Tamiya Leopard 1 Rescue!

[SoCalBobS]

Your track link guide pins look like the type on the M26 Pershing. Maybe others too, can't say about that.

[Vintage Racer]

regarding that track, it might be the Tamiya plastic track that came with the motorized leoaprd 1 kit in the 80s. It had a plastic lower hull and wheel arms and tortion bars and plastic track with dual motors and a walk behind wired remote.

They are definitely metal. Very brittle, I found I thread on a Gepard build where the guy says they are Hobby Summit. Same ones. They are on eBay also.

Are the Leo parts on your site?

[Vintage Racer]

Your track link guide pins look like the type on the M26 Pershing. Maybe others too, can't say about that.

Ok, thanks for the tip. Helps me doing the research. Was it common to use them on the Tamiya Leopard?

[Vintage Racer]

MATO Pershing. Looks like it. Mine are just rubber pad. Guy said they were actually made by Tamiya.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225304895391?_skw=m26+pershing+track+1%2F16&itmmet a=01KMGC1BV7BWKYVHCP8HKMF636&hash=item347537df9f:g :fu0AAOSwkdBjniKf&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKC W4ZNSs2u11xDMXLWzI6D%2BLrxX8zFBDPT1U2tq7UanlbIRpqf Ma0UMVPSA7gQwSwFaC2AYC5H26I3fvA90LHQ4UluCkqXMeIlRS AAeetfDKwfsGZtQjUnXzILJzjI4xBGYLvmAm8tBaok4x6uahMa HnlYlZL1moNOx9lD6lJzMCucidrHllLrJK0x4kHy8bX%2Fv33O LHWeWu9J67ECWYh1A22fnyECWvykH7DVg9ZtGAls6uCJSo3NcP FjgNa42oMp2%2BFKfjyY5YhLyHxGtT3P2Qx5cGP18S0AyVJgnJ d8jArTKOtOeqoCAbQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5S-hYykZw

[RichJohnson]

I don’t think Mato Pershing track will fit on the Tamia sprocket. Also Mato track will be all metal which will be very heavy and where on the drivetrain it’s also single Pin I think rather than double Pin so it doesn’t flex and turn around sprockets and idler wheels very well and the leopard is very sensitive to proper track tension,

[Meter Rat]

I will vouch for Rich’s experience with the Tamiya Leopard 1. It was Rich that gave me the confidence to restore my Leopard one.

[Meter Rat]

I will vouch for Rich’s experience with the Tamiya Leopard 1. It was Rich that gave me the confidence to restore my Leopard one. I have had no issues with mine detracking with the Tamiya supplied tracks. How ever if you want authenticity I understand your wish to change the tracks

[Vintage Racer]

I just like the look of the rubber pad track. I never run my tanks, more of a builder/modeler. I agree on Rich's knowledge base on the model!

[RichJohnson]

I made a video on the various Tamiya leo1 projects in doing and some of the highlights of the models and the detail parts I make as well as how I upgrade them.

[Vintage Racer]

Super cool man, Leopard 1 Overload!!

I want to do a Leopard 1A5 with the perfect scale models turret. Nothing too crazy. I am practicing my NATO three color camo right now! He was out until the 26th and I'm going to place my order this weekend.

Thanks for all the cool info. I guess the stuff's right on your website?

VR

[Vintage Racer]

So what are people doing to stop this issue? New paint and if you move the turret at all it destroys the paint. I have a couple of ideas in mind but it really needs some kind of bearings.

[tank_me]

Personally I would design and print a small ring for the turret to ride on that could be glued to the deck. You could cut one out of styrene if you don't have a printer. You would have to make sure there was enough vertical gear engagement with the turret ring gear and the rotation gear. Only has to be less than a millimeter in height.

[Vintage Racer]

I found this on eBay and probably paid too much for it, but it's got a lot of the parts I need for this. This is the D parts. New in the bag. It has the rubber mantlet cover, the searchlight the wire guards for the roof of the turret equipment, the hatches and some other stuff. Still looking for some rubber road wheels as few, well they're cracked. Shocking I know. They're only 30 years old!

[Vintage Racer]

The camo came out all right. It's the first time I ever did a woodland NATO three color without a guide. I looked at a lot of pictures of real Leopard 1 A4 types in this scheme. I had to make most of the grab handles out of metal as they were broken off or missing. This model is a $300 eBay special that was mostly intact. I grabbed it because it was a smoking deal!

[RichJohnson]

That paint job looks really nice. He did a great job. RC tank.DE has replacement rubber road wheels as well as a lot of upgrade detail parts although they are silver castings and they could be expensive but they do have a lot of parts. As I’ve said before I turned all my road wheels down and put flange bearings into them cut off the metal arms Axles and drilled them to 4 mm screw holes and used 4 mm screws for the axles hauled out the hubcaps and glued them back on the wheel over the screw.

[Vintage Racer]

I'm filling up my basket quick but I'm unable to find these rubber road wheels? Are they the same as the Leopard 2? They have some super cool stuff!

VR

[Meter Rat]

The tyres are different on the Leopard 2.

Depends on how original you want it. Will and Cathrine at https://wcpmodels.com/ printed up a set of tyres and wheels to replace the damaged ones. He should still have the files. Might be worth dropping him an email?

[RichJohnson]

You may have to email rctankde and ask. I think I had to because he didn’t have them listed at the moment I wanted to buy them. They come a bunch together moulded to a flat sheet of rubber.

[Vintage Racer]

Message sent, but they literally have most of the items I need in stock to complete this eBay special. I just got back from the hobby shop with an electronic speed control and a new servo. See if I can make it run.

[Vintage Racer]

For anyone who has not seen an original Tamiya catalog, from the good old days!