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After a couple of tries over many years it's finally a succes.
I present you my personal 4X4 conversion for the Ultima buggy:

How is the action on the front end?
Does it give up past arms level?
I tried that once on a project and couldn't get it to work right. Totally different situation though...

I have this propeller powered car that could really use a slammed setup like you have there.

EDIT: I totally see it now, the arms are already above level! Haha, awesome.

I think I could do that pretty easy!

...and stuff

Ron Jeremy wrote:How is the action on the front end?
Does it give up past arms level?
...
EDIT: I totally see it now, the arms are already above level! Haha, awesome.

The arms are level in normal state.
Because of the mount angle you get lots of wheel travel for little shock travel, so you don't need long shocks but lots of damping.
I'm using no holes in the piston, thick oil and heavy onroad springs upfront.

The rear shockss are more upright, but with the weight of the moter and accu in the rear... I use the same oil and pistons with softer Losi front springs and somewhat longer shafts.

Overall the front is a bit more souple: needed because of the lesser weight there, but also because of the lack of kick-up in the chassis

Unless I find some modern shell to fit, it will get a triumph body and find some track action in the coming weeks

Isn't that more Optima than Ultima?
Optima drivetrain (the mid belt came from the original Optima belt drive conversion) and front suspension mated to Ultima rear wishbones and custom saddle pack chassis. I was expecting Nakamuras 1989 4wd Ultima

Mr. ED, who makes the rims that are on your car?

terry.sc wrote:Isn't that more Optima than Ultima?
Optima drivetrain (the mid belt came from the original Optima belt drive conversion) and front suspension mated to Ultima rear wishbones and custom saddle pack chassis. I was expecting Nakamuras 1989 4wd Ultima

Almost the whole car is built up from generic, homemade and modified or original Ultima parts.
The only Optima specific parts would be the front arms. The other parts shared with an optima: C-carriers, knuckles, dogbones, axles and hexes were used throughout several models after the original optima and ultima releases.
In short while the design uses the drive train principeles and front suspension style of an optima, you'd be buying many more ultima parts than I had to buy optima parts to get from the original to this.

I had never this seen this Nakamura car but am verry happy to discover it. Is Nakamura the guy who made the poprod2 also? The PROTO sticker lloks familiar.
It looks like a MIP conversion of the RC10: where the belt does not run over the diff but on an external pulley fixed to the top shaft. Is that right?
Any more pics or info sure is wellcome.

I played with a stick pack configuration on one side also, but could not get the balance right, and I tried using ultima front arms, but they were just a little too short for the dogbones (don't have any good andies or the longer pro2 front arms)
For the wheels, sorry, no idea: bought them about 5 years back and didn't keep the labels. Could be european.

Good looking ride there Mr. Ed.

all Belgian people must be proud of you Ed nice ride and a very good touch of compromise (à la belge) and creativity... I like it, now put it on the road and find a fitting body

Mr. ED wrote: Almost the whole car is built up from generic, homemade and modified or original Ultima parts.
The only Optima specific parts would be the front arms. The other parts shared with an optima: C-carriers, knuckles, dogbones, axles and hexes were used throughout several models after the original optima and ultima releases.
In short while the design uses the drive train principeles and front suspension style of an optima, you'd be buying many more ultima parts than I had to buy optima parts to get from the original to this.

The rear gearbox originated in the Optima and was borrowed for the Ultima, the Optima version is the more robust especially with the hardened alloy final pinion and Turbo Optima slipper clutch. The only difference is the gear case moulding, the Optima one being tricky to bolt to a flat chassis. The only Ultima specific parts on your car are the gearbox case, rear bulkhead, rear suspension arms, uprights and shock mount, which were also used in several models as well. The whole drivetrain and the whole front suspension originated on the Optima, even the front wishbone angle and shock layout. Using Ultima rear gearbox case and Lumina/Slingshot front gearbox makes it a lot easier to fit to a flat chassis.

I had never this seen this Nakamura car but am verry happy to discover it. Is Nakamura the guy who made the poprod2 also? The PROTO sticker lloks familiar.
Any more pics or info sure is wellcome.

The car was built and raced privately at the 1987 World Champs and uses the Ultima Option House chassis and front suspension. 4WD is by a bevel gear on the layshaft driving a shaft to the front hand made gearbox, made from parts designed to drive a helicopter tail rotor. many more pictures to follow when I can scan them in.
No, it wasn't built by Grahoo who made the original Poprod. http://www.grahoo.com As they were built around the same time I asume the stickers were easily available.

I played with a stick pack configuration on one side also, but could not get the balance right,

The batteries were split into two sticks, one down each side of the chassis so the balance was correct.[/url]

terry.sc wrote:The only Ultima specific parts on your car are the gearbox case.....

I guess I should take the Mountaineer badge off my Mercury and put an Explorer sticker on it, huh?

Whatever you want. Just pointing out the differences between the Ultima and Optima. As many members here know there aren't many people know as much about Kyosho electrics as I do.

Here are the pictures of Nakamuras Ultima. Ultima suspension and chassis, Optima front uprights and custom made gearboxes.

terry.sc wrote:Whatever you want. Just pointing out the differences between the Ultima and Optima. As many members here know there aren't many people know as much about Kyosho electrics as I do.

Just razzing you man. Don't take it personal. That's just the way I am.

terry.sc wrote: As many members here know there aren't many people know as much about Kyosho electrics as I do.

It's true

terry.sc = King Kyosho at least on TC