The retro-not-real Turbo Ultima build

[pma1123]

Welcome to my discussion thread for the Kyosho Ultima WC 20th kit.

My intent is to make the finished product look like a classic Turbo Ultima with the wrong colored shocks.

I’ve never actually owned a Turbo Ultima so once it comes to mounting the Tomahawk body and lexan wing it’ll veer off the manual build slightly and maybe even require ruining the future collectibility of some brand new parts.

At the epicenter will sit the chrome plated LeMans 240S ESC.

The choice to use a tomahawk body means I need to go with shorty packs running with chassis lengthwise. The manual has a supplement page about how the ESC will sit atop the radio plate door, and the battery drops down through the door. It looks like it’ll potentially be a complete circus of slack wires on top of that access door for the battery access.

But for now here is the parts collection, kit unboxed and the first layer of bags removed.

The decals in this kit are actually the full 87 Optima Mid WC with a sheet of 87 WC Ultima logos.

I got the diff assembled last night; more to come.

[pma1123]

Rear section assembled, trans rolls nice and smooth, installed the kit slipper discs for now and tightened the locknut flush. I messed with the preload adjustment on the ball diff for a while and I have left it a few turns backed off, it just feels nice there.
The first picture shows the new lightened top gear in the trans case; this kit has 7075 aluminum slipper plates and top shaft which is a change from the prior JJ kit.

Next, showing color difference with the gunmetal Option motor plate to the existing kit parts. It kinda has its own radiant-blue-ish look next to this Ultima kit color, it’s not a match.

The plastic wing mounts that double as M3x8.5mm thickness transmission mount spacers are in place but may get cut off and use JJ style wing mounts or maybe something else. With the work involved changing the wing mounts, for now the rear section is getting set aside and moving ahead to steering saver and front end components to chassis.

[pma1123]

Checking in after a couple warm December days and stalled assembly updates. I have been giving thought to the wire wing mounting hardware and came up with a plan after Coxbros helped with wing tube dimensions from his original turbo Ultima.

The new top deck has the 3mm holes for wing mount tubes so that is pretty straightforward.
The wing mount tubes from a vintage Ultima aren’t easy to find though, no sense dealing with vintage/rare stuff for this.

I made some beefy aluminum mount tubes quick on a lathe today for 1/16” wire and tapped them m3. The wing wire holders I’m taking from the JJ Ultima wing hardware kit. The 1/16” stainless rod came from the K&S display at the hardware store; bend to suit.

The trans still needs to get swapped back to the ‘non wing mount’ trans spacers which are included as item #3 on re-re parts tree UT002. (straight across from gear cover).

Will keep you guys posted.

(edit to add: if somebody is looking to do wing tubes like this, check out T-Works TE-137 kit)

[pma1123]

Got the trans spacers changed to non-wing mount style, assembled front bulkhead and steering linkage in place.
More to come.

[pma1123]

Tonight I revealed that the rear arms are on backwards in that photo above. Luckily, right away.

The chassis came together well and everything feels acceptably tight without needing a bunch of shimming. Overall I’m really happy with the fit and finish of the assembled chassis. The molded parts are very high quality, close tolerance fits.

I was shorted 2qty Tapered washers in my kit. Tore the whole work area and trash can apart even though I knew I didn’t get them. Currently the tie rods are not fastened to spindles because of this.

I’ll order the option blue ones tomorrow. I am not a huge fan of the included plastic servo mounts and may take a look at the optima mid gunmetal ones; I think it is the same style but aluminum.

At this point I have body mounts/wing mounts and a chassis I can start fitting tomahawk body to. It is time for shock assembly and small detail stuff while we wait on parts.

[cas22]

Looking great mate, I hunted for ages for a duralinium(?) Turbo chassis, then they do a rere.Clean build, any thoughts on electronics yet?

[pma1123]

Thanks for checking in; my mind is on the electronics as well!

I have plans to use a 19.5T 240S Le Mans w/240S ESC.
I see the kit instructions calls out a 15.5T or 13.5T Le Mans motors. I do have the 51T BL spur gear installed.

The battery door and small plastic parts that latch it into the top deck require some fiddling around to install; I feel this needs some additional looking at just for ease of install/removal.

I added an aluminum handle to the battery tray door and small pieces of servo tape for the layout below. The handle kinda doubles as wire management. I’m gonna stare at it some more to clean up the wiring and add bullet connectors, but I think this is what it is.

I have parts on the way to get the chassis wrapped up, will update as I can.

[pma1123]

Shocks assembled and in place.
Added a splash of Turbo visual effect

Last night I took the cordless dremel, marker, and chassis outside to the woodshed to cut and grind the Marwan body shell fit to the shocks and towers. (Dust and noise) It is sitting on the body posts; work in progress.

The body installs to the chassis decent and I didn’t totally butcher it. My only critique is I notched a spot behind the shock towers on front more than I needed to, but it was one of the first cuts I made. Still need to re-locate receiver to go on battery door. Body sits nice and low to the upper tray.

Waiting on some parts to wrap up prior chassis assembly loose ends.

Will check back.

[treystoys]

These are cool. I wanted to do the re re Ultima, but did a fantom instead around the time it was out. This one just looks trick out the box! Trying to avoid temptation, just did a nova fox and the Halsey car, and went deep into my 10L project (s), then Christmas with 5 kids lol Hopefully this remains available for a bit, or maybe a price drop somewhere Yours it looking good

[pma1123]

There are some great parts in the 87 WC kit now that I better understand what the JJ came with.

The trans alone; aluminum slipper discs and 7075 top shaft along with the HD mid gear are added option parts from Kyosho on this release.

I believe the CVA’s are the same as the JJ.
It has the same offset front axles and 2mm offset rear hexes.

Really, the top deck changes to accommodate the shorty pack are nice, just clumsy to get used to. I believe there is a max 22.5mm height limit for shorty packs that will allow the battery door to latch.

Todays update…Marwan rear tires and Ultima kit front tires glued in place, option sway bars in place, installed Optima Mid alloy servo mount, prior loose ends addressed.

I have window masks coming from MCI and more fitting and rear shaping to do on the body. Do you just CA glue the rear small wing on? Some 3mm hardware?

This is my first RC body, all my lexan skills come from 1/24 slot car racing where function was #1. But I have made sure all is radiused and deburred, this one is a fun challenge.
I have learned a lot and actually look forward to my NEXT body at this point.

The wing wire, I just looked at a Turbo Ultima photo, grabbed two pairs of pliers and 12” K&L SS wire and this is what I had 10 minutes later.

No clue why preview photos are upside down.
Will check back.

[treystoys]

Looks great! I’ve used CA to do custom multilevel wings way back in the day, but a good hit and they’d crack. Honestly 3m double sided tape would allow some flexibility and you can even get clear now, so I’d look into that.

[pma1123]

oops double post!

[pma1123]

Thanks Trey!!
We are closer to a Turbo Ultima with the wrong colored shocks now.

Todays update...for better or worse, I bought another Marwan ultima body/wing/decals.
We're gonna at least try and use up a little bit more of that Duratrax Competition Orange paint can! (and I could use the Lexan fitting practice)
Worth mention, the body shell actually beat items ordered from A-main on the same day in shipping time, during the Christmas holiday.

[treystoys]

Thanks Trey!!
We are closer to a Turbo Ultima with the wrong colored shocks now.

Todays update...for better or worse, I bought another Marwan ultima body/wing/decals.
We're gonna at least try and use up a little bit more of that Duratrax Competition Orange paint can! (and I could use the Lexan fitting practice)
Worth mention, the body shell actually beat items ordered from A-main on the same day in shipping time, during the Christmas holiday.

Ahhh…lol, I call the darker anodizing an upgrade! I know it isn’t a match for the original but it looks nice. And don’t they match the chassis color better?

Post office or shipping company’s? As a former usps carrier, I’m embarrassed by how inconsistent their service is. Not the same operation as 15-20 years ago!

[pma1123]

The race of FedEx leaving Kuwait versus UPS leaving California; FedEx still won!

I like your take on the darker anodizing; they do look nice and even have a silvery look depending on the lighting.
Safe to say, Kyosho would probably package some variant of these shocks in a Turbo Ultima kit if they did launch a re-re version today.

If anyone is actually checking this - Thursday 1/9/25 - looks like my window masks have arrived today, I will check back soon with another update...excited to push towards the finish line.