ALL IN THE DETAILS – Elevating RC Car Magic With AMPro Engineering’s Alberto Massarotto

As we dive ever deeper into the fascinating world of radio-controlled cars, we uncover the trailblazing journey of Alberto Massarotto, ingenious founder of AMPro Engineering. With a passion for RC cars that began at the tender age of 8, Alberto has dedicated his life to bringing overlooked RC vehicles to their full potential. In this exclusive interview, he shares the inspiration behind his ground-breaking brand and sheds light on the incredible scale accuracy and retro charm that AMPro Engineering brings to the RC community.

We’re thrilled to have you with us today, Alberto. Let’s start by introducing AMPro Engineering to our readers. What is your brand all about?

AMPro Engineering, pronounced “Am-Pro,” specializes in transforming RC cars, particularly those often overlooked or considered beginner’s vehicles. Our aim is to empower people to turn their cars into their dream machines. Whether it’s giving the iconic Tamiya Hornet the ability to race with a full operational cage and rear independent suspension or enabling the Tyco Bandit to be repaired and customized with all-new parts, AMPro steps in to elevate these RC gems to the level they truly deserve.

Furthermore, we’re captivated by the world of scale detailed radio-controlled vehicles, and AMPro offers a plethora of fully detailed parts, from dashboards with light-up instrumentation to realistic interiors, headlights and more. Our passion lies in reviving forgotten gems, breathing new life into them with meticulous scale accuracy and the tiniest of details.

It sounds like a true labor of love. What inspired you to start AMPro Engineering?

Cars have always been my obsession, both in the real world and the RC universe. The need to repair and upgrade them came naturally to me. At 16, I attempted to combine an RC10DS rear half with a Tamiya Hornet, but my lack of experience and know-how produced a less-than-desired result. It did however ignite my interest in customizing RC vehicles. As I delved into the world of full-size cars, I began creating upgraded parts for them, igniting the idea for AMPro Engineering.

I made a guiding principle that I would never copy existing designs but rather improve upon them. Armed with the skills of a mechanical engineer, I set out to fulfill my vision of extreme redesigns for my collection of vintage RC cars. With the emergence of 3D printing, I found the perfect tool to bring my ideas to life.

Today, after designing nearly 4,000 parts, I’ve re-engineered, upgraded, and enhanced vehicles from various manufacturers, breathing new life into vintage RC cars and making them shine like never before. All this work made it possible to turn my 16-year-old’s half-Hornet, half-RC10DS Frankenstein’s monster car into the real crown jewel of AMPro Engineering, 25 years later. I named it SuperFly and it is a 100% AMPro-designed off-road buggy that looks exactly like the Tamiya Hornet but shares only the body, screws, gears and some metal bits. It is essentially what the Hornet always wanted to be, and what I had always dreamed I could create.

What kind of RC cars are you most into, and what drives your fascination?

My heart lies with trail trucks and scalers, which provide an immersive and exciting experience. I love heading out to the trails with my RC4WD Trailfinder 2, Tamiya Hilux, Blackfoot-bodied Team Associated CR12, or Tamiya CC01 Fiat Panda for hours of pure enjoyment with friends and family. The added glow of lights from MyTrickRC adds a stunning scale detail that enhances the experience even more.

On the other hand, my heart also races with nostalgia for relics like my RC10, Bolink Baja Bug bodied Hornet, and prototype SuperFly, which I enjoy at NorCal Hobbies’ off-road track. Lately, I’ve been rescuing beautiful scale bodies from toys discovered during my childhood or more recently. Restoring them and turning them into fully operational on-roaders with detailed interiors, panels, light buckets and scale wheels has been an immensely gratifying journey.

Among all the RC cars you’ve worked with, do you have a favorite?

There are a few favorite and life-altering RC cars for me. The Tyco Bandit, with its iconic barrel roll in the unforgettable commercial, was my first favorite RC. It was a car I couldn’t afford when it was new, but I found two ruined ones and restored them the best I could. They are still in my collection today.

Then there’s the RC10, which I bought for a mere $30 and later realized its significance as a sought-after RC gem. Rebuilding and racing it taught me valuable mechanical skills and set me on the path to AMPro Engineering. Lastly, the Tamiya Hornet, bought for $5 in poor condition, became the catalyst for AMPro’s success. It’s my all-time favorite, packed with scratches and history, but its unpredictable handling makes it one of the most fun RC cars I’ve ever had.

Your journey has been remarkable… what exciting projects do you have coming up?

AMPro Engineering is busy! We have new gearboxes, shock towers, skid plates and bumpers in the works for the Tamiya FF01. The Tamiya small-wheeled ORV cars, Super, and King Blackfoot will receive re-engineered front suspensions. Exciting new instrument clusters for the RC4WD 4Runner and 87 Xtracab, and a Tamiya CW01 rear independent suspension based on SuperFly are also on the horizon. Not to mention SuperFly will soon be available on Shapeways and MyMiniFactory.

That all sounds incredibly exciting! Any final words for our readers?

When it comes to developing parts for vehicles, I don’t simply create for the masses. My unique tastes lead to obscure brands and builds. My joy lies in rescuing forgotten models from dust-filled shelves and giving them a new lease on life. Seeing people reconnect with their RC cars, inspired by my work, and embarking on a journey back into the hobby is immensely fulfilling. It’s amazing to know that someone watching one of my videos heads back to their parents’ attic to dig out their old Nikko, Tamiya, Marui, etc., and gets it back on the road after decades in storage. Inevitably this is followed by a resurgence of RC in their lives, and obviously also their children’s if they are so lucky. Eventually the hobby consumes all their time and money, and they cannot leave the house without their car and a spare battery in their cargo pants pocket. To you all, I apologize in advance and also say you’re very welcome.

For more on Alberto Massarotto and AMPro Engineering, visit his website at amproengineering.com and follow him on Instagram @amproengineering.

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Text by Jerry Tsai
Images courtesy of Alberto Massarotto