Kyosho Burns is a 1/8 scale four-wheel-drive, two-stroke, off-road competition buggy which was released as a kit from 1987 up until 1992, with five different specifications to meet different price points. It had a robust platform which was easily upgradable with good performance even at an entry level. The success of the platform also led to it being used for Kyosho's 1:8 scale monster truck, the USA-1 Nitro Crusher.
Kyosho designer and driver Yuichi Kanai started his involvement with the Turbo Burns and carried several parts and many design elements over to the classic Inferno series of cars which were produced from 1991 to 1996. The classic Inferno would later go on to win every IFMAR championship during its production run.
General history
Background Although Kyosho was already popular in the 1/8-scale off-road market with cars such as the Vanning, Landjump and Presto (from the Integra line-up), they were relatively complex vehicles made largely from metal, with limited upgrade and customization options. These original buggies took their design cues from real life vehicles which had a traditional ladder frame or cage construction and often had rear-mounted engines. The Burns addressed this by taking advantage of new technologies and design elements. The introduction of more cheap yet durable and reliable injection molded parts, combined with metal elements where necessary for strength or adjust-ability Aluminium pan chassis instead of a cage improving access for assembly and maintenance while maintaining rigidity. Also provided more flexibility for different motors, exhausts and electronics Where applicable, shaft-driven 4WD system with adjustable center differential instead of previous chain-driven configurations Four-wheel fully independent wishbone type suspension Mid-mounted engine for better weight distribution and handling Single radio tray which held all electrical components and could be switched as one unit when desired Lexan bodies which were easy to produce, reduced weight, provided better protection for internal components, came in various designs to fit the same chassis, and allowed more creative freedom for paint and customization. Released with five different factory specifications plus additional optional parts making it possible to start with the most affordable car and upgrade to a full option, competition ready vehicle when the skill and budget allowed. Alternatively one could buy a fully specced. car for less than the cost of the individual parts. With the exception of the large variety of standard models and the single radio tray, these designs can still be seen in the current Kyosho 1/8 scale buggies. The single radio tray was changed to a separate servo tray and water resistant battery and receiver box from the Inferno MP5 onward.
It is often not realized that the "MP" nomenclature which is synonymous with Kyosho buggies from MP5 onward, was already in use at Kyosho for the Burns Series. Burns MP1, Turbo Burns MP2, Inferno MP3, Turbo Inferno MP4.
Timeline Source:
Burns MP 1 (1987–1992)
Models & Specifications As would be seen in future Kyosho releases, an intermediate-level car was released first containing some performance parts. For both the Burns and classic Inferno series a more affordable "DX" version would be released only a year after the intermediate level vehicle. The differences between the Burns models were however more substantial than the later classic Infernos. All of the cars were released in kit form, with no pre-assembled parts.
The cars popularity also spawned a larger number of third-party suppliers which provided additional performance accessories such as gears, brake discs, aluminum mounts and wishbones, stiffer chassis plates, etc. One of the more popular suppliers was Duratrax.
Burns 4WD, item no. 3096 (1987–1988) The Burns 4WD would eventually become the intermediate-level car, with the later DX and Turbo variants made for the entry and competition markets respectively. Unlike the latter Inferno models this car was discontinued after the launch of these other variants which makes this car relatively rare.
This car was revolutionary at the time for its use of the new design elements mentioned in the "Background" section above and differences between the final version of the car and the box art make it clear that this car was still being tweaked shortly before it came to market. These differences are discussed in a dedicated section below.
Burns DX 4WD item no. 3099 (1989–1991) Parts which were not included or changed from the standard Burns 4WD were:
From black to orange o-rings in shocks (change) No bulkhead seals (omission) From ball bearings to metal bushings (change) From universal swing shaft to dog bones in the front (change)
Burns DX 2WD item no. 3098 (1989–1992) In addition to the changes of the Burns DX 4WD, the DX 2WD included additional changes to reduce the sales price:
All internals removed from center differential (omission) No front center shaft (omission) No front differential, front axles or bearings in the front differential housing (omission) Front hubs which were specific to only this model (change)
Notable optional parts The Burns series parts number started with BS for the standard parts, and BSW for the optional parts. It was possible to upgrade the entry level Burns DX 2WD to Turbo Burns specification by purchasing the required "BS" and "BSW" numbered parts. The options list of the original Burns manual is quite sparse as these parts were released over a period of several years and the manual was not updated to reflect what had become available. There are, however, few notable parts for the original Burns with most being available on eBay for reasonable prices.
Box art and marketing material Unlike Tamiya and many other manufacturers which had drawn box art allowing for some artistic interpretation, Kyosho used studio pictures of the completed models. The only notable exceptions to this were the Kyosho Prestige, which was a rebranded car from HoBao, and the later Kyosho Turbo Inferno.
The main picture on the front of the box showed the car from a forward, 45° angle. The sides of the box featured a top down and close-up shots without the lexan body, and a picture of the car being driven. The main box art for the DX 2WD was the same as for the DX 4WD, there was however a separate picture of the car with its own paint job used in marketing material, as well as a small image on the side of the standard Burns DX box.
The paint jobs were simple with each of the three main models (Burns 2WD, 4WD and Turbo Burns), getting their own unique designs. Restorers typically try to emulate these to a certain extent which has also become easier in recent years due to third-party suppliers quality for reproduction bodies and decal sheets increasing.
The angular patterns and bold colors chosen for the box art matched the boxy lines of the car. The pictures on the Burns and Burns DX box-art were however most likely pre-production models as there are differences between the pictures and the final kit.
Various decals were not available on the final decal sheet (including the number "1" on the 4WD DX, or the large "KYOSHO" on the back of the 2WD DX). These however were decals which were available on other Kyosho models at the time. The yellow fuel tank on the box art was white in the production model The shiny wheels nuts were replaced with black oxidized versions, the same goes for the nylon nuts on the shock towers Although included in the box, the rear torque rod and roll bar are not shown on the model. (Only applies to the Burns box not the Burns DX box) The positions of front upper left suspension arm and the rear upper suspension arm were mixed up and therefore not assembled correctly. (Only applies to the Burns box not the Burns DX box)
Fine red striping was done using Kyosho Micron Tape (can be seen if one has the original box).
The Burns and Burns DX both featured O.S. Max .21 VF-B engines, the Turbo Burns had an O.S. Max EX-B engine. O.S. engines would also feature prominently on the box art for later cars.
Towards the end of the DX production run the marketing material also showed a simplified paint job for the Burns DX which featured clear windows with painted safety nets and an O.S. EX-B engine instead of an O.S. VF-B engine.
Pricing Although it was still not cheap, the Burns had mass appeal and brought the hobby within the reach of many younger hobbyists. At the time, a stock Burns DX 4WD with basic OS RF-B engine would cost around US$580 in the Tower Hobbies catalog, or US$710 Dollars with the competitive OS EX-B engine.
Collectability and current popularity (1992–) Today, the original Burns (MP1) is a sought-after collector's item when in good condition with its original box and documentation. The most valuable of these, due to its rarity, is the original Burns produced from 1987 to 1988. The original Burns is however sought more by enthusiasts who have a special connection to that particular car, with most collectors and drivers purchasing the top-of-the-line Turbo Burns, which was out of reach for most hobbyists in the late 1980s.
There is a large community with several forums providing detailed information and restoration threads (see external reference list below). Hobbyists and parents that grew up in the 1980s also restore these. Although special option parts are relatively rare and expensive, regular spares and parts cars are available in abundance on sites such as eBay and craigslist making the Burns a very affordable and rugged entry level vehicle even today.
In lieu of noise restrictions and the advances of battery and brushless technology, some cars are also being converted to an electric powertrain. This does require some modifications to the car, so good-condition versions are typically left in stock condition for authenticity and value.
Turbo Burns MP 2 (1989–1991)
Models and specifications The Turbo Burns saw the first involvement of Yuichi Kanai who would later go on to develop the Inferno series of cars which won eight world championships from 1991 until 2010. As with many products in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Turbo nomenclature was used to indicate that it was a high-end model. Yuichi Kanai would also use the Turbo nomenclature for the later Inferno series.
Although it looked very different due to its new body shell, the "T. Burns" was only an evolution compared to its predecessor. It implemented small changes based on the lessons learned from the two years of competing with the original Burns, as well as introducing a large number of optional parts to fine-tune the performance of the vehicle.
The Turbo Burns was replaced with the classic Inferno 4WD in 1991, while the cheaper Burns DX 4WD was still on sale until the release of the Inferno DX in 1992.
Turbo Burns item no. 3097 (1989–1991) The standard Turbo Burns was a competition-level buggy which provided not only the full specification of the original Burns 4WD but also the following changes and improvements. Longer wheelbase. Although the chassis plate in Burns and Turbo Burns are of the same length, the longer wheelbase in the Turbo Burns was achieved by moving the rear gear box further to the back. Counter-sunk screws in the chassis Adjustable center differential Longer wishbones at front Rear hub carriers with more setup options Larger capacity shock absorbers front and rear Newly designed, stronger shock stays/towers with more setup possibilities Rear anti-roll bar (stabilizer/sway bar). The possibility of adding a front stabilizer bar for the turbo burns came later with part number BSW79 after the classic inferno release. Fuel tank with spring loaded cap for faster refueling Newly designed tuned muffler and manifold New lexan body including wing and of course wing mount which were optional parts for the burns.