Anyone recognizes this Optima Mid body?

[OptimaFan]

A week or so ago I bought a couple of Optima/Lazer bodies, and one of the better preserved ones is this:


http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attachments/3/1/9/5/2/0/a6849254-5-OptimaRunner06.jpg

http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attachments/3/1/9/5/2/0/a6849255-174-OptimaRunner07.jpg


At first it seemed like a stock body, but the bulb on the left window is flatter, it has a scoop on the left outskirt, and the "hood" has different edges, more chamfered. Is this homebrew or aftermarket stuff?

[terry.sc]

It's a Racecraft shell. All their bodies were tweaked slightly, the side air scoop was their signature modification.

[OptimaFan]

Thanks, it's a nice shell, now that I know what it is, I may try to get another.

[Naushad]

That's a really nice body and design!

[terry.sc]

I have the same body on my old Turbo Mid
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/tc_userimages/297/img297_1012200291818_6.jpg

[OptimaFan]

That's a really nice body and design!

Thanks! When I unpacked it I must admit it wasn't love at first sight, but as I looked it over, and after trimming it to fit the Mid (it had different mounting holes and no cut out for the gear cover, so it was probably fitted to a different car by the previous owner) and putting it on, it started to grow on me. I've put a layer of FasKoat on the inside as the paint started to flake at the edges.


@Terry: I spotted that pic when I searched for racecraft shells. Nice paintjob. I also understand there was talk in the past about kamtec making repros of it. Did this yield any result? I like the flattened bubble on the left window and the altered "bonnet" on the front.

[terry.sc]

Don't know anything about Kamtec, but I used to use loads of Racecrafts bodies as they usually looked a bit better but more importantly were a quarter the price of Kyoshos bodies.

[OptimaFan]

I found a thread where this was hinted at, but no mention of what happened afterwards.

Are these bodies still available somewhere? Price may not be so much of an issue now that we have repro bodies readily available, but the reduced bubble and some other changes make it a nice body.