Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
- mtbkym01
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Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Ok, so I thought I'd document my resto of a chain drive Optima here, this project went on for quite a while with quite a few starts and stops. S any way onto the pics.
I started with a 2nd hand example that as a bonus came with option house gold shocks on the rear
I was also given a wreck by a fellow racer from my club, and went on to strip both chassis down and clean, my plan was to use the best parts from both to build 1 car, and then assemble the 2nd (still sitting in parts)
Started the strip down
So, here is a pile of 1 & 3/4 Optima's in parts
I started with a 2nd hand example that as a bonus came with option house gold shocks on the rear
I was also given a wreck by a fellow racer from my club, and went on to strip both chassis down and clean, my plan was to use the best parts from both to build 1 car, and then assemble the 2nd (still sitting in parts)
Started the strip down
So, here is a pile of 1 & 3/4 Optima's in parts
Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Look forward to seeing this progress, I'm building an Optima up from scratch and whilst I'm really familiar with the Mid I have no idea what I am in for with the Optima build just yet!
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Started sorting the ultrasonic and/or dishwasher cleaned parts
Managed to track down a set of front Option House gold shocks to match the rears
Then had some more bits arrive from MarwanRC in Kuwait, awesome quality
Managed to track down a set of front Option House gold shocks to match the rears
Then had some more bits arrive from MarwanRC in Kuwait, awesome quality
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
If your like me you'll love the Optima build, as you can see from the photos, this project started 2+ years ago, and I'm still not (quite) finishedHKS_TRD wrote:Look forward to seeing this progress, I'm building an Optima up from scratch and whilst I'm really familiar with the Mid I have no idea what I am in for with the Optima build just yet!
I have to say that I think the Optima series of cars are my favourite of all, I have a few cars (mostly Tamiya), but my favourites are definately my Kyosho's
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Progress pics continue, on to the rebuild
Found a motor for it
Rear end taking shape, complete with brand new drive chain
And the front
Rails in place
Found a motor for it
Rear end taking shape, complete with brand new drive chain
And the front
Rails in place
- markbt73
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Looking good! I have a similar project going on, started with one and three-quarters and now I have about 1.95 of them. Still waiting on a few odds and ends to complete the second one (long story, stupid postman).
One thing: your front top-deck mounts are on backwards. They go inside the side plates, but stick out to the outside.
One thing: your front top-deck mounts are on backwards. They go inside the side plates, but stick out to the outside.
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
The pics continue
Just love the Option House shocks
Sand Supers all fitted up
A little bit of cheating here, fitted up with a digital servo, 2.4ghz radio gear, and an ESC
Just love the Option House shocks
Sand Supers all fitted up
A little bit of cheating here, fitted up with a digital servo, 2.4ghz radio gear, and an ESC
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Oh ok cheers, better check the manual , would've it had an impact on the remaining build, as, as far as I'm aware, the remaining build went together without a hitch, cheers, will look into it.markbt73 wrote:Looking good! I have a similar project going on, started with one and three-quarters and now I have about 1.95 of them. Still waiting on a few odds and ends to complete the second one (long story, stupid postman).
One thing: your front top-deck mounts are on backwards. They go inside the side plates, but stick out to the outside.
**edit** just goes to show how long ago I built this, as they are now on correctly, must've realised when I went to fit the top plate, D'Oh, cheers mate
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
So this is how it sits now, just requires box art paint, and decals applied, thinking that I'm gonna try liquid mask to get the black striping nice and clean, may even enlist my mate from Scottz RCDesigns to do the paint, really want it to look perfect.
Will update this thread when the paint is done, hopefully sooner rather than later, cheers for all comments
Will update this thread when the paint is done, hopefully sooner rather than later, cheers for all comments
- markbt73
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Yeah, it didn't occur to me until after I posted that that the time-stamp on the photo was 2 years old... been a long day.mtbkym01 wrote:Oh ok cheers, better check the manual , would've it had an impact on the remaining build, as, as far as I'm aware, the remaining build went together without a hitch, cheers, will look into it.markbt73 wrote:Looking good! I have a similar project going on, started with one and three-quarters and now I have about 1.95 of them. Still waiting on a few odds and ends to complete the second one (long story, stupid postman).
One thing: your front top-deck mounts are on backwards. They go inside the side plates, but stick out to the outside.
**edit** just goes to show how long ago I built this, as they are now on correctly, must've realised when I went to fit the top plate, D'Oh, cheers mate
And modern electronics is not cheating if you plan to run it; can you imagine having a runaway or a resistor meltdown after spending all that time and effort? Not me; I'll take function over nostalgia when it comes to running gear any day.
- keithrc
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Nice job mate, well done. Just one thing though, if it were me I would've straightened out the lower guard where it's bent (where the bumper bolts up) and if it's gonna be a runner maybe get an alloy front brace to replace the plastic one.
+1 for it not beeing cheating with modern electrics, I run all my Optima's with ESC's.
Keith
+1 for it not beeing cheating with modern electrics, I run all my Optima's with ESC's.
Keith
NIB Optima!
NIB Turbo Optima
My threads:
Optima's http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29477
Mids http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29489
Lazer's http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29525
NIB Turbo Optima
My threads:
Optima's http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29477
Mids http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29489
Lazer's http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=29525
- j0pp3
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Great build!
Looks like you have mounted the chain wrong though (I made that error too).
Looks like you have mounted the chain wrong though (I made that error too).
Cheers
Joel
Joel
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Really? As in around the wrong way? far out, more embarrassment, better fix that as well thenj0pp3 wrote:Great build!
Looks like you have mounted the chain wrong though (I made that error too).
- Coelacanth
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Yes, anyone who has built Optimas a few times has probably installed the chain the wrong way. I'm guilty of that too! Page 4 of your manual specifically mentions to "Note direction of chain", with the link ends curling to the outside, not the inside. It's a bit hard to see from your pics but I agree with j0pp3.
Excuse my crude drawing but it should clarify. Yeah I know, it sucks to have to disassemble both gearboxes after you had the whole car built! (I made a few profanities the time I did it, too.)
And that leads me to my next comment: I've built Optimas over a dozen times, not including parts car strip-downs, and I find the Optima quite a bit more challenging than the Optima Mid series. They're a finicky car to put together with a lot of steps that can lead to swearing. Like putting the chain on wrong; or the final pinion set screw falling into the gearbox before you can screw it in; or getting the steering servo mounted on the little mounting plate "just so" with the double-sided tape, and then having to feed that zip-tie around it. And be sure to threadlock EVERY single outdrive and the final pinion, because they WILL come loose and you'll end up with a 3-wheel-drive (or less). Another annoyance has to do with building the horrible red shocks, but looks like you upgraded them to Golds.
Excuse my crude drawing but it should clarify. Yeah I know, it sucks to have to disassemble both gearboxes after you had the whole car built! (I made a few profanities the time I did it, too.)
And that leads me to my next comment: I've built Optimas over a dozen times, not including parts car strip-downs, and I find the Optima quite a bit more challenging than the Optima Mid series. They're a finicky car to put together with a lot of steps that can lead to swearing. Like putting the chain on wrong; or the final pinion set screw falling into the gearbox before you can screw it in; or getting the steering servo mounted on the little mounting plate "just so" with the double-sided tape, and then having to feed that zip-tie around it. And be sure to threadlock EVERY single outdrive and the final pinion, because they WILL come loose and you'll end up with a 3-wheel-drive (or less). Another annoyance has to do with building the horrible red shocks, but looks like you upgraded them to Golds.
Completed projects: CYANide Onroad Optima | Zebra Gold Optima | Barney Optima | OptiMutt RWD Mid
Gallery - Coel's Stalls: Marui Galaxy & Shogun Resto-Mods | FrankenBuff AYK Buffalo | 1987 Buick GNX RC12L3
Gallery - Coel's Stalls: Marui Galaxy & Shogun Resto-Mods | FrankenBuff AYK Buffalo | 1987 Buick GNX RC12L3
- mtbkym01
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Re: Optima restoration-lots of pics - now a Turbo as well
Cheers for that, will have to rectify it then.Coelacanth wrote:Yes, anyone who has built Optimas a few times has probably installed the chain the wrong way. I'm guilty of that too! Page 4 of your manual specifically mentions to "Note direction of chain", with the link ends curling to the outside, not the inside. It's a bit hard to see from your pics but I agree with j0pp3.
Excuse my crude drawing but it should clarify. Yeah I know, it sucks to have to disassemble both gearboxes after you had the whole car built! (I made a few profanities the time I did it, too.)
And that leads me to my next comment: I've built Optimas over a dozen times, not including parts car strip-downs, and I find the Optima quite a bit more challenging than the Optima Mid series. They're a finicky car to put together with a lot of steps that can lead to swearing. Like putting the chain on wrong; or the final pinion set screw falling into the gearbox before you can screw it in; or getting the steering servo mounted on the little mounting plate "just so" with the double-sided tape, and then having to feed that zip-tie around it. And be sure to threadlock EVERY single outdrive and the final pinion, because they WILL come loose and you'll end up with a 3-wheel-drive (or less). Another annoyance has to do with building the horrible red shocks, but looks like you upgraded them to Golds.
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