kyoshofan223

I am having a terrible time finding some true street tires for my Turbo Optima re-re. The block-pattern that comes stock with the kit have worn down and are not very good in the parking lot; I really need some more grip... I'm looking for something like this, preferably pre-mounted to rims that'll fit without modification. It does surprise me that I seem to be the only one interested in something like this. Anyone have a link to something close?

Yeah, I guess it really is just everywhere. I went to a Retro Gaming Expo last month and my jaw dropped at what they were charging for old Nintendo & Sega games... games that could be had at a local Gamestop for more than 10x the price. Sure, shows like that are always more, but it was completely bonkers. It's the sheer profiteering though that bothers me more... Like how gas is $4.00 one place, then up the block it's $4.50.. Hotels that don't offer housekeeping daily anymore because they don't want to bring their staff back (and make the COVID/environment excuse). That's got nothing to do with the price of oil or the pandemic, it's simply greed... Unfortunately consumers largely don't seem to impact that stuff with their choices & just seem to pay whatever the price... More disposable income, more people willing to spend it on convenience I suppose... We've all gotten a little spoiled with the Amazon & Instacard lifestyle, but I'm still annoyed I have to wait 6 months & pay 500% markup for a part for my Kyosho pancar. The problem with it all is that I don't think the cat is going back into the bag... For one brief moment you heard all about how wages had finally gone up, but anyone in the job market can tell you that salaries are nowhere near what most people need to live a comfortable lifestyle if you're a runofthemill worker-bee.

Anyone know if this version of the Lunch Box has been discontinued? Most of the online retailers that have it on their sites note that it is out of stock & have a space to enter an email address to be notified when it is in stock, but in my experience only about half the time that option is actually used for the displayed purpose. When I do a Google/Shopping search, it turns up only the "Black" version..which is equally as cool I think, but all else being equal, I think I'd like to get my hands on the blue version if I can. Thanks!

I was just wondering if I was alone in this conclusion that certain segments of the R/C market has gotten a little out of control in the last year or so. I suppose that could be said about prices on everything, ranging from the somewhat legitimate (shipping problems / shortages related to COVID in Asia) to outright gouging (eBay sellers charging $75 for a spur gear that'd otherwise be $18 retail if it weren't backordered for > 1 year & just impossible to get otherwise). I have to wonder about why the prices of used items or vintage parts/kits are also increasing in price suddenly at such a ridiculous rate beyond normal inflation, sort of like used full-sized cars, seemingly because..well, I don't really know. I sorta get the full-sized car thing, assuming the shortage of new vehicles contributing to supply problems in the used market, but is it just the same reason anything nostalgia-related has just blown up the last few years? Classic cars from the 70s have increased astronomically, while the demand for toys, collectibles, retro video games.. .just about anything middle-aged folks like myself with too much disposable income can buy that recaptures a piece of their childhood now costs far more than it did just a few years ago. I'm getting a little off topic here, sorry... The main reason I'm ranting is because of the last two R/C kits I've purchased (both re-release incidentally) - a 1/12 Kyosho Fantom & a Tamiya Wild One (Blockhead Edition). The latter is still on backorder, but in both cases, there were a glut of marked-up examples on eBay, seemingly offered by sellers who, aware of the limited production runs, bought in bulk intending to resell for a profit. Now there are those who'd argue that this is just free enterprise, but other industries/products, like concert tickets or even auto manufacturers (with less success) have stepped in to try and help poor schnooks like me who wind up waiting months & months because we don't want to pay 1/3+ more than retail just to get it sooner. I was just wondering what y'all thought.

Anyone know a website that might list the specs for the original Kyosho USA-1 Nitro Crusher, the 1990 version? It seems like the re-release has displaced all information about the original, and I can't find anything to use in my classified ad.

Once I glue my new knobbies & hit the track, I'll definitely be in a position to report on this... though I do expect to spend a lot less time on my lid with the new wing installed. It handled like a champ last time, but my only complaint was that it was difficult to control over the jumps & I am confident the wing will make a bit difference. I'll report back.

The wing stay is screwed into the gearbox; the body clips are just connected to that little platform at the top. It's big enough area to chop off that I can make a mess of the body in the process no matter how much I try to Dremel-away my shame. I can't hang a picture straight! I'm going to try to get help with that, but right now I'm mostly interested in figuring out if the Mid-style body will work out better for the next one.

So I decided to go with the Javelin setup...It required disassembling more of the car than I expected, so the Javelin wing stay is ... here to stay , but for some reason I forgot about this part. I'm going to hold my breath & do my best not to destroy my existing bodies that weren't originally trimmed to accommodate it. The chances of it looking terrible when I'm done are very very good, so I'm already planning on buying at least one new body. Before I do, anyone know if the shell for the Optima Mid or Turbo Mid SE would be a more natural fit, accommodating the wing/stay without butchering the rear end?

Was there a really noticeable boost in top speed after making the switch? I'm wondering if there's any fiddling that can be done with the timing of the motor or adjustments to the ESC...though I can't imagine either comes from the factory with a deficit in that department. The price gouging & difficulty getting parts is definitely frustrating. The re-release was supposed to eliminate that! Ironic that even the re-releases are now overpriced & scarce. Anyway, I'm just worried about spending > $100 for 2 fewer turns on the motor & $50 on a spur gear without some more confidence that it'll have the effect I'm looking for.

It's really just the idea of doing much more cutting on any of my finished bodies that scares me the most, but it's inevitable on the Salute body anyway to clear the shock towers. I've done a bit more searching and it looks like the best option is actually the OT-65 wing stay set originally intended for the Kyosho Salute. The only wrinkle being that it seems like one of those parts that may turn up on the other side of the world every few years. This version for the Mid-series, most similar to the Javelin setup I think, is the way I think I'd like to go. It's certainly far more available. I don't have my car nearby at the moment, but there's gotta be a way to mount this someplace without a giant headache, no? If I can't figure it out, I'll probably resort to fastening it to the actual body. I'm not babying it completely, but I'm also not planning on abusing it so I don't think I need to worry much about it coming apart in a crash much (famous last words lol) if I had to go that way.

I just came across this one.. it's actually listed in the option parts for the Turbo Optima (though designed for the Scorpion I suppose). It looks like it'd be fastened directly to the body with a couple of screws. I think... Anyone tried this one? I haven't gotten my Turbo out to the local track yet, but I can't shake the memory of the huge difference it made when i showed up to our old home-built track with my old Ultima Pro (back in high school) without the wing. I left it home one day & the difference in how it took the jumps was night & day. It's already going to be much slower than the other buggies... don't need to add to my humiliation by spending more time on its roof

Interested to know if you ever got this installed... I'm desperate to get some more speed out of my re-re Turbo Optima & these are not so easy (or cheap) to get, so I'd love to see it in action.

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I am not really a fan of that wing style either, but like the mounting system. Anyone try to just use a Javelin wing/stay combo on the Turbo Optima?

Any recommendations? I need to replace the stock shocks with 4 new ones. Any assistance appreciated!