MARDAVE MINI STOCK CAR MARK 1 1/12TH SCALE (BY PETE T)
The price list (in the manuals section) to this mini is from 1985, i don't know the first year that this mini was produced as I cant find any information about it, i have only ever seen 2 complete cars and a complete rolling chassis and i brought one of the complete cars and the rolling chassis.
The car users the mark 2 speed controller compared to the mark 3 speed controller used on the mark 2 mini so its certainly an older version and as i cant find any mini from Mardave that users a mark 1 speed controller or any other older differences so I have to assume that the car in the gallery is their mark one:
The car users the mark 2 speed controller compared to the mark 3 speed controller used on the mark 2 mini so its certainly an older version and as i cant find any mini from Mardave that users a mark 1 speed controller or any other older differences so I have to assume that the car in the gallery is their mark one:
- Original price tag on the box is £33
- The front and rear bumpers are made from an harder compound plastic in grey and came as a simple sheet that the buyer/builder have to cut out and shape themselves. ( mark 2 mini was red and pre-cut using a softer plastic )
- Window mesh was supplied and was standard metal mesh ( mark 2 mini was plastic )
- front body posts are black ( mark 2 mini are red )
- rear motor plate holds the body mounting pin and receiver, no speed control. ( mark 2 mini has larger plate with built in speedo board and room for the receiver )
- chassis has no hole pre-drilled for the aerial mounting post ( mark 2 mini has )
- Body shell is very basic with no fenders or air scoop and is of a thinner abs
MARDAVE MINI STOCK CAR MARK 2 1/12TH SCALE (BY PETE T)
I first brought a mark 2 mini in 1991. I don't know the exact date of the release or the length of production as finding out any information about vintage mardaves is a very hard if not impossible task. Either the production run was longer than the mark one or the mini became more popular maybe due to the amount of clubs that were opening at the time where they could be raced but there was a large number of alternate body shells that were made (not just mini shells), I have been trying to find and buy all the different shells - mini only - the shells I have so far are:
it would be really good if anyone out there knows of any more shells that were produced by mardave for the mini mark 2, hopefully my pictures (in the Gallery section) will inspire more people to add there shell pictures and I can see if there are any that I have missed.
- standard kit shell with rounded air scoop
- standard kit shell with staight sided air scoop
- rounded air scoop shell with enlarged bottom side plates for a 6 cell battery pack
- mini sprint mark one
- mini sprint mark 2
it would be really good if anyone out there knows of any more shells that were produced by mardave for the mini mark 2, hopefully my pictures (in the Gallery section) will inspire more people to add there shell pictures and I can see if there are any that I have missed.
MARDAVE R12 MINI RACER 1/12TH SCALE MARK 3 (BY PETE T)
I know very little about the mark 3 bar that it was produced at the same time as the rebel racer with only a few small differences which are as follows;
I would really like to find some more information about the mark 3,production dates, lenght of production etc. I do know the mini racer was'nt around for very long because the serious racers didnt like it,they were so used to the old style minis that had no suspension that they thought the new mini racer was taking something away from the sport,plus a whole new set of rules and regulations had to be put in place which took awhile to implement,by this time Chris Wilkinson the new owner of mardave was already designing the new mini which is used to today in its many formats ( depending on price mainly ).
- Body shells are, of course, different
- mini racer doesnt use front or rear bumpers the rebel racer users front and rear red plastic bumpers with over riders
- mini racer chassis is shorter because the mounting holes for the bumpers aren't needed
- mini racer wheels are of a different style to the rebel racers
I would really like to find some more information about the mark 3,production dates, lenght of production etc. I do know the mini racer was'nt around for very long because the serious racers didnt like it,they were so used to the old style minis that had no suspension that they thought the new mini racer was taking something away from the sport,plus a whole new set of rules and regulations had to be put in place which took awhile to implement,by this time Chris Wilkinson the new owner of mardave was already designing the new mini which is used to today in its many formats ( depending on price mainly ).
MARDAVE MINI STOCK CAR (R/RS/RSR) 1/12TH SCALE (BY PETE T)
THE NEW BREED OF MINI STOCKS FROM MARDAVE
When Chris Wilkinson took over Mardave things started to change and those changes have never been more apparent in the new minis, gone are MSC's in standard kit form, front springs are now as standard on some minis (the latest RSR Mini doesn't use springs), battery trays and lipo cradles replace double sided tape and heavy metal plates, front and rear bumpers are capable of real racing now without snapping and having to be replaced every race meeting due to over aggressive drivers ,there's a whole range of hop up items available to turn a standard mini R into a full fledged RSR and beyond.
One thing that disappoints me though is that the kit boxes of old are pretty much gone, there's no single box for each different model (unless there's only model in that category ) which means there's no decal sets or box art to follow, its pretty much paint it how you like and find/buy your own decals.
As a collector of vintage models i like painting them as they are/were on the box, I like finding the old decals so the model is how it was back in the day so to speak. not to mention that box art rc models demand a much higher price than a diy paint job. I know its done this way to cut down on costs and maybe some people would tell me to get a life but I feel something of the old Mardave that we love has been lost in these newer models.....
One thing that disappoints me though is that the kit boxes of old are pretty much gone, there's no single box for each different model (unless there's only model in that category ) which means there's no decal sets or box art to follow, its pretty much paint it how you like and find/buy your own decals.
As a collector of vintage models i like painting them as they are/were on the box, I like finding the old decals so the model is how it was back in the day so to speak. not to mention that box art rc models demand a much higher price than a diy paint job. I know its done this way to cut down on costs and maybe some people would tell me to get a life but I feel something of the old Mardave that we love has been lost in these newer models.....