NBU Turbo Optima Celebration Restoration

[optiman]

I just got these new aluminum wheels & tires from ebay. As soon they arrive they will get gold anodized, afterthat a new body with decals and a place among the others

[HKS_TRD]

Who will you be getting to do the anodising?

[optiman]

Found a local company who will do it for me, about $100 more or less.
Here is another shot of the wheels/tires.

[HKS_TRD]

Those are the Pargu wheels right?
If you ask before you order Pargu can anodise them for you for a little extra, thats how I got the gold ones on my SE done

I just ordered another set but this time in blue for another project

[optiman]

Well... I got the wheels and tires from a ebay seller, not Pargu, so that one I missed.
But in the other hand the wheels came with new ultra hard to find W5031 & 34's so I guess I got extra points on the build there

[optiman]

Here are some pics of the rear shafts and wheels and tires, borrowed from my TOMS, until the aluminum's one come.
I do have to say the gold shafts with the black gives the buggy a couple of show points

Oh and I already replaced those two rusted screws that hold the motor guard

[Naushad]

Looking crisp.

[keithrc]

Looks very nice Optiman. I might have to get my universals anodized seeing as the gold ones are slightly longer and I already have these ones anyway.


Keith

[optiman]

The gold universal shafts have the incorrect dimensions in three areas: where the joint meets the ball bearing, the shaft lenght of the bearing area and the lenght of thread. These fixes are completely doable, I mean easily corrected on a lathe, but since you only notice when steering all the way to lock position(you can feel the missalignment of the universal with the kingpins) I wont even bother. Also this Optima will be not a Queen, but rather a KING shelfer so another reason not to bother. Damping the suspension dosent make any difference, only when steering. If for some reason I would run it, I would just adjust the servo travel not to go to lock position and thats it

[optiman]

Finally!!!!!
The wheels and tires arrived!!!!!! What a looooong wait...
Next step is to get them gold anodized.

While I was waiting for Goldie's new shoes to arrive I picked up a decent shape TO. It needs some work, but all the important parts are there; gold shocks, 240S, chassis protector, stabilizers, etc.. It is missing one stabilizer link, a few bolts, the gear cover, the counter gear and the final gear. Those last two I have spares, the other parts missing will get them from ebay. The worst part is the front, it shows signs of a brutal impact that destroyed the front brace and bend the skid plate. The bumper is deformed where it attaches to the skid plate, but has almost no scratches and the front is not deformed. Most probbably it will look right once I repair the skid plate.

Upon inspection I saw minimal wear on the TO; tires are 95% thread left, no scratches on the wheels or dirt. Very few scratches on the bottom and the motor's com and brushes are still shinny and new looking.
My guess is that it belonged to a little kid because I found kid stickers on the Le Mans. The boy or girl used for a maybe a day on the street, crashed the OT very hard into something and then Dad just removed the buggy from the little kid's hands before any more damage could be done.

Anyways here are some shots of the "new" OT

[optiman]

Le Mans 240S Inside!

[optiman]

Some shots of Goldie with her new shoes

[keithrc]

It'll look even nicer with wheels in gold, good to see you got the 240S motor for it as well.

Good pick up with the other Turbo too, the front damage is probably the worst I've seen. Looks like "dad" spent all the time building the car and "junior" who probably had never driven an RC car before, hit the first immovable object at full speed, poor TO. Awell, at least it's repairable.


Keith

[optiman]

Thanks Keith!

Yes, can't wait to get them anodized, but I want to anodize other parts that I have been cooking behind doors sometime now that are not ready yet and want them to anodize all in one deal package.
Also managed to buy a Le Mans 480Gold on ebay last night for $50 bucks, the description said used, but looks mint and unsoldered with box and everything.
So I'll be replacing the 240SB for that one, MORE GOLD for Goldie!!!

Yes, that frontal damage is brutal! I also never seen one that bad before. I crashed my Optima when I was a kid, several times, and hard, full throttle impacts and never managed to break the brace like that... But in the other hand this one is Turbo, so frontal impacts are also forced injected!!! LOL
Will have to inspect everything throughly thou, may be bent somewhere else.
About the 240S, man that motor is pretty looking, is eye candy! Now that I have the 480G, my two favorite Le Mans motors I can rest my endless searches on ebay.... For now...

[HKS_TRD]

Looking good

I have a NIP Gold Celebration chassis set and will most likely build mine up next year. I have the motor guard too just need the W-0102 side guards

The motor I have bought and put aside for it is the 360 Gold

[ralphee]

Looking gorgeous mate!

lee

[optiman]

Thanks man!

Well I have... could I say bad news?...
First "bad" news; I mounted the aluminum wheels in Goldie, I mean tighten the nut all the way in, something I have not done yet until last night. Well simply put, the wheels won't come out!!! Talk about tight clearances!!! I dont know if the hexes being new and the wheels being new has to do with it, but as I was tightening the nuts on each shaft I could feel the tight fit between the two. I tried VERY hard to pull them out and they wont even move, NOTHING. I tried pressing down the nut with the plastic part of a large the screwdriver while pulling on the outside of the wheel... NOTHING... they are there to stay now. SHI.....!
Anyways, will have to figure something out with a puller that will not damage neither the wheels nor the shaft.

And now the bad news;
The OT I picked up on ebay has to be the worst built Optima there is... hold on to your seat and read so you can enjoy my pain while I describe the damages LOL

The buggy looked normal upon first eye inspection, so I began to remove the wheels... bang!! First weird thing!!! The hexes where placed wrong side in and where embeded into the shaft with slight damage. As I pry them out with a flat screwdriver I also noticed that the buggy had no outside ball bearing, they where missing on all four corners, bang! Also one of the dogbones was missing and another was bent real bad and eaten almost all the way due to shaving into the c hub, so imagine the C hub's condition...Bang!
The rear shock stay was mounted with small fine thread screws, like the ones used to hold the steering!!! The shims that where supposed to be used on the wheel shafts where used instead as washers for the rear transmission screws!!! And the best for last.... plastic thread screws for holding the aluminum plates to the ladder bar chassis BANG!!!! SHI...

That is of what I remember, but I mean I could actually feel a small tear running down my cheek as I dismantled the buggy. There was no symmetry what so ever on the screw and nut selection, awfull build!!!

So to get the story right; Not only Junior crashed the OT into an immovable object full throttle down, but he ALSO build the buggy and dad only payed for it. Because of the missing dogbone and the condition of the eaten one, dad did not do nothing to avoid further damage he just watched junior beat the crap out of the OT until the OT just ceased to keep running!!!!! But I like junior, he build the buggy himself and played with it, that is how is supposed to be Now I am going to take care of this war hero and restore him just right!

[optiman]

Originally Posted by HKS_TRD

Looking good

I have a NIP Gold Celebration chassis set and will most likely build mine up next year. I have the motor guard too just need the W-0102 side guards

The motor I have bought and put aside for it is the 360 Gold

Man... next year?!! How can you wait so long?

[Naushad]

If you managed to remove the nut but not he wheels try to gently hammer the shaft.

Originally Posted by optiman

Thanks man!

Well I have... could I say bad news?...
First "bad" news; I mounted the aluminum wheels in Goldie, I mean tighten the nut all the way in, something I have not done yet until last night. Well simply put, the wheels won't come out!!! Talk about tight clearances!!! I dont know if the hexes being new and the wheels being new has to do with it, but as I was tightening the nuts on each shaft I could feel the tight fit between the two. I tried VERY hard to pull them out and they wont even move, NOTHING. I tried pressing down the nut with the plastic part of a large the screwdriver while pulling on the outside of the wheel... NOTHING... they are there to stay now. SHI.....!
Anyways, will have to figure something out with a puller that will not damage neither the wheels nor the shaft.

And now the bad news;
The OT I picked up on ebay has to be the worst built Optima there is... hold on to your seat and read so you can enjoy my pain while I describe the damages LOL

The buggy looked normal upon first eye inspection, so I began to remove the wheels... bang!! First weird thing!!! The hexes where placed wrong side in and where embeded into the shaft with slight damage. As I pry them out with a flat screwdriver I also noticed that the buggy had no outside ball bearing, they where missing on all four corners, bang! Also one of the dogbones was missing and another was bent real bad and eaten almost all the way due to shaving into the c hub, so imagine the C hub's condition...Bang!
The rear shock stay was mounted with small fine thread screws, like the ones used to hold the steering!!! The shims that where supposed to be used on the wheel shafts where used instead as washers for the rear transmission screws!!! And the best for last.... plastic thread screws for holding the aluminum plates to the ladder bar chassis BANG!!!! SHI...

That is of what I remember, but I mean I could actually feel a small tear running down my cheek as I dismantled the buggy. There was no symmetry what so ever on the screw and nut selection, awfull build!!!

So to get the story right; Not only Junior crashed the OT into an immovable object full throttle down, but he ALSO build the buggy and dad only payed for it. Because of the missing dogbone and the condition of the eaten one, dad did not do nothing to avoid further damage he just watched junior beat the crap out of the OT until the OT just ceased to keep running!!!!! But I like junior, he build the buggy himself and played with it, that is how is supposed to be Now I am going to take care of this war hero and restore him just right!

[optiman]

Yes, thanks for the advice! Maybe a controlled impact on the shaft while hanging the buggy from the wheel will do.
Will try that as soon I finish working with my other hobby