Inside the TAIYO Thunder Van: Unique Steering Restoration

Welcome to my latest restoration project! In this video, I take you through the complete refurbishment of a vintage TAIYO Custom Thunder Van from the late 70s or early 80s. This classic RC vehicle has a unique steering mechanism that sets it apart from modern remote control cars, and I can't wait to show you how it works.
Join me as I:
Completely disassemble the TAIYO Custom Thunder Van
Clean every component to bring it back to its former glory
Restore the motor and other essential parts
Showcase the unique steering system that makes this van so special
Whether you're a vintage RC enthusiast, a fan of restoration projects, or just curious about how these classic toys work, you'll find something to enjoy in this video. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more restoration projects and RC car content!
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#TAIYO #Restoration #CustomThunderVan #VintageRC #UniqueSteering #ClassicToys #RCcars #DIY

[@paulforester6996]

My cousin had something like that RC van for Christmas. I took the rubber off the tires and showed them how to drift with it. That was a long time ago.

[@RandiRain]

You were drifting before anyone!!

[@paulforester6996]

@@RandiRain also did it with my car in the early 90's on a off ramp. Didn't know what it was other than fun. The car was a 1977 Chevy Monza 2+2 with a 305 V8.

[@crushedcan5378]

this van looks like it would be giving out some free candy... Also that song was an absolute bop, when is the tour beginning?

[@EricMarschner]

Holy shit! At 11:00 I never thought to do this before - this will come in handy for my boombox repairs!

[@RandiRain]

Oh yeah... Here's another tip. You can't solder to the outside of the antenna, but you can on the inside. So, if you need to solder, solder inside at the end.

[@crr8297]

@@RandiRain I agree, been doing that for years, can't solder to chrome..but with the right flux I can even solder brass to stainless steel or just about any metal to metal

[@outsider238]

Another excellent refurb! Good to see these old toys getting a new life!

[@RandiRain]

Thank you very much. It's fun.

[@sideburn]

Ahh I remember those electronmagnetic relay ish steering mechs from back when I would dissect my toys in the 80’s. One step above the single channel push to go backwards and turn r/c cars. ** I remember another similar type that was two motors instead and when you turned the steering wheel it would vary the speed of one. I think it was digital proportional that way.

[@Ericstrains]

First! Well, not really.

[@petjamsto9058]

Nice work. Interesting information. Looks like the boogie van from Corvette Summer 👍

[@crr8297]

The penis wire thing is a real thing, I once connected a penis wire to a snatch PCB trace, it created a spark and we found a bun in the oven

[@stevendunn264]

I wonder if that is where modern cars traction control came from?

[@brianm6337]

Panthro got lazy in his old age, didn't he? 😁

[@billporter6592]

Very fun stuff.

[@GreatPlainsChaser]

I friggin dig it!

[@michaelthomas3646]

It is a hard one to date, as the box art looks more 60's-70's, the circuitry says 70's or earlier time frame, Taiwan was more 80's with very little saying made in Japan for toys. so I think you are right with late 70's, I am not sure if I would say the 80's, as the A-Team van was around that era, so the two would have competed against eachother.

[@RandiRain]

I have others and none of the ones I have date older than '81. Some have better controls and actually have the ability to stop. Others don't slow down when in reverse either. Plus, if it was later, it would have been more themed towards the A-Team. I'm actually thinking like '75.

[@michaelthomas3646]

@@RandiRain that is what also makes me think it is 60's/70's, my mother had a record player, and the circuitry in it was simular to the van, and she was born in 57, so that is what also makes me think it is around the 60's/70's era, rather than early 80's. not sure exactly when printed circuitboards were introduced, but definately by the mid 80's, as that was when I started pulling toys apart to see how they worked!! haha

[@Ranger_Kevin]

Can we take a moment to appreciate those old "organic-looking" PCBs? (for lack of a better word, I am refering to the curved, blobby traces. Nowaday it is always straight lines, perfectly calculated by a robot). It looks like a 1960s wallpaper.

[@RandiRain]

Very true. I guess that's the difference from someone actually drawing them out by hand and someone doing it on a computer. They should make a feature in the PCB software that you can add the 70s-80s flare to them.

[@sesra5076]

I had one of these ... I want to say in like 1980 ... and I have to say it's amazing to see one all these decades later! I remember that it ate through batteries SO fast! ☹ , batteries were expensive.. rechargeable batteries were even MORE expensive.. that it did not hold my interest very long. It was really made to work on very large very flat environments.

[@RandiRain]

Did it go slower in reverse? I have several of these from TAIYO and this is the only one that does that. Others have no stop, but forward and reverse are the same speed. I couldn't see what would be wrong with it to make it go slower. Seems intentional.

[@sesra5076]

@@RandiRain I vaguely seem to recall that it did. It did not have much torque as it was. Large area, flat, concrete or otherwise smooth surfaces were what it was made to work on. I did not have many of those 😕

[@AndreSjoberg]

Oooooooh, at 6:40: so the wheel drag causes the *housing* to turn, and then the car turns -jeez, that’s … weird, but also wonderful, loving it :D

[@RandiRain]

It's very clever, and you can see at the end it doesn't hinder it.

[@AndreSjoberg]

@@RandiRain Yeah, the car moves amazingly fast and the turning is almost too fast and twitchy, but only almost :D Looks like a superfun car to drive, it must be amazing on completely flat epoxy/linoleum flooring :) Doing racing with a bunch of these would probably be super fun :)

[@unorthdoxcleric6953]

Randi Rain the woman of my dreams. If you ever come to the UK I would love to meet you (wishful thinking) but a man can dream can't he.

[@jerikofernandez86]

Rc Tahun berapa ini ?

[@RandiRain]

1970s