Optima is back!!

[yellowdatsun]

Get a re-re RC10 while you're at it too, if you haven't already.

[joeman37]

Get a re-re RC10 while you're at it too, if you haven't already.

Got a gold pan when they first came out and two Worlds cars. All are in the box waiting for me to figure out a direction with them. I really want a 10T as that was my first new Associated offroad kit (had a 6gear gold pan I bought used and a fiberglass 10L kit before getting the 10T) I love all the re-res because they look so much cooler than modern kits, the nostalgia factor, and they are KITS you get to build them!

-Joe

[egalsim]

Going to try and race mine in 4wd class

White rims for racing:

[yellowdatsun]

I will say the front suspension is horrific compared t todays cars, hence why I switched to Associated shocks up front, with less of a lean angle using my own shock tower..

[Coelacanth]

Horrific?? Come on, that's really not true at all. The original Optima's suspension, at least with Gold shocks, was VERY good bitd. Smooth as butter. I'd drop the car from a foot or two and it would plant with no rebound whatsoever. The same could not be said about many of its competitors at the time. Even today, that suspension is fantastic--as long as you're not trying to land jumps from 5' tall tabletops. The problem isn't the car, it's today's tracks.

[jwscab]

with the shocks layed over so far, the suspension is quite progressive. I'm not surprised you had better luck with moving the shocks more upright to make the handling more predictable.

[Kyoshojoe]

By today's standards the whole design of the car is substandard, but back in the day it was quite advanced. From a static approach it is a work of engineering art, but for practical application it just can't hold up. Too many fasteners and the alignment of the car is dependent on everything adjusted right and tight. I have built several and they are a blast to drive but I'm not going to sugar coat it just because I'm a kyosho fan.

The only shocks my kyoshos are associated with are gold or velvet, everything else is a compromise.

[Coelacanth]

I have built several and they are a blast to drive but I'm not going to sugar coat it just because I'm a kyosho fan.

We can't expect suspension technology from the 80's to compete with modern cars, but it's not that the suspension was sub-standard, but because the tracks these days are ridiculous. The jumps are WAY out-of-scale with regards to what actual 1:1 cars do, not to mention it's all on hard surfaces or astroturf, and require suspension systems that are just plain ludicrous to be able to work in those conditions.

I agree with all you said about the fickleness of the Optima when it comes to tuning, that's indeed true.

The only shocks my kyoshos are associated with are gold or velvet, everything else is a compromise.

Agreed; I don't think switching to AE shocks would be much of an upgrade, if any. It also bears mentioning that switching to the longer front Kyosho Gold shocks required taller shock towers and I suppose that changed the shock angle somewhat more vertical.

[yellowdatsun]

The stock shocks feel great, and probably work fine on small stuff, but....................

My switch to Associated shocks made a huge noticeable improvement. Huge. And I had tried everything with the setup. I only switched because I just couldn't get the Kyosho suspension tuned properly. Works like a charm now with the taller front shock tower and Associated shocks all 'round..

5 foot jumps, nah, probably not. But I would like it to easily, and flatly, clear 1-2 foot jumps with ease and without getting upset.

[ron]

I don't believe that shock technology is anything less compared to what it was back in the days, The AE shocks were built very well, smooth action, kyosho golds too, so were the CBs and DELTAa these re re optima shocks should be no less, The only problem would be the jumps as Coelacnth says, you need buggies with longer A arms and massive suspension travel to handle the tracks smoothly, If you doing jumps than the small shocks will not work so well, they will bottom out really fast because of the short suspension travel.

I don't think kyosho factored the modern circuit with jumps and all, why would they to begin with, its a re-release of the original with a modern touch, nothing wrong with the buggy.

You could get a pair of rear shocks and taller towers and mount that in the front, would work fine and you would have matching shocks, right.

[Coelacanth]

You could get a pair of rear shocks and taller towers and mount that in the front, would work fine and you would have matching shocks, right.

Yes, you certainly could do that. But even then, I'd stick with Kyosho Golds.

http://www.rc10talk.com/download/file.php?id=84830&mode=view

[ron]

I love vintage stuff and the gold shocks have proven their capability. I rather like the look of the re re optima shocks though, that clean one piece shock body with the bottom cap, very scale and design takes its roots from the CB shocks it looks like, but than again the scorps, ultimas had similar design too.

I luckily have an optima mid, as the name suggests the motor is in the middle, I quite love this 'modern ' buggy. It has gold shocks on but I have replaced the plastic collars and bottom shock retainers with cb aluminum ones from crp. Looks nicer.

With rear A & L trailing arms, she will look perfect!

[yellowdatsun]

You could get a pair of rear shocks and taller towers and mount that in the front, would work fine and you would have matching shocks, right.

Yes, you certainly could do that. But even then, I'd stick with Kyosho Golds.

http://www.rc10talk.com/download/file.php?id=84830&mode=view

Hey, at least I'm not the only one with long front shocks!

There's more travel in the suspension, both up and down, of which the stock shocks limit their travel both ways. Longer shocks and a taller tower eliminate this issue. They allow the suspension to truly perform.

[ron]

i guess the fronts experience more suspension action, but the rear is always a bit heavier therefore the longer shocks for more stiffness? who knows but in contrast if the fronts could be a tad shorter than the rears, the look would be pleasant.

You can scale down almost anything to 1/10 and have it function just like the real 1:1 stuff but the oil viscosity can not be 'scaled' down, it is actually more viscous with RC shocks than it is with real shocks so the shock action may not be that smooth with thinner 8mm or 10mm shocks hardly any room, now with larger diameter shocks, the damping effect is greatly increased.

[mamadoesntletme]

Going to try and race mine in 4wd class

White rims for racing:

nice!

Does anyone knows where to get spares?