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looking for a nice mid range motor for my slot it car replacements. Will be run on a medium sized track, can anyone chime in on the Classic Tuna Motor 16K in this type application?

The Tuna motor falls half way between an NC-1 type motor and a Scalextric black stripe or SCC Gator 18K motor. I tested the Tuna motor in a Scalextric Toyota Supra at both 10 and 12 volts on a wood track. At 10 volts the motor was a bit on the mild side, at 12 volts it was similar to what you get with an 18K motor at 10 volts. You did not say if the car would have a traction magnet. In a Slot.it chassis without a traction magnet a Tuna motor might be a little too mild, you might want to try a Gator motor as well.

thanks Rich, wood track...

Rich's repley prompted this response. First off I realize this is isn't the info you're after but I find having a variable power supply to be the great equalizer to tame some cars. On my small bullring (just shy of 12') I prefer to have the motor and dial back the voltage. On wood at 10 volts 18k is fun HR and toothbrush motors rock. We have never needed more speed on this track but I can still turn it down to suit the car or mood. Just my 2 cents!

If you have a car that is difficult to drive the easiest thing to do is to turn down the voltage, when you do that it is quite likely that your lap times will go down. It is nice to have a variable power supply, it is even better if you can control each lane independently. Some controllers have a "choke" feature built in and that can be helpful up to a point. You can also put a voltage regulator in the circuit for each lane or just use diodes to drop the voltage.
Switching to a less powerful motor is another option. It is nice if you know the power ratings of the motors that you are considering, the Slot Car News Motor List is a great reference for data of that sort, but it may not be up to date. Be aware that RPM measurements do not always tell the whole story about how a motor will perform on the track.
Tuning the car to handle better is another possibility, although many people prefer to keep their cars stock or nearly so. The length of your track is not as big a factor as you might think, a car that handles well will do so on any length track. If the car is actually under powered you would feel that mostly on a track with long straights. Going to a more powerful motor might get you more top speed, but if the handling is not up to par your lap times could go up.

4424ever is right about the power supply, it was the number one best improvement I've made to my track.

Back to the motor question, I haven't purchased the Tuna motor but I have several of the Gator motors and they seem to all run well and are consistent. Another low priced option is H&R's Jack Rabbit motor, it's rated at 14volts, but the ones I have are much quicker then the similarly rated NC1, M/T1 and BWA motors. They are probably running the same as the Tuna

Mark after testing 6-8 motors, we went with the "Jaws" from Slot Car Corner for our Monday nite outlaw racers. It is rated at 17,500 and we have found it great with a "heavy" 1/24 brass hard body. It may be a little more than you want, but it has turned out good for us.

Why are you not using the MT5? I am using all our take outs on my home track cars, it's great on a smaller track. My track is 7' X 32' and the longest straight about 15'. The MT (Mickey Thompson) works out fine on a smaller sized track without the killer straights.

I have Jaws on hand if you want to try one.

MB

M/T-5 is not a direct snap in replacement for the slot.it, FC-130 Can Type is required for these I have.

I like the Tuna motor at 12V. But my track is smaller. In the classics like the Chappy and McLaren they are super nice to drive. Enough speed for fun IMHO.

The Gator isn't really much of a change, in fact just a little less torque than the stock. Most of those are rated at 21K.

Mark, I understand. I know nothing about the motors in these 1/32 rtr cars. If they don't solder in, I am out of my comfort zone.