Optima is back!!

[RC104ever]

Okay I'm going to admit my ignorance here. I know nothing about this car but it certainly looks very interesting. It looks like its part Hot Shot - and the aluminum bits obviously would have been very high tech back in the day. 4WD buggies weren't exactly common place either, right?

So AE didn't have a 4WD buggy at the time (other than the MIP conversion) but how would these originals have run and handled compared to a stock RC10? Aside from having an obvious traction advantage I mean.

[mugenbulldog]

Any recommendations for batteries? I'm thinking a 2s will be fine, just want to be sure whatever I get will fit without any mods.

Venom 15085, 2s 20C, 4000mah stick pack lipo with adapters for many different connectors.

[mugenbulldog]

Okay I'm going to admit my ignorance here. I know nothing about this car but it certainly looks very interesting. It looks like its part Hot Shot - and the aluminum bits obviously would have been very high tech back in the day. 4WD buggies weren't exactly common place either, right?

So AE didn't have a 4WD buggy at the time (other than the MIP conversion) but how would these originals have run and handled compared to a stock RC10? Aside from having an obvious traction advantage I mean.

From what I understand, the Optima was why they made a separate 4wd class. From my personal experience bashing RCs as a kid, my Optima was way better than my friends RC10. I always liked my neighbors Boomerang though; not a better racer than my Optima but simpler and better suited to bashing.

[Coelacanth]

So AE didn't have a 4WD buggy at the time (other than the MIP conversion) but how would these originals have run and handled compared to a stock RC10? Aside from having an obvious traction advantage I mean.

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=32910#p353417

Here's a scanned article that showed the Optima's dominance at the 1986 Euro ROAR Nats, the RC10 couldn't touch it. Ever since, the 4WD and RWD classes were segregated.

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=39658

The RC10 4WD conversions were a kludge...AE should've engineered a fresh new 4WD chassis, not jury-rig an RC10.

[Coelacanth]

It looks like its part Hot Shot - and the aluminum bits obviously would have been very high tech back in the day.

Actually, the Optima and Hotshot couldn't be more different. The Optima might've shared a lot more with the Scorpion, actually, with it's lightweight aluminum ladder frame-rail design. The Hotshot was a typical plastic monocoque bathtub design with cheap ABS materials throughout and vastly inferior monoshock suspension design. The Hotshot was a great-looking buggy, though.

[RC104ever]

Thanks. Looking at the Optima I'm just guessing that the arms would have been weak points - they look fragile. Sort of like B4 arms

Pretty interesting little buggy but I'm too much of an AE loyalist. Had a hard enough time buying a few Tamiyas. Oh well I do have a couple HPI cars too but those were given to me.

I suppose if the price was right I might consider getting one.

[Coelacanth]

Thanks. Looking at the Optima I'm just guessing that the arms would have been weak points - they look fragile. Sort of like B4 arms

The original Optima arms, without the webbing, weren't exactly weak, as they were glass-filled nylon, but they were subsequently improved with the Turbo Optima. Most people with Optimas upgraded to those, they were a direct swap-in. Those had webbing and are extremely tough.

Pretty interesting little buggy but I'm too much of an AE loyalist. Had a hard enough time buying a few Tamiyas. Oh well I do have a couple HPI cars too but those were given to me.

I suppose if the price was right I might consider getting one.

With the modern tweaks they've done to the Optima, like the belt drive option and true slipper gear, if there was ever a Kyosho to lose your cherry to, it would be either the Optima or Scorpion. You'll find they're totally unlike Tamiya with materials quality & construction. You're already used to aluminum with AE, so take the plunge and share your experiences.

[yellowdatsun]

To me, it has always seemed that the Tamiyas were more toys, rather than hobby-grade RC vehicles. Hence the crap "shocks" (if you could even call them that), which went in so many of their vehicles. They did make a few decent vehicles, but they were never the performance oriented company that Associated and Kyosho were/are.

[Wahrsuul]

I wouldn't call Tamiyas "toys", I prefer to think of them as beginner to moderate skill RC. My absolute favorite races when I started in RC were the "box stock" class. Mostly a bunch of Tamiyas. We allowed bearings, but that was the only mod. Not really sure why not may Kyoshos were run, mostly in the 2wd class, don't recall going against the Optima or Mids.

[tamiya]

Grew up in LHS back in the 1980s... which sold both T & K.

Tamiya Hotshot looked great in front window & were engineered for its market segment - kiddies could bolt them together themselves & get something tough enough to bash with their buddies.

Kyosho Optima didn't look all that flash to laydaddy (who paid for sonny's toys); it was dearer and even if sonny did get to bring that home... often they didn't buy threadlock or know how to apply it effectively. Within a few runs, the chaindrive rattler would be losing parts left right & centre.

Early days on club racetracks was similar... Hotshots were equally "successful" due to their extra numbers & better reliability vs the rarer faster Optima which DNF'd often from lost parts

Later the Mid survived a lot better though!

[yellowdatsun]

Just did my pre-order bee-atches! WHOOOOO! I can't wait!!!!!!

[yellowdatsun]

Is it ready yet?

How about now?

Now?

Is it ready now?

I'm getting impatient. Now is it ready??

[BoostCreep]

Is it ready yet?

How about now?

Now?

Is it ready now?

I'm getting impatient. Now is it ready??

I'm right there with you. Ordered on Feb 8th. Been patiently waiting. That didn't work out so well.

I got so impatient I acquired a Losi 8ight 2.0 with a Tekno conversion to play with to keep from going stir crazy. (this thing is awesome btw)

Receiver is here, ESC and Motor are here. Just need to decide on a servo and get that ordered.

Good luck with the wait. Original propsed ship date was March 31st. 6 days and counting.

[yellowdatsun]

I pre-orderd it through Tower, so *hopefully* it will be some of the first ones out the door.

I haven't acquired anything for it yet, still not sure which way I'm going to go with it yet.

[BoostCreep]

I just checked my order on Amain and the in stock date has slipped from March 31 to April 15th. Frustrating but I guess I'll live through it.