The Backyard – Red Plastic and Big Dreams

Happy Friday all! Welcome to The Backyard.

Earlier this week, Tamiya announced the return of one of my all-time favorite RCs: the Clod Buster. This time around, it’s coming back wearing its original colors with red molded plastic, white wheels, and even the classic-style box art.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited.

The Clod Buster is my definitive favorite RC of all time. I still remember the first time I saw one back in the early ’90s. Oddly enough, it wasn’t in a hobby shop—it was sitting on a shelf at a toy store in an outlet mall. The moment I saw that giant monster truck on the box, I had a mild freak-out. I had to have one.

Over the years I’ve built them, raced them, customized them, and probably taken more of them apart than I can count. In fact, it’s one of the very few kits I could probably build from memory without opening the instruction manual.

I’ve also spilled a good amount of digital ink talking about Clods here on Big Squid RC over the years. So naturally, this week’s announcement means I’m about to spill a little more.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Clod’s history, this isn’t the first time Tamiya has brought it back. We’ve seen a number of re-releases over the years with different colors and graphics packages. The longest-running version was the Super Clod Buster, which featured blue molded plastic, chrome wheels, a larger supercharger scoop, and a 4x4x4 grille in place of the original licensed Chevy bowtie.

When the Super Clod was recently discontinued, hobbyists immediately started speculating. Was the Clod going away? Would it return in another special edition? Or—what many of us were really hoping for—would it finally receive the EVO treatment like the Hornet and Lunch Box?

It turns out the answer was the former.

That doesn’t mean nothing has changed. The new release includes Tamiya’s TEU-201BK electronic speed controller (which is made by Hobbywing- it’s a solid unit), the body comes molded in red so a box-art build requires no paint, and the front end has apparently been revised to make installing LED headlights easier. Since the truck is no longer licensed by Chevrolet, the grille has also been cleaned up instead of wearing the old 4x4x4 badge found on the Super Clod. Personally, I think that’s a big improvement. I also dig that the blower hat is back to the smaller version found on the OG.

Those are all welcome updates.

You know what didn’t change?

No bearings. No oil-filled shocks. No updated steering.

That’s a real disappointment because this felt like the perfect opportunity for Tamiya to give the Clod the EVO treatment. Those three upgrades alone would’ve transformed how the truck drives right out of the box. As it stands, if you plan on actually driving your Clod, I’d still recommend installing bearings immediately, getting some servo on axle steering kits, and getting a set of oil shocks.

Even with those criticisms…yeah, I’m still buying one.

As many Clod Busters as I’ve owned over the years, I’ve never actually built a true box-art version for my collection. I’ve always told myself that if Tamiya ever brought back the original look, I’d finally build one exactly as it appeared on the box and let it live on the shelf.

Looks like it’s finally time.

If you’re wondering whether the Clod makes a good first kit, my answer is still an enthusiastic yes. Tamiya kits remain some of the most enjoyable builds in the hobby, and the Clod is no exception. By molding the body in red, Tamiya has made the process even more beginner-friendly.

Just do yourself one favor.

Order a bearing kit when you order the truck. It’ll save you from taking it all back apart later.

Criticizing the Clod doesn’t make me love it any less. Quite the opposite. I’ve spent decades enjoying this platform, which is exactly why I know how much better it could be with just a handful of thoughtful updates.

The Clod Buster has earned that kind of criticism because it’s one of the true icons of our hobby. Great RCs deserve to evolve just as much as they deserve to be preserved. I hope Tamiya eventually gives it the EVO treatment. Until then, I’ll be more than happy to build another Clod and add a proper box-art version to my collection.

Alright, that’s it for me this week. Until next time, keep it on all 4’s!