The classic RC auto is better than ever!

There’s an RC auto available with just about any style of body a remote control car hobbyist could want. If you’re also a full size automobile enthusiast, you probably choose the look of your scale RC cars based on your loyalties and preferences in real cars. It’s like buying and building plastic model kits to have miniature versions of your favorite real vehicles to enjoy on display — except that RC autos really run.

Some RC auto manufacturers, like ARRMA, create rugged bashers that look attractive and realistic, but focus more on durability and performance than reproducing every tiny detail of a specific full-size car or truck body. For other RC auto manufacturers, however, the detail is as important as how it drives. Brands including Axial and Losi go to great lengths to recreate faithful replicas of actual bodies, often negotiating licensing agreements from the original automakers to copy their body styles and liveries.

You could rightfully describe some of the body styles available from the Axial and Losi brands as “classic,” but there’s really no single fixed definition of what a classic car is. Classic cars are generally thought of as older models, typically going back at least 20 years, but not they’re so old as to be antiques. They’re usually popular retro muscle cars and sports cars that fans purchase to drive, to restore, and to exhibit at car shows.

Check out these classics that, thanks to Axial and Losi, you too can drive!

Classic trucks with modern RC auto technology.

As mentioned earlier, opinions about what makes any truck a classic will often differ from person to person. But any list of classic trucks should include the following vehicles, and — good news! — each one of them has an RC auto counterpart.

Dodge produced their Power Wagon truck between 1946 and 1968. Initially, the Power Wagon served as a military vehicle that moved troops and supplies from one battlefield location to another. After WWII, Dodge envisioned numerous civilian applications for their rugged 4WD truck. It could be used on the farm, in the lumber and construction fields, and for general hauling over rough terrain. The Power Wagon thus became the first multi-use truck on the market.

The Axial 1940s Dodge Power Wagon RC auto version reproduces this off-road classic truck as a 4-door RC crawler built on the proven, go-anywhere SCX24 platform. Its molded ABS hard body features a custom 4-door design and is loaded with detail. The included overlanding rack and accessories can be installed for more realism.

The RC auto technology found underneath the body is equally realistic and impressive. Oil-filled shocks give the Axial Power Wagon a suspension system that smoothly absorbs bumps and keeps the ride stable over rough terrain. Axial Pro-Line Interco Super Swamper tires on Pro-Line Impulse Bead-Loc wheels add the grip and clearance needed to conquer any challenge in your chosen line. You can drive it anywhere, enjoying classic Dodge power and style.

But if you prefer classic Chevy trucks, of course you’re not alone. Chevy fans have made the Axial 1967 Chevrolet C10 one of the best-selling Axial SCX24 micro rock crawlers of all time. This classic RC auto is based on the full-scale, multi-purpose workhorse introduced by GM in 1967. Chevy C-Series trucks led the way for the trucks of today that provide a luxurious everyday ride while also being able to haul or tow anything when needed. The Axial RC auto version has realistic full-time 4WD and a 3-link front/4-link rear suspension, along with steel C-channel frame rails that stand up to hard knocks. The detailed scale body rides on licensed 1:1 Method wheels and BF Goodrich tires that tackle on-road and off-road challenges with ease.

No list of classic trucks would be complete without a Jeep. The 1963 to 1971 Jeep Gladiator in particular is a sight to see and a dream to drive. The Jeep JT Gladiator was and still is especially popular for overlanding, the sport of travelling off the grid and adventuring into the unknown. Overlanding requires a vehicle that’s dependable and properly equipped, and the Jeep JT Gladiator is both.

An RC auto version of this classic, the Axial Jeep JT Gladiator, has become a favorite among RC crawling fans who crave the freedom to adventure anywhere, indoors or outside. No matter where you are, the SCX24 Jeep JT Gladiator turns it into the setting for an overlanding expedition. It performs like a winner and looks like one too, with a realistic scale body, LED lights for night driving, and unstoppable RC auto engineering including full-time 4WD, a 3-link front/4-link rear suspension, and plush, oil-filled shocks that absorb bumps and keep the RC auto going smoothly over the roughest terrain.

Classic cars that use the latest RC auto engineering.

If classic cars are more your style, rest assured there are plenty of RC auto versions available that allow you to cruise with your favorite. The Losi brand in particular is home to many remote control cars that feature the latest RC technology and are modeled after popular full-size classic cars.

Take the Chevrolet Camaro, for example. With a design and interior inspired by race cars, the full-size Camaro became one of the most iconic cars of the 1960s and onward. Although Ford debuted its Mustang two and a half years earlier, Chevrolet quickly answered Ford’s challenge with this 3,000 pound, rear-wheel drive, awesomely designed muscle car loaded with big block power right from the start. The Camaro lagged behind the Mustang’s sales numbers for about a decade, but that too would change.

For a high-tech RC auto version of this classic car, look no further than the 1/10 scale, ready-to-run Losi 1969 Chevy Camaro V100. Losi perfectly captures the look and feel of the famous American muscle car in its officially licensed 1969 Camaro body with molded grill, bucket lights, rear lights, and side view mirrors. Underneath, the V100-S chassis boasts a potent power system and shaft-driven AWD that delivers excellent traction on paved surfaces and superb drift control when sliding across loose surfaces. It gives you serious street cred right out of the box.

Like the Camaro, the Chevelle is another classic car from Chevrolet that was in production from 1964 to 1978. The 1970 model Chevelle is best known for introducing the Chevrolet Monte Carlo body. If you’re an RC hobbyist who likes racing, you’ll especially love the 1/16 scale Losi RC auto version of the Chevelle — the ready-to-run 1970 Chevy Chevelle 2WD Mini No Prep Drag Car.

The Losi Chevelle’s exterior realism comes from an officially licensed 1970 Chevy Chevelle body with molded details and LED head and tail lights. Inside, the vehicle is specifically engineered for successful performance in no-prep RC drag racing. The transmission is based on the TLR (Team Losi Racing) 3-gear mid motor transmission. Its metal internal gears are tied to an adjustable slipper clutch to fine-tune the power delivery. Multiple suspension tuning options, including camber, toe, ride height, and wheelie bar angle, let you optimize the set up for winning performance on a variety of surface conditions.

A classic monster truck with mighty RC auto tech.

This last example of a classic RC auto from Losi doesn’t reproduce a famous full-size car. However, it’s definitely a classic in the world of Monster Jam trucks — the Grave Digger!

One of the most famous full-size monster trucks of all time, Grave Digger is a flagship of the Monster Jam series. There are currently seven active Grave Digger trucks being run by different drivers. This allows the fan-favorite Grave Digger to appear at every Monster Jam event. The first Grave Digger truck was built from salvaged parts, including a red 1952 Ford pickup truck body. After being kidded about his truck’s “junk” origins, original driver Dennis Anderson replied, "I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it." With that, Grave Digger found its name.

Grave Digger received its famous black graveyard paint scheme in 1986. It combines green flames, letters dripping blood, a foggy graveyard scene, tombstones with the names of competitors, a haunted house silhouetted by a full moon, and a giant, skull-shaped ghost. The graphics are considered part of the classic monster truck’s mystique and have changed very little over the years.

Naturally, that same trim scheme appears on the body of its RC auto recreation, the ready-to-run Losi LMT 4X4 Grave Digger. A composite flip top cage adds to the scale realism, as do the headers, driver figure, and LED lights. State-of-the-art RC engineering complements the authentic monster truck looks with all-out performance. The design includes an adjustable twin vertical plate chassis, multi-piece axle housings, and a powerful 1/8 scale drivetrain.

Whatever comes to mind when you think of classic vehicles, you’re likely to find it available in RC auto form. If you can’t afford your favorites in full-size, join the RC car hobby. You can drive all of the classic cars and trucks you want!