1967 Baja Bug

The path for toy cars is straightforward as children get older, it goes: simple toy, complicated toy, slot car, radio controlled car, real car.  Often it loops around again which is why this page is read by adults, not children.

If you were driving slot cars in the late ’70s and early ’80s, your nose would have been pressed against the window of the local model shop watching the Tamiya videos of their racing buggies.  Impossibly beautiful sand dunes, perfect streams of water and no such thing as a flat battery.  Turn up your speakers and watch this, go on – I’ll wait here for you.

Wasn’t that fabulous?  As a fan of Volkswagens, I loved the Sand Scorcher.

To be honest, it wasn’t that great in terms of dynamics; there was no differential so tight turns were a problem, the rear tyres would go bald after a very short time on tarmac and the front end alignment had too many places to wear out.  But what a cracking toy to own.

Tamiya reissued these a few years ago, but what if you want some Sand Scorching action on your slot car track?  Step this way, sir, I think I have something that’s just perfect for you.

This kit uses the 012-604 European (narrow) chassis