Turbo Optima Mid - Evolution aka 21st Century Mid

[Welshy40]

Thanks. May buy one and add more angle to the bottom plate to make it work more for me.

[HKS_TRD]

Originally Posted by optiman

Here is an ebay link for two Integy carbon fiber wing models.
The second link is the one I am using for Blue Thunder. Check for dimensions, I think the first link is slightly larger... or smaller, can't remember

http://m.ebay.com/itm/360742705466?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.com/itm/380821172745?nav=SEARCH

They are available in different aluminum side panel colors.
You can visit; Integy.com

Thanks for the links, they look quite nice but I really like the blue one thats on there, and I think I will be going with the ZX-S shell and ZXRS towers, this means I either have to cut notches in the wing to clear the shocks as the ZXRS tower puts the wing lower or I can use the second blue wing I have here and sit it further back.
I am leaning towards the notches to complete the ZX-S look
I am planning on painting the shell a translcent blue with a silver then black backing and probably another color in the mix in a couple areas.

I emailed John Miller a while back to paint my Genuine Optima shell in box art and about the custom scheme I wanted for another shell but he never wrote back, whats up with that?

[alcyon]

Daniel the optima mid spur ptch is not a standard pitch. The b4 one is standard . I use 48p RW pinions and they match perfectly with the associateds. I know this because i used the optima mids original spur with RW pinions and the noise was horrible. When i switched to tamiya ta02 pinion it was sudenly quiet.

[HKS_TRD]

Originally Posted by alcyon

Daniel the optima mid spur ptch is not a standard pitch. The b4 one is standard . I use 48p RW pinions and they match perfectly with the associateds. I know this because i used the optima mids original spur with RW pinions and the noise was horrible. When i switched to tamiya ta02 pinion it was sudenly quiet.

Thanks that makes sense. For some reason I thought maybe the lazer pinions were the same.
I have another question for you regarding the steering setup. You run the blue ZX-S steering parts IIRC which hole do you use on the steering parts for the rod that goes to the servo, there are two and I want to screw a ballstud in now so I can then put the belt cover on, its all trimmed ready to go

[oli4ke]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

I emailed John Miller a while back to paint my Genuine Optima shell in box art and about the custom scheme I wanted for another shell but he never wrote back, whats up with that?

Here the same buddy.... I guess he doesn't like non US citizens....

[alcyon]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

Thanks that makes sense. For some reason I thought maybe the lazer pinions were the same.
I have another question for you regarding the steering setup. You run the blue ZX-S steering parts IIRC which hole do you use on the steering parts for the rod that goes to the servo, there are two and I want to screw a ballstud in now so I can then put the belt cover on, its all trimmed ready to go

I use the outermost hole as that will give the most leverage as well as steering travel.

[HKS_TRD]

Originally Posted by alcyon

I use the outermost hole as that will give the most leverage as well as steering travel.

I can see how that would give the most leverage but wouldn't the inside hole give the most travel?

[alcyon]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

I can see how that would give the most leverage but wouldn't the inside hole give the most travel?

oops, you are right, the inner one will give more travel, but I have mounted mine at the outer hole and I do have almost full travel on my knuckles right now with lazer c hubs and arms, which is more than enough in my opinion, as I wouldn't want the knuckles to pull on the c hub and in turn pull on the arm which will impede its own free movement.

[HKS_TRD]

So here is a pic of the Mid with a genuine LWB Mid undertray.
I was comparing it to the ZX-S undertray and it seems the ZX-S undertray whilst based on it is slightly shorter, and ditto for the body compared to the LWB Mid, will have to be very careful when I cut the ZX-S shell and undertray out to make sure get them sitting perfectly on the Mid



Still this is missing



And to install that I needed to trim this piece to clear both the steering post and also the nut holding the ball joint onto the steering parts





And this is how she looks with the belt cover on, I went for some stainless screws there too for consistency

[DanB4]

Great as ever!

I\ll be interested to see your smart looking gear cover as I have that dillemma at the moment.....

Dan

[HKS_TRD]

I haven't even thought about the gear cover yet!

[HKS_TRD]

Decided to install a motor in this for now, so that it won't roll off the shelf!
Even though it has the B4 slipper to make it brushless compatible I installed the following motor because it is blue and matches the rest of the car













I also got my hands on a pair of front white super stars, and managed to source a pair of rears in black, so I dyed all of them black (just incase the rears changed color a little) and installed with Schumacher tyres, the offset of the fronts is different to the Kyoshos and makes the car wider, these would work well with a narrow front end setup, which is what my ZXR Carbon Tub shelfer will have, so these wheels will be going on that project, though my plans always change it seems ....















Still need to swap the shock towers over but have to re-think where I should be locating the ball joints on the shock towers first, what are the rules of thumb to apply? I'm not sure if I got it right or not with my initial setup or what the "right" or "wrong" position by definition is

[optiman]

Eye candy!!!
I am not sure how are you going to get the strength to run that piece of art!!! Or are you not?

[HKS_TRD]

I didn't have any plans to run it at this stage but would like to run it indoors a couple times if possible.
I am building a runner ZX-R with a vintage carbon tub, when I eventually get around to it, have been slowly collecting bits and prepping parts for anodising

[OptimaFan]

Very nice "hybrid" Optima Mid. The blue theme looks great, and good choise on those shocks, as these are very smooth, as I remember from my Ultima RB5.

[HKS_TRD]

Originally Posted by Optima4Ever

Very nice "hybrid" Optima Mid. The blue theme looks great, and good choise on those shocks, as these are very smooth, as I remember from my Ultima RB5.

Thanks I will be making a few changes to it very soon, and also to the SWB Mid I built just before this. Then I can finally get around to giving her a shell

I'm just waiting for the parts to turn up

[HKS_TRD]

I still haven't finished this project off (nor any of the projects I started ...)

In trying to put as much Lazer DNA as possible into this project I decided to have a different motor brace made which looks like a Lazer piece.
The new one is on the left and the original one I had made will be going onto the Turbo Optima Mid SE-X



Installed the recess lines up perfectly with the layshaft making it look just right.







I need to swap the ZXR-S shock towers on, and then try and figure out how to trim the ZX-S shell to fit and if I need a new chassis made or not

[alcyon]

I could send this tube to you. I tried fitting the VTS on my Mid, but seems it will touch the gear cover. However, it looks like with a thick finned motor plate like what you are using, this may be possible after all since it will push the gear cover outwards. If you are running on dirt, its best to apply some silicone sealants on the outer grooves of the fins to seal the gear cover. I will try this soon. Since you are using V2 this tube I shown will work.

[HKS_TRD]

Thanks for the suggestion
I have a second pair of B4 plates which have been anodised and turned out alot better which will be going onto this Mid (have been working on putting the gold parts onto the SWB car first) and I also have the associated gear cover which I plan to cut the relevant section from and then attach to the Mid gear cover, not sure if or how you can glue lexan but if I get stuck I will use silicon

At this stage I don't plan to run the car on dirt, I am building this and the gold accented SWB car as sister cars for the shelf, the bulkhead you sent me looks fantastic on the Mid!

[mr. ed]

I heard about a special glue that allows you to fix torn touring car bodies... kind of liquid lexan. Unfortunately I don't remeber the product name , sorry. At least you know now it exists