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Restoring Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:17 pm
by Holdinghausen
Hi folks!
Im new here. Looks like the place to be :)
I am going to start a revonavation project on a Kyosho Optima Mid Custom.
I havent touched a RC-car in 20 years and dont remember a thing :)
Q: Can anyone of you professionals maybe tell me what shocks I can buy for my car?
Not originals, theu are way to expensive as I understand it.

Cheers!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 1:13 pm
by isobarik
3racing for zx5 works or goldies from kyosho

Mvh iso

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:28 pm
by Holdinghausen
Thank you!
I will try to find something... I dont even know where to buy these things nowadays :)

Q2: I also want to replace rims/tyres, Is there any new rims (not original) that fits?
I could maybe just replace the tyres, but I would guess such are almost impossible to find?
Besides I do not like the look of the original rims very much...

Cheers!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 3:32 pm
by XLR8
Welcome aboard. :D

For wheels, check Kyosho or JC Racing Products.
https://www.jcracingproducts.co.uk/wheels/kyosho-optima

Next option is ebay.

Marwan RC has reproduction tires for vintage Kyosho cars.
https://marwanrc.com/shop/ols/products/kyosho-optima-javelin-sand-super-tire-tyre-ot66-optima-mid-stinger-ultima

JC's wheels are 2.2 so they accept modern buggy tires.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 3:40 pm
by Holdinghausen
Thank you Sir!

Love this place already :)

Those rims have the look that I like.
Will keep looking for shocks.

Cheers!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:02 pm
by Coelacanth
isobarik wrote: Wed Oct 14, 2020 1:13 pm 3racing for zx5 works or goldies from kyosho

Mvh iso
Although those make decent replacements, with some minor modifications (they're just a tad too long), I don't think you can buy them anywhere anymore. I bought a set of those and years ago tried buying more but everywhere I looked, they were out of stock/discontinued.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:57 pm
by Biggs
I bought a set of vintage Golds for $40 on eBay. They don't HAVE to be expensive. Also the Duratrax Golds are almost indistinguishable, but more prone to leaking. If this is to be a shelf car, probably doesn't matter. If a once in a while runner, and if you can find them some proper golds. Or if a hard runner, then get the modern re-re golds.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:27 pm
by XLR8
Your most welcome. I'm not a "professional" but I try to answer questions anyway.

Biggs raises a good question: Can you share your plans for the car; shelf or runner?
Also, photos would be good - we like photos. :wink:

Also, I have these wheels on a couple of my runners.
https://www.kyoshoamerica.com/Rear-WheelBlack2pcs-Dirt-Ho_p_23505.html
There are fronts as well.
Perhaps not to everyone's liking but I think they look good. They're 12mm hex drive and correct offset for the vintage buggies.
P1010176.JPG
P1010191l.jpg
The rear wheels are out of stock at the moment at Kyosho but maybe other distributors might have them.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:59 am
by Holdinghausen
Wow thanks for all the responses.

This car will be MAINLY a shelf-queen, but not only. I will though only run her rather seldom.
I want for different reasons white rims if possible. Mainly because of the planned paintscheme.
I am a bit worried/confused about the width of the rims. I guess I need thinner upfront, as the original has (Optima Mid Custom).
Regarding the shocks:
Can I simply buy anything that is within the certain dimensions (for this Optima)?
I cant send photos right now, as I get the car tomorrow :)
Or actually, I could show those from the seller.
If you see any problems with the car, please tell.

Image

Image

Image

Cheers and thank you!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:17 pm
by Biggs
Why even change those shocks??? No, they may not be the "holy grail gold" shocks, but they are what came on it. And they are pretty easy to get parts for too. They were used on the Lazer, the Maxxum FF, apparently the Mid Custom, and a handful of other cars too. Those look to be in awesome shape. If the plan it to try running it some, I would at most replace the o-rings and oil, and try them out. I "think" they have pressure bladders on top. Those would probably need replacing too.

With any vintage car you, especially if you are going for shelf queen status, get it in your hands and asses what it needs BEFORE replacing original parts.

Yes, you can find cheap chinesium shocks that will fit on there. But not ones that will look like the original Kyosho quality shocks. Even the Duratrax Gold shocks of the day, while visualy almost indistinguishable from Kyosho Golds, were not up to the task.

I see a handful of ugly radios. And a bent manual speed controller bracket. The vintage ones are, meh. If one works set it aside and save it, maybe. The FLySky is not really worth running either. Grab a GTC3, cheap and good. And it is hackable too. The 2 will work, but the 3 has a lot more features for under $50.

Looking closer at the shocks, those might not be the same ones Kyosho used on the Maxxum FF... Those had a cool quickly adjustable step stop for the spring. I will have to go out into the shop and look at my examples.

Wheels... Figure out what diameter you want to run, I would personally stick with the original size. (I "think" those are going to be 2.2") Hop on eBay and search for "Kyosho Wheels" and see what pops up. The Lazer ZX runs the same type/style of wheels, sorta. The ones you have are actualy harder to find. SAVE THEM. You can find solid dish faces for cheap though. If your not running the original tires, I think proline actualy sells wheels with tires mounted already in a similar style.

If you are putting the older Mid style body on it (the one shown on the manual covers, I personally hate the Custom Bubble body you have), then the earlier style Optima Mid wheels same size front and rear, would look just as good. There is a seller on eBay right now selling some seriously awesome buy one (pair) get one Proline tire deals.

Again, save all the OE stuff, probably even the ugly beat up body. :roll:

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:24 pm
by Biggs
Oh and a serious warning, BE CAREFUL with that battery and motor combo. It looks like those are lipo packs. Lipos and brushed motors, don't exactly work. Figure out if that ESC has a lipo voltage cutoff too. a lot of (especially older) brushed ESC, do NOT. The problem is that brushed motors can SEVERELY overheat on the run times that a lipo can put out. And if you run a lipo pack on an ESC without a lipo voltage cutoff point, you can over discharge it. Over discharged lipos are not very safe to recharge.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:49 pm
by Holdinghausen
Thank you Biggs!

You give so much info that I can barely handle it :)
The reason for changing the shocks was actually because the seller says they might not be in the best shape.
Maybe i can save them? I would like to if I can. Sadly the car didnt turn up today, but rather on monday.
I do not know what motor is in the car, looks like it is a Kyosho one though. I guess it might be brushed.
As I said: I am a newbie these days.
I have already a new (custom original, same as the one I bought) body coming to me. Didnt like it at first, but looked at a few pictures online, and actually started to like it.
About the rims, this is what I like: (in white)
https://www.jcracingproducts.co.uk/wheels/kyosho-optima.
Do not really get it what tyres I can buy for them though.
Is it possible to find tyres for my originals, on the car now?
I guess I need narrower rims for the front? Looks like the swing arms in the front are longer than in the rear, for narrower wheels.
If I have the same broad rims rear/front I guess the car would look very strange?
Pls mind my english, its not my native language...

Cheers!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 5:38 pm
by XLR8
The shocks look like those that came with the Ultima II among others. If so then they're Kyosho and are worth fixing - they probably just need new o-rings.
That's a good choice for wheels, I like them. A "set" includes 4 wheels (2x narrow fronts and 2x wide rears) in 2.2 size. For tires for running and racing purposes, you might have a look at the 2.2 1/10 buggy tires like these from Pro-line, Jconcepts and others.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/buggy-1-10-scale-off-road-tires-wheels-cars-trucks/c2339

I believe the original wheels on your car are 2.0. Marwan RC has reproduced the Kyosho OT-66 2.0 4-row rear tires like those on the rear of your car. I'm not sure but I don't believe the 3-row front tires are being reproduced so you will want to take special care of the ones you have - maybe only run them infrequently in the grass or other non-abrasive surfaces.
Anyway, I would recommend keeping the original wheel/tires for display and use the replacement JC Racing wheels and new tires for running.

Remember that the original Optima and Mids used the same wide tire on front and rear and I don't think this looked strange.

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:55 am
by Holdinghausen
Thank you XLRB!

I will have to think about this, as I am a bit dubious about the size 2.2, I would like 2.0 if possible.
The main reason I dont like the original rims are actually their color. They will look odd with my
planned painting of the body.
On the other hand...2.2 is not much bigger than 2.0 ... I will have to think about this.
Thank you very much for pointing out the OT-66 replicas.
I am thinking about buying a Kyosho 480 motor. Is this a good choice?
I will not go Lipo, and not brushless. Will buy new batterypacks.

Cheers!

Re: Shocks Optima Mid Custom

Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 10:56 am
by XLR8
You are most welcome. :D

I've installed a set of these Kyosho 2.0 Pepper Pot wheels on the TOMS recently.
P1010742.JPG
They're only available in wide (rear) but you can easily modify them (cut and remove the inner bead) to make them narrow for the front.

They are available in white as well.
OTH245W.jpg
Here's a link: https://www.kyoshoamerica.com/OTH245W-8Hole-Wheel50mmWhite2pcsOPTIMA_p_25792.html