Optima Mid Barn (shed) Find
 

So about 6 months ago my cousin and I are chatting about cars (as per usual) and I'm telling him how I'm enjoying being back into RC cars. He mentions that somewhere in his shed is a Kyosho Optima and if he can dig it out I could have it to have a look at and see if its any good. Well today he presented me with this little beaut:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...psbc767144.jpg

All I know at the mo is that its an Optima Mid of some kind and the fact that it has a graphite chassis and top deck and UJ's at the front means its not just a basic Mid. Can any of you connoisseurs help identify it for me and possibly put a value to it? I'm going to fully strip and rebuild it and maybe even get it running for a few vintage heats. Here are some more pics plus I'll add more as I strip it down:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps2828a48c.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...psd2a71824.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps77445fca.jpg

Thanks

Daz

Looks like an optima mid

Difficult to say if its a turbo special or custom special. If it's ball diff then turbo special is likely.

The rims are a mish mash - the turbo special had yellow rims (which are sought after)

Maybe this was carpet racer - I think the shock's configuration gives it away.

The bumper is a kyosho, but from a different older model...also seen the same bumper on a zaboon

rough stuff. goodluck fixing it up

The rear rims look like tamiya falcon units... though that wouldn't make much sense, unless for a wider offset maybe? Could be interesting to see how he made these work on the mid

I think it's a Custom Special, as it has gear diffs. The set-screws on the diff-outdrives give it away.

Shame about the rust and the bent wing mount. It will take some effort to clean this one up, but on the other hand, every Optima is worth it. It does appear to be fairly complete, so far I've only spotted the brace missing on the left, between gearbox and middle section.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, after removing the electrics I set to work with a brush, a cloth and some GT85 after which it looked like this:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...pscec7a7da.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps8d5394c7.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...psa35e7298.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps61ad283a.jpg

You were right about the gear diffs too, I was quite surprised by this:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps9ca07696.jpg

I'm thinking its between a turbo optima mid and an optima mid custom special, what were the differences between these two cars as from what I've read they both had gear diffs and gold shocks?

You were right about the rear wheels they weren't even on the hexs, I've fitted a set from my lazer ZX5 for now.

It's not a Turbo Optima Mid Special, as the Custom Mid Special has gear diffs, and the Turbo Optima Mid Special has ball diffs.

I was thinking Turbo Optima Mid but I've just read that is a SWB, this has a wheelbase the same as my ZX5 so it looks like a Mid Custom Special which is quite cool as I think that was the last in the line before the Lazer came along?

The LWB Mids came just before the Lazer. Fine cars indeed.

The Turbo Mid is short wheelbase, with a narrow alloy chassis and you can only run a stick pack battery in it. The Mid Custom Special is long wheelbase, with the wide black fibreglass chassis with the option of running saddle pack batteries.

The bumper is technically a Mid bumper. At the time the BRCA rules included a rule that specified the front bumper must be at least 60% of the width of the car. Ripmax got around this with the Mid by taking the 1/8th Kyosho Burns bumper and drilling two holes in it to let you bolt it on a Mid or Lazer. It worked fine with standard Mid wheels, but when we went to 2.2" wheels you ended up having to cut the corners off the end of the bumper.

Lol I remember racing my mid with the bumper cut like that never knew why till now :)

In order to "repair" the wing stay just geta good hair blower and heat it up nicely once is very hot mold it back straight and quickly dip into cold water. I have repair a few that way, perfect results. Please dont burn yourself!!!

My vote goes for standard turbo mid that has then had the Kyosho LWB conversion kit fitted.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7408/con2.jpg

That's interesting Dan, what makes you say that? Tell me more about this conversion, would it have included a new bodyshell or would the standard turbo mid shell still fit?

Thanks

Daz

I'm curious too, how to tell these apart after a conversion. Also, wouldn't a standard Turbo Mid have stabilizers? A Custom Special also lacks stabilizers.

Another question people may be able to help with, I have found a manual on retromodelisme but there's not much info on rebuilding the diffs. What type and how much grease do I put in? Is there a "how to" anywhere?

I put lots of high pressure black AE grease

Duplicate post

It's difficult to know for sure.

The motor brace would have helped but is not present on this car.

The conversion kit didn't come with a body or undertray and would then need a LWB shell.

Some people have fitted swb shells to lwb cars but it looks a bit weird.

I have a NIB conversion kit if anyone needs one!

Sway bars could have been removed or just not refitted after conversion.

I ran a converted lwb mid with a zxr shell for years.

It keeps surprising me why people go through so much effort to identify the 'right' mid. The beauty of the models was their compatibility. You got what you could afford, or was available or thought was best, and then upgraded it as you wished when breaking parts,obtaining funds or on advise of others.
Who cares how it started :)

Well it's fully in pieces now. I've ordered some diff grease and OT-110 plate that sits above the motor that was pointed out as missing. I have some yellow ZX5 wheels to go on it then I'm thinking a Marwan TOMS shell and decals as that is the nicest looking mid IMO and it could become my winter indoor car (ZX5 for summer outdoors). That's if my cousin will sell it me for the right price :eh?:

I personally think it's nice to know some history of each individual car. Plus the topic-starter did clearly ask to identify it. ;)

I agree its nice to know what model you have as some are more special than others. I think with vintage stuff similar rules apply as 1/1 scale so for example an original escort RS2000 will always be worth more than a base model with all the kit on. An ex works rally car with history will be worth more still. I'm quite facinated by ex works rc cars which have ran at big meetings with big name drivers and the subtle one off mods they might be carrying.

I spent this week stripping and rebuilding the car. Both diffs have been rebuilt, all bearings relubed and the shocks rebuilt too plus everything has had a clean. I also bought the rear gearbox plate OT-110 and replaced a few of the screws with whatever was in my pitbox. This isn't going to be a shelfer so I wasn't going mad. The wheels are a spare set from my ZX5. I used the Mid Custom Special manual on retromodelisme and everything was the same so I'm convinced that's what I have. I fitted some electrics and gave it a whirl on the back yard, the batteries were cable tied in until I can pick up OTW-9:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...0.jpg~original

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...5.jpg~original

It handled pretty well but was dog slow so its either gonna have to be lipos or brushless. I've also decided on a shell and colour scheme, I found this pic on retromodelisme which from the article seems to be some sort of pre-production colour scheme. I prefer this over the standard box art particularly the "roof" on the canopy. Does anyone have any other details on this or other pictures of it in these colours?

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...a.jpg~original

If you want to do it with a Special shell, you might want to consider this color scheme as well:

http://www.oople.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1394979479

Its nice but its the yellow on silver of the box art that I don't really like. The other colours look so clean, but I can't decide from the image whether its an off white or that it is white but the scan has turned it off white hence why I wanted to see if anyone has any other pics of it.

I think it's white, maybe with a dark backing, but probably looks a little greyish due to the scan.

I have a Custom Special as well, but fitted the other LWB Optima shell to is, as I liked that better:

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Roest...imamidcs03.jpg


I re-used the Custom Special shell as testing shell for another Optima Mid project.

I do like the TOMS shell too. I wedged a shortie lipo in the chassis today and it injected some much needed speed into it although the esc and motor got a bit warm. I was pretty impressed with the handling, it should make a good indoor car

The LWB and SWB mid handle great imho. It's a pretty well balanced chassis.

Funny I was having this conversation recently.

I think it's white but Kyosho usually made their box art and catalogue shell windows matte black and in this case I think they've done matte white which makes it almost look pearlescant.

Dan

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...a.jpg~original

Mini update! my Marwan repro shell undertray and wing turned up today :D
Just gotta decide whether to have a go at painting it myself or get it painted :confused: