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Just found this place via google....

A brief history of my Tamiya involvement:
1986, I am 14 and my best mate (who was rather spoilt LOL) got a brand new Hotshot.
This instantly becomes the object of much jealousy and yearning!
Fast forward to approx 1990 and I eventually get my 1st Tamiya, old faithful The Grasshopper.
Then over the years I have various other Tamiya cars, but still the Hotshot remains the ultimate car that I must have. As time goes on their value rises and I read more and more about often broken parts being harder and harder to get.
I then resign myself to never having a Hotshot, as I wouldnt want to spend a fortune for something I couldnt use.
Then the rere appears, unfortunately at the time all my cash is taken up with buying a house, so the chance passes and gets forgotten.
It is now Sept 2011 and I get a yearning for the Hotshot again, and this time I WILL own one!
Eventually all the bits needed turn up and I finally get to build the Tamiya I have wanted for 15 years. I know its far from the perfect buggy due to various design issues, but to me it is THE car! (I also firmly beleive it is the best looking buggy Tamiya have ever made)
I triumphantly post a photo of the brand new and unyet run Hotshot on Facebook.
Nearly instantly a mate comments telling me "Ive got one like that in the loft! Its the Hornet isnt it?"
I explain the Hornet was black and 2wd etc, to which he replies again "Ive just been and looked, its the same as that one"
So, my mate who Ive known for years has had one sitting in his loft!!
A quick chat secures it; he sells his junk, and within a week I gain a brand new rere Hotshot and now a very honest original one too!

Its been well used, but thankfully is very complete. Im yet to strip it down and have a good poke around as I only collected it from him this evening.

I couldnt resist one photo of them both, more to follow soon!
(Hopefully Ive not bored you all to death LOL)

Hi dest, and thank you for the great story!
I think you will find that many here has similar stories, with many good endings because of the now available reissues.

Please keep us posted on the teardown and rebuild of the vintage one!

BTW, welcome to TamiyaBase.

-Lars

Hi dest, welcome here with the best Tamiya site and a great bunch of guys.
Your story was not boring at all, and all so fermiliar to a lot of us I assure you. Please post photos of your restoration.
Marius

Yes welcome , Looks like you have alot of work to do on the 1st hotshot .
I can see that you will need the front drive shalfs as the ones that are on it are not the right ones . Very hard to get sadly , But someone may have some .
Great story & we all had the same story of sort .
Now we all love pic's of rebuilds etc . .
We are waiting !!

I am uploading photos now, so expect a new thread very soon!

First of all welcome!

The Hotshot is definitely one of the coolest cars ever made...
You story (cash, Grasshopper, Hotshot) is very easy to relate to!
Even the year 1986... a quarter of a century ago by now.

Envy your gorceous pair of Hotshots! Even if one is still dirty!
Looking forward to your resto.