Tamiya Sand Scorcher
Restoration account of this much-loved SRB
The Tamiya Sand Scorcher, kit number 58016, was released about a month after the Rough Rider in late 1979 and, along with the RR, went down in history as a serious ahead-of-its-time off road racing buggy. And now, with NIB (New In Box) examples changing hands between collectors for anything up to $3000, the Sand Scorcher seems to be making its second mark in rc car history, as arguably the most sought-after vintage rc car ever!
Above, an A1 condition Tamiya Sand Scorcher in front of its box.
Photo by Tamiya Club member Carbonman, reproduced with permission.
Personally I never owned a Sand Scorcher in their time of glory back in the early 1980s -- I could only drool over them in the local hobby shop window! However, I did get to own a second-hand Rough Rider as my first proper rc car.
But being not-quite-a-teenager, I didn't understand how ahead of its time it was, or how high the quality of construction was - it was just there to play with and crash!
With time, my beloved Rough Rider got sold on, and in a moment of recent madness (trying to recapture my youth...), I started a manic eBay spending spree. As a result, I now have a complete Rough Rider, a Sand Scorcher bodyshell, and enough bits and pieces to build a complete Sand Scorcher from scratch.
It won't be 100% original because I've opted to use some repro parts here and there, notably the plastic pieces such as wiper blades, mirrors, exhaust etc. But it should be a fairly good one when it's finished.
So this page follows the progress of a Tamiya Sand Scorcher rebirth. Not every step of the way, but a photo for each main section of the build (click on an image to view it larger)...
Tamiya Sand Scorcher rebuild - photographs
A tabletop full of Sand Scorcher parts! The red/black color scheme of the bodyshell will be replaced with a box art blue/white finish... eventually!
Plenty to be getting on with, then...
The motor casing/gearbox halves and gear cogs and shafts, cleaned up and ready to go together. The original brass bushes have been replaced with ball raced bearings, and stainless steel screws will be used throughout the build.
Cleaning up of all metal parts is done with a Dremmel type mini-tool, and lots of patience!
The assembled motor casing/gearbox, with Mabuchi 540 motor in place and plastic motor and gear covers also.
The torsion bar, rear wishbones and brass universal joints have also been cleaned up and fitted.
Starting to look like a chassis now!
The main chassis plate has been attached to the transmission casing, as has the rear roll bar, rear cage and dampers.
A clearer shot of the rear end. The characteristic SRB roll cage and rear cage really look good when assembled, the lug at the back of the cage is the antenna mount. Also visible here is the resistor sitting atop the motor/gearbox casing, and the drive shafts are in place.
See more progress of my Tamiya Sand Scorcher rebuild.
Sand Scorcher eBay listings
Shown in the table below are current (real-time) eBay listings for Tamiya Sand Scorchers and parts. Please note that these are genuine eBay listings, and clicking any of the links will take you through to eBay.com (USA).
Related pages & Resources
Page 2 of the rebuild (chassis).
Page 3 of the rebuild (bodyshell)
More stages of the Sand Scorcher bodyshell makeover.
Tamiya Rough Rider - my Rough Rider restoration project (future page).
Tamiya SRB series - the rc cars that made history.
Tamiya Club - for vintage and modern day Tamiya lovers.
