The Taiyo Racing Pick-Up 4WD is a radio-controlled car manufactured by Taiyo (Japan), and introduced in Japan and other countries worldwide in 1987.
The TycoCollector's #1 Favorite
On a personal level, as Administrator of TycoCollectors.com, I can say that this (along with the Tyco version) is my #1 favorite toy R/C car of the 80s/90s. Why? It's Taiyo doing their best to max out what's possible with a toy-grade R/C without getting into hobby-grade prices. On many levels, it was hobby-grade in that Taiyo was able to supply replacement parts for some time, and of course its performance is exceptional.
Key Features and Performance
- Relatively large 1/14 scale
- Manufactured in Japan
- Equipped with 8xAA Batteries giving 9.6V (NiCd original) or 12V (modern Alkaline)
- Maximum speed of 25km/h with very high torque
- Dual Mabuchi 280 motors powering a 4WD drive-train
- Front Differential, Rear Solid Axle, optimized for off-road
- Blue shock absorbers with steel shafts all around
- Spare tire mounted on the back
- Roof-mounted air intake
- Nissan King Cab hard body
This model is available in Red Top (27Mhz) and Blue Top (49Mhz) variations.
Background and Evolution
The development of the Taiyo Racing Pick-Up is closely related to the highly popular and eventual successor, the 1990 Tyco Baja Bandit.
Originally, Taiyo Japan pitched the Taiyo Racing Pick-Up 4WD to Tyco Industries (USA) as a prospective flagship product, akin to the highly successful Tyco Turbo Hopper, which was based on the Jet Hopper. The Racing Pick-Up was inspired by real Nissan 4x4 King Cab racing pick-ups, such as the ones driven by the late American Sherman Balch, who won the prestigious Baja 1000 off-road race in 1987 in California's Peninsula (Mexico).
Other renowned off-road racers like Roger Mears also drove red, white, and blue Nissan pick-ups bearing a striking resemblance to Taiyo's truck, so it was a popular design at the time, and Taiyo wasn't the only toy/hobby company to use it - with Tamiya's Nissan King Cab Pickup being the most widely known.
Tyco agreed to the collaboration, and after repackaging the car for English-speaking markets, Taiyo released the 1988 Taiyo Racing Pick-Up (Global) and 1988 Taiyo Racing Pickup (Japan), while Tyco launched the 1988 Tyco 4WD Turbo Racing Pick-Up in the USA, UK, and other English speaking markets.
Regrettably, the 4WD Racing Pick-Up did not fare well in the American market. Its lackluster sales could be attributed to the vehicle's relatively high price point, owing to its advanced specifications, the use of a Japanese brand (Nissan) rather than a Chevy or GM pick-up, or simply an unfavorable market climate.
Consequently, Tyco went on to develop and produce a more simplified version catering to American tastes: the legendary 1990 Tyco Baja Bandit. This new model retained the Nissan Pick-Up hard body but featured an entirely new, simplified chassis.
This was a high-spec car, with dual motors, front differential, pistol grip controller, and of course the 9.6V Turbo battery pack, and of course that Red, White, and Blue Nissan 4x4 King Cab Pickup hard body.
Recommendation
Collectors largely agree that the Taiyo Racing Pick-Up 4WD - whether under the Taiyo or Tyco brand - is one of the finest radio-controlled cars ever produced. Its limited production run of just one year also makes it one of the rarest, while Limited Edition Championship variants are even more rare and valuable.
