@@rcuintheshed6981 it was a challenge to get them on there correctly but it turned out looking good in the end. These had to have been the stickiest of stickers I have ever used. Normally the soap and water technique really makes it easy to get them right into the perfect spot. It just makes these able to be removed. As soon as the sticker hit the body it wanted to stay right where it was. Just some patience and it all worked out!
There was something about this one that drew me in! It was this or the Javelin and I know that is going to be around for a while so I jumped on this one. Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! The Javelin will be my next Kyosho purchase, I really want to build that one with the chain drive in it! For some reason I feel like that one needs the chain drive in it. sorry about the tangent! LOL! Take care and have a great weekend Keith!
@@AddamsPlaygroundi want to do an orange Javelin build using either the Pro or the Turbo. I do not like the look of the red shocks and do like the anodized look of the Pro and Turbo. I found a complete orange Javelin conversion kit available on Ebay that includes cage/mounts, driver, wing/mount and decals. Do you think the orange would look better with the gun metal or gold. I plan on using the 240S speed control/motor. For wheels I was thinking gold aluminum with the gold and black aluminum with the gun metal. Also what was the reason they placed the steering servo further back on the Pro? Does this weaken the steering with the longer throw?
@@catrider4863 Personally if you are debating gold wheels I would stay away from the gold shocks. Gold anodizing is never the same across vendors and it may look goofy with two different colors on it. I think the gun metal will look good with either and it is a neutral color that looks good but does not stand out. The servo and battery were moved in the pro to make the weight more centralized so the front and rear are more balanced. The servo saver should protect the linkage and the steering should feel about the same across all of them.
@catrider4863 that I am not 100% sure of... Good question but I cannot answer. If I had a Javelin I could tell you but it is one I have not gotten yet.
Hey Addam, that is a great looking Kyosho Optima. It nice to see that Kyosho make this build easy, snap on and play. It would have taken me 2 to 3 days to finish that build with all those stickers. Glad you put this build on the channel so everyone who does get one can come back and reference the stickers. I did enjoy the video and I don't think you were complaining, you were just informing everyone of some of the small issues you had 😉. Take care and best wishes to you and the family.
Thanks Al, I turned out pretty sweet. The build part was a real treat, the stickers were a bit stressful but in the end it all worked out! I will get it out on the track for a run once it dries out some! I know your place is probably still pretty squishy! Take care and have a great week!!
Thanks Trey! It was a fun build but the stickers stressed me a bit, they are not the easiest ones by far! Hopefully it helps someone else prep for their build!
It's a great looking buggy. This instructional video will help anyone building one of these. The decals sound like a nightmare. This is very well done.
Thanks! It was a great build. The body and decals were a bit stressful but it turned out looking good in the end! The decals really wanted to be attached firmly LOL!!!
SUPER NICE! Surprised that the stickers were able to combat the soapy water trick that you taught me. Glad u managed to figure out all the “unknown” sticker locations. It is definitely a very beautiful body shell. 👍
Thanks! Even with the soapy water as soo as you laid the sticker on the body it wanted to stick down, not permanent but enough it was impossible to slide it into position like you can with the Tamiya stickers! In the end it all worked out and looks good. The mystery locations of those back ones do make it very nerve wracking to get them started!
Thanks Steve! It does have a very old school vibe to it! The Traxxas #5041 grease is almost identical to the Kyosho grease. I buy it in large tubes and it is my go to for crawlers!
Your rants are good, helps people know what to watch out for. Keep up the great job on your builds and videos! Was temped with this but feel I wont get much more than the Turbo Optima which I love (belt drive is soooo smooth and quiet, makes me wish all vehicles use it).
Thanks! You are always gonna get my honest opinion about stuff! I'd also hate to brush over the things are a pain and someone go out and buy something and struggle with it and loose interest in the build or maybe even the hobby. There are some differences between the two kits but honestly not anything major or ground breaking. The Turbo is a great looking kit and the decals make it a lot easier to go with different paint colors. I feel you are kind of locked in a lot more with these decals to the yellow or something similar. The belt drive is so cool, whisper quiet and very efficient!
Hey Addam, I think you done an amazing job, despite the different coloured ‘radio controlled electric powered racing buggy’ stickers 😊😊 from the sounds of things, the chassis went well in typical Kyosho fashion, the main body had a couple of areas that were tricky, the under tray was more tricky, but what seems to have tested you the most, those instructions and very strong adhesive stickers 🤔🧐🤔. Still, I’m looking forward to building the wonderful Optima that the wonderful Keith @RCicons, gifted me. You’ve inspired me more 😊😊 (just got some remaining home improvements to finish, before I can put my hobby table back, perhaps a Winter build for me, although the body might need the warmer weather of Spring) anyway, wonderful looking RC, I would be proud. Best wishes to you and the family 🖐️😉😎
Thanks John. The chassis was a treat to build and the body and undertray were a bit tricky to cut out, just some patience and care is all that it needed. The decals did stress me out a bit but they turned out looking good and working well. They are never coming off, Kyosho used some space age mega glue on them! LOL! You will enjoy your build when you get to it. They are a joy to assemble. Best of luck on the home projects, those can be trying as well! Take care and have a great week ahead!
Thanks! The chassis is a treat and goes together so very well. The body and decals were the hard part for sure but like you said, in the end it was all worth it. They are the stickiest decals I have used, no worries about them not sticking well that is for sure!
Thanks! Not a ton to tell, I have loved RCs all my life and I am finally able to be able to afford to get quite a few I wanted as a kid and also some I want as a big kid now! LOL! If you go back and watch some of the "Ask Me Anything" videos on the channel it has a good bit of that in them.
Thanks! It should be a very nice running one as it is very similar to the Turbo Optima and that drives very nicely! I will get it out once the track dries out some.
The kyosho stuff really was up a few levels back in the day but by gosh didnt you have to pay for it and you still do. Still the quality looks to be still there. Looks great. Another gem
They are not the cheapest thins out there but the quality is top notch and they build so very well. They drive super great too! Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! Once it dries up I will get it out for a run.
G'day Addam!👩🤠, very nice build mate 👌. Thanks for sharing your experience building it, without your details it looks like it'd be a bit tricky and easy to mess up the decals 👊. The diff grease looks really good. We hope you're having a ripper weekend mate👍🦘🇦🇺
Hi guys! The kit was a treat to build and the decals were trying but turned out looking really. Not for the beginner for the decal placement, it stressed me some getting them on there! So far it has been a good weekend. We had a break in the weather so I was able to get out and run the last attempt for the speed run challenge, that went well. Got some yard work done and some other work knocked out so it has been a productive day! Take care guys and have a wonderful weekend too!
@@AddamsPlayground Thanks Addam, we had a pretty productive weekend and got some well needed rest , we're glad you managed to get out and get some work done at home. Take care our good mate 👍👩🤠
Last So now that you've released another video I finally had time to watch this one if I were to ever build this it definitely would not have decals on it I don't have your patience or your talent for them
Awesome Addam sorry haven't been round much real life and all. I'm at a toss up between this and mid I am getting pnw of them eventually. Great stuff... Lots of great information brother...
No worries Paul, things get busy, I know this all too well! I stay behind on videos on a permanent basis at this point LOL! It is a cool kit, All the Optimas are great cars, you can't go wrong with any of them! I have still yet to get the mid but from folks tell me it is the best driving of all of them. I will get on eventually but I have to pace myself with these Kyosho kits, they are pricey!
The packaging was done really well done. I like the 7075 parts, I will go to the Kyosho shop in Kuala Lumpur on the weekend and see if it's available. I don't have a Kyosho yet which is weird since we have a shop here but getting more into them thanks and enjoy.
OH if you have never built one, prepare to fall in love with them! The kits build up so very nicely, the fit and finish is top notch. Cutting the body was not bad, you just have to take your time and be careful with the cuts. The decals are the same, not awful but they are the stickiest ones I have even had I think. Even the soap and water barely slowed them down. If you did not press down on them you could peel them back up carefully. If you pressed them down then they were permanent!!! I have done several build now, both 2wd and 4wd and they are all great kits!
@AddamsPlayground for sure I'm going tk try one and they have the USA 1 nitro truck I will get that also. For your under carriage I think brown would of looked nice, though it cane out good and will hopefully see a run video soon 👍🏻
@@kanenstuff once it dries out I will get it out for a run. Raining again now and for the couple days. It looks like after that it may be good for a while.
Thanks! It turned out really nice and with all the Kyosho legendary series kits, it built like a dream! The decals stressed me out some but in the end everything worked out well!
Thank Mark, i am glad you enjoyed it! It was a great build and other than the decals being a bit stressful it all went well. Once it dries out some I will get it out on the track.
It is very similar but the made performance change to make it drive better on this one. The battery moves forward some, the servo moves back, the front shocks are at a more functional angle and all that together should make it more balanced and drive a lot nicer. The Turbo is a great looking one, just to pretty to scratch all up, I assume that is the case for you. A pretty one and a runner? I have looked for one on Buyee to get cheap but these seem to hold their value a lot more over there and they just don't show up very often. This one would be great for your collection!
Looks good... I've built mine too, painted it gold. The top decals are definitely tricky, they could have given us one more page with better details how to apply them. By the way, the front is bouncy with those springs. I laid the shocks down more and I'm ordering the softer front springs, I also changed the oil from 100cst to 200cst. What a PITA the body is to get on and off, I put a longer antenna tube and that helps me a little. I'm also going to pick up the carbon front tower, I'm not a fan of the plastic one. The build is great, the final results are great, but yeah...a bunch of little challenges.
I was looking at options of yellows and golds at the hobby shop and got frustrated and went with the plain yellow. None of them looked right but then realizing the box images are different from the real life decals it is tough to say what shade if yellow it is supposed to be. The body is a pain to get one for sure. You need three hand and a few extra fingers to get it on easily! I kind of wish I had not put the antenna tube on at all but seeing as I will only run it once in a while it is not terrible. If it were a daily driver things would have to change!
Like you said, if something isn’t going together quite right, you probably missed something a step or two back! The Kyosho’s go together real nice! Those decals sounded like a pia though!😬 It came out beautifully Addam!👍😊
100%, if something is not lining up then you goofed up somewhere and need to fix something. The quality on these is top notch but so are the prices! Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! The decals were super sticky! Even with the soap and water they had no hesitation to stick down right away. Normally with Tamiya decals you can slide them into place and then press them into place. These you were just able to peel it back up and try again IF you did not push it down. Once you pushed it into place you were done, that is where it is going to live! one of the number plates is off but it is too stuck to remove it so it is what it is! Take care Jeremy and have a great weekend!
Thanks for the tips. Im thinking about doing mine in camel yellow. I like the darker yellow look. Great idea about the black under tray. I might even ps flat clear it.
@@jamespeek3061 thanks it turned out pretty cool and as long as you have patience with the decals it all works out well. Erick from Eek RC did his in gold and it looks pretty sweet. Much closer to the box coloration. I thought about camel yellow but it is so much orange hue to it I opted for the basic yellow. Another viewer said they did the bottom try in gunmetal which is a fitting idea as well. Lots of options!
Thanks Pete! I am normally not a fan of yellow cars but since the box art looks pretty slick and retro I went with it. There is just such a stark difference in the top and the bottom of it it looks extremely yellow underneath. I don't dislike it but think it would have been less bright and busy with the black. It is yellow now so that is the way it is going to be LOL! Take care and I hope you have a great weekend as well!
Great build I’ve never built a Kyosho just restored a couple of them can’t make my mind up on which one to get which means as you know I want to build all of them lol I love your honesty on your build they a huge help thanks for that have a great weekend
The 2wd kits are just as fun to build and most are fairly similar in design. My Tomahawk is my favorite of the 2wd but the Turbo Scorpion is right there with it. I do want to get the Beetle at some point also. This one built up just as nice as the others and it is a treat to build. The cutting of the body was a bit tricky and the decals were a stressful thing but in the end it all worked out well and looks really cool! Take care and have a great weekend!
I mentioned before I have the gold edition. I've never ran it. The decals on it was enough. Lol. Kyosho kits go together so smooth. I decked it out with the red Kyosho motor and the Kyosho chrome ESC. Not meaning to build a shelf queen. O well. Your buggy looks great. Love the gun metel also.
@@kashmurray1199 It can be a pain when you end up making them so nice you don't really want to take it out and run it around. I have done it many times!
Oooof, that stinks! Hopefully it shows up before then. I don't think they got a ton of them over here this round, they seemed to sell out pretty quickly. Hub Hobby has at least one in stock. I have ordered from them before. Very good company and will ship it quickly. No coupon code but it is in stock... www.hubhobby.com/kyosho-30620-110-optima-pro-4wd-buggy-kit.html?source=googlebase
In the end it looks really cool. I wish the decals matched the box more but it still looks cool. It would be an easy to change the look of with a fairly simple paint job.
I kind of chickened out and went with the basic yellow. That and I am not normally a yellow car guy so the idea of spending the extra money on a few cans of yellow that may never get used did not excite me when standing in the hobby shop and looking at the price of those little cans of paint! LOL!!
It is a cool buggy and the updated front suspension should work better than the older laydown shocks. I assume the the steering is better with the redesigned steering but I will know more when I get to drive it. The decals were stressful but I don't think they will ever peel up! LOL!
Yep the decals are a black art to get right I painted mine metallic gold and put chrome alloy wheels from yeah racing on it (very expensive but very nice😮) I think the metallic gold makes the decals pop!
I sat there staring at the paint rack in the hobby shop trying to decide which to go with and gave up and just went with the generic yellow. None of them looked right so I just went with plain nanner yellow! The decals in the kit have some mega adhesive on them that even the soap and water had a hard time dealing with! I feel confident they will never come off! LOL! I have looked at the alloy wheels a few times but they do have some sticker shock to them! I am sure it looks great with them on there!
Really good video Addam, nice to hear the good and the not quite so good, stickers! I did think about buying one, but decided not to in the end. I think i’ll save my money for the 87 Ultima instead. I think I’d tear my hair out with those stickers as well 😂. I should be building my 87 Optima Mid in the next week or so, it’ll be my first Kyosho build so looking forward to it, brought it away on holiday with me!
They all build super well so that part is a a treat. Kyosho has some sort of mega grip glue on their stickers so they are all a bit clingy even with the soap and water. The soap and water makes them pretty easy to peel and reposition but do not press them down until you are certain it it is in the the right place! Once pressed down they live there forever! I would love to have the Mid but I think the next Kyosho purchase will be the Javelin, then the mid! Have fun building on your holiday!
Iol decals can be a heart stopping moment! When they tack down before you are ready! Soap and water definitely the way to go on these! Nice job Addam looks awesome buddy but have to say this is probably my least favourite of the Optimas! Still wouldn't say no to one though lol👍
The soap and water barely slowed these down! Using it on the Tamiya ones they will slide into place, on these it just allows you to carefully unstick them to try again! I am not sure why but something about this one drew me in and I needed to get it. It did help I had $60 worth of reward points available at Amain so the price was not as harsh as they normally are! It was this or the Javelin and I know that is going to be around for a while so that will probably be my next Kyosho. I want to build that one with the chain drive in it! That is a future build for sure, I need to rack up the reward points again LOL!
@AddamsPlayground Yeah the javelin chain drive is pretty sweet! I love them all really Kyosho don't make anything l would turn my nose up to! The stickers sound great for the fact they are never coming off lol that's a bonus but damn it can go wrong so quickly! I am definitely more worried about the decals then l am of the painting! Have a great weekend buddy 😀 👍
I was going to try a couple different shades of yellow but I was standing in front of the paint rack ay my hobby shop and there were 4 or 5 different ones and none of them looked quite right. I am not usually a fan of yellow cars so I did not want to have a ton of yellow paint sitting here doing nothing. I also was looking at the prices per can and I chickened out and went with the basic yellow! It turned out looking good and I am not stuck with $45 of yellow paint here LOL!
That is a beautiful kit! I love the color of the shocks. Not crazy about the brown decals, but it does look good with the yellow. Reminds me of Nesquik chocolate milk! :) Awesome build!
It is a really nice kit and it built like a dream. The body and decals were a bit more stressful but worked out well in the end. The brown was lighter than I expected it to be and that was a bit of a let down but it is growing on me. I would have preferred it to be a much darker brown like show on the box but they are not coming off for sure, those things are so sticky they should never peel up LOL!!
Thanks it turned out really nice. An Optima for a first build, I bet it was the envy of the neighborhood! Talk about something you could run circles around your friends with!
@@AddamsPlayground Yes, I got the optima and my buddy got the turbo. So we would go race together! The turbo had ball bearings and a hopped up motor, thats the only difference. That first build really taught me about suspension and set up with different weight oils. Looking back that was a tough build compared to some Tamiya!
Ah mate,cant thank you enough for this one! 🙏 😊 I buy myself a high end kit for Xmas each year (selfish i know,but no one else will!😅) And this is top of the list of choices . But im in two minds as i already own a turbo optima ,and a koswork mid. This video was great to point out the differences in close detail! I really love driving my turbo optima ,but as you correctly pointed out,the gold looks gorgeous but is far from practical! After very few light runs the gold under plate,gold motor cage and gold front plate are all scratched!😮 As is the bumper,and the ridiculously thin body is split around the rear end(guess what idiot flipped it?/) So,i spent a crazy amount of money to get replacement parts and a new body to eventually turn it back into a shelf queen .....as its way too pretty to use as a regular runner. Thinking that the pro could make a viable option as a runner....then i can shelf the fully restored turbo? I actually really like the yellow on this one,and definitely agree with you on the larger bumper.....it looks far more retro ! The decals sound like an absolute mare,especially bearing in mind how much experience you have.....tbanks for the advice,i will definitely be doing the soap water method if i do end up getting one. Now,the hard part will be deciding between this,or the imminent super astute re re. Hmmmm,im guessing i wont be able to choose and will probably end up buying both and leave myself totally skint!😂 Cant wait to see this one around your track.....when conditions allow of course! Got the urge to take the turbo out for a blast now buddy.....i feel a summer photo shoot video coming on!😂 👍 👍 👍
It is a really cool kit and is very similar to the turbo but much less likely to show up the nicks and scratches on the metal parts. These kits and a lot of the other Kyosho ones around this time period were notorious for the body splitting in the rear. Just a lot of a body to flap around back there and get tugged and twisted in roll overs. I feel you on the Turbo, I ran mine once and that will probably be it. Too pretty and shiny to take out and tear up. TBH this one won't get a ton of running either but I stray scratch or ding won't hurt my feeling like it would on the Turbo! I have the Super Astute on pre-order, I could not let that one slide by! Wanted to order two but the funds are a bit tighter than normal and Christmas is coming so i have to dial it back for myself for a change! I will get this one out for a run once things dry up some. We had one nice day yesterday but supposed to get 3 more days of rain so it seems like it will be a while! Get the turbo out and give it a run around the garden, just stay off the tarmac!
Oh, man, you got this one! I'm happy for you, buddy, it's an awesome kit, and yours looks like an awesome machine! I gotta say all that dark anodised aluminium is sooo beautiful, it's awesome! And with a Holmes 19T, I think it'll scream! I see what you mean with the decals, that's quite disappointing, the colours are way off what it looked like in the promo photos, such a shame! Still, you did a good job making it all fit. Myself, all I got for this kit is the paints so far, he he, so let's see when or if I manage to get the kit, I have so many unbuilt ones in queue and I also can't justify the costs for it right now, hopefully next year... I'm looking forward to seeing yours out, I hope you get decent weather soon. I'm sure it will sound smooth and lovely!
Thanks Mads, it turned out looking pretty cool! It was a bit disappointing the colors don't match the box but once you put the box away it looks fine! I have a couple kits on pre-order and that is all I am going get this year myself. Too may kits to build or rebuild here as well and with the holidays coming up I need to focus on everyone else and not me for a change! The belt drive on these is super quiet and very smooth. I will get it out but it will probably be next weekend at the earliest as they are calling for more rain over the next 3 days. We need it so I am not in any rush to get out there, I will let it rain and enjoy it. Take care my friend and have a great week!
Nice buggy Addam. In my mind the Turbo's more kind of a shelf queen with all it's gold parts. I like both versions. Can the car being runned without the undertray? You might not have the big dirt protection, but the battery changes might be easier without it if you're out on the track. 🤔
Thanks Dirk. Yes you can run it without he undertray if you wished. For the most part the belt drive is pretty sealed up so it should not be an issue. Getting the body on it does require some dexterity and concentration for sure, lot of things to line up. It is not so hard I would forgo the undertray. I do wish I had skipped the antenna tube though! That seems to cause me the most headache LOL! For the amount it is going to to get run I am not too concerned about it and will deal with the few moments of fiddling. If you were going to run it often I would trim the top side of the undertray down about 8-10mm so it would not get hung up as easily getting the body on.
@@AddamsPlayground hi Addam I'm Avante damaged and cannot park direct to my running areas, that why I asked. Thanks for taking time to answer. Antennas're lying around somewhere in the cassis of my cars. Sometimes fixed with electrical tape😁
looks awesome mate . i found the standard optima body a right pain . and it cracked after a couple of crashes over the shock towers . hence it’s now a javelin . and the decals were horrendous 😂 good job mate 😊👍
The bodies on the Optima series and honestly quite a few others all had the problems of them being weak in the rear due to the design of the shock towers and the needing to slit the bodies to go over them. The design looks really nice but does not lend itself to being very tough. My next Kyosho purchase will be the Javelin, that one looks super cool and I really want to build that one with the chain drive. Kyosho has some super-mega grip adhesive on their decals that even the soap and water does not overcome easily! One Tamiya ones you can reposition them a lot and even slide them into place. With these the best you could do is peel it back up and try again if you did not press it down yet. If you pressed it down at all that is where it lives now! LOL!
@@AddamsPlayground the javelin is nice and you can mix up the colours to . mindyou the spare cages aren’t cheap . watch that chain drive . it shredded my rear gear box because i think it went slack and the running of it basically turned the chain drive into an internal chainsaw 😂😂😂 and it’s a pain to change . it does sound awesome though . it could have been my workman ship and i made a mistake somewhere though . but i couldn’t figure out what . i guess it depends on how much you run it ? i suspect many haven’t had any issues .
All of us of a certain age clearly appreciate all the nostalgic re-releases that are coming from Kyosho, Tamiya, Associated, Yokomo, etc...but don't you sometimes wish for something new? What current products will future generations appreciate in a couple of decades or so? Tamiya has given us the fantastic BBX (and hopefully more BB-01 variants will follow) and I feel that Kyosho could give us a similar new buggy. That would be great because the Dirt Master doesn't really spark my enthusiasm very much.
Sadly it seems Tamiya and Kyosho are happy with their "new' vehicles being on old platforms. I don't think they can really compete with the bashers and such for durability and they can't compete in the race world but so much (those are entirely too expensive too). So I think they are relying on us old guys with disposable income to keep them going. I do like getting something new but it is usually another brand like Arrma or the new Hobao truck I just got. Plus for the $275 I paid for the Hobao, Tamiya and Kyosho would not put out something that durable and tunable for that price. It would all to the race tier side and would be a $450-600 kit from them! I do understand what you are saying but their bread and butter, especially for Tamiya over the last 10 years has been re-releases! A new one trickles in from time to time, some good (the BBX) and some bad (the TD4) but overall they keep the classics, most of them, coming and that is paying their bills.
Thanks! The decals were stressful but in the end it looks great. Kyosho has some of the stickiest stickers in the game LOL! Even with the soap and water it was not an easy task!
Yes they do build a bit differently and the manuals are a good bit different. But like you said the build fit and finish is top notch! I do enjoy building them but affording them is the hard part! None of them are inexpensive! They are quality though!
Lol, I have the same complaints about the decals and especially the antenna. Better instructions for the rear decals so that you know exactly where to place the first one would be great. I also wish I'd not cut the antenna hole since it's such a pain to get the body on and thread the thing thru the hole. Oh well. I actually built mine using a Turbo Optima. I installed a Pro radio plate and body on it. So mine has the older lay-down front shock geometry but the servo moved back and battery forward weight distribution. More like the original vintage version. I also installed some Marwan OT66 tires. The box art color difference doesn't bother me. I prefer the brighter yellow mixed with the brown decals. It's just so 80s and nostalgic. It's my favorite rear-motor Optima as it has what looks like F1 ground effects to the body set. So low and sleek looking.
They are the stickiest decals I have ever used, the soap and water barely affected them which made it more stressful! In the end it all worked out! Finding the spot for that first horse shoe shaped on was very annoying and worrisome but I got it on there right thankfully. I do wish I had left the antenna off and just bent it back or relocated to somewhere else as it fights me every single time! I am sure yours looks great with the OT66 tires on it and the gold shocks. The color is growing on me. If I don't have the box next to it I don't notice as much. Overall it is cool kit and I am happy to have gotten it for the collection. I just need it to dry out so I can go drive it. Been soaking wet out on the track for two weeks now!
Its a sexy looking buggy for sure, ive seen one at my club and so wish i could get one, but need to save up for a few soon to be released kits and waiting to see what schumacher drop 🤔
Yes, these are not inexpensive kits. I used a bunch of my rewards points to save about $60 off of it so that did help out a lot. I have a few kits on pre-order myself. So many cool kits came out this year, it has been a costly year for sure! I am hoping the releases continue but I do have to slow down a bit, both for money and room sake! LOL!!
It is a very cool one but it is very similar to the turbo! I was hesitant to get it but I had $60 in rewards points so it made it a whole lot better priced kit so I grabbed it. It was this or the Javelin and I know the Javelin will be around in the future to get. I do like the color scheme, I just wish it was close to what is shown on the box, it is close but definitely different!
Thanks! It turned out pretty nice, those decals were a pro level challenge though LOL! I would like to get the Mid as well. There was just something about this one that drew me in and I needed to get it.
Great build! Kyosho do great kits, but do like us to use their electronics. I'm halfway through an Optima Mid rere. Like you, I'm using my preferred gear inside. It's a tight fit and needs some placement thought. I do prefer Tamiya instructions, but still enjoyable builds the Kyoshos! Have fun running yours. I don't know how you find shelf space at this stage. I'm starting to store some of mine in tubs, which seems a shame. Keep up the good work! I enjoy your videos.
Yes, the kits go together great but I don't like that they are designed solely for their outrageously priced electronics. I have roughly $60 in electronics in this (motor, ESC, receiver and servo!) and that is not even close to the cost of the ESC if you can find one in stock. Kind of nuts! Tamiya instructions are the greatest but Kyosho's are generally pretty good. The decal placement could really use some attention on this one but otherwise went pretty well. Shelf space is becoming an issue for sure, I am getting to the point I am going to have to install more or start getting really creative! Not quite to sticking them in tubs yet but it is getting close! Take care and have a great weekend!!
This is a great car and as I told you I still regret the sell of mine MID... this could be my principal wish... have fun and think at body painting. this time I want you to surprise us! Ciao
I completely understand the sellers remorse for a car like this. All the Optima kits are great and I have yet to get the Mid, I want to but at the high price I have been putting it off!
Hi Addam, like the buggy, the brown stickers? Hmmm, prefer them if they were black. Is it possible to show the score and snap method? I've tried and can't seem to master it. Take care, Paul.
It is a cool looking buggy. I do like it on the box where it appears much more of a dark brown, verging on black. in real life they are Willy Wonka chocolate bar brown! LOL! I can record something on the score and snap process. It may be a minute as I will need another body to work on but it should not be a long wait as there is always something going on here!
I felt like this one needed to be box art. Maybe one day, if MCI does the decals, I can get a different color scheme on the decals and do it all in a different color!
There was something about it that really drew me to it. I normally am not a big fan of regular yellow cars. Neon is a different story LOL! I do wish it matched the more muted box coloration but I am happy with the end result. I may, in the future, look to see if MCI does the decals and do them in a blue and purple tone and then do the metallic blue paint on the body, I think that would look pretty slick.
Thanks Luke. Any of the Optima kits are great ones, I have enjoyed building the 3 I have. The decals on this one were a bit of a stress inducer but they turned out well. In the end it turned out looking pretty slick and I am sure it will run very well. As soon as we dry out some it will get out on the track! I hope you all did not get too much rain and wind down where you are from the hurricane. We got a good bit but no flooding rains thankfully!
The differentials are meant to be filled with oil instead of grease. I moved my switch on the back of the shock tower so I could reach it from the bottom
Per the instructions it says to use the included green grease. They are sealed diffs so you can use silicone oils in them but I went with the instructions and used the included grease. I am not racing it and will only run it once or twice most likely so the grease will be just fine in there. Since you have to take the body off of it to add/remove the battery I just left the switch on the esc, it was just a lot simpler but I can see where reaching it with the body mounted would be nice.
@@AddamsPlayground regarding the oil Vs grease maybe it was my interpretation, but the lower left of both the Turbo Optima and Optima Pro manuals on the diff build page state to use silicone oil to your desired setting. The green grease is also a step to use to coat the gears prior to filling them. I’m sure it’s ok either way given neither of us are racing.
@@jonthomas8487 You are correct, my bad! I totally missed that! They are both nice and stiff and w=once run in should be close to the 3000weight feel so it should be fine. Captain oblivious over here! LOL!
@@AddamsPlayground I think it’ll be fine. Kyosho is pretty ambiguous with that oil step. Single belt cars do benefit from tuning the differentials with oil though
Thanks Paul. I am not sure, something about the look of it brew me in. It was this or the Javelin and I know the Javelin will be around for a while so I jumped on this one. It also helped I had $60 in reward points saved up so the price was not as troubling as they usually are for the Kyosho kits! The undertray just looks so bright compared to the top, I don't hate it but it is awful bright. Someone mentioned they did theirs in gunmetal... that would have been a cool look!
They are a bit more expensive, there is no getting around that. Everything in them in top notch and they just click into place. Tamiya kits do as well but the Kyosho re-re series is just a few notches of quality and refinement over the Tamiya kits. Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely!
I do fairly well but man these things are super sticky! Even with the soapy water they really wanted to stick down before I was ready for them. I don't have any worries of them peeling up so that is a plus!
It would be an interesting comparison. Unless a whole kit becomes available at a reasonable price I doubt I will try to do the conversion. It would be cool to see one in real life, only seen them in magazines and videos.
I have a Kyosho Turbo Optima that I have not yet built. Thank you for saying that if you have a Turbo optima maybe this buggy is not for you. Thoughts?
They are very similar and yes, if you have the Turbo then getting this is a nice to have but you are not missing out if you don't get it. It is kind of like the Tamiya TT-02 kits, you are getting it more for the body and livery on it than the kit under the shell. I mean it is still a great build and a cool one to add to the collection but for the price there could be one or two others you could get instead that are far different!
@@alfredyost7972 Looks wise, the Turbo is a better looking buggy. Performance wise I think the Pro has the advantage as they moved the shocks more more functional angles and the towers are tougher. TBH any of the 3 are great fun to build. You may not want to run the Turbo as it is so pretty and gold! the Pro is less likely to show scratches in the anodizing being gunmetal on aluminum.
Probably the reason you never see brown decals or brown over all in RC liveries! Not a very cooperative color. The last brown vehicle I remember was the original Kyosho Mad Van and it was not a really hot seller in the turd brown! LOL! Maybe black would work? Would have been better to not have brown in it all honestly.
It may be a better match, I was a bit worried it would be too gold looking. I should have gotten some and tried both to see which matched better. I chickened out and just went with the standard yellow which is kind of bright honestly.
@@AddamsPlayground this is a similar thing that put me off the green worlds optima, the fact that there wasn’t a rattle can to match the green of the wheels. Don’t get why Kyosho don’t develop decals, wheels etc to match a readily available paint 🤷♂️
@@martinhsrc6699 Yes! I loved the look of them but I am not custom mixing paints to be able to match the wheels. It is very silly for sure, are doing again with the Ultima!
What's the difference between any of them,they look the same with different stickers hundreds if dollars ti build somewhat goes 13mph n break if you look at it? Hmmmmm
I mean that can be said about all classes of RC honestly, crawlers are generally the same basic thing, 2wd buggies are all the same basic thing so this is no different. I can afford them, I enjoy building them and I am happy to collect them and share them with others on YT. Some have never been run, others only once, some have been beat on quite a bit. We all enjoy the hobby in our own way.
Definitely not my first choice of color but for it to work with the stickers it is kind of a one color car. I do wish it matched the box closer but it is good enough.
Man I can feel your frustration as you talk about getting those stickers on - id probably have a complete meltdown 🫠 Came out great I’m actually a big fan of the box art brown & yellow on this car 👍
It turned out well in the end but it was stressful getting some of those decals on for sure. Even wit the soap and water they were super grippy and finicky to get right. There is something about it that really drew me in to it. I cannot tell you exactly what but I really like.it. I do wish it matched the box coloration a bit better but it still looks cool!
Man 50 shades of stickers lol sounds like a nightmare it does look amazing though another fantastic looking build mate nice work Addam 👌
@@rcuintheshed6981 it was a challenge to get them on there correctly but it turned out looking good in the end. These had to have been the stickiest of stickers I have ever used. Normally the soap and water technique really makes it easy to get them right into the perfect spot. It just makes these able to be removed. As soon as the sticker hit the body it wanted to stay right where it was. Just some patience and it all worked out!
My favorite rear motor Optima. I commend Kyosho for getting this one out.
There was something about this one that drew me in! It was this or the Javelin and I know that is going to be around for a while so I jumped on this one. Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! The Javelin will be my next Kyosho purchase, I really want to build that one with the chain drive in it! For some reason I feel like that one needs the chain drive in it. sorry about the tangent! LOL! Take care and have a great weekend Keith!
@@AddamsPlaygroundi want to do an orange Javelin build using either the Pro or the Turbo. I do not like the look of the red shocks and do like the anodized look of the Pro and Turbo. I found a complete orange Javelin conversion kit available on Ebay that includes cage/mounts, driver, wing/mount and decals. Do you think the orange would look better with the gun metal or gold. I plan on using the 240S speed control/motor. For wheels I was thinking gold aluminum with the gold and black aluminum with the gun metal. Also what was the reason they placed the steering servo further back on the Pro? Does this weaken the steering with the longer throw?
@@catrider4863 Personally if you are debating gold wheels I would stay away from the gold shocks. Gold anodizing is never the same across vendors and it may look goofy with two different colors on it. I think the gun metal will look good with either and it is a neutral color that looks good but does not stand out. The servo and battery were moved in the pro to make the weight more centralized so the front and rear are more balanced. The servo saver should protect the linkage and the steering should feel about the same across all of them.
@@AddamsPlayground I didn't realize the battery location was also moved in the Pro, could that effect me trying to put a Javelin kit on it?
@catrider4863 that I am not 100% sure of... Good question but I cannot answer. If I had a Javelin I could tell you but it is one I have not gotten yet.
Hey Addam, that is a great looking Kyosho Optima. It nice to see that Kyosho make this build easy, snap on and play. It would have taken me 2 to 3 days to finish that build with all those stickers. Glad you put this build on the channel so everyone who does get one can come back and reference the stickers. I did enjoy the video and I don't think you were complaining, you were just informing everyone of some of the small issues you had 😉. Take care and best wishes to you and the family.
Thanks Al, I turned out pretty sweet. The build part was a real treat, the stickers were a bit stressful but in the end it all worked out! I will get it out on the track for a run once it dries out some! I know your place is probably still pretty squishy! Take care and have a great week!!
Nice build overview. Good info to know for those of us that don’t have one of these yet.
Thanks Trey! It was a fun build but the stickers stressed me a bit, they are not the easiest ones by far! Hopefully it helps someone else prep for their build!
It's a great looking buggy. This instructional video will help anyone building one of these. The decals sound like a nightmare. This is very well done.
Thanks! It was a great build. The body and decals were a bit stressful but it turned out looking good in the end! The decals really wanted to be attached firmly LOL!!!
SUPER NICE! Surprised that the stickers were able to combat the soapy water trick that you taught me. Glad u managed to figure out all the “unknown” sticker locations. It is definitely a very beautiful body shell. 👍
Thanks! Even with the soapy water as soo as you laid the sticker on the body it wanted to stick down, not permanent but enough it was impossible to slide it into position like you can with the Tamiya stickers! In the end it all worked out and looks good. The mystery locations of those back ones do make it very nerve wracking to get them started!
Excellent build. She’s a beauty!!😍🙌
Thanks! The decals stressed me out a bit but otherwise it was great. I love building these kits.
Looks nice Addam, the colors make it look 70's looking. I love that gren kyosho grease!
Thanks Steve! It does have a very old school vibe to it! The Traxxas #5041 grease is almost identical to the Kyosho grease. I buy it in large tubes and it is my go to for crawlers!
Your rants are good, helps people know what to watch out for. Keep up the great job on your builds and videos! Was temped with this but feel I wont get much more than the Turbo Optima which I love (belt drive is soooo smooth and quiet, makes me wish all vehicles use it).
Thanks! You are always gonna get my honest opinion about stuff! I'd also hate to brush over the things are a pain and someone go out and buy something and struggle with it and loose interest in the build or maybe even the hobby.
There are some differences between the two kits but honestly not anything major or ground breaking. The Turbo is a great looking kit and the decals make it a lot easier to go with different paint colors. I feel you are kind of locked in a lot more with these decals to the yellow or something similar. The belt drive is so cool, whisper quiet and very efficient!
Hey Addam, I think you done an amazing job, despite the different coloured ‘radio controlled electric powered racing buggy’ stickers 😊😊 from the sounds of things, the chassis went well in typical Kyosho fashion, the main body had a couple of areas that were tricky, the under tray was more tricky, but what seems to have tested you the most, those instructions and very strong adhesive stickers 🤔🧐🤔. Still, I’m looking forward to building the wonderful Optima that the wonderful Keith @RCicons, gifted me. You’ve inspired me more 😊😊 (just got some remaining home improvements to finish, before I can put my hobby table back, perhaps a Winter build for me, although the body might need the warmer weather of Spring) anyway, wonderful looking RC, I would be proud. Best wishes to you and the family 🖐️😉😎
Thanks John. The chassis was a treat to build and the body and undertray were a bit tricky to cut out, just some patience and care is all that it needed. The decals did stress me out a bit but they turned out looking good and working well. They are never coming off, Kyosho used some space age mega glue on them! LOL!
You will enjoy your build when you get to it. They are a joy to assemble. Best of luck on the home projects, those can be trying as well! Take care and have a great week ahead!
Glade you went box art. Looks amazing
Thanks! I like it, there is something about it that really drew me to it. I'll get it out for a run as soon as it dries out some!
@@AddamsPlayground That was one of my first RC cars.
Nice build, it looks awesome. Great tips on the body and decals, seems not a "walk in the park", but worth it in the end. Well done 👍🤝
Thanks! The chassis is a treat and goes together so very well. The body and decals were the hard part for sure but like you said, in the end it was all worth it. They are the stickiest decals I have used, no worries about them not sticking well that is for sure!
Lovely build. I understand your angst. You have a lot of passion for your hobby. Maybe one week you can tell your story
Thanks! Not a ton to tell, I have loved RCs all my life and I am finally able to be able to afford to get quite a few I wanted as a kid and also some I want as a big kid now! LOL! If you go back and watch some of the "Ask Me Anything" videos on the channel it has a good bit of that in them.
Car looks awesome! Always saw them ripping! cheers!
Thanks! It should be a very nice running one as it is very similar to the Turbo Optima and that drives very nicely! I will get it out once the track dries out some.
The kyosho stuff really was up a few levels back in the day but by gosh didnt you have to pay for it and you still do. Still the quality looks to be still there. Looks great. Another gem
They are not the cheapest thins out there but the quality is top notch and they build so very well. They drive super great too! Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! Once it dries up I will get it out for a run.
Nice job Adam, came out looking really good! 👌
Thanks! The build was a treat, the decals were a bit of a challenge but turned out looking great.
G'day Addam!👩🤠, very nice build mate 👌. Thanks for sharing your experience building it, without your details it looks like it'd be a bit tricky and easy to mess up the decals 👊. The diff grease looks really good. We hope you're having a ripper weekend mate👍🦘🇦🇺
Hi guys! The kit was a treat to build and the decals were trying but turned out looking really. Not for the beginner for the decal placement, it stressed me some getting them on there! So far it has been a good weekend. We had a break in the weather so I was able to get out and run the last attempt for the speed run challenge, that went well. Got some yard work done and some other work knocked out so it has been a productive day! Take care guys and have a wonderful weekend too!
@@AddamsPlayground
Thanks Addam, we had a pretty productive weekend and got some well needed rest , we're glad you managed to get out and get some work done at home. Take care our good mate 👍👩🤠
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So now that you've released another video I finally had time to watch this one if I were to ever build this it definitely would not have decals on it I don't have your patience or your talent for them
Thanks for checking it out as always!
Awesome Addam sorry haven't been round much real life and all. I'm at a toss up between this and mid I am getting pnw of them eventually. Great stuff... Lots of great information brother...
No worries Paul, things get busy, I know this all too well! I stay behind on videos on a permanent basis at this point LOL!
It is a cool kit, All the Optimas are great cars, you can't go wrong with any of them! I have still yet to get the mid but from folks tell me it is the best driving of all of them. I will get on eventually but I have to pace myself with these Kyosho kits, they are pricey!
The packaging was done really well done. I like the 7075 parts, I will go to the Kyosho shop in Kuala Lumpur on the weekend and see if it's available. I don't have a Kyosho yet which is weird since we have a shop here but getting more into them thanks and enjoy.
OH if you have never built one, prepare to fall in love with them! The kits build up so very nicely, the fit and finish is top notch. Cutting the body was not bad, you just have to take your time and be careful with the cuts. The decals are the same, not awful but they are the stickiest ones I have even had I think. Even the soap and water barely slowed them down. If you did not press down on them you could peel them back up carefully. If you pressed them down then they were permanent!!! I have done several build now, both 2wd and 4wd and they are all great kits!
@AddamsPlayground for sure I'm going tk try one and they have the USA 1 nitro truck I will get that also. For your under carriage I think brown would of looked nice, though it cane out good and will hopefully see a run video soon 👍🏻
@@kanenstuff once it dries out I will get it out for a run. Raining again now and for the couple days. It looks like after that it may be good for a while.
Another great build. Good looking car 👍
Thanks! It turned out really nice and with all the Kyosho legendary series kits, it built like a dream! The decals stressed me out some but in the end everything worked out well!
That's a great looking car 👌 nice video Addam 👍
Thank Mark, i am glad you enjoyed it! It was a great build and other than the decals being a bit stressful it all went well. Once it dries out some I will get it out on the track.
As usual you never disappoint. I'm sure you're still recovering from the crash ...I have 2 of the turbo optima....I need one of those 😂
It is very similar but the made performance change to make it drive better on this one. The battery moves forward some, the servo moves back, the front shocks are at a more functional angle and all that together should make it more balanced and drive a lot nicer. The Turbo is a great looking one, just to pretty to scratch all up, I assume that is the case for you. A pretty one and a runner? I have looked for one on Buyee to get cheap but these seem to hold their value a lot more over there and they just don't show up very often. This one would be great for your collection!
Looks good... I've built mine too, painted it gold. The top decals are definitely tricky, they could have given us one more page with better details how to apply them. By the way, the front is bouncy with those springs. I laid the shocks down more and I'm ordering the softer front springs, I also changed the oil from 100cst to 200cst. What a PITA the body is to get on and off, I put a longer antenna tube and that helps me a little. I'm also going to pick up the carbon front tower, I'm not a fan of the plastic one. The build is great, the final results are great, but yeah...a bunch of little challenges.
I was looking at options of yellows and golds at the hobby shop and got frustrated and went with the plain yellow. None of them looked right but then realizing the box images are different from the real life decals it is tough to say what shade if yellow it is supposed to be. The body is a pain to get one for sure. You need three hand and a few extra fingers to get it on easily! I kind of wish I had not put the antenna tube on at all but seeing as I will only run it once in a while it is not terrible. If it were a daily driver things would have to change!
Like you said, if something isn’t going together quite right, you probably missed something a step or two back!
The Kyosho’s go together real nice!
Those decals sounded like a pia though!😬
It came out beautifully Addam!👍😊
100%, if something is not lining up then you goofed up somewhere and need to fix something. The quality on these is top notch but so are the prices! Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely! The decals were super sticky! Even with the soap and water they had no hesitation to stick down right away. Normally with Tamiya decals you can slide them into place and then press them into place. These you were just able to peel it back up and try again IF you did not push it down. Once you pushed it into place you were done, that is where it is going to live! one of the number plates is off but it is too stuck to remove it so it is what it is! Take care Jeremy and have a great weekend!
Thanks for the tips. Im thinking about doing mine in camel yellow. I like the darker yellow look. Great idea about the black under tray. I might even ps flat clear it.
@@jamespeek3061 thanks it turned out pretty cool and as long as you have patience with the decals it all works out well. Erick from Eek RC did his in gold and it looks pretty sweet. Much closer to the box coloration. I thought about camel yellow but it is so much orange hue to it I opted for the basic yellow. Another viewer said they did the bottom try in gunmetal which is a fitting idea as well. Lots of options!
Lovely buggy Addam.. always liked Kyoshos.. I quite like the yellow belly pan.. Hope u have a great weekend dude.. Pete 😊
Thanks Pete! I am normally not a fan of yellow cars but since the box art looks pretty slick and retro I went with it. There is just such a stark difference in the top and the bottom of it it looks extremely yellow underneath. I don't dislike it but think it would have been less bright and busy with the black. It is yellow now so that is the way it is going to be LOL! Take care and I hope you have a great weekend as well!
Great build I’ve never built a Kyosho just restored a couple of them can’t make my mind up on which one to get which means as you know I want to build all of them lol I love your honesty on your build they a huge help thanks for that have a great weekend
The 2wd kits are just as fun to build and most are fairly similar in design. My Tomahawk is my favorite of the 2wd but the Turbo Scorpion is right there with it. I do want to get the Beetle at some point also.
This one built up just as nice as the others and it is a treat to build. The cutting of the body was a bit tricky and the decals were a stressful thing but in the end it all worked out well and looks really cool!
Take care and have a great weekend!
I mentioned before I have the gold edition. I've never ran it. The decals on it was enough. Lol. Kyosho kits go together so smooth. I decked it out with the red Kyosho motor and the Kyosho chrome ESC. Not meaning to build a shelf queen. O well. Your buggy looks great. Love the gun metel also.
@@kashmurray1199 It can be a pain when you end up making them so nice you don't really want to take it out and run it around. I have done it many times!
Great video. Mine is on backorder at tower until Jan 2025.
Oooof, that stinks! Hopefully it shows up before then. I don't think they got a ton of them over here this round, they seemed to sell out pretty quickly. Hub Hobby has at least one in stock. I have ordered from them before. Very good company and will ship it quickly. No coupon code but it is in stock... www.hubhobby.com/kyosho-30620-110-optima-pro-4wd-buggy-kit.html?source=googlebase
Sweet buggy! These run great well at least I know mu javelin does!
Thanks! I am pretty sure the Javelin will be my next Kyosho purchase. I really love the look of that one!
End result is looking great and well worth the effort.👍 I've yet to start mine, but I don't think I'll go box art just because of the kit decals! 😅
In the end it looks really cool. I wish the decals matched the box more but it still looks cool. It would be an easy to change the look of with a fairly simple paint job.
I think it’d look cool in metallic gold as well as the yellow
I kind of chickened out and went with the basic yellow. That and I am not normally a yellow car guy so the idea of spending the extra money on a few cans of yellow that may never get used did not excite me when standing in the hobby shop and looking at the price of those little cans of paint! LOL!!
@@AddamsPlayground I like it, with the chocolate brown, but I’m typically not a fan of yellow either except on c3 corvettes, and the lunchbox
Great job dude!
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is a great looking buggy and other than the sticker giving me some stress it was a fun build.
Thank you for the very well done & informative video, really helps me know the Pro is the one I want (and I was going to skip the decals anyway).
It is a cool buggy and the updated front suspension should work better than the older laydown shocks. I assume the the steering is better with the redesigned steering but I will know more when I get to drive it. The decals were stressful but I don't think they will ever peel up! LOL!
Yep the decals are a black art to get right I painted mine metallic gold and put chrome alloy wheels from yeah racing on it (very expensive but very nice😮) I think the metallic gold makes the decals pop!
I sat there staring at the paint rack in the hobby shop trying to decide which to go with and gave up and just went with the generic yellow. None of them looked right so I just went with plain nanner yellow! The decals in the kit have some mega adhesive on them that even the soap and water had a hard time dealing with! I feel confident they will never come off! LOL! I have looked at the alloy wheels a few times but they do have some sticker shock to them! I am sure it looks great with them on there!
Really good video Addam, nice to hear the good and the not quite so good, stickers! I did think about buying one, but decided not to in the end. I think i’ll save my money for the 87 Ultima instead. I think I’d tear my hair out with those stickers as well 😂. I should be building my 87 Optima Mid in the next week or so, it’ll be my first Kyosho build so looking forward to it, brought it away on holiday with me!
They all build super well so that part is a a treat. Kyosho has some sort of mega grip glue on their stickers so they are all a bit clingy even with the soap and water. The soap and water makes them pretty easy to peel and reposition but do not press them down until you are certain it it is in the the right place! Once pressed down they live there forever! I would love to have the Mid but I think the next Kyosho purchase will be the Javelin, then the mid! Have fun building on your holiday!
Iol decals can be a heart stopping moment! When they tack down before you are ready! Soap and water definitely the way to go on these! Nice job Addam looks awesome buddy but have to say this is probably my least favourite of the Optimas!
Still wouldn't say no to one though lol👍
The soap and water barely slowed these down! Using it on the Tamiya ones they will slide into place, on these it just allows you to carefully unstick them to try again! I am not sure why but something about this one drew me in and I needed to get it. It did help I had $60 worth of reward points available at Amain so the price was not as harsh as they normally are! It was this or the Javelin and I know that is going to be around for a while so that will probably be my next Kyosho. I want to build that one with the chain drive in it! That is a future build for sure, I need to rack up the reward points again LOL!
@AddamsPlayground Yeah the javelin chain drive is pretty sweet! I love them all really Kyosho don't make anything l would turn my nose up to!
The stickers sound great for the fact they are never coming off lol that's a bonus but damn it can go wrong so quickly! I am definitely more worried about the decals then l am of the painting!
Have a great weekend buddy 😀 👍
Nice build! Love the color better than mustard, lol
I was going to try a couple different shades of yellow but I was standing in front of the paint rack ay my hobby shop and there were 4 or 5 different ones and none of them looked quite right. I am not usually a fan of yellow cars so I did not want to have a ton of yellow paint sitting here doing nothing. I also was looking at the prices per can and I chickened out and went with the basic yellow! It turned out looking good and I am not stuck with $45 of yellow paint here LOL!
That is a beautiful kit! I love the color of the shocks. Not crazy about the brown decals, but it does look good with the yellow. Reminds me of Nesquik chocolate milk! :) Awesome build!
It is a really nice kit and it built like a dream. The body and decals were a bit more stressful but worked out well in the end. The brown was lighter than I expected it to be and that was a bit of a let down but it is growing on me. I would have preferred it to be a much darker brown like show on the box but they are not coming off for sure, those things are so sticky they should never peel up LOL!!
@@AddamsPlayground Those shock towers look better than the carbon fiber ones. Such a great looking kit. Bet it's a blast to run. :)
@@arkyrc I am sure it will be, still soaking wet here so no running on the track for a while.
Oh wow the optima was my very first build back in the day!
Sexy buggy!
Thanks it turned out really nice. An Optima for a first build, I bet it was the envy of the neighborhood! Talk about something you could run circles around your friends with!
@@AddamsPlayground Yes, I got the optima and my buddy got the turbo. So we would go race together!
The turbo had ball bearings and a hopped up motor, thats the only difference.
That first build really taught me about suspension and set up with different weight oils.
Looking back that was a tough build compared to some Tamiya!
Ah mate,cant thank you enough for this one! 🙏 😊
I buy myself a high end kit for Xmas each year (selfish i know,but no one else will!😅)
And this is top of the list of choices .
But im in two minds as i already own a turbo optima ,and a koswork mid.
This video was great to point out the differences in close detail!
I really love driving my turbo optima ,but as you correctly pointed out,the gold looks gorgeous but is far from practical!
After very few light runs the gold under plate,gold motor cage and gold front plate are all scratched!😮
As is the bumper,and the ridiculously thin body is split around the rear end(guess what idiot flipped it?/)
So,i spent a crazy amount of money to get replacement parts and a new body to eventually turn it back into a shelf queen .....as its way too pretty to use as a regular runner.
Thinking that the pro could make a viable option as a runner....then i can shelf the fully restored turbo?
I actually really like the yellow on this one,and definitely agree with you on the larger bumper.....it looks far more retro !
The decals sound like an absolute mare,especially bearing in mind how much experience you have.....tbanks for the advice,i will definitely be doing the soap water method if i do end up getting one.
Now,the hard part will be deciding between this,or the imminent super astute re re.
Hmmmm,im guessing i wont be able to choose and will probably end up buying both and leave myself totally skint!😂
Cant wait to see this one around your track.....when conditions allow of course!
Got the urge to take the turbo out for a blast now buddy.....i feel a summer photo shoot video coming on!😂
👍 👍 👍
It is a really cool kit and is very similar to the turbo but much less likely to show up the nicks and scratches on the metal parts. These kits and a lot of the other Kyosho ones around this time period were notorious for the body splitting in the rear. Just a lot of a body to flap around back there and get tugged and twisted in roll overs. I feel you on the Turbo, I ran mine once and that will probably be it. Too pretty and shiny to take out and tear up. TBH this one won't get a ton of running either but I stray scratch or ding won't hurt my feeling like it would on the Turbo! I have the Super Astute on pre-order, I could not let that one slide by! Wanted to order two but the funds are a bit tighter than normal and Christmas is coming so i have to dial it back for myself for a change! I will get this one out for a run once things dry up some. We had one nice day yesterday but supposed to get 3 more days of rain so it seems like it will be a while! Get the turbo out and give it a run around the garden, just stay off the tarmac!
Oh, man, you got this one! I'm happy for you, buddy, it's an awesome kit, and yours looks like an awesome machine! I gotta say all that dark anodised aluminium is sooo beautiful, it's awesome! And with a Holmes 19T, I think it'll scream!
I see what you mean with the decals, that's quite disappointing, the colours are way off what it looked like in the promo photos, such a shame! Still, you did a good job making it all fit.
Myself, all I got for this kit is the paints so far, he he, so let's see when or if I manage to get the kit, I have so many unbuilt ones in queue and I also can't justify the costs for it right now, hopefully next year...
I'm looking forward to seeing yours out, I hope you get decent weather soon. I'm sure it will sound smooth and lovely!
Thanks Mads, it turned out looking pretty cool! It was a bit disappointing the colors don't match the box but once you put the box away it looks fine! I have a couple kits on pre-order and that is all I am going get this year myself. Too may kits to build or rebuild here as well and with the holidays coming up I need to focus on everyone else and not me for a change! The belt drive on these is super quiet and very smooth. I will get it out but it will probably be next weekend at the earliest as they are calling for more rain over the next 3 days. We need it so I am not in any rush to get out there, I will let it rain and enjoy it. Take care my friend and have a great week!
Nice buggy Addam. In my mind the Turbo's more kind of a shelf queen with all it's gold parts. I like both versions.
Can the car being runned without the undertray? You might not have the big dirt protection, but the battery changes might be easier without it if you're out on the track. 🤔
Thanks Dirk. Yes you can run it without he undertray if you wished. For the most part the belt drive is pretty sealed up so it should not be an issue. Getting the body on it does require some dexterity and concentration for sure, lot of things to line up. It is not so hard I would forgo the undertray. I do wish I had skipped the antenna tube though! That seems to cause me the most headache LOL! For the amount it is going to to get run I am not too concerned about it and will deal with the few moments of fiddling. If you were going to run it often I would trim the top side of the undertray down about 8-10mm so it would not get hung up as easily getting the body on.
@@RCBirds hi dirk. i have the javelin which doesn’t have the under tray and never had any sand get in to the inards if that’s a help ?
@@rc-dom-uk thanks, Dom, yes it is
@@AddamsPlayground hi Addam I'm Avante damaged and cannot park direct to my running areas, that why I asked. Thanks for taking time to answer. Antennas're lying around somewhere in the cassis of my cars. Sometimes fixed with electrical tape😁
looks awesome mate . i found the standard optima body a right pain . and it cracked after a couple of crashes over the shock towers . hence it’s now a javelin . and the decals were horrendous 😂 good job mate 😊👍
The bodies on the Optima series and honestly quite a few others all had the problems of them being weak in the rear due to the design of the shock towers and the needing to slit the bodies to go over them. The design looks really nice but does not lend itself to being very tough. My next Kyosho purchase will be the Javelin, that one looks super cool and I really want to build that one with the chain drive. Kyosho has some super-mega grip adhesive on their decals that even the soap and water does not overcome easily! One Tamiya ones you can reposition them a lot and even slide them into place. With these the best you could do is peel it back up and try again if you did not press it down yet. If you pressed it down at all that is where it lives now! LOL!
@@AddamsPlayground the javelin is nice and you can mix up the colours to . mindyou the spare cages aren’t cheap . watch that chain drive . it shredded my rear gear box because i think it went slack and the running of it basically turned the chain drive into an internal chainsaw 😂😂😂 and it’s a pain to change . it does sound awesome though . it could have been my workman ship and i made a mistake somewhere though . but i couldn’t figure out what . i guess it depends on how much you run it ? i suspect many haven’t had any issues .
@@rc-dom-uk yeah, I remember it failing in yours. Mine will get a few runs on it but not a lot of use overall.
All of us of a certain age clearly appreciate all the nostalgic re-releases that are coming from Kyosho, Tamiya, Associated, Yokomo, etc...but don't you sometimes wish for something new? What current products will future generations appreciate in a couple of decades or so? Tamiya has given us the fantastic BBX (and hopefully more BB-01 variants will follow) and I feel that Kyosho could give us a similar new buggy. That would be great because the Dirt Master doesn't really spark my enthusiasm very much.
Sadly it seems Tamiya and Kyosho are happy with their "new' vehicles being on old platforms. I don't think they can really compete with the bashers and such for durability and they can't compete in the race world but so much (those are entirely too expensive too). So I think they are relying on us old guys with disposable income to keep them going. I do like getting something new but it is usually another brand like Arrma or the new Hobao truck I just got. Plus for the $275 I paid for the Hobao, Tamiya and Kyosho would not put out something that durable and tunable for that price. It would all to the race tier side and would be a $450-600 kit from them!
I do understand what you are saying but their bread and butter, especially for Tamiya over the last 10 years has been re-releases! A new one trickles in from time to time, some good (the BBX) and some bad (the TD4) but overall they keep the classics, most of them, coming and that is paying their bills.
Looks great Addam 👍
I feel your thoughts on the decals or stickers as you say.
Thanks! The decals were stressful but in the end it looks great. Kyosho has some of the stickiest stickers in the game LOL! Even with the soap and water it was not an easy task!
Great video i did my under tray gunmetal.
Well there is a great idea I did not have LOL! I am sure that turned out looking pretty cool!
i recently built my first Kyosho...quite a bit different than Tamiya. The quality is second to none though.
Yes they do build a bit differently and the manuals are a good bit different. But like you said the build fit and finish is top notch! I do enjoy building them but affording them is the hard part! None of them are inexpensive! They are quality though!
Lol, I have the same complaints about the decals and especially the antenna. Better instructions for the rear decals so that you know exactly where to place the first one would be great. I also wish I'd not cut the antenna hole since it's such a pain to get the body on and thread the thing thru the hole. Oh well. I actually built mine using a Turbo Optima. I installed a Pro radio plate and body on it. So mine has the older lay-down front shock geometry but the servo moved back and battery forward weight distribution. More like the original vintage version. I also installed some Marwan OT66 tires. The box art color difference doesn't bother me. I prefer the brighter yellow mixed with the brown decals. It's just so 80s and nostalgic. It's my favorite rear-motor Optima as it has what looks like F1 ground effects to the body set. So low and sleek looking.
They are the stickiest decals I have ever used, the soap and water barely affected them which made it more stressful! In the end it all worked out! Finding the spot for that first horse shoe shaped on was very annoying and worrisome but I got it on there right thankfully. I do wish I had left the antenna off and just bent it back or relocated to somewhere else as it fights me every single time! I am sure yours looks great with the OT66 tires on it and the gold shocks. The color is growing on me. If I don't have the box next to it I don't notice as much. Overall it is cool kit and I am happy to have gotten it for the collection. I just need it to dry out so I can go drive it. Been soaking wet out on the track for two weeks now!
Its a sexy looking buggy for sure, ive seen one at my club and so wish i could get one, but need to save up for a few soon to be released kits and waiting to see what schumacher drop 🤔
Yes, these are not inexpensive kits. I used a bunch of my rewards points to save about $60 off of it so that did help out a lot. I have a few kits on pre-order myself. So many cool kits came out this year, it has been a costly year for sure! I am hoping the releases continue but I do have to slow down a bit, both for money and room sake! LOL!!
@@AddamsPlayground yeah, room is a big issue for me now. And im being a bit more picky on what cars i get haha
It’s on my list but I do have a turbo already. But it looks cool I love the colour scheme
It is a very cool one but it is very similar to the turbo! I was hesitant to get it but I had $60 in rewards points so it made it a whole lot better priced kit so I grabbed it. It was this or the Javelin and I know the Javelin will be around in the future to get. I do like the color scheme, I just wish it was close to what is shown on the box, it is close but definitely different!
Very nice Addam ,😎 Top job mate 💯👍👍
I've got a Optima and a Turbo Optima , I keep looking at the Pro but I'd like a Optima mid next
Thanks! It turned out pretty nice, those decals were a pro level challenge though LOL! I would like to get the Mid as well. There was just something about this one that drew me in and I needed to get it.
Great build! Kyosho do great kits, but do like us to use their electronics. I'm halfway through an Optima Mid rere. Like you, I'm using my preferred gear inside. It's a tight fit and needs some placement thought. I do prefer Tamiya instructions, but still enjoyable builds the Kyoshos! Have fun running yours. I don't know how you find shelf space at this stage. I'm starting to store some of mine in tubs, which seems a shame. Keep up the good work! I enjoy your videos.
Yes, the kits go together great but I don't like that they are designed solely for their outrageously priced electronics. I have roughly $60 in electronics in this (motor, ESC, receiver and servo!) and that is not even close to the cost of the ESC if you can find one in stock. Kind of nuts!
Tamiya instructions are the greatest but Kyosho's are generally pretty good. The decal placement could really use some attention on this one but otherwise went pretty well.
Shelf space is becoming an issue for sure, I am getting to the point I am going to have to install more or start getting really creative! Not quite to sticking them in tubs yet but it is getting close! Take care and have a great weekend!!
This is a great car and as I told you I still regret the sell of mine MID... this could be my principal wish... have fun and think at body painting. this time I want you to surprise us! Ciao
I completely understand the sellers remorse for a car like this. All the Optima kits are great and I have yet to get the Mid, I want to but at the high price I have been putting it off!
@@AddamsPlayground This is why it remains a wish...
Hi Addam, like the buggy, the brown stickers? Hmmm, prefer them if they were black. Is it possible to show the score and snap method? I've tried and can't seem to master it. Take care, Paul.
It is a cool looking buggy. I do like it on the box where it appears much more of a dark brown, verging on black. in real life they are Willy Wonka chocolate bar brown! LOL! I can record something on the score and snap process. It may be a minute as I will need another body to work on but it should not be a long wait as there is always something going on here!
Very nice.
Thanks! It is a pretty cool kit and it built up perfectly. The body was the tricky part but it turned out looking pretty good so it was worth it!
oops I wrote before finishing the video hahaha... Any how super perfect body work.
I felt like this one needed to be box art. Maybe one day, if MCI does the decals, I can get a different color scheme on the decals and do it all in a different color!
My pro is sitting in the box. Ill build near the holidays. I have a love hate relationship with the box art. Not sure what finish ill do
There was something about it that really drew me to it. I normally am not a big fan of regular yellow cars. Neon is a different story LOL! I do wish it matched the more muted box coloration but I am happy with the end result. I may, in the future, look to see if MCI does the decals and do them in a blue and purple tone and then do the metallic blue paint on the body, I think that would look pretty slick.
Great buggy Addam. I need one of these to run around. Thanks for sharing the process and results. Awesome 👏
Thanks Luke. Any of the Optima kits are great ones, I have enjoyed building the 3 I have. The decals on this one were a bit of a stress inducer but they turned out well. In the end it turned out looking pretty slick and I am sure it will run very well. As soon as we dry out some it will get out on the track! I hope you all did not get too much rain and wind down where you are from the hurricane. We got a good bit but no flooding rains thankfully!
The differentials are meant to be filled with oil instead of grease. I moved my switch on the back of the shock tower so I could reach it from the bottom
Per the instructions it says to use the included green grease. They are sealed diffs so you can use silicone oils in them but I went with the instructions and used the included grease. I am not racing it and will only run it once or twice most likely so the grease will be just fine in there. Since you have to take the body off of it to add/remove the battery I just left the switch on the esc, it was just a lot simpler but I can see where reaching it with the body mounted would be nice.
@@AddamsPlayground regarding the oil Vs grease maybe it was my interpretation, but the lower left of both the Turbo Optima and Optima Pro manuals on the diff build page state to use silicone oil to your desired setting. The green grease is also a step to use to coat the gears prior to filling them. I’m sure it’s ok either way given neither of us are racing.
@@jonthomas8487 You are correct, my bad! I totally missed that! They are both nice and stiff and w=once run in should be close to the 3000weight feel so it should be fine. Captain oblivious over here! LOL!
@@AddamsPlayground I think it’ll be fine. Kyosho is pretty ambiguous with that oil step. Single belt cars do benefit from tuning the differentials with oil though
Dude! You could have gone ultra 70's and used gold paint instead of the yellow! ...oh and some dingle-balls hanging around the cockpit.... 👍👍
It does have a 70s vibe to it. I need one of those pine wood chairs with the farm scene seat cushions to take some pics of it!
Nice build video. I have all the Optima’s but can’t actually see the point in getting this one……..I do like the yellow undertray btw 👍
Thanks Paul. I am not sure, something about the look of it brew me in. It was this or the Javelin and I know the Javelin will be around for a while so I jumped on this one. It also helped I had $60 in reward points saved up so the price was not as troubling as they usually are for the Kyosho kits! The undertray just looks so bright compared to the top, I don't hate it but it is awful bright. Someone mentioned they did theirs in gunmetal... that would have been a cool look!
You could always get another under tray and do it in gun metal, in hindsight it will look good actually
Never done a new kyosho before, i love to do one . But i find them expansie 😅 more so then the Tamiya buggy 's. But she looks good Adam
They are a bit more expensive, there is no getting around that. Everything in them in top notch and they just click into place. Tamiya kits do as well but the Kyosho re-re series is just a few notches of quality and refinement over the Tamiya kits. Thankfully I did have $60 in rewards points at Amain saved up so this was not as expensive as it would have been. It turned out looking pretty good and I know it is going to drive very nicely!
@@AddamsPlayground with the discount its a good deal Adam. One day i will get my self a kyosho kit to build 😉
Lmao i am a decal Master but i am going to take your advice !!!
I do fairly well but man these things are super sticky! Even with the soapy water they really wanted to stick down before I was ready for them. I don't have any worries of them peeling up so that is a plus!
Someone should compare the 4WD converted RC10 to the Optima Pro - both are belt driven rear motor 4WDs.
It would be an interesting comparison. Unless a whole kit becomes available at a reasonable price I doubt I will try to do the conversion. It would be cool to see one in real life, only seen them in magazines and videos.
I have a Kyosho Turbo Optima that I have not yet built. Thank you for saying that if you have a Turbo optima maybe this buggy is not for you. Thoughts?
They are very similar and yes, if you have the Turbo then getting this is a nice to have but you are not missing out if you don't get it. It is kind of like the Tamiya TT-02 kits, you are getting it more for the body and livery on it than the kit under the shell. I mean it is still a great build and a cool one to add to the collection but for the price there could be one or two others you could get instead that are far different!
@@AddamsPlayground I have not checked out the price. If the price is cheaper maybe this is a better option than the Turbo Optima. Thoughts?
@@alfredyost7972 it is a about $20 or so cheaper etc than the Turbo. The base optima is about $30 cheaper than this one.
@@AddamsPlayground That is not much of a difference. I think the Turbo Optima with all of the gold parts is the better deal. Thoughts?
@@alfredyost7972 Looks wise, the Turbo is a better looking buggy. Performance wise I think the Pro has the advantage as they moved the shocks more more functional angles and the towers are tougher. TBH any of the 3 are great fun to build. You may not want to run the Turbo as it is so pretty and gold! the Pro is less likely to show scratches in the anodizing being gunmetal on aluminum.
what other color goes with chocolate brown decals !!!!! I was thinking white but it may look like a turd !!!
Probably the reason you never see brown decals or brown over all in RC liveries! Not a very cooperative color. The last brown vehicle I remember was the original Kyosho Mad Van and it was not a really hot seller in the turd brown! LOL!
Maybe black would work? Would have been better to not have brown in it all honestly.
Wonder if anyone will try Tamiya’s mustard yellow PS56 🤔
It may be a better match, I was a bit worried it would be too gold looking. I should have gotten some and tried both to see which matched better. I chickened out and just went with the standard yellow which is kind of bright honestly.
@@AddamsPlayground this is a similar thing that put me off the green worlds optima, the fact that there wasn’t a rattle can to match the green of the wheels. Don’t get why Kyosho don’t develop decals, wheels etc to match a readily available paint 🤷♂️
@@martinhsrc6699 Yes! I loved the look of them but I am not custom mixing paints to be able to match the wheels. It is very silly for sure, are doing again with the Ultima!
Thanks as always for stopping by and checking out the video and checking in! Have a great weekend!
What's the difference between any of them,they look the same with different stickers hundreds if dollars ti build somewhat goes 13mph n break if you look at it? Hmmmmm
I mean that can be said about all classes of RC honestly, crawlers are generally the same basic thing, 2wd buggies are all the same basic thing so this is no different. I can afford them, I enjoy building them and I am happy to collect them and share them with others on YT. Some have never been run, others only once, some have been beat on quite a bit. We all enjoy the hobby in our own way.
This chassis is prettier than the first optima.
Be loud and proud.😂
I think the turbo optima chessie's prettier.
Yeah the gold is pretty cool but this one won't show scratched anywhere near as bad as the gold does.
I thought you weren't into yellow cars , but this is not a yellow like on lunchbox.
Definitely not my first choice of color but for it to work with the stickers it is kind of a one color car. I do wish it matched the box closer but it is good enough.
Man I can feel your frustration as you talk about getting those stickers on - id probably have a complete meltdown 🫠
Came out great I’m actually a big fan of the box art brown & yellow on this car 👍
It turned out well in the end but it was stressful getting some of those decals on for sure. Even wit the soap and water they were super grippy and finicky to get right.
There is something about it that really drew me in to it. I cannot tell you exactly what but I really like.it. I do wish it matched the box coloration a bit better but it still looks cool!