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Hello all. I recently bought a vintage lot locally. I am trying to identify exactly what models I have. I know they are an Optima & Ultima, but need some help on which model of each. Here are some pics and if any more info is needed, just ask

ULTIMA






OPTIMA




I know the seller was big into racing back in the day, so these may have been slightly modified. I am planning on a restoration on both and have to figure out what is missing and what I need to complete each one back to it's original state. I may have some of the parts that were removed, but not seeing any chassis/servo plates. I think the Optima may be a Turbo Optima, but the Ultima has me confused. I do know he used both for on-road racing, so I have to sort through and find out what parts to get to make them off-road buggies once again. The Ultima bottom plate looks very different from what I have seen and the Optima's bottom plate is of course homemade. There are just so many versions of these cars and I have very little knowledge of them....although I am learning more every day

First 1 is a scale series based on ultima. Onroad 2wd buggy with scale sports car body.

2nd one is an optima, highly modified, battery mounts in front, servo in back... Looks like gold or duratrax shocks, so it might be an upgrade model, or just user upgraded. needs a few pieces to be complete. Really hard to tell what it started as. There isnt enough left,, and the mods look mostly home made. Very nice litesink motor plate.

They have both been modifed soo much that its difficult to tell what each actually is. The ultima, may be a buggy, with scale series tires. Shock towers are non stock, shocks are non stock for any varient,, possibly duratrax shocks. Body mounts look home made, possibly JG on body mounts and shock towers.

I have all the original parts. It will just take time to sort out what is what and get them back to original. The good news is, because he modified them, he stripped off the original parts leaving them unused and like new BUT, it's like you said, hard to tell what they started out as. I am going to download a few manuals and go from there. The manuals he is sending me are Optima, Turbo Optima and Ultima. So I am guessing they could be either of those. My best bet is to browse the manuals and match them up with the parts I have.

I got the Optima stripped down. Getting ready to start cleaning those parts. I have Super Clean (which has always worked well for me). I haven't touched the Ultima yet. I figure it would be best to do one at a time (since I am a noobie). I am concerned about that Ultima chassis plate, that thing looks pretty rough. If any of you guys have any tips/tricks for cleaning and removing scratches, I would love to learn. Most parts will be replaced with new ones, but there are a few I have to reuse. I lucked out because the previous owner was a on-road racer, leaving all those dirt tires untouched. I just don't want to use something that will harm any parts. I hate finding out the hard way

I think You´re right about the optima being born as a Turbo - I see the shocks as original Option House golds.
Sway bars and the front shock mount are typical Turbo.

UJ´s at the front could be another indicator.
Is there an aluminum chassis guard in the spare parts? Slim alu plate which mounts on the side of the rails.

The right gearbox plate (motor mount) is Litespeed

The front suspension arms are non Turbo.

Rear shock mount and g10 chassis plate is homebrew IMO.

I think you are correct Dennis. There is an aluminum guard and the original shock towers in the box. The previous owner told me this morning that the Ultima was the first one made (just Ultima) and he added the the graphite plate as an upgrade. If the original came with the red 10mm shocks, I have those as well. Now I have a good idea as to what to remake.

Thanks for the info!

One thing about the Optima. You can check if it has the gear from OT-27 (Sprocket, Gear Set) or OT-74 (Gear Set Limiter). If it has the OT-27 it might have started out as an Optima.

j0pp3 wrote:One thing about the Optima. You can check if it has the gear from OT-27 (Sprocket, Gear Set) or OT-74 (Gear Set Limiter). If it has the OT-27 it might have started out as an Optima.

Good point; the Turbo & the Salute both used a limiter gear with either a spring or multiple spring washers and a brass-colored reverse-threaded lock-nut to hold them on, instead of the solid gear found in the Optima & Javelin.

Thank you all for the help I got the manuals in the mail this weekend. He had an Ultima, Optima & Turbo Optima. So there should be (most) of the parts to build those 3 cars, but I will probably make 2 and see what is left. I have a lot of work ahead sorting parts and figuring what is missing, But it will be fun!

I definitely want to build a Turbo Optima and was really considering a Turbo Ultima (or Pro) as a second. Just want to see what parts will be needed to make those 2 possible. I know for sure servo decks and a chassis for the Ultima.