The Tyco Twin Turbo Hopper is a radio controlled car manufactured by Taiyo and released in the United States, United Kingdom, and across the globe by Tyco in 1988 during the golden era of Taiyo / Tyco.
Note: If you have a better photo of a Twin Turbo Hopper box (not the Aero version), please contact me.
Easily confused with the successor model, the 1990 Tyco Twin Turbo Aero Hopper which has the same body, chassis, and colors, but slightly different decal design and a large "9.6V" displayed prominently on its side.
It's difficult to find any information on this car, even photographs are rare, however it's clearly the Tyco version of the original 1987 Taiyo Aero Jet Fighter.
Features and Performance
The Tyco Twin Turbo Hopper is a large 1/12 scale car with 2 x Mabuchi 280 motors, Rear Wheel Drive (with differential), and a top speed of 31km/h or 19mph. It's supplied with a pistol grip controller (deluxe hand-guard version), all-round shocks, a ridiculously large rear wing, and extra wide front wheels. It was sold in two colors: silver (49Mhz) and black (27Mhz).
Specifications:
- Large 1/12 scale
- 2 x Mabuchi 280 motors
- Top Speed of 31km/h or 19mph
- Rear Wheel Drive with Rear Differential
- Deluxe Pistol Grip Controller (HG)
- All Round Shocks
- Massive Rear Wing
- Silver (49Mhz) and Black (27Mhz)
We suspect the reason it's so hard to find this beauty is that everyone who owned it drove it like a bat out of hell and smashed them up! A very similar story to the equally fun Tyco Scorcher.
If the Lamborghini Twin Turbo is Taiyo / Tyco's best on-road chassis, then this chassis is the best off-road variant they ever made. Coupled with that beautiful 1990s-era aerodynamic design, this is one of my all time favorites, and just as valuable as any Bandit or Lamborghini, or Wild Thing in my opinion.
Availability and Collectability
When I originally wrote this article in early 2022, I was a little dismayed that people didn't seem to appreciate how immensely cool these particular cars were. They were going relatively cheap. This didn't last very long, and by December 2022 I'd updated that prices were not getting quite high.
Prices remain high today, and you may need to wait a few weeks to a few months to find a car that meets your budget. Boxed is obviously the most expensive, and unboxed missing controller the least expensive. For this particular model also, missing the front wing is very common, and generally I don't miss it, it's a great design with or without it.
Grab one at a reasonable price while you still can.
Update December 2022: Well it seems people are beginning to realise the value in these, and prices are high. That said, with the economy the way it is, the market seems overheated and we may see a fall in prices in the near future. Maybe.
