Optima Mid Custom Special + Turbo Optima Mid Special

[j0pp3]

Sweeeeet! The fitting of the gold shocks, a very gratifying part of a Mid build, especially when they like new, like yours!!

Superb work, as always

Thanks once again for commenting my builds! Feel free to look through my new pictures

Very nice work there.

Add your excellent pic's rates your post among the best.

As well as I love Optima mids & have 2 runners. One that I raced back in 87 with a 2nd place in the biggest race in that state in mod. Funny it was the first MID with a Brimod ( UK company) LWB chassis conversion which was 10mm longer. A good yr before we saw a LWB Mid. Cost me a fortune back in 87.

My other 2 MIDS are customs. One under going a full rebuild with new ball diffs and tranny gears. The other is a shelfer.

Such a well built & fast 4wd.

Have you raced one? You have a true passion for Mid's

Thank you for adding some historic moments. I did run a mid once when I was a kid but that was not my car. I had a Turbo Optima back then. Those were the days... You might have seen my Optima Mid runner build with homemade carbon parts. That car will be run next outdoor season (around april/may 2013).

I just managed to work a bit more on these builds. I'm very happy to see how they are coming together nicely. One minor thing that I realized after taking the pictures is that one front wheel on the Turbo Optima Mid Special has a different yellow tone. That will be taken care of some day.


Dog bones, turnbuckles, hubs etc.



Dog bones, turnbuckles, hubs etc.



Dog bones, turnbuckles, hubs etc.



Dog bones, turnbuckles, hubs etc.



Battery holders and top deck posts.



Wing stays.



Complete battery posts, body mounts, wheels and tires.



Complete battery posts, body mounts, wheels and tires.



Complete battery posts, body mounts, wheels and tires.



Complete battery posts, body mounts, wheels and tires. Here you can see the different color tone on the wheels. Will be taken care of some day.



Turbo Optima Mid Special upside-down.



Optima Mid Custom Special upside-down.



Overview of what's have been done so far.

[sheriff]

Amazing!! Can't wait to see the finished product, inc shells. Have you painted the Mid Custom shell up yet?

[HKS_TRD]

I have a new pair of front wheels here, not sure if they match your rears, they are the more fluorescent looking yellow as opposed to the earlier dull yellow

They have a brand new pair of tyres on them too

[j0pp3]

Amazing!! Can't wait to see the finished product, inc shells. Have you painted the Mid Custom shell up yet?

Thanks! You already know the answer by know

I have a new pair of front wheels here, not sure if they match your rears, they are the more fluorescent looking yellow as opposed to the earlier dull yellow

They have a brand new pair of tyres on them too

Cool! Hard to tell what wheels I have though. Have to do some research!

This weekend I've made loads of progress with the cars. Steering mechanisms and top decks are mounted (forgot to take photos). Here you have both cars painted and with decals on!

Left to do:
- Belt protection parts
- Under trays
- Maybe white painted text on the tires
- Body clips
- Something I've forgot

[Hcp22]

Wow! Super nice sir!

[sheriff]

They look fantastic buddy! I always think Kyosho had an off day when they designed the stickers for the Custom Special, not much thought went into them.

Do you have a display case/shelf for these cars?

[keithrc]

Hey jOpp3, I'm new on here and have been checking out your threads over the last couple days while waiting for my account to be activated. I saw the pics of your SWB Mids in a Google search which led me here.

I gotta say I really like your approach to doing your build threads and the pics are great!

I'm lucky enough to have found an original Turbo Optima Mid Special (TOMS, part of my vast Optima collection) a couple years ago, it came without wheels or body but I have a Marwan body and decals for it when I get around to painting/trimming. Also found some narrow yellow wheels and widened the rears with white inner halves, original yellow rears aint easy to find.


Keith

[j0pp3]

Wow! Super nice sir!

Thanks Lars! These projects almost went a bit too fast after I finally got all the stuff needed.

They look fantastic buddy! I always think Kyosho had an off day when they designed the stickers for the Custom Special, not much thought went into them.

Do you have a display case/shelf for these cars?

Yeah, the Custom Special body is very odd. Either you hate it or you love it

I wish I had an appropriate place for all the cars. Right now they're standing on not-so-fancy shelfs (but like real queens). Our flat is very small and there's no room for them any place else. I'm just glad I have the whole "walking closet" dedicated for my hobby

Hey jOpp3, I'm new on here and have been checking out your threads over the last couple days while waiting for my account to be activated. I saw the pics of your SWB Mids in a Google search which led me here.

I gotta say I really like your approach to doing your build threads and the pics are great!

I'm lucky enough to have found an original Turbo Optima Mid Special (TOMS, part of my vast Optima collection) a couple years ago, it came without wheels or body but I have a Marwan body and decals for it when I get around to painting/trimming. Also found some narrow yellow wheels and widened the rears with white inner halves, original yellow rears aint easy to find.


Keith

Hi Keith! Welcome on-board so to speak

I feel glad that you found my pictures on Google. I checked and my images is indeed showing early in the result. That's not easy to accomplish in many other areas of the web

Great to see another Optima fan lurking around. I got seriously bitten by the vintage bug myself around this time last year. 2012 has been a busy year, taken a lot of my time but it has been worth it many times over. Looking forward to see some of your gear!

Cheers