Over the past few years we’ve seen a number of different Porsches built from legos and even paper Porsches. For those of you familiar with the Lego Porsches we’ve featured you know they are extremely detailed and some Lego Porsches even have working suspension. However, this is the first time we’ve seen one that runs and operates with RC like features.
The lego Porsche in the video above reminds us slightly of the Tamiya Porsche VIP Cup RC that we tested a few years back (with the working headlights, etc.).
Have any of you ever built a Lego Porsche or other type of Porsche model? We would love to see them if you have. Let us know.
Kind of… Anyone that’s read PorschePurist for a while knows we love RC Cars, especially when they’re Porsche related (remember our review of the Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 VIP Cup Car). That’s why we can’t stop thinking about this Porsche 356 from Schuco.
We first saw this Porsche Schucotronic 2.4 about two months ago over at BornRich. Ever since then we’ve been trying to get our hands on one. Unfortunately, according to SunRich Toys (Schuco’s US Distributor) these cars aren’t currently available for sale in the US (maybe if enough of you are interested, we can change that).
So, while we don’t have one of these to review ourselves, the Schuco site has plenty of information and a couple of great videos (like the one above). In our opinion, the best part of the Schucotronic Porsche is the 2.4 ghz remote control. Not only does the control let you switch on the front and rear lamps, set the blinker and beep the horn. It also has a button that produces sound from the engine. As if that weren’t enough, the 4-channel remote allows for four (4) Porsches to race against each other. Hmmm. Maybe we can upgrade the motor on one, throw on some slicks and have our very own “outlaw” 356 in 1:18 scale.
My wife just came in and asked if I was interested in going shopping this coming Friday (Black Friday) to try and take advantage of some of the deals that are sure to be offered. My response was an emphatic no! Actually, what I really said was, “I’d rather cut off my legs with a butter knife.” I think she got the hint.
There are many things I find enjoyable (like taking my Porsche for a spirited drive) and other things I’d just as soon avoid (like battling the crowds of screaming kids and stressed out parents in the mall). My guess is that there are a lot more like me out there and chances are (if you’re reading this) that you’re a Porsche fan too. With that in mind, I thought I would put together a list of gifts for the Porsche lover on your shopping list and make sure they were all things you could purchase on-line (there by avoiding the stress of the mall and giving you more time to drive).
Porsche Gift Ideas
Race Ramps and other Products from Brute Industries. A number of months ago I reviewed a safe and alternative method for jacking up your Porsche using Brute’s RaceRamps. If you have a DIYer on your gift list, here’s a chance to get them something nice for the garage and get a 10% discount at the same time. Either read through the review or simply go directly to Brute’s web-site. Either way, be sure to use the coupon code of 993c4s8 in order to get 10% off your entire order.
PORSCHE DESIGN BY Eton, Table Top Stereo System with Dock for iPod/AM/FM/Shortwave/RDS. I’ve found that a lot of Porscheophiles tend to be audiophiles as well. If that’s the case with you, then the Eton P’9120 is a great match. Complete with a built in satellite tuner, iPod dock and short-wave radio, this compact little stereo delivers big sound and will look great in your garage or office. Eton was kind enough to send me one a few months ago to review and I fell in love with its design and sound. I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Porsch Design Emergency Crank to see how that sounds in comparison.
Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 VIP 2007 RTR RC Car: TT01E TAM57776. You may remember this one from a a few weeks ago. Here’s a gift you can buy for the kids and still enjoy yourself. Or, if you’re like me, just buy it for yourself and then set it up as a drifting machine. If you have a minute, you can check out the video I made and an even better one (produced by someone with better video editing skills) to see just how much fun this little toy can be. One of the coolest features on this car is the LED light kit that allows you to drive at night.
Porsche Reference Books. Any one of Adrian Streather’s “Porsche The Essential Companion” series. I own the 993, 996 and 911sc version (here’s a review on the 996.) I should be posting my review on the 911sc version soon. I’ve found my 993 book to be indispensable when trouble shooting problems. The 996 and the 911sc books are used for reference material and for researching my next Porsche purchase. Any time I post facts or figures about the 993, 996 or 911sc you can pretty much guarantee that the information came from one of Adrian’s books.
Video Games and Accessories. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a video game junkie. I love racing sim type games (as well as role playing games). If any of you have a similar affliction, you’re probably familiar with Need for Speed: Undercover. This game is a blast, available on almost all platforms and fairly inexpensive. I wrote a post a few months ago about driving games and how they might improve your track skills. Hell, even if they don’t it’s still fun. If you or the Porsche lover on your list already has all the video games they need, chance are they may not have a Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel made by Fanatec.
Finish off your Porsche Library. There are so many Porsche related books it’s tough to even know where to begin. However, I think most would agree that two “must haves” for any respectable Porsche library are Karl Ludvigsen’s Porsche: Excellence Was Expected: The Comprehensive History of the Company, its Cars and its Racing Heritage – 2008 Update and Genesis of Genius. I just received my copy of Genesis of Genius a week or two ago and I’m slowly making my way through it. Once I complete it you can be sure I’ll write up a review. Excellence Was Expected was first published in the late 70′s. Having gone through many, many revisions it is now comprised of over 1500 pages spread across three volumes. Some have called it “The Best Automotive History Ever Written”. These books are not inexpensive, but they are worth every penny.
Porsche Related Artwork. Given all the time I’m spending in my garage I figured I might as well make it a nicer place to hang out in. One of the easiest ways to do this is by hanging up some posters and other original art. If you’re looking for Porsche related items (and I’m sure you are) then you might want to take a look at the work of Paul Chenard. Last but not least, be sure to check out what’s available from Freck’s Auto Art. They have some great artwork signed by legendary Porsche race drivers.
A work of Porsche fiction. If you haven’t yet read Hunt for 901, by Kevin Gosselin, what the heck are you waiting for? To the best of my knowledge this is the first and only fictional book that has Porsche front and center. Even if there were other books, this is worth reading on the merits of the story line and writing alone. Hunt for 901 follows Faston Hank and his team as they search the globe to locate Rolland Zeller (the last man to see the missing Porsche 901 prototype). Find Rolland and you find the 901. If you want to read a more in-depth review on Hunt for 901, then you’re in luck; just click here.
A Subscription to 993C4S.com This will be the cheapest gift you buy this season. You know why? Because it’s FREE! If you’re not already a subscriber, simply follow this link and choose from receiving our newsletter via email or via RSS reader. If the subscription’s not for you, just plug in the email address of the person you’re sending it to and you’re done. I guarantee it will be one of the easiest things you do this holiday shopping season.
A More Comprehensive List of Porsche Gift Ideas
Wow, that’s a lot of stuff and I don’t even think I’ve scratched the surface. There are so many items available it’s mind boggling. The title of this post promised 10 Gift Ideas and I only listed 9 above. In an attempt to organize things (and give you 10 ideas) I’ve put together a list of Porsche related products available on Amazon. I’ve been building this list in anticipation of launching my new blog theme and new name. The new site isn’t quite ready to go, but the list is. It’s by no means complete, but it’s still better than going to the mall and fighting the crowds! HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE AND HAPPY SHOPPING!!!
Over the past few months I’ve been getting to know the guys at Porsche Cars North America. We don’t talk often, but when we do it’s a friendly and open conversation. I’m forward about my desire to drive a Porsche from their media fleet and their candid about the likelihood of that happening. So, you can imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang one night last week and I opened the door to find a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP Car had just been dropped off in my driveway. Take a look at the images below and see for yourself.
I know, I know. You’re most likely asking yourself, why would Porsche drop off a SuperCup track car in my driveway? Truth be told, they wouldn’t. Tamiya, the manufacturer of high-performance radio controlled cars, however would. Especially if it meant a review of their officially licensed Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP. Did I fool any of you? Even for a second?
With a large collection of nitro and electric powered cars, trucks, boats and motorcycles some might say my interest in radio controlled toys borders on obsessive. So, it should come as no surprise to those who know me that I would jump at the chance to mix two of my favorite past times: Porsche and Radio Controlled Cars.
The Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP is no different.
With inputs from Porsche, this RC car is an exact 1/10 replica (at least from the outside) of the SuperCup Porsche Design race car. The car Tamiya sent to me was “Ready to Run” (RTR) meaning it came completely built and packaged with almost everything you need to get started right in the box. The only thing you need to purchase separately is a 7.2 volt battery pack and charger. Once you’ve charged the battery, dropped a few double As into the remote and clipped on the body, you’re good to go.
Below is a quick video that I put together while trying the car for the first time. After the video is my complete review including a few suggestions/modification that can only stand to make this car that much better. If you’re interested in purchasing one of these for yourself you can find the kit on Amazon, Ebay or at you local hobby shop.
I Highly Recommend the Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 CUP for Anyone Looking to get Started with RC Cars
Given my experience with RC cars and the fact that most of my cars are highly modified kits (vs. RTR) I wasn’t expecting a whole heck of a lot. Let me say this, my expectations were totally off! Not only does this Tamiya look great, it runs even better. The car was responsive, quick and handled like a champ. The included LED lighting system is a really neat feature and can be highly modified if you like to tinker around (add blinkers, reverse lights, strobes, etc.) After searching around the web, I’m pretty sure I’m going to turn my unit into a modified drifter and really have even more fun with it (see the video at the end of this post.)
As I said above, I think this car is exceptionally well done for a RTR that took less than five minutes to open, assemble and put on the road (assuming you already have a charged battery.) My only suggestions to Tamiya are as follows:
Change out the little tiny cotter pins that hold on the body with something more substantial. For anyone with a hand larger than a child they are pretty tough to handle. It’s only fair to note that Tamiya isn’t alone in this problem, most cars use these tiny pins and I end modifying all of mine as shown in the picture below. To do this simply take a plastic quick lock strap, loop it through the pin, trim it to about 1 and 1/2 inches, cover with surplus fuel tubing and you have an easy to handle quick release pin that even large adult hands can manage.
The switch to turn the LEDs on and off is fixed under the body. Every time you want to turn this feature on or off, you have to take off the body, flip it over and activate the switch. It would be pretty easy and a nice feature to have this as a switch on the outside of the body for ease of use.
Lastly, the braking on this car was exceptional. However, there was a bit of a delay between breaking and engaging reverse. Not sure if this is a function of the speed controller or something in the design. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there an easy adjustment or fix?
About the Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP
• Newly designed TT-01 type E chassis features brand new A Parts and D Parts. • Damper Stay and Gear Case parts are made from fiberglass-reinforced resin for greater strength. These parts are now also separately molded to enable easier maintenance (regular TT-01 had damper stay and gear case molded as one piece). • New front and rear uprights are also made from durable fiberglass-reinforced resin. • Improved steering linkage design features TA05 steering posts for sharper steering response. • New upper deck enhances chassis rigidity and mimics Tamiya’s high-level race-spec machines. • Upper deck also features a convenient transponder mount to further encourage fans to go to their local track and experience R/C racing. • Rear suspension arms installed in reverse position to create shorter wheel base for greater scale accuracy. • 4WD shaft-driven bathtub chassis with coil spring damped, 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension and sealed front and rear gearboxes. • Unmistakable Porsche 911 body shape is accurately reproduced with lightweight polycarbonate. • TEU-101BK ESC, Type 540 motor, and LEDs for headlights and tail lights are all included. • 2-Channel R/C system, 7.2V battery pack & charger. • Compatible with a wide variety of Option Parts (sold separately). • Flat Clear polycarbonate spray for an even more realistic finish
Drifting the Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 Cup VIP
The video below gives you an idea of what is possible with this car if you purchase it in the kit format and turn it into a drifter. If you want to get right to the action, simply fast forward to about one minute in. Otherwise, watch and enjoy.
Email
. I’ve found that a lot of Porscheophiles tend to be audiophiles as well. If that’s the case with you, then the 
to see how that sounds in comparison.
. You may remember this one from a 
series. I own the 993, 996 and 911sc version (here’s a review on the 
. This game is a blast, available on almost all platforms and fairly inexpensive. I wrote a post a few months ago about 
and 
, by Kevin Gosselin, what the heck are you waiting for? To the best of my knowledge this is the first and only fictional book that has Porsche front and center. Even if there were other books, this is worth reading on the merits of the story line and writing alone. Hunt for 901 follows Faston Hank and his team as they search the globe to locate Rolland Zeller (the last man to see the missing Porsche 901 prototype). Find Rolland and you find the 901. If you want to read a more in-depth 
meaning it came completely built and packaged with almost everything you need to get started right in the box. The only thing you need to purchase separately is a 7.2 volt battery pack and charger. Once you’ve charged the battery, dropped a few double As into the remote and clipped on the body, you’re good to go.
, 
