Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler
History & Significance
Tamiya’s third RC kit, released 5 November 1977 and available through 1982. The real Tyrrell P34 caused a sensation when unveiled in Formula 1 in 1975/76, using four small front wheels instead of two to reduce drag while preserving contact patch — it remains the only six-wheeled car to win a Formula 1 race, making it a natural subject for Tamiya’s early RC lineup.
Chassis Engineering
Runs the “P34” chassis, an extended version of the 934 chassis widened to carry the doubled front wheel set. It is front-wheel drive (5.8:1 gear ratio) — unusual among Tamiya’s early kits — powered by a Mabuchi RS-380S motor. Front suspension is a coil-spring-suspended gearbox; the rear is rigid; there are no dampers at either end.
Variants & Re-releases
No other Tamiya model uses the original 1977 P34 chassis. A modern reissue exists as kit 49154 (November 2000), but that version runs on the newer F103-based “F103 Six” chassis rather than the original — a different underlying platform, not a straight reissue.
Manuals
Restoration Guide
A vintage 1977 kit with no documented model-specific restoration guidance found. General vintage-kit concerns — aging tyres and resistor-type speed control reliability — likely apply, in line with Tamiya’s other kits from the same year.