How To Identify Your Radio Controlled Model Car

   Old, vintage, iconic RC models are everywhere, tucked away in a corner of your parent's garage, basement, or attic, or maybe going cheap at a garage sale or thrift shop.

  Some rare RC models can sell for huge sums of money, so to find out how much your model might be worth, follow the tips below, and use RC-Scrapyard to check its history, and discover just how rare it might be.

RC Model Type and Scale:

   Before you start trawling through the 4000+ individual model pages on this site, there are a few things you need to know to simplify your search.

  Some you probably already know: Electric or Nitro (Gas), Off-Road Buggy, Truck, Truggy or Monster Truck, or On-Road Touring, Drift, or Rally Car (WRC).

  Now you need to decide what Scale your model might be - this can be tricky.

  The most common scale is 1/10, closely followed by 1/8, but telling the difference between just these two scales can be confusing, with some foreign manufacturers using different basic sizes.

  If a car is classed as 1/8 Scale, this means that it is roughly 1/8 of the size of a Real Car, and so on ... but before you dash out to the garage to measure the length of your car or truck, check out the list below.

  Be aware - scale is dependant on the type of model, for example: A 1/14 scale version of a Trailer Truck (Semi) will be way bigger than a 1/14 scale Lamborghini Testarossa.

   Larger On-Road and Off-Road models, up to 1/4 - 1/5 - 1/6 Scale are not as plentiful, so I would suggest you simply check out our Large Scale listings.

Manufacturer or Distributor.

   Once you have determined your model type and scale, you need to know who the Manufacturer or Distributor is.

  Look around the chassis for a manufacturer name or brand logo that may be molded into the plastic parts, or etched onto an alloy chassis plate.

   If you only find a logo, try going to our Manufacturers and Distributors page, and see if the emblem is on one of the link icons.

  A huge number of RC models are now made in Asia, and sold by western countries under their own brand name, for example: Ofna models sold in the USA are made by Hobao and Hong-Nor, who also sell the same models under their own brand names, therefore parts and spares for these models are interchangeable.

  If you have found the manufacturer, approximate scale, and model type, you can use the table below, with links to all the models we have archived under that scale and type, and if and when you find your model, simply click on the "Check Availability" button to discover what it might be worth.

Model Inspection Tips:

   If your model has a bodyshell, don't take it for granted that it came with the model originally. There are lots of manufacturers who make compatible bodyshells, painted and un-painted, so you might consider ignoring that and concentrate on the chassis.

  Each model page on this site has a number of images of the chassis alone for that particular model. Try to match the pictures with your car.

  Do not just take a cursory glance and make a decision; if there are close-ups of the front, rear, wishbones etc, examine them carefully. Some of the older cars had parts made by third party manufacturers; stronger, tougher shock towers for example, so be careful.

  PLEASE NOTE: The Scales table above is only intended as a rough guide, so after checking the listing for the scale you estimated for your model type, and you don't find it there, try the next scale closest to it.

  Good luck and good hunting.

   At present, the RC Model Manufacturers, Brands and Distributors covered by us are: ABC Hobby, Academy, Acme Racing, Agama Racing, Amewi, Ansmann Racing, ARRMA, Team Associated, Atomic RC, Axial, AYK, Bolink, BSD Racing, Capricorn, Carisma, Carson, Caster Racing, Cen, Corally, Custom Works, Durango, Duratrax, ECX - Electrix, Exceed RC, FG Modellsport, FS-Racing, FTX, Fujimi, Gmade, GS-Racing, Harm, HBX, Helion, Heng Long, Himoto Racing, Hirobo, Hitari, Hobao, Hong-Nor, Hot Bodies, HPI, HSP, Intech, Integy, Jamara, JQ Products, Kawada, Kyosho, Losi, LRP, Maisto, Mardave, Marui, Maverick, MCD Racing, Megatech, Mugen, New Bright, Nichimo, Nikko, Nkok, Ofna, Pro-Pulse, Protech, PTI, RC4WD, Redcat Racing, RJ-Speed, Robitronic, Schumacher, Seben, Serpent, Smartech, Sportwerks, Step-Up, Tamiya, Team-C Racing, Team Magic, Thunder Tiger, Tomy, Top Racing, Traxxas, Trinity, Tyco, Vaterra RC, Venom, VRX Racing, WLToys, X-Factory, Xmods, Xpress, Xray, XTM, Yankee RC, Yokomo, ZD Racing and Zipzaps.

   This is an ongoing project, with new and "lost in time" RC Models and Brands being added as they are found and although most of those listed above have been covered in relative detail, some are still being researched and will be completed in the near future.