Restoring Optima Mid Custom

[Holdinghausen]

Looks great for shure!
Nice looking TOMS there
I will keep those rims in mind.

Thanks!

[Holdinghausen]

Hi again

Can anyone maybe tell if the charger I got with the car is for LiPo only?
I will not use LiPo on this car...
I think the motor is a Lemans 240ST. Its a bog standard motor as I get it? Nothing fancy?
Fits my needs actually if it is

Cheers!

[THEYTOOKMYTHUMB]

You should be able to go thru the menu on that charger and find a nicad or nimh option.

[Holdinghausen]

Thank you very much THEYTOOKMYTHUMB
Thats great news.

Does anyone know if I can use these shocks on my car?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-KYOSHO-4WD-Shocks-Set-Front-Rear-GOLD-TURBO-OPTIMA-JAVELIN-KP29G/312895342675?_trkparms=aid%3D1110012%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOIPOST%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200420083544%26meid%3Da3a7f0e1ddc2440091642cf7ad0400da%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D312883725426%26itm%3D312895342675%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2%26brand%3DKyosho&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

Can I somehow change the title of this thread? I have tried but cant find any way to do that.
I want to turn it into a restoration thread/project.

Cheers!

[Biggs]

This shocks should work fine. I don't think the TOMS had longer fronts.

But, AGAIN, you have decent original shocks. Before you bother swapping on shocks that anyone knowledgable looking at the car will know are not original, or even period correct, at the very least just try changing the oil out on the ones you have. First if the car isn't being raced, less than perfect shocks aren't going to cost you lap time.

The ebay ones are modern big bore gold upgrades. AWESOME shocks, but obviously new/modern too. The vintage golds don't have threaded bodies. That is a decent price though, buy them set them on the shelf. In 20yrs, they will double your investment!

[Biggs]

Oh and yes, edit the first post, it will let you change the title.

[XLR8]

This shocks should work fine. I don't think the TOMS had longer fronts.

But, AGAIN, you have decent original shocks. Before you bother swapping on shocks that anyone knowledgable looking at the car will know are not original, or even period correct, at the very least just try changing the oil out on the ones you have. First if the car isn't being raced, less than perfect shocks aren't going to cost you lap time.

The ebay ones are modern big bore gold upgrades. AWESOME shocks, but obviously new/modern too. The vintage golds don't have threaded bodies. That is a decent price though, buy them set them on the shelf. In 20yrs, they will double your investment!

I think you are correct, Biggs. All Mids use the same length shocks (and perhaps even many of the Optimas). Even the Turbo Ultima uses the same length shocks as the Mids (it came with Platinums from the Mid SE).
Although the modern threaded body shocks in the link appear to be big bore, they actually use the same size pistons and internals as the vintage Golds. The exterior threading makes them look like big bores. They are fantastic shocks, by the way. Kyosho makes some of the best shocks in all of RC.

[Holdinghausen]

Thank you guys!
This place really is a goldmine of knowledge

Regarding the original shocks, I WILL try to renovate them, but I am very nervous about me
doing it wrong, or maybe I might not be able to put them back together again
I guess I will have to try to fins some kind of video on Youtube or something on how to take¨
them apart and vice versa.

As I understand it there are LOADS of different oils you can have in your shocks.
Maybe I can find a vid on that to.... Today I understand NOTHING

Main problem now is to find new wheels and tyres... MAYBE tyres for my originals if possible

Cheers

[Holdinghausen]

One more thing:

How do I know if the diffs are ok?

Thanks!

[Guccismith]

Judging by the pictures, that Optima Mid Custom looks to be in excellent condition! I have one myself that I resurrected back in 2015 after being stored in the catacombs some 20+ years after my last use - it was definitely not in as good condition as yours though =)

These shocks are known as "Black Shocks" or even "Black Gold" here in Sweden at the time (part# FD37, FD38). They share most of the design with the elusive Option House Gold shocks; same type of pistons, same type of top cap filling design with a diaphragm. They were considered as "non-rebuildable", but speaking from personal experience, it is indeed possible - albeit a bit more fiddly (you need to pry out the worn o-rings via the bottom 3mm hole where the shock shaft goes through - and the new ones need to go in the same way. Once re-built, they are very smooth (don't forget to polish the shock shaft while you are at it). Mine needed a good cleaning; new o-rings and polishing of the shock shafts. The diaphragm in the top cap may have gone hard/brittle depending on if there was any shock oil left or not. Available as part# W5017 but I'm sure there are alternatives available.

If I were you, I would keep it in such condition if possible and not go for new parts until you really see the need for it. Probably a good idea to strip down the complete drivetrain and inspect the status of the internal gears and diff sprocket in the rear gearbox housing - but judging by the picture it seems to have lived an easy life =)

Enjoy!

[XLR8]

One more thing:

How do I know if the diffs are ok?

Thanks!

From the body on your car, it appears to be a Custom Special (last model in the series).

If that is correct, it was equipped with factory built gear diffs which are very reliable and don't require frequent maintenance. Also, your car looks to be in very good condition so I'm betting the diffs are fine. You can give the wheels a spin and confirm that everything is good. While holding the spur gear and preventing it from turning, the left and right wheels should spin freely in opposite directions and not catch or make clicking noises.

It's possible that someone has upgraded to ball diffs - these will spin as described above but with some resistance. You can easily confirm that it has gear diffs by the presence of 'set screws" in the drive cups. Ball diffs had integrated drive cups so they didn't require screws to hold them to a shaft.

Ball diffs do require maintenance as they can become loose and begin to slip or become gritty from dirt.

[Holdinghausen]

Thank you Guccismith! I am also in Sweden btw
I will try to renovate those shocks. I will take apart the entire car as much as I can actually.
The rear shocks moves rather quickly and easily when I move the swingarms up by hand and then release them, but the front travels move back back down rather slowly. Hmmm...I wonder what that means.
Makes me wonder for sure...

Thank you XLR8 for your input!
The instructions I got with the car says it is a Optima Mid Custom, not a Special. I guess the body might have been added by the former owner...
The wheels spin very easily in opposite directions, and no noises.
Mine has 'set screws" in the drive cups.

Thanks for everything

Cheers

[Guccismith]

You are most welcome! When I dug out my Optima Mid Custom back in 2015 "I was just supposed to restore it..." - then I went straight down the rabbit hole of Optima Mids - and never really looked back really

[Holdinghausen]

I guess I might be bitten already.... Darn

[Guccismith]

Thank you Guccismith! I am also in Sweden btw
I will try to renovate those shocks. I will take apart the entire car as much as I can actually.
The rear shocks moves rather quickly and easily when I move the swingarms up by hand and then release them, but the front travels move back back down rather slowly. Hmmm...I wonder what that means.
Makes me wonder for sure...

Thank you XLR8 for your input!
The instructions I got with the car says it is a Optima Mid Custom, not a Special. I guess the body might have been added by the former owner...
The wheels spin very easily in opposite directions, and no noises.
Mine has 'set screws" in the drive cups.

Thanks for everything

Cheers

The slower travel of the arms in front versus in the rear indicates that there is still some shock oil left in the front (as supposed to). Whereas in the rear they are most likely empty/dry and thus have no damping effect anymore than a bicycle pump sort of. Even brand new quality shocks needs to be rebuilt frequently to be at its peak performance. Shocks that has been sitting for years simply needs maintenence