RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

PainlessWolf wrote:Pale,
For a 20 year old tank, that beauty looks to be in never run, like new shape. Even the motor has a shine still. I am not a Tamiya expert at all. If the tub matched with the newer stuff, you could replace the bits with newer and have a modern version. Seriously tho' , add electronics and at least run some of the shine off of those brand new looking gears and stuff to begin with. ;o)
regards,
Painless

The tub is the same as the newer one except there is a bar across the back which screws down the top of the hull which is replaced with the speaker in the new version and the old model has no sponsons or threaded holes for the sponsons. The plastics also lack a bit of detail but they're largely similar. Upgrading one to modern spec can get expensive though.

2 cents worth of tips:

1. A modern full option Tamiya electronic package can be installed and has been done before by a bunch of modelers, but it is probably not a good idea if you consider "the total conversion cost of your finished model" when compared to just buying and building a new Tamiya Full Option King Tiger kit.

2. An all Tamiya conversion is expensive, more than 600 dollars USD for new Tamiya parts. This would include Tamiya Controllers, the King Tiger DMD, MFU and comm cable; Tamiya Battle Unit (TBU); and recoil and elevation units. Purchasing other Tamiya KT turret parts like the KT turret rotation ring, screw bags, barrel flash, flashing machine gun etc. Figuring out how to install and mount elevation and main gun recoil plus mounting a TBU in the commanders turret position takes some work. That will require some serious turret and deck scratch building for the turret and deck "mounts" to carry and align those new parts. Your legacy turret and deck does not have the mounts like the newer full option KT deck and turret.

3. When your all done you could have bought a new Tamiya King Tiger kit for way less and achieved a better running model tank, just saying, and this is where I buy my Tamiya rc tank kits and I am in SoCal: http://banzaihobby.com/tamiya-56017

4. Contact Dan and ask about his conversion package, for under $300.00, which includes a new hobby grade 2.4 radio, a new controller, great sound system plus a Tamiya compatible battle system at: http://battlearmorrc.weebly.com/index.html

5. There is a work around for the legacy single motor gearbox using the KT DMD and MFU, I just don't know what it is. But contact Willy at (he may or may not respond as he travels for work). He had a "how to" once on his web site: http://www.customrcmodels.com

6. It is pretty simple to swap out the clutch gear box for modern full option gearboxes and here is another relatively low cost rc system to consider for your possible upgrade. Contact these guys for help: http://www.imex-model.com/category/87/R ... gures.html

6. Lastly, perhaps leave it as is. Get it up and running and they are a lot of fun to drive around as is. If you enjoy it, then get a full option kit and build it.

John

Hi
If this helps you , I also picked up a quite a few years ago a Tamiya Gepard with the same internal layout to get her going I did the following for relatively little money.
I used a Turnigy 9X 8 channel radio,
first I replaced the mechanical speed controller with a 15amp ESC from Mtronik (£18.00) and a new servo on the clutch steering, running on channel 3,4.
I then used a RC5HL from Tank Australia (£32.00) to drive a RX-18 on channel 3,4,5 to give me sound ,lights and turrent control and also because a lot of our club members only have HL I also fitted the HL battle system. and a new 7.2V 4200amh nim battery .
Using parts out of my bit box ie. HL ele motor and training ring and motor I reckon the whole lot cost me about£70.00 and some scratch building time. She is still running now and apart from the odd track pin coming out now and then has not given me any trouble at all.
Hope this give you some idea's for yours and I must say the old clutch steering is very realistic when you drive ( I have 2 tanks with it in a Gepard, and a King Tiger)
Regards Denzil.

Pcomm1 wrote:2 cents worth of tips:

1. A modern full option Tamiya electronic package can be installed and has been done before by a bunch of modelers, but it is probably not a good idea if you consider "the total conversion cost of your finished model" when compared to just buying and building a new Tamiya Full Option King Tiger kit.

2. An all Tamiya conversion is expensive, more than 600 dollars USD for new Tamiya parts. This would include Tamiya Controllers, the King Tiger DMD, MFU and comm cable; Tamiya Battle Unit (TBU); and recoil and elevation units. Purchasing other Tamiya KT turret parts like the KT turret rotation ring, screw bags, barrel flash, flashing machine gun etc. Figuring out how to install and mount elevation and main gun recoil plus mounting a TBU in the commanders turret position takes some work. That will require some serious turret and deck scratch building for the turret and deck "mounts" to carry and align those new parts. Your legacy turret and deck does not have the mounts like the newer full option KT deck and turret.

3. When your all done you could have bought a new Tamiya King Tiger kit for way less and achieved a better running model tank, just saying, and this is where I buy my Tamiya rc tank kits and I am in SoCal: http://banzaihobby.com/tamiya-56017

4. Contact Dan and ask about his conversion package, for under $300.00, which includes a new hobby grade 2.4 radio, a new controller, great sound system plus a Tamiya compatible battle system at: http://battlearmorrc.weebly.com/index.html

5. There is a work around for the legacy single motor gearbox using the KT DMD and MFU, I just don't know what it is. But contact Willy at (he may or may not respond as he travels for work). He had a "how to" once on his web site: http://www.customrcmodels.com

6. It is pretty simple to swap out the clutch gear box for modern full option gearboxes and here is another relatively low cost rc system to consider for your possible upgrade. Contact these guys for help: http://www.imex-model.com/category/87/R ... gures.html

6. Lastly, perhaps leave it as is. Get it up and running and they are a lot of fun to drive around as is. If you enjoy it, then get a full option kit and build it.

John

Thanks John.
I agree it doesn't make much sense to fully upgrade to Tamiya on this unit. I appreciate the links and options. This one will be on hold for a while. In the meantime, I will get it up and running.

Pale

hawkeye3guns wrote:Hi
If this helps you , I also picked up a quite a few years ago a Tamiya Gepard with the same internal layout to get her going I did the following for relatively little money.
I used a Turnigy 9X 8 channel radio,
first I replaced the mechanical speed controller with a 15amp ESC from Mtronik (£18.00) and a new servo on the clutch steering, running on channel 3,4.
I then used a RC5HL from Tank Australia (£32.00) to drive a RX-18 on channel 3,4,5 to give me sound ,lights and turrent control and also because a lot of our club members only have HL I also fitted the HL battle system. and a new 7.2V 4200amh nim battery .
Using parts out of my bit box ie. HL ele motor and training ring and motor I reckon the whole lot cost me about£70.00 and some scratch building time. She is still running now and apart from the odd track pin coming out now and then has not given me any trouble at all.
Hope this give you some idea's for yours and I must say the old clutch steering is very realistic when you drive ( I have 2 tanks with it in a Gepard, and a King Tiger)
Regards Denzil.

Thanks for the interesting option.

Nice King Tiger!

Echoing what pcomm said, don't waste the money turning it full option. You should keep your eyes open for a cheap one in eBay or something. Use this as a test mule or conversion maybe?