Happy Birthday to me! Turbo Optima with tecnas!

[Coelacanth]

I would imagine ALL your steel hardware will rust. Including your hinge pins, as well as the outdrives and whatever gets steamed up inside the tranny. Give it a tray and let us know . -Jeff

I think you'd be fine even after a full soaking if you followed it up with some good blasts of compressed air and re-lubrication.

[ROH73]

If you put it in the dishwasher, either don't use detergent or be very careful which one you use. Most detergents can absolutely destroy the finish on aluminum, even anodized.

[shodog]

Seriously, a car this nice needs to be torn down piece by piece and then reassembled. Any other way is just being lazy

[RedScampi]

Seriously, a car this nice needs to be torn down piece by piece and then reassembled. Any other way is just being lazy

So what's wrong with being lazy?
Seriously though, I do agree that the car needs a thorough teardown and cleaning. I will be doing that in the nearish future, maybe when the weather goes south this fall. The dishwasher approach was simply to rid the car of the horrible stench - you could smell it from everywhere in the room. Plus my hands got yellow and sticky just handling it. I am happy to report that the car made it through the wash with no effect on the anodizing and it smells much better. The original turnbuckles did get a sheen of rust on them before it even came out of the washer so I'll be pulling them immediately and cleaning them thoroughly. Nothing else seems to have been impacted. I disassembled the wheels and washed them in soapy water as well as the tires and body. Now the only smelly stuff is the electronics which I'll clean by hand, and the paperwork and manuals which I'm not sure what to do with.

[Jirka]

Must have been quite a divorce if he really needed a Turbo Optima with belt drive and torque limiting clutch and drove it in the house but hopefully that has helped. But the car is in incredibly good condition. The turnbuckles doesn't look like Kyosho/Option House stuff to me. The smell problem might get solved easily with google. Try something like "how to get rid of smoke smell from plastic". There and all kind of tricks from vinegar to fresh coffee and to vodka. A little search and You will find something that works. If You decide to paint a new body, lexan smell problem is handled too. Lexan might otherwise be quite a tricky.

Jirka

[kaz_z]

Wow that's a mint one congrats

[Bimdapogs]

Ahh.. I think this was the Turbo Optima that was in my head for a couple days. Was this the one on RCUniverse? Do I need it or not kinda thing. Until an MP9E showed up, I have forgotten about this. I thought the price was very good. Nice grab!

[Asso_man!]

The turnbuckles doesn't look like Kyosho/Option House stuff to me.

Very nice find indeed! Gotta love these wheels... These turnbuckles were most probably made by Thorp/Dirt Burners.

[RedScampi]

Ahh.. I think this was the Turbo Optima that was in my head for a couple days. Was this the one on RCUniverse? Do I need it or not kinda thing. Until an MP9E showed up, I have forgotten about this. I thought the price was very good. Nice grab!

Yes, it was the one on RCU. I had seen the ad before but passed it up because the price was a bit steep for my pocket. I knew it was a deal though so when I saw it a couple of weeks later I was shocked that it was still available. So I submitted an offer and was pleasantly surprised that he accepted it. I also got a nice drive to the warm/dry side of our state for some sun and a tour of his amazing hobby building. He had a lifetime's worth of automotive memorabilia, rc cars trucks and boats, signs, toys, a gas pump, you name it. If anyone has an interest in Tamiya tanks I saw three of those in mint condition, and as I mentioned before there was a new built Kyosho USA-1. The crown jewel was a (real) blown '32 Ford Highboy in the middle of the room.

Asso-man, thanks for the head's up on the turnbuckles. I think I'd like to replace them with some titanium ones at some point because the steel ones always eventually rust in this climate.

and yes, those wheels are sweet!

[Coelacanth]

Asso-man, thanks for the head's up on the turnbuckles. I think I'd like to replace them with some titanium ones at some point because the steel ones always eventually rust in this climate.

Yes, I'd upgrade those turnbuckles with either titanium or alloy ones, and while I was at it, it looks like he's still using the stock 5.8mm balls & open ball-ends, which are always popping off when slightly worn, I'd replace those with 4.8mm ball studs & ball-cups.

[rangerg]

Great car. It deserves a tear down and rebuild. Before you do anything, let it sit outside in the sun. I have had good luck with just a few days outside on a sunny day to help out the smell of vintage video game equipment (my other hobby).

[RETRO R/C]

Dayyaauuuummmmmm Gary - that is a VERY nice score mate.

As you know - I LOVE kyoshos- particularly the Optima series. That is going to polish up into a total stunner mate - really top score - please keep the pics of the cleaning and polishing updated!!

loooooooooove Optima's!

Cheers

Darryn

[Mad Racer]

My first proper racer.

Very nice indeed. Well done. The racing clutch was a flop i think. He did fit it out with some nice options like the motor guard, motor spacer and gold chassis kit.

You are very lucky indeed.

[RedScampi]

You guys are making me blush!
Thanks all, I feel really blessed to have this car in this condition. I have a standard Optima build going right now and I'm having a real struggle not tearing into this one first. A great problem to have, I know.

[Coelacanth]

I never noticed that motor spacer...was that to improve cooling?