Take care and as always happy modelling. Johnny.

Thanks. Yes I don’t know what that gunk was but it reminded me of when I used to eat meat and the fat that would be left behind in the baking tray. 🫣 but less delicious. 🤪😉

That’s better. Took quite a lot of work. The wheels also got disassembled. As mentioned the tyres went through the wringer getting the wheels out and cleaned up really nicely. All the spares arrived over the week so we’re good to re assemble. Bearings, front suspension struts and new spot lights. 🤩 also some new Stickers. This should be pretty quick. The gearing got some new grease and sat into place nicely. The new bearings added and were there. I’ll put the old black bushings in storage and get some pics of the time capsule later on. All closed up and smooth. Metal pinion added to the motor and fitted. A quick battery test proved successful. Gear box mounts and springs set. And rubber band added for the servo power bank. And the whole assembly then fitted. The clean MSC goes back in. Next steps are to re fit the servos. I just remembered while typing this that I’m yet to clean the front suspension. Time for a dog walk then I’ll get on it. Thanks for dropping in folks. All comments welcomed. Take care. Johnny

I know. It’s a really nice example. Thanks James. “Tamiya base” is great as is “Tamiya club” I’m not a member but stalk the site to gather tid bits of info on my RC builds. I took into consideration your comment about the tyres but they took a right battering getting them apart so they may fair quite well. I’m not going to beat this into the ground so fingers crossed she’ll be fine.

Oooh lovey work Bill. Looks like the omni file has had an outing already on the under side. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for that tattered nose. Johnny

*Opens door. what’s going on in here? A new thread? A new build? A CC build? Of course there are four kits going to the construction/ butchers block. 😍🤪🤗 what’s better than one kit? You guessed it. 😇😇😇😇 I’m pretty sure I have a vindicator and I think it’s an accurate miniatures one. I’ll have a look. I’ll tag along and join in the fun if that’s ok dear friend. Hope that shoulder is feeling better and the mojo is running rampant. I’ll have a nice Trappist if you’re at the bar. 😉 Johnny

Let’s Strip!!!! 🦵 Here’s what’s left of the Rubber bag that protected the MSC. Shame really as I’d love to have added it back. I think you can buy new ones but they’re blue. While spinning the thing around to see what to rip out the front wheel feel orf. 🤪 See that little pin. Took me an age to figure out how that was ever meant to stay in place. The one on the other side was stuck fast. I didn’t want to force anything. I’ve learned from experience that there is usually something somewhere out a correct method of removing things. Going in heavy handed off the bat always ends in tears. What’s this? 👀 Spin the assembly right around and there’s a little grub screw in the rear. 🐛 To be fair I should have checked the instructions. Yes. It came with fourty year old instructions too. 😍🤗 Looking at the wheels I noticed two things. The tyres / wheels are good but I need to order some bearings. Looks like the old plastic bushings were used. Even the rear tyres still have their nobbles. Figuring I’d need the bearings to strip the gearbox I move onto the shocks. I have spare oil so let’s hope everything else is ok. The rears look pretty good. I stripped em down and what oil was left trickled out. Looks like the ‘O’ rings are still good so I gave everything a good clean. And lovingly re assembled. They could be brand new. 🤩 all full with oil and as good as they can be. (Hornet shocks were never great) Looking at the gear box I’ll deffo need bearings. Ooh look. Looks like they did use the Grasshopper chassis. Ahhhh. Dirty but lovely. After the front shocks came off I saw what the previous owner had done. I can’t imagine him breaking two shock mounts? Who knows? More items on the shopping list. Ok so there we are. Fully stripped. Oooh Matron! 🤣🫣 All the bits apart from the gearbox had a good clean. Some of the spares are now beginning to arrive. Looks like he made the bumper himself too. So I’ll keep that as an ice scraper and replace with this. Time to re assemble soon. Just need to tackle the gearbox. I was going to wait until the bearings arrived but I couldn’t wait. My word!!!! It looks like ear wax. 😖 well at least it all works. I’ll clean it all out and get it all freshly greased. So apart from the shell which I haven’t really looked at. It’s all going great! Thanks for stopping by. More soon and don’t forget. Happy moddeling. Johnny.

Oh boy. Love this. Lovely details on the cockpit. Looking fantastic. Looking forward to the rest. Johnny

Here you are! I’ll tag along for this. Seems you’re moaning light work this far. The interior is looking lovely. Bravo. Johnny

Oh man. She’s a beauty. Love the cockpit, reminds me of the R-9 from R-Type. 🙂 Jonny

Blimey they’re all amazing. I especially like the fast bomber and the Zero. I didn’t realise you had so many builds. Plus thanks for reminding me about the 23 yearbook. 🤩

Ok. I’ll give it a go. I thought I might be able to get the back off but it looks like it’s not meant for tampering. Thanks for the hint. 🤩

Brilliant details on the pipes giorgio. The side walls are a thing of beauty themselves. The pipes too are spot on. as for the wing holes. The trick with the card is back with a vengeance. 🙌🙌🙌 Brilliant stuff. Honestly the camera in the wing. You sure you don’t want to try 1:24? 🤗 Brilliant perseverance and detail. Bravo that man. 🤩 Johnny

Indeed not. It’s just the black pre shade tends to stick out like a sore thumb under yellow so we don’t want sore thumbs or bruised bananas. 🥹 Thanks Giorgio.

Out with the tools and let’s start stripping stuff down. 🤞 I began with moving all the loose stuff out. So many more wires than the modern stuff. Then stripped out the servos. The MSC still has the old rubber bag attached. Alas most of it has melted into the controller so it’ll have to be cut off. I read James’ @81-er’s comments this morning about checking for continuity. So out with the old multimeter and let’s get fault finding. laid out the power unit, switch , receiver and two servos. Unplugged everything gave it all a good clean. Plugged it all back together and. How’s about that. I tuned it off and on again. 🤣 Well I’m not complaining, it works. You might have also noted that the radio gear showed full power. Looks like James was right again. Fourty years of no use. Just needs a little wiggle and a settle in. 😍🪫🔋. Next to test was the motor. looks like a dead one. i did the test on one of my spare silver cans. Ok so at least I can do some fault finding. so out with it. I did the same tests. Alas nothing. I tried snipping the wires and re soldering them but either solder from the past is a lot more heat resistant than modern stuff or my iron is just a bit rubbish. I’m guessing the latter. Even my solder is a bit bobbins. Kept tuning into little balls and not sticking to anything. I’m sure soldering was easier? 🫣 either way I managed to get good contact and still no joy so I’m going to have to make my peace with a replacement motor. I stripped the MSC and did a manual test too and all working. Well you know ehat Meatloaf said. 😃 So that’s the electronics sorted. I can start investigating the chassis. looks like not all the original parts made it to the future. I see some spares being bought. Thanks for popping in and all the help. more soon. Johnny. 💛🖤

I think I nabbed a bit of a bargain. I think its owner messed around with it for a little while then never went back. Apparently it’s been at his parents in dry storage. The original paints are in there too, along with some other goodies I’ll share up during the thread. 😃 As for the metal cover I think it was added to the kit in 85 or 87. It’s in the instruction booklet so it’s an original bit, so it might be a slightly later version. Yeah I’m picking up on some of the differences while taking it apart. My friend has a re re one. I think you’re right. That and soda law. Read on. 🥳

I know. There’s something wonderfully satisfying about that aerial. I have heard that due to so much interference these days. Wi Fi and what not that the old radio gear isn’t what it used to be. We shall see. 👀 Aaahhh James . Thankyou for your help as always. I do have a multimeter so I’m going to dig it out and give everything a check. Why would he paint someone else’s car totally silver. 🫣🫣🫣 Oh my word. I will keep you all posted. One thing I did notice is that I put new batteries in the radio gear and the juice needle only just reached the green? Which either means the gear is faulty or the batteries are less than adequate. They are energizer and new. It was a bulk pick from Amazon and cheap so I’m thinking the batteries might be a bit rubbish. I’ll multi meter those too. more later. 🤞 happy modeling my dudes. Johnny

Ok so some more heads been done. I somehow have three things on the go. So it’s not going as quickly as I’d like but it’s all good. The glazing got sanded, fitted and sealed. Then sprayed green. I even re fitted the little mirrors. 😍 pretty smooth. Then fitted the little nose glazing that I’d forgotten. Liquid mask. Primer test. 🤞🤞🤞🤞 looking good. Apart from a terrible gap on the underside. I used some ppp to fill that when dry and after a bit of sanding it was fine. Alas I forgot to take a pic. Aluminium next in preparation for a little chipping. I did intend only to paint where I needed as seen above but as I couldn’t decide where I was going to chip I painted the lot. looks a bit Flash Gordon like that. ⚡️ I also painted the cowls and spinners and other bits I might want to chip. Looks great!!! Just need to top coat. I’m a little tired of the Vallejo gloss for metallics, it always has a rubbery feel when dry and I really don’t trust it. Tamiya rattle can plays havoc with the Vallejo metallic range but not all the time but I don’t want the risk. Giorgio @giemme suggested I use his go to . Alclad 2 aqua gloss. So as his results are always good I ordered some but it has to come from the US. Impatiently I looked in my paint store and thought about giving Tamiya X22 a go. I think that’s the markings anyway. I know you are only meant to use it to make matte paint glossy but I have used it for top coat in the past. i thinned it 1:1 with Mr Collour levelling thinners and you know what. It worked a treat!! Hardly knocked back the metallic at all. I’ll take some more pics tomorrow but. Until the aqua gloss arrives this might just be a thing. next steps chipping fluid, pre shade, and actual paint!!! Woot. Thanks for dropping by. More soon. Johnny.

Thanks Keith. Thanks G. Painting at last. 😍

Ok so it seems I have another thread on the go, 🐝 so I better get some stuff finished. A few mists of primer and we’re covered. To be fair it took a little more to get the wheels done. Nice and smooth. Next up a pre shade. I used flat brown as I know from experience that black will make for a bruised banana look. Not what I’m after. 🍌🥊 Pretty sweet! Kinda looks rusty. 🤔. <<<<must keep focused>>>>>>>> ok so on with the pre shade. Right side and front. left side and rear. The wheels were a bit tricky getting into the nooks and crannies. But we got there in the end. Next stop. Yellow brick road! 💛 More soon. Johnny

Nowt wrong wee a bit o’ Strangeness. I hope. 😶‍🌫️🤗

Here’s what was on the listing. Looks to be a really well preserved Tamiya Hornet. Circa 1984 to 87 judging by the black MSC (Mechanical Speed Controller) and the ceramic resistor at the rear. The near new tyres and standard silver can motor suggest little use but you can never be sure, this thing is almost fourty years old. Not only did I get the car and internal electronics I got a time capsule. This came boxed. 🥰 The very same two stick radio gear I had as a kid. Preserved perfectly, no leaky battery compartment no bumps or dings just a whole heap of RC goodness. If I had to say one thing about the RE RE kits and the new electronics, sure they work well. The range is further than a few meters and you don’t lose connection if you drive behind a tree and everything “Just” works, BUT You don’t have a big silver Aerial to wave around. And the weight!!! The older units just felt substantial, the ones today are a little flimsy feeling. Maybe it’s nostalgia or rose tinted glasses but I prefer the old clunky boxes. and you get a ribbon to pop on the top to show what frequency you’re on. 😇🤣🥳🤩 Also still in the box. 😄😃 The elephant in the room however is does it work? The guy didn’t list it as spare or repair so I hoped it would. Fitted with a new battery and Twelve AA batteries to boot I turned it on and. NOTHING. 🥸 oh … so Here comes the fun part. Not only will I need to dismantle and fix the kit. I need to get the fourty year old electronics working first. 🤔 Tea I think. Yes more Tea.

Ok then. Let’s have a think. How old am I? (Not too old) When did I build my first model? For me I was about four , Ish. I remember Empire Strikes back, Collecting stickers. I remember building Airfix Spitfires. I remember the canopies frosting up every single time. I remember building Airfix dinosaurs, Blood dripping from triceratops’ horns and their mouths, even though they were vegetarians. I have fond memories of building stuff, making stuff. Fast forward to the age of about ten. The Christmas of 1985. All I had wanted since summer of that year was a Tamiya RC. Drooling over the catalogue and having fever dreams about the possibility of a Frog or Sand Scorcher, way outside my possible reach I opted for my (maybe) BIG present!!!! ( The Hornet ) Entry level off road buggy. Better than the Grass Hopper (maybe) Lesser than the Frog ( for sure ). Well I was lucky that year. I got a hornet . Built not by myself but by Bache Brothers of Lye ( A local bike / Model shop ) . I think I could have handled it but my parents thought different. I no longer own the car of my youth, sold it to a friend who no longer is on this mortal coil 😔. if you have been following my threads you will know I have built a Wild Willy 2, a much Sought by myself Frog, and a lunch box. All RE RE ( Re-Release ) I have no qualms with buying RE RE kits other than I struggle with the thought of getting the hornet RE RE. I want an original. 🤔 Now here’s a thing. There was this on EBay. Basically exactly what I had when I was ten. Even down to the ( Brown ) Crystal. needless to say I won it. Not sure if it works, or even if it’s all original. Fancy finding out ? Follow along and see what happens. 🫣🤭😍 more Soon. Johnny