Track Report – Tamiya Monster Beetle

When it comes to vintage monster trucks, Tamiya’s space framed Brat line (Brat, Frog, Blackfoot, Mud Blaster, Monster Beetle etc.) are among the most iconic. Sure it wasn’t the first RC monster truck by a long shot but it was without question the most popular for its time. The chassis saw its first set of oversized tires in October if 1986 with the release of the Blackfoot Ford F150 truck. Shortly after however, December of that year to be exact, Tamiya launched the Monster Beetle as a hopped up version of the platform. Upgraded with oil-damped shocks, race inspired tires and a Baja bug body, driver Albert Attaboy and his Monster Beetle took Tamiya into a new realm of trucking stardom. Over the last handful of years the twin stars have released newer generations with the Blackfoot III and Mud Blaster II on their newer WT-01 but true vintage collectors begged for something more authentic for their next rerelease. Enter the Monster Beetle 2015 Quick Look Manufacturer: Tamiya Vehicle: Monster Beetle 2015 Class: 1/10 2WD Monster Truck Price: $190 Additional items needed: 2-channel radio system, servo, battery, glue and paint Quick Facts • The ’15 Monster Beetle has a few updates to make it more reliable and current, the most important of which is probably its speed control. Tamiya includes their TBLE-02S brushless ESC and while the kit comes with a brushed motor, it’s nice to know you’ve got what you need when you want to go brushless. • Like the Frog rerelease from a few years back, the MB includes a set of universal drive shafts that replace the hex dog bones of the original truck that stripped out quickly. Universals are one piece so they won’t fall out and are more reliable and smooth. Tamiya still includes a pair of rubber boot covers to keep dirt from damaging the axles and outdrives. • The biggest thing that separated the Monster Beetle from its Blackfoot brother was oil-filled dampers. For 2015 Tamiya has kept the same basic design and color as the originals but updated the shape of the shock and seal caps to make them a little easier to work with. • Since there is no more mechanical speed control, Tamiya has replaced the centrally mounted metal plate that supported it with a pair of tube braces. With the front cover removed this is the most visually identifiable difference between the original truck and the rere. • Fans wanted a true rerelease and they got one with the 2015 Monster Beetle. With the exception of the missing speed control plate and a couple of other very small, almost unnoticeable details, its nearly impossible to tell the old from the new.   Performance The Monster Beetle represented a spec’d up version of the Blackfoot and while it had oil shocks and its Chevron tires had spikes added, it was never really made for racing; it simply took the BF’s handling and performance to a little higher level. Putting the kit together is simple. As with all Tamiya kits, the manual is 1:1 scale so you can match up the screws and hardware to the legend on the side of each page, eliminating guessing. The body took as long to detail as the entire truck took to build but if you just want to get running, a quick spray job and your ready to rock. I took the detail route because my MB will mostly live its life on a shelf to be admired. I did encounter some confusion with getting the side mirrors on the right way and one broke thanks to some hamfisted installation but a little glue and improvising and it looks great anyway. Outside, the Beetle isn’t going to handle like a dream; it’s going to drive like a monster truck! Its tall stance gives it plenty of room to clear bumps and small boulders in the yard and while its oil filled dampers work well, they work hard to take all of the hits you throw at the truck due to their lateral mounting position. With such soft rear suspension, the MB tends to push as many vintage monster trucks do but with its tires do surprisingly well on almost any surface when it comes to grip and steering. It also jumps well however landings take some finesse to avoid rolling over on that pristine hard plastic body we painstakingly detailed. To be honest we jumped the Monster Beetle pretty far and it took every nasty landing and spill with ease and didn’t break off as much as a side mirror. INSERT GALLERY HERE! Specs Chassis Material: Plastic space frame Length: 16.1 in. (410mm) Width: 11.4 in. (290mm) Wheelbase: 9.8 in. (249mm) Weight: 3lbs 15oz, (1800g) (without battery) The most significant detail about the Monster Beetle is its chassis. The same plastic space frame used on the Blackfoot and Mud Blaster sandwiches the transmission and everything else between a pair of rather uniquely shaped frame halves. Suspension Material: Plastic Type: Dual arm independent front with trailing arm rear Shocks: Plastic, Oil-filled Wheels: Plastic with gold chrome finish Tires: Hard compound Chevron style with spikes While the spikes will wear down after a while, the Chevrons will last, literally forever thanks to their hard compound and supported design. While they’re harder than you’d imagine, they work surprisingly well over almost any surface. Drivetrain Type: Rear-wheel-drive 2WD Differential: Gear differential Bearings/Bushings: Plastic bushings Driveshafts: Dogbone universals The biggest improvement to the Monster Beetle 2015 is the addition of universals that replace the original MB’s hex drive dogbones that would strip out in a matter of minutes. The transmission itself is exactly the same as the original and while it can be a little tricky to build, it works well and propels the truck with ease. Power Package (not included) Motor: Tamiya Silver Can 540 Speed control: TBLE-02S Brushless speed control Steering servo: Hitec HS-7985MG, part no: 37985S, price: $85 Battery (not included): Reedy WolfPack 7.4v 3000mah lipo, part no: 730, price: $25 You’ll need to add your own battery and servo to get the Monster Beetle running but Tamiya has included their TBLE-02S speed control that can run both brushed and brushless motors; a great included option for a sub-$200 truck.

Final Word Let’s face it, we all love monster trucks and when it comes to the Monster Beetle, Tamiya’s goal was to give you something a little out of the ordinary and something that handled better. For those of you that wouldn’t even consider running yours, the MB makes for the perfect shelf queen with its shiny gold wheels, detailed driver and cockpit and fine exterior detail that rivals many modern crawler bodies. Among the world of RC monster trucks the Monster Beetle is, was and will always be a hit. It’s unique chassis and platform elevated it to fame as the Blackfoot, but it was it’s baja bug body and higher trim level that won the hearts of millions over all of these years making it one of the most popular 2WD monster trucks of all time. Pros + – Awesome detail inside and out – Oil dampers help handling – Good riddance hex dogbones! Cons – – Paint the backs of the wheels too – Which way to these side mirrors install? Links Tamiya, tamiyausa.com Hitec, hitecrcd.com Reedy, teamassociated.com/reedy