Best repro Optima body

[Crashtest33]

Hi guys

It's rare that all the repro makers do the same body but Kamtec, TBG and Marwan do an Optima body.
Anyone have a preference??
Nick

[ralphee]

Id go with a Marwan buddy, really good shell, well pulled, good thickness, and good size. Decals are ok, not great, not as pliable as id hoped, but for the money, its a good score for sure!

lee

[j0pp3]

I'll go for Marwan too. Good value for the money. A hair dryer is what I use to fit the decals over edges and such.

[DanB4]

Originally Posted by j0pp3

I'll go for Marwan too. Good value for the money. A hair dryer is what I use to fit the decals over edges and such.

Still love this pic!

Me too, Marwan bodies and a hair dryer!

[j0pp3]

Originally Posted by DanB4

Still love this pic!

Me too, Marwan bodies and a hair dryer!

Thanks Dan! Actually I have three LWB bodies/decals on the way somewhere between Kuwait and Stockholm

[minimini]

agreed with the above ......."Marwan using hair dryer" is the best !!.......

I heard from someone that Kamtec's optima shell is a few mm shorter than the original.......

[j0pp3]

Kamtec even "misspell" texts on some decals. Like the one I bought for my Turbo Optima Mid runner. B UGGY anyone?

[Crashtest33]

Originally Posted by j0pp3

Kamtec even "misspell" texts on some decals. Like the one I bought for my Turbo Optima Mid runner. B UGGY anyone?

Lol, muppet error!

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by minimini

I heard from someone that Kamtec's optima shell is a few mm shorter than the original.......

Definitely, and looking at the ebay listing TBGs body is just as short.

Here's the front of my runner Optima. Cutouts to clear the shocks were cut to original body lines, as you can see they don't actually clear the shocks any more and the rear edges should be level with the back of the shock mount. The raised section should line up with the body mount at the rear edge of the section. As you can see by the body mount hole I cut it slightly forwards from where it should have been, then the hole had to be extended further forwards to fit on the body mount.

[HKS_TRD]

How do you go about cutting out a square body mount hole like that?

[DanB4]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

How do you go about cutting out a square body mount hole like that?

I always wondered that too - guessing with a Dremel?

[j0pp3]

Or with a quality scalpel.

I would never do holes like that on a runner though because the material might tear up more easily compared to a circular hole.

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

How do you go about cutting out a square body mount hole like that?

The hole was originally just big enough to clear the body mount, so the same length but about 2mm wide, and it is my runner body and probably gets the most abuse when I go bashing. http://www.tamiyaclub.com/tc_userima...08183702_8.jpg

Cut with a no.11 scalpel blade, but scalpel blades can snap at the handle fixing point if you apply too much pressure to them so on more substantial plastic I use a no.11 Xacto blade. Score the shape of the hole slightly undersize a few times being careful to not go past the corners, I usually stop short so you don't create weak spots in the corners. You could just keep on going over the scores until you break through the other side, but once you have thinned it enough after a few times you can then push the point through the body and work your way along the line, the cuts will let the body split along the line. Do not let the blade get too near the corners. Cut the two opposite sides and you can then bend the piece down, cut it in half and you can bend and snap the two shorter sides to remove the plastic. Then use an equalling needle file to clean up the corners and enlarge the hole to fit nicely over the body mount.

If you really want to to prevent any sharp corners then a joint needle file or a round needle file can be used to round off the corners first then use an equalling file to join the corners, although as I used to do the holes same way when I raced Optimas I never had a problem with the body splitting at the body mount.