Interested in classic or vintage Tamiya RC cars?


Did you once have a Grasshopper, Frog, Hornet or Hotshot? Do you want to re-live your past? There is a thriving trade in old Tamiya Radio Control cars out there, you never know, you might have thousands of pounds worth of plastic in your loft!

A recent trip by my Sis-in-Law to Japan brought me back a part of my childhood I thought I'd lost 15 years ago. It's called a Tamiya Top Force, and for those of you not versed in the kind of geekery I am, a Tamiya Top Force is a child's radio controlled toy. I'm not gonna make any bones about this, in my ever-advancing years I find myself still interested in toys I should have left behind when I discovered beer and women.

If I was supporting my fellow addicts, I'd try and rationalise my obsession by calling it a "hobby", or saying I was interested in "models", then perhaps people would foolishly believe I was interested in women as my age might suggest. But no, lets be honest guys, these are toys... and they're flipping brilliant! Partially because these things are fantastically intricate, partially because they are unashamedly retro but mainly, as I'm starting to find out, they are worth big bucks, and I like big bucks (Steph, of course, would say I like spending big bucks)!

I visited a chap the other day who had a pile of these radio control cars, not unlike what you may have seen if you'd walked into Gamleys in 1988, there weren't many, maybe 10 kits - Value in 1988 at retail: £1000, value now: £10,000! I'm sure, pound for pound, they must be worth more than gold, or possibly even class A drugs(!)

So, where am I going with all this? Well, in the true style of Peter Perkins and LoveJoy, I plan to become a collector of these little plastic kits and therefore leave as my legacy a bunch of Tamiya Top Forces, whereupon my inheritors will have wished I had been a dealer in gold or class A's and weren't stuck with load of useless toys in their boxes.

Oh well, at least people will take the piss when they visit antiques roadshow with them!

If you are serious about joining me on my trip to retro heaven, you could do a lot worse than visit Tamiya Club where we trade and show off, or ebay - occasionally you'll find a bargain. (tip: look for mis-spellings)


Posted: Mon - April 3, 2006 at 03:05 PM          

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