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Tamiya 58512 VW Camper Wheelie

By justin On January 27, 2012 · 5 Comments

Preliminary Review

Tamiya are currently releasing a steady stream of new and re-release models at the moment, but one that seems to have sparked a bit of a debate is the new Tamiya 58512 VW Camper Wheelie. This quirky 1/10th scale RC Monster Truck (I think we can call it that), comes as the usual construction kit and features a slightly caricatured version of the early VW T1 Split Screen camper van body shell, which to me makes this a bit of a Marmite model (you either love it or hate it). Personally, the jury is out at the minute as I can’t decide!

58512 VW Camper Wheelie

On one hand, it makes me chuckle, which I think is what Tamiya intended, as it certainly brings a fun side to the hobby, much like the Lunch Box did back in the 1980′s and continues to do so today… But will it become a classic like the Lunchie? I honestly don’t know.

The model itself is based on the same chassis as the Wild Willy 2, the WR-02, which is a proven chassis design, capable of some crazy stunts and can pull wheelies until the cows come home. It’s supplied complete with new LiPo compatible TEU104-BK Electronic Speed Controller, ABS monocoque chassis and rear wheelie bar. 4 chunky, oversized monster truck tyres complete the look, sitting on a set of standard Wild Willy 2 white plastic wheel rims.

Scale VW Camper Project Capabilities? Hmm… Maybe… Maybe Not…

When I first saw this in an early video of the prototype, my first thoughts immediately focused on the idea of 100′s of scale VW Camper Van projects springing up all over the place, with people creating true to life, scale interiors etc with this shell mounted on one of Tamiya’s M chassis. Unfortunately, the shell doesn’t currently match the wheelbase of any other Tamiya chassis, so unfortunately the scope for a quick and easy scale camper van has gone out of the window here. Plus the slightly over exaggerated features of this model make the body even less suitable. This is a real shame in my opinion and I think Tamiya have definitely missed a trick here.

Don’t Knock It Until You’ve Tried It…

Ok, so I’ve slated this model as far as scale projects and scale looks are concerned, but what about the fun factor, isn’t that what this hobby is all about? Well, yes, to me, it is, and for that, you can’t really knock the Tamiya VW Camper Wheelie at all! Continuing in the tradition of fun, Monster Truck RC models from Tamiya, like the Wild Willy, Wild Willy 2, Lunch Box and Monster Beetle to name but a few, I guess it’s one of those things that just had to be done. On the face of it, if you’re new to the hobby, or you fancy something a little less serious that a touring car or scale project, then this could be the one for you.

The kit itself is pretty straight forward to assemble and the body shell doesn’t need a great deal of detailing unless you really want to go down that route, so younger modellers should be able to tackle this model without much hassle. For more info visit Tamiya.com.

Featured Build Coming Soon…

I think as I can’t decide 100% whether I like this model or not, I’m just going to have to build one, so look out for a fully detailed build and review of this over the coming weeks.

Features & Specification

Chassis: ABS Monocoque WR-02
Suspension: 4 wheel independent
Damper Type: Plastic coil over friction shocks
Drive Train: 2WD gearbox
Motor Included: Electric type 540
Electronic Speed Controller (ESC)

Where Can I Get One?

Modelsport UK- Fast Delivery & Excellent All-Round Service
Some good discounts to be had on Ebay