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Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:57 pm
by MrChin
As part of an expanding vintage Kyosho collection, I've recently restored a Turbo Optima. It started out as 2 Turbo's that I picked up last year, and chose the parts from each to create the best one I could. I wanted to recreate the one I saw on the front cover of a magazine (which I also tracked down on eBay recently) back in the 80's....here are a few photos of its journey and the finished result!
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Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:36 pm
by mtbkym01
Great job on that buggy, the Turbo Optima is one of my favourites
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:57 pm
by XLR8
At first glance, I thought perhaps your car was used for the magazine cover. You've nailed that paint job! Nice work. The whole car looks great!
I guess you should have enough spare parts to build yourself a runner?
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:52 pm
by coxbros1
Super nice!!!
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:04 am
by mtbkym01
Need to see a nice LeMans Motor in there now
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:40 am
by tintin74
Awesome Job!
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:00 am
by keithrc
Very nice job, got 2 here with unpainted body's and one NIB. Looks just about identical to the mag cover car.
Keith
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:54 am
by Coelacanth
Beautiful replica of that magazine car...you did a great job on that Japanese Rising Sun fade paint scheme. I like that magazine car a lot better than the box-art T.Optima.
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:00 pm
by MrChin
XLR8 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:57 pm
At first glance, I thought perhaps your car was used for the magazine cover. You've nailed that paint job! Nice work. The whole car looks great!
I guess you should have enough spare parts to build yourself a runner?
I do yes, both were intact although one had clearly had a harder life than the other. I used a good set of shock towers on another Optima (non Turbo) I was finishing at the time, so end up putting Optima re-re shock towers on the restored Turbo. The other Turbo is an a box, and I have body for it, not sure what I'll do with it yet....besides, I've just picked up a Turbo Rocky that's next up for an overhaul
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:16 pm
by XLR8
MrChin wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:00 pm
XLR8 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:57 pm
At first glance, I thought perhaps your car was used for the magazine cover. You've nailed that paint job! Nice work. The whole car looks great!
I guess you should have enough spare parts to build yourself a runner?
I do yes, both were intact although one had clearly had a harder life than the other. I used a good set of shock towers on another Optima (non Turbo) I was finishing at the time, so end up putting Optima re-re shock towers on the restored Turbo. The other Turbo is an a box, and I have body for it, not sure what I'll do with it yet....besides, I've just picked up a Turbo Rocky that's next up for an overhaul
Awesome! Please post pics when they're finished -- or better yet, please document your re-builds here.
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:14 pm
by tintin74
I hope you don't mind if I share a picture in my facebook group with full credit to you of course!
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:51 pm
by fab20VT
Fantastic job!!!
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:02 pm
by MrChin
Coelacanth wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:54 am
Beautiful replica of that magazine car...you did a great job on that Japanese Rising Sun fade paint scheme. I like that magazine car a lot better than the box-art T.Optima.
Thanks! I've always liked the Rising Sun scheme, and I've incorporated it into a couple of paint jobs I've done on my Mid Turbo. The gold version is one I did around 1990 when I first got the Mid, the blue version is a refresh on the same car last year.
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:05 pm
by MrChin
tintin74 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:14 pm
I hope you don't mind if I share a picture in my facebook group with full credit to you of course!
No problem - always happy to keep the vintage cars on the scene
Re: Restored Turbo Optima
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:12 pm
by MrChin
keithrc wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 7:00 am
Very nice job, got 2 here with unpainted body's and one NIB. Looks just about identical to the mag cover car.
Keith
Is it an oriiginal NIB? Must be super rare these days! I always thought the Turbo Optima was the best looking car, even today. I'm pleased they re-released it, but in my mind the original still has the edge - think its the tyres and shocks on the 80's version that makes the difference.