Let It All Begin With This Buggy

Based on single-seater buggies seen tearing-up dirt tracks across the U.S. in the 80's, the Grasshopper first made its appearance in R/C stores in 1984. Boasting easy assembly and easy control, the lightweight Grasshopper proved an instant hit as the perfect entry level R/C kit. Also compatible with a whole range of option parts such as oil dampers, 540 motor and ball bearings, the Grasshopper was an entry level car that could keep up with the owners driving experience. Packed with all the fantastic features of the original kit, this fun 2WD buggy is a blast on both off-road and on-road tracks. Whether it was your first or will be your first, the Grasshopper guarantees to please.

Simple But Tough 2WD Chassis

The perfect combination of simple assembly and tough exterior is what made the Grasshopper so special. Durable plastic body is fastened to bathtub resin monocoque chassis by screws, creating a solid frame that can absorb any type of rough handling. Off-road tracks can be tackled with ease thanks to coil spring dampers, and independent swing axle front and rigid axle rear suspension. Diff loaded sealed gearbox keeps out the dirt and stones for smooth driving and cornering. Paddle style rear tires and grooved front tires combine with 3-piece assembly type wheels for excellent grip performance on dirt tracks. Half-body driver figure adds that finishing touch to a fun off-road R/C car.

Basic Specifications

Length: 389mm, width: 223mm, height: 135mm, weight: 830g

380 type motor (chassis compatible with 540 type motor - sold separately)

Transmission Type: Rear 2 Wheel Drive

Independent swing axle front suspension, rolling rigid axle rear suspension, friction dampers

Sealed rear gearbox to protect diff gear during off-road running

3-piece assembly wheel, straight ribbed racing front tires, paddle rear tires

Front and rear axle compatible with ball bearings (sold separately)

Options Explained

Bearing Upgrade: These make the car run more smoothly and are easily installed during assembly. If there is no option for these shown, then the kit already includes the bearing upgrade as standard. These are entirely optional.

Radio System: There is a choice of a TWIN STICK (Traditional) radio or a Steering Wheel (Modern) radios. All operate on 2.4Ghz and use the new Crystal-Free technology, so you can run multiple cars at the same time without any interference. All radios chosen from this page will include a steering servo as these are not included in the kit itself.

ESC: This is the connection between the radio system and the motor. You have several choices. Tamiya no longer make their own ESC, instead they supply from their facilities Hobbywing or Mstyle units. Where a model number is shown (e.g. 20 or 15) that is the motor capacity of the unit - the lower the number, the more powerful a motor you can install later. All work with the motor in the kit.

Battery: The higher the number, the longer the run time.

Charger: Charge time is proportional to the battery you choose. Some examples - for the 1800 battery (others will take longer) - USB charger takes around 4 hours, Mid Speed around 2 to 3 hours, Etronix Fast Charger can be as quick as 60 minutes in the house or 30 minutes in the car and Ansmann Delta also around 30 minutes (and also works in the car).