The Taiyo Racing Pick-Up 4WD (Japan) is a radio controlled car released into the Japanese market in 1987.
For TycoCollectors.com Administrator OzzyMuppet, this is my #1 car. As close as Taiyo ever got to perfection, it is the predecessor to the massively popular 1990 Tyco Baja Bandit.
Features and Performance
- Large 1/14 Scale
- Made in Japan
- 9.6v 'Turbo' with 8xAA (12V Alkaline)
- Top Speed of 25km/h
- Twin Mabuchi 280 motors running 4WD drive-train
- Front Differential, with Rear Solid Axle, reportedly best for off-road.
- All-Round Blue Shocks Absorbers with Steel Shaft
- Spare tire on the back
- Roof-Top Air Intake
- Nissan King Cab Hard body
It is available in Red Top (27Mhz) and Blue Top (49Mhz).
History and Development
The story of the Taiyo Racing Pick-Up is closely linked with the 1988 Global version, the 1988 US version, and it's successor the Tyco Baja Bandit.
As the story goes, Taiyo Japan offered this Taiyo Racing Pick-Up 4WD to Tyco Industries (USA) as a potential new flagship product, just as the Jet Hopper had become the wildly successful Tyco Turbo Hopper.
This made sense, because the Racing Pickup was based on actual Nissan 4x4 King Cab Racing Pick-Ups, such as those driven by late American Sherman Balch, winning the Baja 1000 in 1987, the most prestigious off-road race in the world, held in the Californian Peninsula (Mexico). Another famous Off-Road Racer Roger Mears also ran Red, White, and Blue Nissan Pickups that look distinctly similar to Taiyo's truck (see below).
Tyco agreed, and after repackaging for the English market, Taiyo would release the 1988 Taiyo Racing Pickup (Global) onto the European market, and Tyco would release the 1988 Tyco 4WD Turbo Racing Pickup onto the US market.
Unfortunately, in the American market, the 4WD Racing Pick-Up just did'nt sell well. Was it the relatively higher price, due to the high specs? Was it the Japanese brand (Nissan), instead of a Chevy or GM Pick-Up? Or maybe it was just not the right time.
As a result, Tyco would go on to design and order a simpler version, more appealing to American audiences - the legendary Tyco Baja Bandit, utilizing the same Nissan Pick-Up hard body, but a completely new chassis.
Recommendation
30 years later, most collectors agree that the Taiyo Racing Pickup 4WD, whether it's Taiyo or Tyco, is one of the best radio control cars Taiyo ever made (in my opinion it's #1) and due to it's small production run of just 1 year, it's also one of the rarest. Get one if you can find one.
