I am working on restoring my old Big Bear after many years of sitting in the closet. Most of the mechanics are under control. But I have a major issue and need opinions.
There were a few places where I had to cut and modify the plastic tub frame to get it assembled. Over the years, many of these areas developed cracks. The truck will still run, but at this point it would destroy what is left of the frame very quick. A friend of mine seemed to think that Marui would still have replacement frames available. That would be great if it is true.
Honestly, am I looking at having a custom frame fabbed up or are there still replacement parts available for this 1980's monster truck?
Thanks for reading! I appreciate any help that you have. I don't know where do go from here.
I've got a complete Big Bear and believe I've got a spare chassis stored away. If you're interested in picking up the whole truck or maybe just the spare chassis, let me know.
guys, any pictures of your "big bear". i sometimes read about it in bbs, but never saw one. what is the specs of the marui big bear? any links or info? you have to forgive me, the only vintage stuffs i know are from tamiya. thanks.
The new cars running around just don't seem to match the durability of the older Tamiya's. I've driven the rims off my Boomerang, and have yet to break a thing! The shocks still hold oil! I recently rebuilt the front one, but only because I wanted a ligher weight oil. I also just got done installing bearings, and new tires. It handles like it's on rails!
The newer cars are built to tighter clearances, with less slack and slop, but they still are mere silouhettes of the cars ov yesteryears. Sure, the plastic has come a long way, and materials have grown stronger, but the balance between weight and strength has shifted. Now all the companies care about is building a car strong enough to make the mains. The old cars were meant to beat the ever loving crap out of, then install a fresh 1200 and go for it again!
i think cars have come a long way since the early days. plastics are stronger and lighter, metal is stronger and lighter, electronics are small, lighter and more efficient. nitro motors are more reliable, easier to tune and more powerful.
i took an old Tamiya frog out for a spin (i had rebuilt it for a friend with some bits off ebay) and it was a lot of fun, but you could not compare it to a car of todays standards. i think most of the fun was that it didnt handle!!
one thing i really dont like about the "modern" era of rc is that nearly all the kits are pre-built. the "model" aspect of it is disappearing. even shells are coming pre painted. i know its a great way to get people into r/c though, but still, i like to build my cars from scratch.
The first part I would like to fix is the front body mount. The original peice bent down and forward like an "L" and tucked into the front of the frame/chassis. Not sure if plastic is the best material for this part.
Next would be ideas on what to do about the front bumper. The original broke really quick. So I electrical taped a piece of metal in front of it and that held up. But it looks ugly. Not necessarily looking to get an original replacement, something stronger and nice looking would be what I'm looking for.
Also, any ideas on a metal Motor/Differential setup? The plastic did not hold up very well. Mostly wondering if their design was similar to any other vehicles. You can see in the pictures where the current motor housing is broken.
I may have the frame problem solved. But it may take a while to actually get. So I'm looking to tackle the other issues.
It is a decent size truck. I will have to get some measurements to post on the webpage.
Would anyone happen to know the specs for my Kyosho 360 Monster Motor (Mega Motor)? I have not been able to find them on the web and there isn't anything else printed on the motor other than what kind it is.
Front to back it measures 14.5" and 9.5 inches tall at the KC lights.
I found out some more on the motor. I also took some more pictures and scanned some stuff. I will let you know when it is posted up. Tooo late to do it tonight. I think you guys will get a kick out of them.
Anyways, the Kyosho Mega Motor is listed as a 21,000 RPM Motor, it has a 550 size can for more torque, wet magnets for extra power, pre-set timing for optimum power, heat resistant epoxied armature, and diamond trued commutator. Hopefully this stuff means something to someone. The other side of the box says that it is basically a 1/10th scale tractor pulling motor. Does this info help as far as how many turns the motor is or how it compares to current motors?
Marui Big Bear Restoration
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