I need some help identifying which mid I have

[perry]

I think it's a mid custom special, but I'm not sure. I did some trading for it and it has no stickers left on it to help me. Does anyone know, or know of a reference page to help? I've looked on here, but a lot of the pictures i find aren't up anymore. plus it has different shock towers, which doesn't help either.

any ideas are appreciated.

[DennisM]

It´s a LWB, no doubt. But if it was born like that, I´m not able to tell
Rear shocks are Kyosho platinum, front arms seems to be Andy´s, steering set to be A&L ?, front shock mount looks like aftermarket ultima and the body is a cut up Turbo Optima.

Does it have oneway´s at the front?

[keithrc]

If it's a Custom Mid it's had a lot of mods, if it's a Custom Special it's had parts taken off.

Going by the shocks, gearbox brace (triangular piece above the rear of the motor) and only the steering arms are turnbuckles I'd guess it's a Custom Mid that's beem modded with the carbon chassis. On the other hand, if it has ball diffs it could've started as a Custom Special.

A Custom Mid had the non turnbuckle rods, alloy chassis, gear diffs, equaliser plastic shocks and alloy shock towers (I think).

The Custom Special had turnbuckles all round, F&R stabilisers, gold shocks, carbon chassis and shock mounts (?) ball diffs and the smaller carbon gearbox brace.


Keith

[DennisM]

My best guess is that it started out as a std. Optima Mid and then converted to LWB.
And that´s all based on the black frp MSC mount

[keithrc]

Ah, but the standard Mids came with an alloy MSC mount/gearbox brace not a carbon one like this car has.


Keith

[DennisM]

Show me I know the Turbo Optima Mid SE came with an aluminum brace but the Std. Optima Mid came with black frp.

[keithrc]

After looking on here a bit it seems that both the standard Mid and the SE came with the OT-096 alloy rear plate (as it's called in the intruction manual) and the Turbo came with the smaller carbon plate. So that leaves me a bit confused as to what came standard with the larger carbon plate


Keith

[DennisM]

Search for Kyosho Optima Mid box content on the internet. Eventually the OTM-5 bag will show up

[j0pp3]

I just checked my Kyosho catalog from 1988 and a few other web sources and here is the result:

Optima Mid - FRP Rear Plate (L) with rotary speed control holder
Turbo Optima Mid - FRP Rear Plate (L)
Turbo Optima Mid SE - Alloy Rear Plate (L) with rotary speed control holder

I also realized that I restored my Optima Mid with an alloy plate which is wrong

[DennisM]

So Joppe,
Now we´re gonna be needing new shots of the entire rebuild of Your std. Mid

[j0pp3]

So Joppe,
Now we´re gonna be needing new shots of the entire rebuild of Your std. Mid

More or less, yes. I feel responsible because so many images shows up on Google. Sorry for misleading restorations

/j0pp3

[DennisM]

Yeah - When You do quality stuff like Your rebuild sessions, it better be right. People start using them as reference

[keithrc]

That's where I got the idea that the alloy rear plate was right for the standard Mid, awell...

I spose it's easy to assume that being the standard version it would have the alloy plate instead of the FRP version.

I have noticed though that the FRP and alloy MSC plate versions are actually different shapes. The FRP version has a straight leading edge whereas the alloy one has a curved leading edge. That said, I made up an alloy copy of the small FRP plate (without the MSC mounts) for my "mystery Turbo Mid" project that I'm planning.


Keith

[perry]

wow! thanks guys.

so apparently I have a standard optima mid that's had a few pieces and parts changed around.

I had it up for sale, because i didn't think I'd be able to run it and find parts(and i have too many r/c projects already), but it looks like i'm gonna keep it and find some spare belts for it.

oh, and it doesn't have the one way diff in the front.

[DennisM]

You can allways sell a Mid, the price might have been to high
But I´d say keep it, if You have the slightest interest in old RC buggy´s
Clean it up and find a short set of shocks either platinums or golds and the corect front shock mount.