Racing The Icon: Larry Tom’s Custom Tamiya Sand Scorcher

Paul Onorato January 31, 2026 Stories

From the Shop to the Starting Grid: Larry Tom’s Vision

To appreciate why this particular Tamiya Sand Scorcher exists, you have to understand the man behind the transmitter. Larry Tom, owner of Hobby Action RC Raceway since 2013, has been a fixture in the RC community since he was 14. His addiction to the hobby started with a Tamiya Frog and grew during his college years at HobbyTown USA in Gilbert, AZ, where the legendary parking lot races cemented his love for the sport.

For the 2025 Team Associated Vintage Championship, Larry’s goal was unique. He was in Las Vegas to run the onsite hobby shop, so he wasn’t looking to battle the “fast guys” for a podium. Instead, he chose to finally build the car he’d wanted since he was a kid: the Tamiya Sand Scorcher. “The Scorcher was too expensive as a kid, but I always wanted one to play with,” Larry admits.

The “Meant to Be” Engineering

What started as a plan to run a stock chassis with a Lexan body quickly evolved. Encouraged by Kraig Schall, Larry began sourcing high-end vintage hop-ups from around the globe. While the build was relatively straightforward, the biggest hurdle was the rear suspension—specifically, getting a decent amount of travel out of the notoriously stiff RC chassis.

The solution came from a bit of office serendipity. Larry found two RC10 T6.1 rear shock towers in his office and planned to use the carbon fiber to fab custom extensions. “We were lining up the holes to mark them,” Larry recalls, “and the existing holes lined up perfectly with the factory Tamiya holes. After some quick trimming of the carbon, we were set. It was like it was meant to be.”

A Collaborative Effort

To bridge the gap between 1979 style and modern track performance, Larry leaned on his community. Chris Krieg developed custom 3D-printed rings to mount JConcepts 1.7 Double Dees onto the original 1.5 Tamiya wheels, while Ethan Kovalsky provided essential build support. Combined with Kraig Schall’s guidance, the project became a tribute to both the original 1979 icon and the modern RC community—proving that with the right friends and a few “meant to be” parts, you can still take a 46-year-old design out of the display case and put it back where it belongs; on the race track.

THE BUILD SHEET

Below is the complete breakdown of the components Larry used for this build.

Factory Works

IRS200 Style trailing Arm Suspension Kit for Tamiya SRB—$139.00 (1x)
CRP 1514 SRB extended front shock mount (2)—$18.00 (1x)

Fan RC

Hard Coated Shock Kit, 0.71 Stroke—FR-005.071H, $36.99 (1x)
Hard Coated Shock Kit, 1.02 Stroke—FR-005-102H, $36.99 (1x)

Quasi Speed

Small Bore Shock Bladders—QS-5024, $5.95 (1x)
Small Bors Shock Caps—QS-5022, $15.95 (2x)
Strapless Battery Mount Kit—QS-1404, $14.95 (1x)
Metric 6mm Shock Stand Offs (4)—QS-5099MBL, $15.95 (1x)
Metric Short Rod Ends—QS-6020M, $6.95 (1x)
28mm Black Titanium Turnbuckles—QS-1228B, $14.95 (1x)

Team Associated

RC10 T6.4 Front Shock tower—ASC71157, $29.99 (2x)

Team Blue Groove

Sand Scorcher Baja Bug Lexan Body—$46.00 (1x)

Team GFRP

Challenger Servo Mount—GFR-5200, $15.95 (1x)

Xtra Speed

2.5mm Carbon Graphite Chassis—XS-TA29142, $29.99 (1x)
Aluminum 7075 Hard Coated Spur Gear 70T & 65T—XS-TA29141, $19.99 (1x)
Aluminum Wheel Adapter—XS-TA29112SV, $7.99 (1x)

Yeah Racing

Aluminum Steering Arm—TASC-002BK, $17.99 (1x)
64mm Titanium Turnbuckles Set—TASC-003SV, $12.99 (1x)

To see how far Larry’s build moved the needle, it’s worth looking back at the foundation he started with.

The Legend In Stock Form: The 2010 Re-Release

When Tamiya first unleashed the Sand Scorcher in 1979, it redefined scale realism for the RC world. Fast forward to today, and the 2010 re-release has ensured that this desert-dwelling icon remains accessible to a new generation of builders. This modern iteration stays remarkably faithful to its roots, utilizing the same classic rear-wheel drive (2WD) chassis architecture that made the original a legend. It’s a mechanical time-capsule that balances vintage soul with the convenience of modern production.

The centerpiece of the kit is the stunningly detailed white ABS VW Bug body. Unlike common polycarbonate shells, this hard-plastic mold allows for an incredible level of scale precision, perfectly capturing the flared fenders and aggressive stance of the spec racers seen at the California Baja 1000. While it may not compete with modern RC race buggies in terms of pure performance, it is an unmatched scale reproduction of a specific era in motorsport history, making it a “must-have” for any serious collector’s garage.

STOCK SPECS

Item number: 58452
Chassis: SRB
Scale: 1/10
Construction type: Build-up kit
Length: 16.5 in. (419mm)
Width (F/R): 7.38 in. (188mm) / 8.63 in. (219mm)
Wheelbase 9.75 in. (248mm)
Weight 3.9 lb. (1,769g)
Chassis: 2mm FRP plate, reinforced with aluminum
Drivetrain: Enclosed rear-wheel drive (2WD) gearbox
Differential: None
Bearings: Metal ball bearings
Suspension: Aluminum front double trailing arm with rear aluminum A-arms and metal torsion bars
Shocks: Aluminum body, oil-filled shocks
Motor: 540-brushed type
Body: ABS plastic
Speed control: Electronic speed control
Wheels: 3-piece, 5-spoke
Tires: Treaded rubber, off-road