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All - I will soon be embarking upon my NIB Optima build and would like to know what are considered the most worthwhile or "best" or rarest hop-ups for this car. Anyone have any suggestions (preferably with pics if possible)?

Many thanks.

Kyosho Gold shocks look great on an Optima, although you'll need the taller "special" shock towers that came with the Javelin, Turbo Optima, etc. A Kyosho gold Celebration Chassis Kit also adds quite a bit of bling, but be prepared to open your wallet wide. The Kyosho belt drive conversion is a nice option if you plan on running your car, or even if you aren't. Kyosho also made front and rear ball diffs for the belt and one of the aftermarket companies made a front one-way diff for the chain. That seems like a pretty rare part. Hot Trick made a nice bottom plate for the chassis, plus a whole Red Optima conversion kit with A-arms, etc.. There's a lot more that I can't think of at the moment. Check out Project Optima from RCCA for a couple more ideas:

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11218

Good luck!

Regards,

Robert

If you scroll down a bit on this forum I posted pics of my gold optima. I have a lot hop ups on that. Gold chassis, option house rims and tires, sway bars, gold shocks and springs, gold side guards, gold motor guard, option house pinion gear. I think those are the best upgrades for it, there are a few more like belt drive conversion. If your gonna put gold shocks on it you need the turbo optima shock towers.

Thanks for the responses. That Hot Trick Optima looks the business - I really like the look of the front shock set-up. That would be a tempting hop-up!

As for the gold shocks and chassis parts, I had thought about those but I think I'm going to polish up the existing alloy parts and obtain the bling chrome look. Fortunately, I have a set of NIB Tecnacrafts that I'll polish up and put on there too to compliment the chrome look. Have managed to acquire the belt conversion so that will be fitted too.

Any other suggestions very welcome.
Thanks.

The Tech Racing parts are extremely hard to find but they are a great option to add to an optima

murphy3428 wrote:The Tech Racing parts are extremely hard to find but they are a great option to add to an optima

Thanks. Which parts are those? Do you have any pics as I know nothing about them?

They made some really nice turn buckles and some other small aluminum parts I think they also made aluminum arms for the optima aswell here is a pic of the turn buckles

I would definitely add gold shocks, the motor guard, the hardened transmission pinion and bearings.

hmm let me gander at mine....
yah tech racing def a great hop up, alloy shock collars, alloy wing( thorpe, dirt burners etc) special option house chassis rails, pargu_2000 makes nioce alloy rims, and radio plate. T&A rims as wel are nice. so that basically sums up most the hop ups. thorpe or robinson racing external gears as well. bearings a must!!

I'd suggest to add the slipper mechansme of the turbo optima if it's gonna be a driver.
And for looks, although the optima shell is a beauty... a javelin cage, or even optima pro bodyset.
And don't dare not to paint the driver!!!

A one-way unit for the front was available also: repaced the internals of a gear-diff.

bdrmbully wrote:hmm let me gander at mine....
yah tech racing def a great hop up, alloy shock collars, alloy wing( thorpe, dirt burners etc) special option house chassis rails, pargu_2000 makes nioce alloy rims, and radio plate. T&A rims as wel are nice. so that basically sums up most the hop ups. thorpe or robinson racing external gears as well. bearings a must!!

Ok. I have the alloy shock collars. The alloy chassis rails sound like a nice idea. Are the thorpe/robinson external gears the ones that are readily available on Ebay at the moment? Also, how does the alloy wing fit with the original optima shell?

Mr. ED wrote:I'd suggest to add the slipper mechansme of the turbo optima if it's gonna be a driver.

Is that the same as a torque limiter?

murphy3428 wrote:They made some really nice turn buckles and some other small aluminum parts I think they also made aluminum arms for the optima aswell here is a pic of the turn buckles

Those turnbuckles are the dog's dangleys.....!

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I hear yah i got some for the front but could never find the rears. tecna's are just as good though.

That's what I missed. Turnbuckles are a must.