4x4 ultima, for real this time! (update 30 march '08)

[Mr. ED]

Where my first 4x4 conversion was borrowing a lot from the optima and mid, I'm trying to stay closer to the original ultima with this one.
Major reason: the belt running through the gear box was asking for a perfect sealing: which I did'nt have and costed me the internals of a complete gearbox in 2 runs.

Pictures of the unfininshed build:

[Mr. ED]

and now the first 9 pics

[mrlexan]

Very very nice Erik!

[templeofspeed]

I'm not really up on my Kyosho knowledge, but aren't you basically making an Optima?

Educate me please.

[mrlexan]

Before the Optimas went mainstream, this is what the Kyosho boys did back then. They were a bit different of course, the below is shaft driven. Something different, I personally like different. My hats off to Erik for his ingenuity.

[templeofspeed]

I have no problems with Eriks project, I just didn't know the story behind the conversion.

Thanks for the explanation.

[mrlexan]

I guess I shouldn't have posted the top one, that pretty much is an Optima. It was the maturation of the two below just before the release.

[highwayracer]

You know Erik, I really like your projects Everytime I see one of your cars, it makes me think of ways to modify my kyosho cars.

Keep up the good work!!!

regards,
highwayracer

[Asso_man!]

Awesome project as usual Erik, very nice

[RichieRich]

Sweet Uptima!!!

I love projects like this. It's all ideas and trial and error. Fantastic.

[terry.sc]

Looking good there Erik, nice idea to use the bulkhead as an extra brace for the front gearbox. It's going to turn out as a much more complete conversion this time.

Before the Optimas went mainstream, this is what the Kyosho boys did back then.

Err Jay, I'd just like to point out that the Optima preceded the Ultima by some time. The first Optima came out in September 85 and virtually all the Optima range had been released by the time the Ultima came out in July 86.
That Ultima conversion was a privateer project made using helicopter parts and nothing to do with Kyosho, much the same as Eriks belt drive conversion, and was seen at the 87 worlds.

[mrlexan]

My bad, again... you learn something new every day.

[Mr. ED]

Hey guys, thanks for the mass response!
Temple, the major difference between this build and an optima is the location of the belt (or chain on most optima's).
For the optima the single belt runs straight from the front diff to the rear diff.
I used the MIP concept: where the belt is laid over external pulleys on the topshaft.
That's why the front gearbox is so high (no buggy body for this one)

Beside the advantage of closed gearboxes, the different belt location also lets me sit the battery lower than on the optima: for which the belt passes under the battery (unless you go saddlepack or split the stick in 2 as in the pics above.)
I'm not sure yet about the battery orientation; lengthwise or sideways. What do you guys think is better for a relative short wheelbased 4x4?

[jasen]

nice work hope to see more of your other project too

[Mr. ED]

I think the all-trailing project will stay 2x4 for now, but yes, it is dormant, not dead.
Basically I have to order that wider front beam from CRP to get it going again.