06/24/2014

Some new releases are not exactly new to some of us. The first release of this car goes back 10 years but reviving a prior release is sometimes a very welcome sight. With another one of these planned for later this year as well as the return of the Vanwall, I wanted to rekindle this series for our home racing.

Quick Data:

Motor: 18K Standard
Gearing: 9/27
Magnet: Round 3MM
Magnet Downforce: 197gm
Wheelbase: 73mm
Axle Width: 47mm Front & Rear
Weight: 57gm

There are some models in our hobby that deserve to be brought back. Back in 2004 Scalextric released this car and most of us really enjoyed it. Of course not everyone warmed up to it due to the front motor configuration and detail level, but I thought it was just fine back then and still feel that way today.

Original Review

This particular livery was actually brought out months ago, yet we did not hear much about it. I am guilty of ignoring it as the series never really caught on at our home and given the years in between releases, the interest just faded. It faded mainly due to Scalextric not following up with more models to keep a series going. The only car to run with it out of the box was the Vanwall. Later models such as the Ferrari 156 and Cooper Climax had faster slimline motors that made the models incompatible out of the box and that really hurt the series.

But as I mentioned, coming later this year is one more of these models and a new Vanwall. Although it would have been nice to see the original liveries reproduced, I think we are lucky Scalextric is bring them back at all. So when this was announced it motivated me to grab this car and see if much has changed after all these years.

The answer is not much. Our driver has a beard, so I guess he has aged a little. Other than that it looks to be the same model. The paint work is fair although the windscreen bottom and chassis is a brighter white than the body of the car. It looks odd to me but I can live with it.

Looking at one prototype photo shows Scalextric comes close enough to capturing the spirit of the 1:1 car. Not perfect, but close. Fine scale enthusiasts have never had much good to say about this model, but overall it isn't that bad to me. Only you can decide of course.

A quick glance underneath shows our button magnet at the rear and that the model is indeed front motor configuration as before. All 5 screws need to be removed to release the body from the chassis.

Inside the only changes are the color of the gears and plastic bushings. The "Sport" wrapper around the motor is long gone as well. No issue as it never meant the motor was any better than a standard one.

If you plan on keeping the stock motor, gearing, axles, etc, then you might add some adhesive to the areas shown. Especially the drive shaft bushing. This popped out very easily and could lead to gear failure over time.

Routed Wood Track Test
MidMo International Speedway
4x16 - 3 Lane MDF - Satin/Flat Latex Surface
Slot Car Corner Braid/Flush Mount - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts
Professor Motor 2110 Low Voltage Electronic Controllers
TrackMate Timing

These models never were outstanding from the box to the track on wood. That is ok because they were not made for that. On plastic with the small magnet they are fun. I remember we had many hours of racing with them back then and most of you should too.

For veteran/advanced enthusiasts there is plenty to be optimistic about. My wheels and axles seemed pretty true when I checked them in the Razor. They needed a little sanding but not much.

I installed PG tires on the rear and then another session on the Razor.  PG makes the complete set you need here. The car is smoother and tells me we have a decent model to work with. I feel the need to swap motors to the milder MT-1 but for now I will keep it stock.

The action is fun with this model if these types of cars appeal to you. It will not handle like a modern LMP car and that I like the most. It has distinction. Non-magnet tuning veterans are going to add some lead and likely more than usual to settle the model down. I added a little and that went a long way for my driving style and will just continue to tune until the action suits me. As it is it's a fun car to race just don't expect a Slot.it when you pull the trigger. It is going to need some tuning to get it as smooth as most of you prefer.

It is not perfect but I am happy with the choice. This is a fun series of models and bringing them back is a nice idea. Not for everyone of course, but fans of this era should think about getting them while you can.

With the abundance of after-market parts we have today compared to 10 years ago, this model has even more appeal. We can tune this model to extremes if we wanted to and I know many of you like that idea. Overall I am pleased to see the model coming back and this time I will make sure to grab more to keep the series alive.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com

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