Here in Australia the Jet Hopper was very popular. Around the same time, or perhaps just later, the Bison F10 became the car for kids and street racing.
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
I never saw a Bison here. I think the Nikko Panther and Tyco Turbo Hopper price points were a lot better for parents here. I cant even recall seeing a big Nikko for sale until much later.
@700gsteak
6 жыл бұрын
The Super Saturday Show used to have kids racing the mini jet hopper. The winner would win this full size one and the others would win the mini.
@CheapCheerful
3 жыл бұрын
@@700gsteak Oh my god yes! And the Mini Jet Hopper wow! I remember that now! Fantastic, thanks for the reminder! :)
@danwalker2110
3 жыл бұрын
I had one - really wanted a Boomerang one Christmas and got this instead. Broke the front steering link on its first run.
@chrisgraf1304
Жыл бұрын
I am based in Oz too mate, and I saw the Bison as a beast. I wanted one badly 🤣
@aussiecoastie72
2 жыл бұрын
I had one as a kid !!! “ jet hopper “ Here in Australia 🇦🇺 It was a fantastic product , because it was ready to run out of the box !! And surprisingly powerful for its price ! My brother had a black one and I had a red one ! Great memories
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Oh outstanding! These are really solid cars and i cant get over how they are still great, 30+ years later.
@rcjunkyard5253
4 жыл бұрын
I'm an R/C collector and I was researching this item and found your channel and found your information on point. (Subbed) I just bought a first gen at a yard sale for 10 bucks WHAT A FIND lol I also order a yellow hopper on line. Thank you for what you do I look forward to your videos.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Oh glad to hear it. It's a very cool car and definitely deserves more notoriety
@sensiblynumb
3 жыл бұрын
My second RC so much fun as a kid. Constantly fixing the bent steering arms after hitting gutters/curbsides. And if your friends had then the controller would take over each others car. Great vid!
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks! yeah that controller bit was annoying!
@TboneTenEighties
6 жыл бұрын
My first RC
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
It is a great car to have as a first!
@TboneTenEighties
6 жыл бұрын
AMPRO Engineering Yeah. I was a little guy. Couldn't handle speed yet. Then i saw my buddy after school with his Tamiya Hornet and that's all she wrote!.. My next RC was the Pegasus Exceed. A very unique RC had 4x4 and 4 wheel steering. That RC got me into the hobby big time. I learned how to work on it taking it apart learning about differentials and such. Really is a terrific hobby for all ages. 👍
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
I totally agree!
@silver6c
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for posting this! I just found mine in my parent's basement and now I'm encouraged to find some batteries and see if it'll still work!! I always loved playing with it!!!
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
Good to hear! I hope it does!
@AsurasWrath164
4 жыл бұрын
Oh, man. So happy that I found this video in your library. I got mine 1986 or '87 and drove it for so many years. Mine was the red one with 027 as starting number. I think it was a 1st Gen car but here in Germany we got it with slightly better control units. I still remember it being my absolute favorite toy of all my childhood, and my dad's friend who gifted it to me for my 8th or 9th birthday will never be forgotten because of that. Thanks so much for this drive down memory lane.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
My pleasure!
@BK-uw2uk
Жыл бұрын
Great memories. My sister and I had these in the 80s and loved them. Using rechargeable Nicads was a game changer as the top speed was much higher. But it would inevitably flip of you tried to turn at those speeds. Nice work on the video and tks for the nostalgia.
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
My pleasure!
@nathansmith1011
4 жыл бұрын
Ahead of its time... early stability management, swing arm fronts, 9.6v with turbo (loved the gated radio), and crazy fast. A neighborhood friend was nuts over these.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah it really was well thought out for sure.
@brokenbirf
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for bringing back the great memories of owning one of these.. I had a black turbo hopper that was bought from a department store up here in Canada called Wolco in the 1980s.. they were later bought by Walmart.. I had my car for a few years until the transmission went out and one of the motor wires broke off too close to the motor and we couldn't fix it.. it was a ton of fun though and totally got me started into rc..I saved up forever after that and bought a tamiya monster beetle for my second car. I just bought a traxxas bandit today and talked to the local hobby shop owner about my old turbo hopper for a bit.. I just wanted to have another buggy that resembled the turbo hopper style. I wasn't sure if I would find much for videos on the turbo hopper being that I had talked about it so much today and you were the first video I came across.. Thanks for putting this video together.. it was fun to see this..
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the story! I am glad you liked it. These cars are an incredibly important part of RC history as they are what many started on. For me it was my Turbo Panther and then my Tyco Bandit. Such wonderful cars and for me, some of the best ever made.
@aaron.hudacky
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this video! I had a red Turbo Hopper as my first R/C car in 1987, and I forgot what it was called until I saw this. It was a lot of fun; batteries were the only thing that limited it since they either had to be replaced or you had to wait for them to recharge. I think I always ran it in the high transmission setting and pushed the stick to the turbo position. It never broke, but I eventually got a Tamiya Thundershot, and the Turbo Hopper ended up not getting used. Your videos are great; keep up the good work.
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Aaron, I love peoples stories about these Turbo Hoppers. They really were amazing little cars.
@dugangant
2 жыл бұрын
Wow I got this for Christmas in 88. I had a red one and was my most memorable and favorite toy as a kid. Can't believe I came across this. I drove this thing for so many years.
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
How awesome! Yeah I got my Nikko Turbo Panther for xmas the same year!
@chrisgraf1304
Жыл бұрын
This was my first rc when I was 7 years old. Memories
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Its a great car for sure!
@jaromewhitlow1754
5 жыл бұрын
I still have my original 2 from the 80's ...... And they still run
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
They are great little cars.
@silviamills5218
4 жыл бұрын
Most toy of the Tyco, Nikko, and Radio Shack cars from the 80s are completely indestructible.
@TheEthNick
8 ай бұрын
I got one of these as a present for being a page boy. Best toy I ever had! Mine was red & had a number 27 on the sides & model name of F-JH/Turbo/GTI….Never noticed the GTI in the name, but it’s fitting since I now own a Golf GTI. I was devastated when I broke the front bumper driving straight into a brick wall 😂 The old man made a metal bracket that fixed the bumper though. So many great memories with this thing, in our cal de sac & at the local bike track.
@AMPROEngineering
8 ай бұрын
They are so cool. Seems the bumpers were the first to go!
@ShadeTreeKennyT
2 жыл бұрын
I remember as a kid seeing these Tycos and the Nikkos in the department stores like Kmart and Hills, they always caught my eye. I remember Sears sold the Nikko Super Lobo and Radio Shack had the Golden Arrow. After much consideration on what to buy on my paper route and grass cutting money, I decided to step up from the department store R/C cars and get the entry level hobby grade Hornet instead. The better proportional steering and throttle, rechargeable batteries and replaceable parts made it more appealing. Plus, the possibility for upgrades like ball bearings, ESC's and better motors made it more interesting as well. Cool video, I haven't seen a Turbo Hopper in 30 plus years!
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
I remember seeing all those same cars....takes me back! Glad you liked it, these really are little gems.
@paulmcnamara2908
Жыл бұрын
I had a Jet Hopper and may be looking back through rose tinted glasses but remember it being awesome!
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
No, they are awesome! haha!
@stevengriffith436
3 жыл бұрын
Brings back memories. My brother and I had a collection of tyco rc cars. This the outlaw, indycae, and the pickup. We had to get different colors also the controllers had to be different frequencies.
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Oh I know what you mean. My best friend and I had to do the same!
@Droidparty
5 жыл бұрын
I got the red one back in I believe 87. So many hours spent playing with this thing.
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
I can imagine. These were so great.
@goberbob8576
7 жыл бұрын
Just got one yesterday for 2 bucks out of yard sale
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
Well done! That's how much one of my Bandits was.
@rcjunkyard5253
4 жыл бұрын
Yard Sales for the win lol
@silviamills5218
4 жыл бұрын
Lucky
@TheFibonacciFox
3 жыл бұрын
😲😲😲
@foodmusttravel61
2 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering, I want to buy Taiyo RC Jet Hopper no 027. Do you sell one?
@T0m0zuki
6 жыл бұрын
Those things were pretty quick. I remember crushing one into the wall in the first 5 seconds when my friend gave it to me for a test drive.
@T0m0zuki
6 жыл бұрын
Is the brand dead now? Was Tyco and Taiyo the same brand?
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
That is a good question. Tyco was bought by Mattel in the mid 90's and still make RC's under that name. I do not know what happened to Taiyo. Taiyo was the manufacture but in the US, Tyco bought the rights for the toys and sold them rebranded here. This was very common practice. This was also how many Radio Shack cars were rebranded Nikko's.
@j0nnyism
6 жыл бұрын
TomozukiII ugh you were the friend that broke your friends cars!
@Aaron48219
4 жыл бұрын
And totally agree in regards to the grasshopper bridging the Gap between these and more hobbyist level cars like the rc10. I say this because I owned a grasshopper shortly after the Tyco.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Yes people forget that these cars were all stepping stones
@1RacerXer
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video! Very interesting to see the history of the RC hobby! Ihad a few "toy grade" RC's when I was a kid. I wish now that I would have saved them. At least I did find my old original Hornet in storage. It was in a shoe box...in many many pieces.
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
You are welcome! It is good that you had at least one survivor.
@Zed32_Customs
Жыл бұрын
I found one of these at a thrift store a couple months back. Cosmetically it's even nicer than the one you've shown. All the stickers are really nice (including some of the safety warnings!) , the plastic isnt yellowed and it's only missing one spot light. Unfortunately it doesnt work very well in fast mode, and even slow is fairly weak. I was also relatively surprised at the build quality of these.
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Wow that's awesome! I would reflow the solder on the analog board. It could be a poor contact that is increasing the resistance in high mode. It could also be the motor just sitting for years and needed some running time.
@jacqueslandry47
4 жыл бұрын
I had the Tyco many years ago but i didn't know about that bigger one ; now that i've seen it I got to have it ! !!
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Glad to help, lol!
@Dundeemac799
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for posting this. It was an awesome trip down memory lane!
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I will have another video comparing this and the Nikko Turbo Panther soon!
@nicethings2070
2 жыл бұрын
I lost my Jet Hopper. It was just amazing. 1986 forever.
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Awe im sorry to hear that. Yeah they are awesome cars.
@futuremotoringdetailcaraud7193
3 жыл бұрын
i had one as a kid it brings me back memories i had the red one
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
They really do make you feel 8 again.
@kode3020
3 жыл бұрын
Your videos are awesome! You show a great passion for your rc vehicles. They've been a great help for refreshing my bandit and turbo hopper heads up. Please keep the videos coming. Great work!
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks 👍 I certainly will!
@Mace2.0
5 жыл бұрын
That buggy had a spare wheel at an angle. Satisfies my dune buggy fetish since playing Smuggler's Run on PS2.
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
Haha, oh yeah
@420Ard
3 жыл бұрын
I just got mine in yesterday, bought from a national auction site here in Holland for only about $40. It's a red one and it looks and works great! Really happy with it. The steering takes a bit of getting used to and overall it feels quite flimsy, but it drives nicely and is quite fast. I just sold a good condition Nikko Turbo Panther last week and compared to that it feels quicker. The Nikko is easier to drive and feels like it is of better quality. And I think they both look great. The ultimate kids RC cars of the '80's!
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah i totally agree with you. This one feels flimsy and judging how many of these are found broken, I think they are. Still, it looks great and it is snappy!
@Aaron48219
4 жыл бұрын
Nostalgia....I had one of these 1st Gen black ones back in the 80s. Was my first real RC. The numbers on the black, 49, and red, 27, designate the radio frequency. I always wanted to mod one and make it a monster requiring wheelie bars...I may have to do that now that I'm older.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Oh yes! I can see that. The problem is these gearboxes are notoriously fragile. Every time I find one of these in poor condition it is a given that low gear is gone and high gear is on its way out
@johnrodriguez7786
6 жыл бұрын
just bought a tyco turbo bandit, cant wait to get it in da mail
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
I have a fleet of them. Man I love those things. I am working on a full custom right now...
@TalkToMeQA78
2 жыл бұрын
I had the original version Tyco turbo Hopper model 1. Unlike the one in this video the original Tyco turbo Hopper had an extended body and featured a bottom hatch panel for double a battery installation. Later iterations of the taco turbohopper had a 9.76v battery. The taco turbohopper with the heads up turning was the model 3. The original Tyco turbo Hopper was made by the company Niko. The front tires of the model one Tyco turbo Hopper had parallel grip treads not staggered treads.
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Interesting. I need to look into this.
@CheapCheerful
3 жыл бұрын
This video brought back great memories of my red jet hopper :) Now I have to find one...
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
You should! They are a heck of a throwback
@ericbulington2421
4 жыл бұрын
I always wanted a Nikko, but couldn’t get it. I loved that car and two of my friends had them. I had this and they had their pros and cons. I think the Nikko turned better because it has a rear diff. But, the Turbo Hopper would do better donuts and was a little faster in high gear on turbo. I could also jump better because the car was lighter, it seemed to get more air. But, in a race, around corners, I often struggled to keep up. Off-road, the Turbo Hopper was way better with the locked rear diff. I had 2, with the second version being the later dual joystick after I wore out the first one. The Panther would diff out and get stuck on rocks in a driveway and I would blow right by them. Loved this review and man it really brought back memories. I need to find mine, if it still exists and drive it. Thank you - and the right color! Never red, always black!
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
This is a good point. I remember mine getting stuck a lot too! I think the nikko is still tougher than this one though, the Tyco's always seemed kind of fragile by comparison.
@ericbulington2421
4 жыл бұрын
I never broke mine but I wasn’t much of a basher. I was twelve and saved for a year to afford it. Burned through the tires and bought another the next year. It was fun compared to the other toys we had back then!
@simeonorive145
3 жыл бұрын
I have fond memories of mine (Jet Hoppers in Australia) 11th birthday present from my Mum and Dad in 1986. I used it until it no longer worked Controller throttle stick broke I repaired by heating up a piece of hanger wire and stuck it in the hole, then battery terminals broke and that was that in the bin a few years later after some shelf life. Mainly asphalt driving out the front of the house It would tend to bog down in grass and really limit battery life less friction on bitumen. I would have liked to continue in the hobby but RC hobbies were incredibly expensive at the time. I have many now but do not use them my girlfriend is not a fan I should have had kids lol.
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
LOL! Yeah I have heard that before! The memories of these cars is what it is all about!
@OMGRC
5 жыл бұрын
I had the black one has a kid. Great video and very informative✊🏻👍I just got Black & Red from a guy on instagram. Both work but black one seems to glitch when going forward and I don’t want to damage transmission. Might do little video of one tuning against new Tamiya Grasshopper II sine it has 380 motor did around 11 mph lol. 😁✌️
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
Try and re-solder all the points on the analog board. They seem to crack with age.
@OMGRC
5 жыл бұрын
AMPRO Engineering Thank you great advice 👍✌️
@Jordanfizer
3 жыл бұрын
I got one of you had a garage sale for five bucks it’s been sitting on my shelf for about seven years now
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Oh that is where this one came from too!
@7272nighthawk
Жыл бұрын
just upgrading to NIMH batteries is a major upgrade !!!
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Very true
@brainysmurf74
4 жыл бұрын
I had this car. I ran it until it was literally destroyed. Interesting that you cover it because back innthe day the hobby shop people totally looked down on me and my car because it wasnt a tamiya, koyosho or team associated
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
I totally agree with you. I remember bringing my tycos to the hobby shop and the people working there thinking that I was a complete idiot for playing with such a stupid toy. Ridiculous given how much greater sales of the "toy grade RC cars" are than hobby grade ones.
@JerryR1776
3 жыл бұрын
I had that car in the 80's. I really wish I still had it.
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
They are awesome for sure.
@bigmike9527
4 жыл бұрын
the notice in the loss of speed when turning was the the first thing we noticed when we were kids,the reason for the loss of speed when turning is due to the fact that the steering servo motor runs off of the same batteries that power the powers the main drive motor.whenever turning it draws power away from the main motor and slows it down.and of course whenever you let off of the steering the car speeds back up.if it had its own batteries for the steering it would not have this problem.cool car and we loved them when we were kids.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
That is definitely something that makes sense but when I had the car attached to the power supply, this also happened with at least 5A of current at its disposal. This also doesnt happen on my Bandit but that has no diff as well....odd.
@PabloGonzalez-hv3td
4 жыл бұрын
For rubber conditioning I just found out about Lestoil household cleaner. My King Cab tires are significantly more pliable after only a few hours of soaking and as a bonus it cleans them. Only drawback is they smell like Pine-Sol and turpentine for a while.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
I will look at this. I’m always interested in new alternatives
@PabloGonzalez-hv3td
4 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering If anything it works too well and too long of a soak will make the rubber swell. 2-3 days leaves them good as new 👍🏾
@Jacobsladder375
4 жыл бұрын
Wow I has one of these back in the day. Good memories. Thanks for the post👌🏻👍🏻
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Sure thing! IT is a great car.
@gimble8638
6 жыл бұрын
im from the UK i stil lhave my tyco jet hopper in red as they were sold and branded here, also all here were sold with nicad batteries and a wall charger included, aswell as the later offset acceleator inot high that you showed on later stick remote you showed, i can honestly say not once did i run it in slow, the transmission is still fine which is surprising as i would be full throttle and just slam back into reverse to perform a 180 to come back lol. the reason it goes to low when steering is simple, its just drain when using every ounce of power from the batteriesin high and on turbo, my rear tyres are soft but are verry smooth like slicks, again because of raming it into reverse lol, its still in the loft (attick) to this day :)
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
yeah, these things were truly amazing little RC's.
@jimhaayy5363
6 жыл бұрын
I have a brand new, never opened #27 :) I am still surprised it was never opened when I was a kid
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
I always wonder how that happens.
@jimhaayy5363
6 жыл бұрын
AMPRO Engineering don't have an answer because I have had it since I was a kid. I ran my other one to death and just never opened this one
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Oh it was yours! Wow!
@j0nnyism
6 жыл бұрын
Jim B you must have been very spoilt as a kid. If i had been bought one i wouldve ran it into the ground or until my mum complained about buying batteries
@700gsteak
6 жыл бұрын
I still have mine in a box in mintish condition. What happened was my brother got one too but he destroyed his so we stopped racing cars and played other games like lego instead. lol
@tmdario
6 жыл бұрын
that was my first RC car. what good memories
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it!
@SzabolcsCzeh
11 ай бұрын
I got a later version, and upgraded it to brushless... made it up to 30mph... Because a diode burned out on the original panel, and couldn't fix it... And also installed oil filled shocks...
@AMPROEngineering
11 ай бұрын
Nice, that is some speed for that little guy.
@NordicRC
7 жыл бұрын
Many Thumbs up! Love this series! Amazing to see it lined up next to it's 'inspiration'. Looks a bit strange without the lights. Yours run really good though. And yeah, did kids ever run these in 'non-turbo'? Would love to see a video with both the Panther and the Hopper. I'm looking forward gettin' a Jet Hopper one day myself. Waiting for a perfect deal on a red one. Many Thanks for this episode. Loved watching every second.
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
I was quite shocked at how well it ran too. It really was a little gem. I'll let you know if I decided to sell this one. I did not intend to keep it but it has grown on me though you probably want a nicer one. I am happy you like the series!
@NordicRC
7 жыл бұрын
AMPRO Engineering Thanks. Yours is very nice but I'm on the look for a red unit with Jet Hopper decals though. The 'Jet' detail is very important for an European ;-)
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah the decals are a bit different aren't they.
@j0nnyism
6 жыл бұрын
Nordic RC Visions i always think when i look at these things is the childs disapointment at not recieving a hornet instead. Theyre still great little runners but not cheap on batteries
@yehaamedia3336
7 жыл бұрын
Wow this is amazing I wish I was around at that time
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
It was a great time to be into RC. I almost missed it.
@edstar83
4 жыл бұрын
kzitem.info/news/bejne/152ouGWJgV-Gq2U
@SodaGumX
4 жыл бұрын
i got one of these back in the early 90s/80s it has been broken for years i need like new spare gear parts for it im not sure what is broken i think it the gears though. i have not taken it apart before. i have kept it all these years hoping i could repair it someday.
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
I am hoping to get a parts one to makes some new parts!
@cabooe21
4 жыл бұрын
I had one back in the mid 80's. On turbo mode the batteries would last for bout 30 minutes tops.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Wow that's a lot!
@mr.h3603
4 жыл бұрын
This and the Mini Hopper! Awesome video thanks👍👍👍
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Sure thing!
@TheFibonacciFox
3 жыл бұрын
I’m looking. Christmas 🎄 is coming!!
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Hahah!
@PabloGonzalez-hv3td
4 жыл бұрын
The 1st gen variant with low pro rear tires has more parts in common with the later 9.6 Hoppers than it does with the early balloon tire version. Even though they look nearly identical. It's also the first version to not require throttle to steer.
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Ah nice to hear
@TheCollector5150
4 жыл бұрын
I remember as a kid my Turbo Hopper would never run off of rechargeable batteries and my mom refused to keep buying AA batteries all the time so she got me a Turbo Panther which worked with the rechargeables.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Really! That is a bummer.
@TheCollector5150
Жыл бұрын
OMG, Same!! If you put the Turbo Hopper in FAST it went through batteries REALLY fast and my mom would only buy me one set of batteries at a time.
@danielnunez5482
3 жыл бұрын
“Honey why are there tires on the roof and in the bathroom ceiling?” “Don’t worry about it”
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
It happens....
@cycoholic
2 жыл бұрын
I remember a mate turning up to high school with Jet Hopper, when the rest of us were already taking Tamiya Frogs, Boomerrangs, Hornets etc. Naturally, we all laughed at him. But after playing around for a while, in a way, some of us (myself included) were a little jealous. When ours had run out of power after 10 to 15 minutes, he kept on truckin. And yes, woukd keep up with a Grasshopper. One day he turned up and had repainted the body so it was like a black and white dairy cow!! It was awesome, and I think all of us were jealous then. lol
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Wow im amazed people had tamiyas! At my school, no one could afford one. It was all these, Nikko turbo panthers and a few oddballs. Man they were so great to run in a pack!
@cycoholic
2 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering I think from memory most of us had working class families. My First car, a, Frog, was pretty much the only major present I got that year (for Christmas). It became a build project with my father and myself. We did one assembly a day. Drove me bonkers, and man was it great when we finally got to drive it. I realized many, many years later he did that to teach me a few things. Working in a team. Patients. The appreciation of the path traveled, and how it also made the sense of achievement upon finishing the process much greater. He passed away a few years later when I was 13. And yes, I still have it. Mind you, it's completely torn down and stored in a fishing tackle box. Along with a few hop up parts. Oh yes, it will run again one day. The Boomerang was my second car, and was also really the only present I got that year. I built it in a much quicker time frame, only being a couple years after my father passed away, I hadn't realized the lessons he taught me when building the Frog. I also still have the Boomerang. Was rebuilt about 10 years ago with hop ups, stopped running, and never got around to getting it going again. And it will. Trying to remember who had what. Think Brendan had the Falcon, Gerald had a Hornet. Geoff had a Brat. Another Brendan had a Grasshopper. I think that's it. And Michael had the Jet Hopper. At one point, several of us who lived in roughly the same area managed to make our own dirt track on some mostly cleared land, probably around a 25 minute ride on my push bike. It was pretty cool at the time, even had a couple banked straights along a couple of concrete sewer pipes that were already laying there on the ground. Good times. 😎
@cycoholic
2 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah, at that time in Australia, at least in our area, if you wanted hobby grade rc Tamiya was basically it. We only knew of other companies like Team Associated by reading the rc magazines.
@Tony-ib2vm
4 ай бұрын
Fyi, the original turbohopper bodies fit, incredibly well, on the Losi mini Jrx2 with minimal modification.
@AMPROEngineering
4 ай бұрын
Wow that would look great
@IowaBudgetRCBashers
2 жыл бұрын
I just got the yellow radio shack version. It’s called a frame buggy. Got it for 13 bucks on flebay. Has the lower profile rear tires and sweet chrome wheels that look kinda like weld wheels. Came in the original box, but no controller, and the battery area is pretty green. Not sure if I’m gonna mod it or try to restore it
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Very nice! Careful with modifying it, the gearboxes are very, very weak.
@grantharrison5307
4 жыл бұрын
Best Christmas present of all time 86. I bought a new one in the box few years ago smells like Christmas 86 when I open it up. I’ve bought a few rough ones over the years to retro fit with new electronics. You said new lights where in the mix soon where can I buy these. Is/are parts available for these where should I look, any Tyers being remade? Thanks mega hit in Australia, they’d sell a million in a week if they where remade.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Christmas presents from when we were kids are always with drives these nostalgic cars
@silviamills5218
4 жыл бұрын
When will you actually do a comparison on this vs turbo panther vs grasshopper? I'd like to see that. Also can you do another comparison but of the Grasshopper vs Hornet vs Grasshopper II vs Super Hornet vs Rising Fighter?
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Very, very soon I promise! I may also do a hornet VS hopper too.
@juliusdream2683
3 жыл бұрын
WOW the original turbo hopper. I had the second one in 1989. Dam I’m dating myself but I still get carded when I shave so no biggie...
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
LOL! Same here.
@maelradec6766
Жыл бұрын
2023 and yes they are going up
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Yeah it is good to see them getting the attention they deserve. This months (Sept, 2023) issue of RC Car Action has an article on AMPro and I managed to get at Tyco Bandit in there!
@sm0keu
7 жыл бұрын
This take me back 👍
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
Yeah I know, it took me back as well.
@bsea35
5 жыл бұрын
I had the seats turbo hopper. Just remember waiting for those AA batteries to recharge overnight.
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
I do too...man that was awful.
@silviamills5218
4 жыл бұрын
And when will you do this "turbo hopper vs turbo panther vs grasshopper" video?
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
It was supposed to be months ago but now we can’t see anybody so we’re holding off
@jacqueslandry47
4 жыл бұрын
As far as i know 49 mhz were black 27 mhz were red I had the black one in late 80's
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Yes I believe so.
@HawkinsRC_Official
4 жыл бұрын
Tamiya rear spiked tires dl fit on these just fyi. They are a bit taller but still. Brand new tires that are readily available still beats searching eBay for parts cars, for months on end, by far
@PabloGonzalez-hv3td
4 жыл бұрын
Good to know!
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Wow aren't they huge on it? I printed some that work great. Man it needed it.
@HawkinsRC_Official
4 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering where can I get some👀
@JoannaJedrzejczyksForehead
5 жыл бұрын
You were correct as a child Nikkos were better. I used to pine for Tycos, until I ran a Nikko. The difference in quality was obvious.
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
Yeah It is common to see tyco's broken now but not Nikko's. The advertising campaign lacked from Nikko sadly.
@DR34M4CH1NE
4 жыл бұрын
Strange because when I was a kid the tyco was the one to get, branded as the wild thing and it smoked my nikko, although I think I had a crap one, definitely didn't have no turbo stick! My friend who's car it was absolutely destroyed it bashing, shame. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
@25BEDFORD
4 жыл бұрын
Battery covers are a pain to find for this buggy and without it the batteries pop out with slightest bump or wrong turn. I made one from a black DVD plastic cover and it was the perfect thickness and it works perfectly in snapping and holding everything in place.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
I love to hear that creativity
@hammerhome7879
6 жыл бұрын
Only $10 per run on Alkaline's ....good cheap fun ..lol
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
LOL, that's why I run me some Eneloops!
@700gsteak
6 жыл бұрын
I used to run it on nicads. It;d take all night to charge and I'll get to play it for 10mins. Freaking memory effect. lol
@edstar83
4 жыл бұрын
@@700gsteak Same.
@TheIronDuke9
3 жыл бұрын
@@700gsteakMe too! my charger only held 4 batts so I set my alarm to wake me at 2 AM so I could swap the other 4 and be fully charged in the morning. lol my mom thought I was nuts.
@fredzeppelin3969
6 жыл бұрын
Amazingly fast for a toy, but the non-proportional steering made it impossible to drive quickly around the dirt "tracks" we built as kids in the backyard. It also had HORRID bump-steer, with the linkage not even closely following the suspension geometry.
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Yeah I totally agree. I need the proportional steering but i when I was 8, I was just happy to have the car.
@torredchc1768
Жыл бұрын
I dont know if people realize yhow good these were in the 80s. Most of the shelf toy store rc were terrible. Turning without backing up was magic.
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Yeah these really were great rc cars. I feel that is are easily some of the all time greats in the golden age of RC cars.
@pekkavalkonen1973
2 жыл бұрын
Nice lecture. I have jet hopper turbo (with creaking remote control) . it was a christmas present (maybe -86?), top spring mounting plastic is broken (on the left side only), but its single piece of plastic with two screwed. Just wonder how do i build a similar one...
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Well the best thing to do is look for parts cars on ebay or join FaceBook groups where people have these cars. I have sold a lot of parts to help other people with some of their builds.
@CollinBaillie
Ай бұрын
Hey, nice video and brings back great memories. If one wanted to get the Tamiya Hornet re-release kit and build it up to be Jet Hopperish (with decals from Nostalgia RC in the UK), including a 2-stick controller (like these), would you have any recommendations for someone in Australia? I'm looking at maybe online purchasing from China. This being 'a toy' as you said, I don't want to be paying $$$ for some controller with heaps of channels which won't ever be used.
@AMPROEngineering
Ай бұрын
My only thought is ebay? Your location is sadly a challenge due to a shipping. Im sorry about that!
@Powerback2thepeople
6 ай бұрын
Could you put the turbo hopper next to a lost mini JRx2! I had a black hopper and I feel the mini jr2x is reminding me more of the Tyco hopper then the 1/10 JRx2 ! I feel 1/12 to tyco is more like 1/16 to Losi? Love to see them side by side! Thank you for your time!
@AMPROEngineering
6 ай бұрын
Oh unfortunately i do not have one. Sorry about that.
@philipstrom6966
4 жыл бұрын
Woooooow th a t brings back memories 😂😂😂😂😂😂👌 & soon after I got the hornet 😁👌
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it!
@johnrodriguez7786
6 жыл бұрын
lol masterpiece rodimus in backround !!!!!!!!!! awesome
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Haha! Yeah I love that guy.,
@silviamills5218
4 жыл бұрын
You said you've been "conditioning" the tires. What exactly do you mean? How does one condition tires?
@PabloGonzalez-hv3td
4 жыл бұрын
With old tires it means to soften them to stop the drying and cracking process. I use the household cleaner Lestoil myself.
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah just has to do with preventing them from cracking.
@7272nighthawk
Жыл бұрын
the heads up does have a diff in it
@AMPROEngineering
Жыл бұрын
Some did, some didnt. Like the bandit, it was such a weird mix of what ever the heck they had. My friend MIB one doesnt. I was so confused when I saw it.
@kyrieeleison1905
6 ай бұрын
@17:10 you say you have a video comijng up pitting the hopper against the turbo panther and the grasshopper.. had a look for it but couldnt find it... did you end up not doing it?
@AMPROEngineering
6 ай бұрын
I have not yet but I still really want to.
@jacintogomez8755
3 жыл бұрын
Why does it look faster than my stock bandit?even in low mode.wow nice vid
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Really? Some of these have aged worse than others.
@jacintogomez8755
3 жыл бұрын
Hey im blown away too.have you noticed the massive difference in the rear tires on you'res and the heads up?
@jacintogomez8755
3 жыл бұрын
Also if you want to be able to jump any of the taiyo series vehicles w/O damage?all you got to do is put a way wider front bumper on any of em.
@ShenRC
7 жыл бұрын
very cool!
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Working on those adapters this week!
@ShenRC
7 жыл бұрын
AWESOME! Cant wait for em! Did you like my grips I sent along?
@AMPROEngineering
7 жыл бұрын
Yes! I haven't installed them since I want to do a video on them with your permission.
@englishbannana1232
2 жыл бұрын
Since you have incredible knowledge on rc cars, I wanted to ask what tires that your aware of will fit the rear wheels of this model of turbo hopper? I have a first gen turbo hopper that runs on 8 AA batteries and all the tires have rotted away since it sat in the box. I got tamiya grasshopper tires on the front but the tires on the back from the grasshopper doesn't fit. So do you know what modern tires fit the rear of it?
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
I wish I did. I do have plans on printing some with a TPU. I have tried it with bigger RC cars and it performs really well and they are rather cheap to produce. I will have a video on it shortly.
@conanp.2926
6 жыл бұрын
Great videos. Any advice on taking the wheels off to replace them?
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Sadly no, they are press fits are really dangerous to remove. I am planning on trying this on my Tyco bandit. I will know more then!
@conanp.2926
6 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Looking forward to the continuation of those videos.
@sjkooymans
2 жыл бұрын
I still have mine, but rear tyres are hard and cracked. Any ideas of where to find replacements?
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Yup! I will have a video covering that in a couple months. I have TPU printed ones that are awesome but I am looking at casting some in silicone.
@Sara-xw7xg
4 жыл бұрын
Hi my turbo Hopper is broken the servo don´t Works and I don´t Know disassemble it, It´s there a video that shows how to repair or change it? Thanks
@AMPROEngineering
4 жыл бұрын
Sorry man I dont know much about those. The only one I have is this one and I dont dare take it apart for fear that that is it.
@lusher00
3 жыл бұрын
I took it apart and couldn’t get it back together. I was only like 4 years old though
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Awe man...yeah we all had to start like that i think!
@lusher00
3 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering lol yeah. Now I’m an electrical engineer.
@steveclough6794
5 жыл бұрын
hi Alberto i just acquired this Taiyo jet hopper, unfortunately, the rear tires have rotted out beyond repair could you advise as to whether or not the Tamiya frog or grasshopper tiers will fit this jet hopper thanks in advance
@AMPROEngineering
5 жыл бұрын
Yes and know. they can be printed but the cost at the moment is high and the quality is bad. Sadly there are no direct fits that I know of but stay tuned! I will solve this as I have designed them and am looking for a way to make them.
@moobutt
8 ай бұрын
I still have a Turbo Panther.
@AMPROEngineering
8 ай бұрын
It is an all time great.
@michaelhandrigan7952
2 жыл бұрын
I have the black turbo hopper but the front wheels n wheel on top are dry rotted do you know where I could get replacement tires for it
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
I have 3D printed brand new ones in TPU. they work and look great. I will have a video on these soon.
@carlbudd341
2 жыл бұрын
I have a radioshack sand streaker 2 boxed working mint condition not a clue how much ?.
@AMPROEngineering
2 жыл бұрын
Shoot, sorry man. I would pop it on ebay to see. I dont know that car at all.
@lancebrown7459
3 жыл бұрын
I have a 3rd generation at least 20 years our with the pistol grip, recently playing with with grandson, I lost control of the front servo, there was some smoke from the bottom of the car. Looks like I need a Tyco Taiyo Super Hopper 4wd 49mhz Circuit Board, Servo Set. Do you know where I can get parts for this?
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah, I think I reviewed that one. The only place for parts now is ebay.
@RadiCalRaCer
11 ай бұрын
There is also one with a different bumper
@AMPROEngineering
11 ай бұрын
Yup, there were a lot of variances.
@adamgc73
3 жыл бұрын
I still have mine but mines red the rear tires are a bit worn lol
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Oh im sure! Shows a lot of love over the years.
@HustleHabit
3 жыл бұрын
My very first RC 😩
@AMPROEngineering
3 жыл бұрын
Oh nice, It was for so many
@farkmohammedpigs1823
6 жыл бұрын
My metro bullet used to cream these little snot boxes
@AMPROEngineering
6 жыл бұрын
I don't know of that car. More info?
@Rob_77
5 жыл бұрын
@@AMPROEngineering The Metro Bullet was just a renamed Tyco/Taiyo Jet Racer 4WD
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