The Radio Shack Golden Arrow was a 1/10 scale radio controlled car distributed by Radio Shack and Tandy stores across the globe beginning in 1987.
By the late 1980s many kids had truly blasted their Turbo Hopper or Turbo Panther into dust, or they were simply a little older and saw these 'toys' sold in 'toy stores' as something that your little brother might enjoy, but not you. Nope, you'd need something bigger, faster, and able to take some punishment.
Yet for most people that meant venturing into a 'Hobby Store', a kind of dream land (for me at least) that was full of these wonderful grown up toys that were all so expensive and difficult to use (build, maintain) that they were simply out of reach, especially if you lived in a small town and the nearest Hobby Store was hours away.
For you though, there was one saving grace. Radio Shack!
Licensed from Nikko R/C Systems, it was a version of the Nikko F-10 Rhino / Bison / Thunderbolt that had undergone some cosmetic changes to the physical body and decals, but other than that it was the same solid performer guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
As I've hinted, what really made the Golden Arrow special was its accessibility - if you had a Radio Shack nearby, you could pickup a car with many features and overall inspiration from its Hobby Grade counterparts, yet at a price that was accessible to much of the market.
Prices back then varied, and I've seen several quote they got it for $99 USD which seems a bit cheap, and advertisements from the era show it was more around the $299 - $349 mark.
Even better, it's pre-built, so no messing around putting together a Tamiya kit from scratch, though like any serious R/C car you'd need more than just AA batteries. Radio Shack also sold the 7.2V Battery Pack it required, and charger, separately in store.
Features and Performance
With a large Mabuchi RS-520 motor and the 1/10 scale with 7.2V battery to handle it, this buggy was clearly a class above anything made by Tyco / Taiyo at the time or in the future.
Complimented by the Nikko Digital Proportional Steering system, meaning you could steer the front wheels a little or a lot, along with a rear differential, proper front and rear suspension system, and six frequency bands all combined with that power to make it smash any of your mates cars. And while it might not beat most typical hobby grade cars, it would have been plenty capable of running on a track and putting on a decent attempt.
As for a top speed, multiple sources claim approx. 37-38km/h or 23-24mph, which would make sense as the Golden Arrow could easily blast past a Turbo Hopper / Turbo Panther (max. 27km/h), and it would have to be faster than the fastest Taiyo / Tyco which was the Twin Turbo cars such as the Lamborghini Countach at 31km/19mph.
Just the facts:
- Large 1/10 Scale with a Large Mabuchi RS-540S Motor
- Digital Proportional Steering
- Rear Differential
- Front and Rear Friction Dampers (Trailing Arm Front, Rigid Axle Rear)
- 7.2V Hobby Grade Battery (Motor) and 4 x AA Onboard (Electronics)
- 27Mhz with 6 Frequency Bands enabling competition racing
- Air-filled off-road balloon tires
- Removable body shell / cowling
Rather than a pistol grip controller however, the car used a standard stick style transmitter, unusual for such a premium feature-filled car, though potentially this was a cost cutting measure to keep the car in a reasonable price bracket.
As the photo below shows, as well as a 7.2V Hobby Grade Ni-Cd battery, it also required 4 x AA batteries onboard to power the electronics and radio. This split setup was very common in the 80s, with Taiyo / Tyco one of the first manufacturers to stop doing it in the early 80s, while Nikko continued it into the late 80s. What many people don't know though, is that even with an 8 x AA car, Taiyo / Tyco would wire into the first 4 batteries to draw 6V for the radio/electronics, and only utilize the full 8 x AA for driving the motors. So in this way, they did continue to use a split battery setup.
How does it actually perform?
It's a hoot! The whine of that brushed motor and ESC combo is brilliant, check it out below.
Availability and Collectability
The Golden Arrow is widely available for sale online, however the condition of most cars will be poor to average, with some of the more common problems being cracked or missing bumpers, rubber rotten tires, yellowed white plastic wheels, and of course stickers damaged or missing.
Clean cars in very good condition with box, controller, and manuals are less common and far more expensive, but still available if you are patient and do your homework.
The Radio Shack Golden Arrow is a testament to a unique moment in R/C history. It came to life when mainstream interest in R/C was peaking, and Radio Shack was at just the right stage where stocking a line of R/C cars including one this sophisticated made sense.
For those who owned a Golden Arrow during its heyday, it would have been extraordinary, a piece of history that for many ignited a passion for competitive R/C racing, and a lifelong interest in the hobby that would continue to this day.
Today, a Golden Arrow in mint condition is a highly sought-after collectible, like many of the items we cover here at Tyco Collectors it is a symbol of a bygone era that captured the essence of a world and culture we will never witness again.
