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I just finished a restoration rebuild of a LWB Optima Mid Custom Special (albeit with the square cockpit Custom body !)

I have enough parts in the spare box to build a runner Mid.

I have a LWB FRP chassis/radio plate set and an original SWB set too

Diff wise i have front and rear gear diffs, a front one way and also a rear ball diff (but this has a badly worn sprocket so it out of the equation this time round).


I'm thinking of going SWB with rear gear diff and front one way. My only concern is whether this will be too twitchy a set up, even though this will be run for a bit of private fun and not raced in any way.

I want this second one to be different to my first build, but also I dont want something thats not going to be enjoyable to run.

Comments welcome
Thanks

I think any Mid will be enjoyable to run. Going with gear diff(s), at least in the rear, should make it maintenance-free and idiot-proof (I prefer gear diffs for that reason).

There's a lot you can do to modify the Mid, lots of people turned them into rally cars or onroad cars or monster trucks or stadium trucks...or, even a mid-motor RWD car. For the latter, check out my OptiMutt build thread (link in my signature). You have tons of options. What intrigues *you*?

Thanks Coelacanth

Should have said it'll be built as a buggy.

Think I'm going SWB this time, purely because I'm not a fan of the space age custom special body and I'd end up with two similar looking and handling buggies if I went LWB and custom body again !

I'll go with the one-way up front and robust gear diff in the back

Percymon wrote:Thanks Coelacanth

Should have said it'll be built as a buggy.

Think I'm going SWB this time, purely because I'm not a fan of the space age custom special body and I'd end up with two similar looking and handling buggies if I went LWB and custom body again !

I'll go with the one-way up front and robust gear diff in the back

Yep, I'm thinking SWB mate, it's a very iconic buggy from BITD, and should compliment your LWB very well

SWB it is - belt ,and motor plate OT-73, ordered this morning.

I have a set of gold shocks that were runied at the anodizers (acid etched the screw threads away) so I'll either fit those which are currently polished up like chrome if i can resin the top caps shut, or fit some 3Racing ZX5 shocks I have on order.

Percymon wrote:or fit some 3Racing ZX5 shocks I have on order.

Those work very well, you'll just have to shorten the piston travel with some spacers, possibly shorten the shock total length with shorty 4.8mm ball cups & ball studs, and soften them up with 25 - 30 weight oil and opening up the holes a bit in the piston rings. For the $25 or so that they cost, you probably won't find a better set of shocks.

Thanks - i saw that you'd used similar on project Cyanide