The COMPLETE Optima collection. FINALLY - after nearly 10 years - I have them all !
For those of you that have been following my collecting of the Kyosho Optima series - it is finally done. The last car in the puzzle has taken me nearly 10 years to find. Thanks to all for emails and messages on eBay, I really appreciate all the extra 'ëyes' looking out for me.
The hardest to find was the Turbo Optima Mid SE. I missed one a couple of years ago on eBay - it went to a friend in Hong Kong.....
I wasnt going to miss this one. Unbeleivably it came from Peru! I have gotten most of my collection from private trading and Japan, very few of my cars have been purchased on eBay. I was nervous at first - but the seller was very honest and trustworthy.
The culmination of all these kits together in one place is really special for me. Interestingly I only just noticed that if you go by the kit number on the box, the Javelin was actually released AFTER the Optima Pro! And that the last kit in the series was the Optima Mid Custom Special.
Kyosho sure have some strange ways of doing releases - however they made an excellent product and I am proud to have them all.
I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoyed getting them all together again.
Cheers
Darryn
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If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
The COMPLETE collection of Marui kits !
Comments
INTEGRA FAN
superb
! Kyosho will come after you one day 
Type49rs
Congrats on your achievement Darryn - it's a lovely sight to see. Good to see you adding to your showroom too - it's been a while.
OCD
They're beautiful together - A rare sight to behold, thank you for sharing!
muratti
Congratulation. I know what it means to have completed a certain collection of cars! Although i love Tamiya i had several Kyoshos. Unfortunately i never had an Optima. They look great!
generationx
Fantastic NIB collection - I'm so jealous!
Tipsy
I'm very envious. I only have 7 of these so a long way to go yet.
Capt Splatt
Nice work Darryn. I had no idea you were so close to completing you collection. So, when are you going to start building them??
RETRO R/C
LOL - I will be building them in my retirement....I am in no rush. I enjoy seeing them preseved as peices of history as well.
I have pretty much finished my NIB 'series' collections now. Have all the Optima's, all the Marui's, all the Nichimo, all the AYK Viper and Buffalo series, all the Hirobo 44b series, all the Willy chassis series and a few others.
As for finally putting up some stuff - yeah - it has been a while. Ihave over 220 NIB kits! I think I have just over 430 cars all up in my collection. I tend to keep it pretty much to myself now - as I got sick of the hate mail that comes with having a collection. I am not an egomaniac - just have a great passion for the hobby. The reason I posted these up is because I have had allot of people emailing me over the years with encouragement.
Thanks again for the kind comments.
Darryn
MetBoy
Beautiful to see! Lucky 13? If having to wait 10 years can be construed as lucky! Congratulations. Sorry to hear about the hate mail, that truly saddens me! Thanks for sharing nonetheless!
Hong Kong
Congratulation ! First time to seen someone have all of them ,very pretty.
RETRO R/C
Thanks Hong Kong, I know you know just how hard it can be to acquire some of these kits. I dont think there are too many people in the world with all 13 of them NIB. I am truly proud to have them all, it has taken a very long time. As for the posting of negative comments and hate mail on my collection, I was saddend by it as well. I have to say though that with alot more people finally realising what effort is required, (other than just money), to get these collections going, I think people may be a little more appreciative. I guess we will see. Thanks again for the kind comments people - truly appreciated.
CASE1
You do have a 'pitbull-talent'and a lot of patience! And that is a compliment, very well done.
Chain Driven
Darryn, well done! I have been following your collection since about 5 years ago now and you gave me motivation to collect and restore Kyoshos of that era. Jerome.
pagedm_f350
That's impressive
Hong Kong
revised:
My friend, I totally understood what you have done. You must have to know that there are not much people around would understand or appreciate your effort. Everyones just have different kind of view or level. On Tamiya I have spent total of 5 years to have them collected to my hand. On the other hand, in Kyosho...I've spent more than 15 years to collect them but until now still incomplete what I want. So my friend, please continuous whatever you are doing, especially it is so difficult to get a hand on to those rare stuffs. The only proud thing is...only 5 models are left on my selection in Kyosho
Dante77
Wow, awesome!
I've just started collecting/restoring Optimas. Never knew there were different Salutes! Great collection.
kstar
This is amazing. I never really understood the NIB thing, but this gives a new perspective to it. And Kyosho must be the best for just NIB as there are much harder to get spares. I wonder do you feel sad that 'the search is over' or does it just put a big smile on your face?
I'm impressed. cheers
ukzz4iroc
Wow- that is too cool! Nice one mate
canonball
Great collection!! Sorry to hear about those bad comments hope you post some more of your cars!
TIMECMDR
Absolutlely stunning collection
RETRO R/C
Thanks for the kind comments again guys! There are so many new faces on here. This club has grown so much since we started it. KSTAR: Its kind of a weird feeling to be honest. I have been doing this for a long time now. While I have completed this part of my collection, there are others that I am still working on. Honestly though - I have less than 10 kits that I want NIB before my collection is completed for me. By that I mean cars that I actually really want. Its all a bit surreal at the moment. It sure is nice to see them all on the shelf together like one big happy family....gives a real sense of history.
supergreg
Congrats on your collection Darryn! I fully understand your way of preserving these nice kits for the future. Do not build them! There are already many other built ones around so you should keep these special. It's good to see history preserved in pro hands.
RallyeBaz
WOW - Never knew they did that many variants. Top Work
Sayroll
3 years ago, when I got back to the hobby after a long 20 year break, I told myself I would love to have these Optimas and Mids I saw in my LHS as a kid. And when I googled vintage Kyosho, I quickly stumbled upon your website which became my picture reference (this was before I knew TC). Since then, I've had a few of these NIB (Turbo Mid, Blue Salute and Javelin), but I never found the inner strength to keep them NIB, and they are now built in my showroom. So what I mean to tell you, is congratulations for the finding and preserving of these R/C legends. I'm sure they are in good and caring hands, and they definitely look wonderful altogether!
backtomyroots.
Absolutely wonderful
. Brings back many memories of Kyosho magazine reviews and articles. Well done. (Jealousy now sets in)
fantom-ep
the best Kyosho kits ever - wow!!!
tamiyoman
If i said i was jealous i would be lying, what i meant was im jealous! very, great 'Set' and long may it continue to give pleasure not only to yourself but to all the other (inc me) who will drool over the pics lol.
technical.burP
Very nice to see this. Congrats to you, Darryn! I am happy to own the Optima, Turbo Optima Mid SE and the Optima Mid Custom Special and I am fully with you.
RichieRich
Very nice collection!
tamman77
congratulations! Love being able to see collections like yours on TC so good luck on finding the rest of the cars your looking for
EnBeeDee
Done it at last ! Well done.I remember mailing you a year or two back to talk about the 'missing' Turbo Mid SE. Good luck Darryn. Neil.
Bluefoot
Now that's impressive! I'm not an NIB man myself, but I respect those that do collect them and appreciate the effort that goes into a collection like this. Well done!
Road Burner
What an achievement!! Great work Darryn!
SB_Aust
Sorry, I just have to wipe up my drool!!
Crash Cramer
Darryn, what can I say, wonderful feat you have accomplished. Could say you have climbed the RC equivalent of Mt Fuji.
I remember about 5 years ago when I seemed like a little kid again looking into your collection and emailing you more and more tapping into your vast, extensive knowledge of seemingly everything RC car related. I can truly say, it is nice to see you post something, won't bug you too much to see if you have gotten a good and fresh update to your personal site, but very nice to see you back here, even if it is for a short post here or there. I hope you can let those negative ninnies pass in your mind and share with us all once again from your collection. I do pop into the hobby shop to catch up on your articles in RC Car when I can find time.
optimaforever
Soooooo AMAZING!
These crazy shots are history themselves!
Even by Kyosho I have never heard of a gathering like this! You're probably one of the luckiest man on the earth :-D
Davecat
I have experienced more emotions viewing this posting than I did when the All Blacks went out of the last world cup. Incredible & wondrous to behold.
scollins
speechless........and jealous.
RETRO R/C
Crash - thanks so much for your kind comments mate. Hopefully, I will be building a new site later in the year (fingers crossed). To everyone else - thanks for the emails and messages here of appreciation. It makes the effort that much more worthwhile knowing that others enjoy the collection as well.
DerbyDan
Wow! I've not been a member on here for very long and your posting of this amazing collection has brought your website to my attention. Optimas were very popular cars when I first started racing (I've always wanted a Mid Custom) but I never really realised just how many variants there were - your website has answered a few questions I had - like how the Rocky fitted into the Kyosho range, I also didn't realise that the javelin was a spaceframed version of the Optima, great stuff, thank you
slimmy
retro you are a true optimaniac! and that is such a beautiful site to see.
slimmy
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Now thats what I call an optima collection. Buddy, I think you have every one. Its awesome! I'm in awe. The only other person I know that has all of these is hongkong. and I'm sure he has half dozen of each one. But he is not the average collector. Well done my new friend. WELL DONE!!!
RETRO R/C
Thanks Mate, I only know of 4 collectors in the world with every single Optima kit NIB (including me). That being said - I dont know everyone obviously.
I still get such a kick out of seeing them together - glad it inspires others to keep collecting the best brand in the world!! (woooops - this is Tamiyaclub isnt it!!) 
slimmy
Lmao, Yeah, its tamiyaclub. But its like apples and oranges. Different? Yes. But if you love one, you gotta love the other.
As you saw I have both in my showrooms. 
Klausen
Oh my, this is really awesome. I love the Optima series, and especially the Mids. I can't imagine the effort and price in getting these. Forget the first 100 Tamiyas, this is my holy grail.
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