RC10Talk - The Net's Largest Vintage R/C Community

After a long absence from the hobby, I'm back and feeling the need to participate in the Vonats (it's local). I have no vintage rides right now, I think it would be fun to build one up. My first RC was a chain drive Optima, which I had up until 10 years ago and then sold in a fit of stupidity. Especially when I see what the gold package is going for these days. I would love to field an OG optima and am looking for a project as we speak. Not looking to win, but just have some fun. Any idea when the dates will be chosen for 2015? Should I be looking at other cars? Tamiyas don't really do it for me (except for Sand Scorchers ), although I raced a pretty competetive Blackfoot until people started converting their RC10s to trucks. Optima Mids are sweet, but I want to stick to the classic class. Maybe the new re-re Beetle?

As a guy who has built several original Optimas and a Turbo Optima Mid SE, I'd say unless you're doing this merely for sentimental reasons, I'd build up an Optima Mid. The Mid is a far more bulletproof design, performs better and is much easier to wrench on. Here's a list of weaknesses of the original Optima series (which I love, don't get me wrong, but it is what it is):

-Chain always stretching, needs to be tightened all the time
-Shock towers always bending
-Front chin skidplate always bending; bumper brace always breaking
-Final pinion gear always wearing out, unless you track down a hard-to-find, expensive hard final pinion gear
-Steering assembly & servo mounting are effective but the Mid has a far more secure and superior design
-Car in stock form typically understeers under acceleration
-Too much disassembly is required to get at gearboxes

vonats should be early to mid september.

optima would be in classics, mid would be in 4wd. (the 4wd class is mod too, 13.5 and 10.5 allowed)

im in the process of getting a rear motor optima ready for classics, as well as a scorpion.

keep an eye on ebay for decent optima to restore for racing.
gain enough quality posts here and you'll get acess to the BST, where you might find a good deal on one.

where are you located in ct? RCHR in waterbury is very vintage friendly, lots of guys there have vintage cars and run them more often then you'd think.

I'm well aware of the weaknesses, it may be why I find it so endearing . Really want to stay in classic, so I think a mid is the last resort, plus they just don't push my buttons. I remember drooling over the kyosho catalog as a kid and the optima just flat does it for me, white yellow and blue please! I'm in Wethersfield, so about 1/2 hr to rchr, although I usually drive up to enfield (rc madness).

How does a Gallop/Progress compare to an Optima? They seem to have that overly complicated Avante vibe going on. Kind of ugly and probably slow as heck, or an option to consider?

notarex wrote:How does a Gallop/Progress compare to an Optima? They seem to have that overly complicated Avante vibe going on. Kind of ugly and probably slow as heck, or an option to consider?

you mean to race?
no
just no

MUCH more trouble than it's worth.

I also agree with Coelacanth, the original Optima series might end up being worked on more than driven.
I get trying to be different, or run something you have fond memories of, but I would also suggest a Mid if you want to go 4WD

I would also suggest asking what others are going to run at the event, maybe go with a popular car, just in case anything breaks, you have a better chance of getting help or parts that way.

Yeah, the Mid is what I would choose. The original Optimas are great but I agree with Stu. You'll be wrenching more than driving.

i'm kind of with the op here. i don't see how a vonats weekend with a sport tuned is really going to be a pain with a well sorted optima.

the og optima puts you in the classics class where a 4wd (tamiya baja king) has won 4 years in a row. the optima has a chance to beat that heap.
i almost fielded a manta ray last year just to beat that guy. (he's a friend of mine lol)
now i think a manta ray would kill both the baja king and the optima.

i still may field an optima this year, funds and parts pending.

a mid bumps you into the 4wd mod class and that's a stacked field of yz10's, lazers and xx4's!

at the end of the day the vonats is all about fun, i've run cars that were outclassed but i wasn't there to win, i was there to have a great time running a cool old car.

kaiser wrote:...now i think a manta ray would kill both the baja king and the optima.

Would this manta ray be allowed? http://www.tamiyaclub.com/article.asp?id=64

I agree, I would go for the OG optima. Race what is fun for you!

lol, thats basically a TOP FORCE, and would race in 4wd mod.

I'm finding mids all over the place, but no rear motors. Guess I'll have to be patient . I remember babysitting a mid in high school for a few weeks (back 20 years ago) The only korean kid in school was also the only other that was into rc. He wanted me to fix something, which I did. I remember it being easy to work on and real quick. It made different noises than mine (this was before the belt conversion). I can't say I was happy to see it go- but it was good to be back on the chain gang. Good name for a racing team, maybe I'll make up a few stickers for vonats "Chain Gang Racing" lol

Kaiser nailed it . Half the Fun iSwrenching . A well prepped optima will run just fine for the vonats . If you think you can run with the top three guys then look into something a little more competitive . Just my 2 cents .....have fun most importantly .

If the Optima runs in classic, then it competes with Grasshoppers and SRBs. But, these cars may use modern tires, but I assume the Optima (like the RC10) must use vintage tires, right?

I think in the spirit of fairness, I would run period tires. I'm not out to win at all costs, just have some fun. Plus I remember filling in "sand super" with a toothpick 25 years ago, and can't wait to relive that pleasure .

rangerg wrote:If the Optima runs in classic, then it competes with Grasshoppers and SRBs. But, these cars may use modern tires, but I assume the Optima (like the RC10) must use vintage tires, right?

the cars that really compete in that class are a bit better then hoppers and srb's, although you do see hoppers from time to time and there is always a srb or two.
the cars that have done well have been, brandon's falcon and frog, bear hawks, blitzers, baja king, those all ran modern rubber. the jrx2's and rc10's ran vintage rubber and still competed. the optima i think would fall in line with the bear hawks, biltzers, baja king where it would run modern rubber.

especially on last years track, vintage tires were damn near useless. brandon gave that baja king a run for it's money but he can drive a bowling ball to a win.

the hoppers and srb's just can't keep up with anything newer. i was suprised not to see a scorpion last year, but im sure there will be one or two this year, on modern rubber.