Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race set

HO Scale Slot Car Forum
From T-Jets to Magnet Missles!

Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race set

Postby BRS Hobbies » Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:20 pm

Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO/Mattel Racin Hoppers, Bandits Jermey McGrath offroad HO scale race set. Are these sets a lot of fun? Was looking for something different and was thinking about picking up a used one on eBay. Thanks in advance for any info/feedback you can provide.

Best regards,
Brian
User avatar
BRS Hobbies
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 500
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:49 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby BIG E » Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:35 pm

I can't remember actually running on one of those sets, but I did sell the parts specific to those vehicles back when I had the commercial raceway. Tires, pick up shoes and perhaps one or two other items are not as easy to find as for standard HO cars, but at the right price you may as well grab the set and have some FUN!
Good luck, and... Enjoy! -- Ernie :>)

*** I've got two new pair of the TYCO Turbo Racin' Hoppers that I don't need. PM me for more info if interested -- E
BIG E
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:30 am
Location: NY/Metro area

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby carlosinseattle » Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:51 pm

Tyco Racin Hoppers and the Jeremy McGrath sets are completely different.

Racing hoppers had two pickups and the Aero Hoppers had 2 dune buggy type slot cars in the set. They both featured long guide pins so they could be used on the hill tracks. The cars ran really well, and racing was fun. They weren't nearly as stable as regular 440 chassis but that's what made it a little more fun. The large tires made the cars fast and fun.

The Jeremy McGrath sets were completely different. They used 440x2 chassis that were modified to accommodate the rather large motorcycles in the set. They were extremely difficult to drive because the tall bikes easily tipped over. It looked pretty nice but the driving was not that much fun. I liked the idea of the jump, but it was tough to complete on a consistent basis so it was hard to get into a rhythm.

So the Racin Hoppers were more fun but the McGrath sets looked cooler. I think I still have a motorcycle or 2 around the house somewhere. If you decide on Racin Hoppers and don't get the set off the Bay let me know and I'll sell you a set.
User avatar
carlosinseattle
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:08 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby carlosinseattle » Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:06 pm

Themed fun sets are completely different than standard racing sets and in some ways make more fun when you are driving alone. The one I had the most fun with was the Marchon Rescue 911 set. It is by no means a "racing" set but the challenge of making the helicopter jump is amazing, so rewarding when you get it right. My second favorite is the Tomy Devil's ditch. That's not counting slotless, just slotted.

Here's a lost of some of the "themed" sets I've enjoyed. I call them themed because it wasn't all about racing someone:

Ghost Racer
Marchon Rescue 911
Tomy Demolition set
Marchon Demolition set
Tyco Battle Slam Raceway
Marchon Break out from Bad city
Tomy Devil's ditch
Tomy Speed Hook - had drift curves
Tyco Haunted Highway
Lifelike Spinout Speedway
Lifelike Grandstand Spinout set
Marcho Air combat
Marchon Night Strikers
Marchon Neon Night Raiders
Tyco Super Duper Double Looper
Tyco A Team U-turn
Tyco Race and Chase U-turn
Tyco Viper U-Turn
Every slotless brand, TCR Tyco & Ideal, Command Control, Speed Steer, Matchbox RPS, Artin Slotless, Carrera Servo, etc.
User avatar
carlosinseattle
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:08 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby BRS Hobbies » Fri Dec 22, 2017 9:24 am

Thank you for the info guys. Very helpful.

I have also been looking at the Marchon Themed sets.

Carlos, is the Rescue 911 set AC? How often do you need to do the jump?

Any chance you could give your thoughts on these sets and the basics on what happens with the special feature? Also, if you can rank them in order of long term fun appeal that would be great.

Marchon Break Out From Bad City
Marchon Canyon of Doom
Marchon Rescue 911
Marchon Sky Fighters
Marchon Sky Fighters Night Strike
Marchon Chevy 300 Sparking Speedway

Best regards,
Brian
User avatar
BRS Hobbies
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 500
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:49 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby carlosinseattle » Sat Dec 23, 2017 11:54 pm

Hey Brian here you go:

Marchon Break Out From Bad City -- Mostly a regular racing track. The getaway car has some nice detail with the hood scoop. Not a huge fan because the goal is to launch your opponent off the track through a building, but when it happens the car is launched through a building and off the track. You have to then retrieve your car by hand and place it on the track. Ranks 6.

Marchon Canyon of Doom -- 5th favorite. Just like a regular racing set except you drive through cardboard buildings where your car is out of sight for a few track sections as it goes through a spiral. There's also a kind of barrel that can sometimes cause a car to de-slot. You try to time it so it knocks the opponent's car off track. Jeeps are really nice looking, extremely durable and drive nicely. Rank 5th

Marchon Rescue 911 2nd favorite. AC Powered. This is fun because everybody can enjoy the challenge, boys girls women men experts, and newbies alike. Not racing at all; it's all about hitting the ramp at exactly the right speed to get the helicopter to lift your truck to the top of the hill and start the next lap. It will probably take you 5-10 tries to get it right the first time. And even when you master it it's still a challenge because the helicopter's position might be slightly different based on how the other driver finished, so you might have to use more or less speed to make it. You have to take the jump every other lap, no lap counter included in set. Challenging and fun, but not really racing. Have had 4 adults and 2 teenagers spend 2+ hours taking turns while laughing joking and having a blast using this set. VERY close to Tomy Devil's ditch set in "play value".

Marchon Sky Fighters -- 3rd favorite. The object is to knock the body off your opponent's jet while keeping your jet intact on. Not really racing, more of a less destructive version of demolition derby. The bodies are held on to the chassis with magnets, and the controllers make gun shooting sounds. Not really racing, but lots of fun, especially for kids and newbies. Jets are getting hard to find and can be pricey for a set in decent to good condition. Uses special long pickup shoes and guide pins, and the chassis are different from other Marchon sets.


Marchon Sky Fighters Night Strike -- 4th favorite. Same as Sky fighters except themed for night. The bodies are "semi" night glow, not as much as Tyco glow in the dark stuff. Also shorter track, and the controllers don't have the shooting sounds. The object is to knock the body off your opponent's jet while keeping yours on. Not really racing, more of a less destructive version of demolition derby. The bodies are held on to the chassis with magnets. And the controllers make gun shooting sounds. Not really racing, but fun, especially for kids and newbies. Jets are getting hard to find and can be pricey for a set in decent to good condition. Uses special long pickup shoes and guide pins, and the chassis are different from other Marchon sets.

Marchon Chevy 300 Sparking Speedway -- My favorite. AC powered. You have this banked oval track and the set has these really cool sparking guardrails. You are actually racing, and the cool part is this special change lane track means sometimes you are in the same lane as your opponent. If not for slotless or digital this would be the closest to real racing. The downside is that no other cars are compatible with this set. They use a bridge rectifier with diodes so one car sees +/- and the other car sees -/+. That chip is kind of large so more sleek bodies won't fit. Also, there is no way for the set to count laps since both cars travel in both lanes. I've had 10+ minute battles on this set trying to bump the other guy off or him trying to bump me off.

I don't think lap counter tracks are included in any of the sets except canyon of doom. Themed sets introduce other fun elements to slot racing so it's not just about laps or all out speed.
Last edited by carlosinseattle on Sun Dec 24, 2017 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
carlosinseattle
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:08 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby BRS Hobbies » Sun Dec 24, 2017 10:51 am

Carlos,

Thank you. I couldn't wait for you to reply and hear your thoughts. Being a big Darrell Waltrip fan, I have had my eye on a new or like new Marchon Chevy 300 Sparking Speedway for the past month.

It seems the 90's were great era for HO scale slots. You had Life Like, Tyco/Mattel, Marchon and Tomy AFX all making cool race sets. I always pretty much stayed with the Tomy AFX stuff but lately have been interested in some of the fun, theme style race sets.

I have one more for you, how is the fun factor and what are your thoughts on the Life Like Spinout Speedway?

Best regards,
Brian
User avatar
BRS Hobbies
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 500
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:49 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Question for anyone who has owned a TYCO offroad race se

Postby carlosinseattle » Sun Dec 24, 2017 7:56 pm

I LOVE the Spinout speedway; probably the most underrated fun set out there. I'm actually selling one on the auction site right now. The cars run well, the spinout feature was fun, and the tracks and components were all top notch. Best of all is that it's totally interchangeable with any Lifelike set. Great way to entertain family and friends, and fun to run laps with alone too.
User avatar
carlosinseattle
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:08 pm
Location: Seattle, Washington


Return to HRW HO Scale



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests

cron