News, views, reviews and how-to's on everthing 1/32 slot car relates. Slot.it, Fly, Scalextric, SCW, MB Slot, Carrera, Ninco
04.12.2009 - 50,285 sloters from 132 countries have visited ManicSlots viewing a total of 109,594 pages with an average viewing time of 2min 12sec (statistics from Google Analytics).
Fly LE Classic Team Box Sets, (Lola T70, Ferrari 512, Porsche 917K) - Unbeatable detail, highly collectible!
So you want to be a slot car collector? Well then, this is what you should be buying, (no order).
P001 Pioneer Mustang
88269 Fly BMW M1
88286 Fly March 761 Jager
CA06D Slot.it Merc Sauber C9
SICA03F Slot.it Porsche 962C
SICA12A Slot.it Audi R8C
SICA09A Slot.it Porsche 956KH
SICA10A Slot.it McLaren F1 GTR
SICA10C Slot.it McLaren F1 GTR
SICA15A Slot.it Mazda 787B
SICW04 Slot.it LE Porsche 962
C2641A Scalextric Ferrari 330
C2775 Scalextric Ford Mustang
C2829 Scalextric Ford V8
C2558A Scalextric F1 Set
C2890 Scalextric Mustang
C2897 Scalextric Peugeot 908
C2917 Scalextric Ford GT40
C2918 Scalextric Ferrari 412P
C2923A Scalextric Classic F1 Set
C2960 Scalextric Aston Martin
C2964 Scalextric Lotus 49
C3002 Scalextric Ford Mustang
04883a Revell Chaparral 2 #65
You may have trouble finding some of the above slot cars in everyday slot shops. You may have to purchase them from the more obscure slot store, import from overseas, wait till one is available on ebay, beg...borrow...steal! ;)
The Lola T70 has been a very popular slot in the past although its popularity seems to be fading a little recently
Average 'from the box' magnetic performer. Like most Fly slot cars, the T70 will more than likely require some work. But once setup correctly, the T70 is a rewarding slot to drive
Impressive Thruxton yellow livery
Very high level of detail
Excellent paint and decal job
Weaknesses:
The Lola T70 (along with most of the Fly classic range) will require some modification and after-market parts if you are to get the most from it
Gearing a little on the noisy side
Basic engineering and rubber
Verdict:
Personally I love the Fly classic range and the Lola T70 is one of my favorites. The T70 is a very impressive and beautiful looking slot car running on the track. If you love your classic era slot cars you should absolutely have one of these to race beside the likes of Fly's Ferrari 512, Porsche 917K, Ford GT40, etc.
Scalextric will soon release the 'University of Pittsburgh' liveried Chevrolet Camaro number 19.
The 'Pittsburgh' Camaro is very distinctive looking with the black/blue and yellow wheels/headlights paint scheme. At first I thought it was hideous but over the last few days the livery has grown on me quite a bit, the livery is unique.
This from Scalextric: "Among the large range of classic racing cars the American Classic range continues to be one of the most popular. The choice of Camaro, Corvette and Mustang cars from the Scalextric ‘Pony Wars’ stable is immense and ever popular as a model or race car.
The Pittsburgh Camaro joins over a dozen Camaro liveried cars to provide ample choice to the racer to enjoy the hard knocks or muscle car racing with these detailed though robust race cars."
Motor: Mabuchi SP 18k rpm
Gear ratio: 11:36
Chassis: Rear Mounted In-line Motor Rear 2 wheel drive
Magnet: Rectangular 2.5 mm;
Down-force: ?
Overall length: 150 mm
Wheelbase: 88 mm
Axle/Hub width 54 mm Front; 54 mm Rear
Tyre diameter/width: 20(ext) x 8 mm Front; 20(ext) x 8 mm Rear
Well it appears Fly are sticking with one old equation, Jäger, Jäger, Jäger...This light weight Jägermeister orange version of the F40 has been setup for racing complete with; inline motor with adjustable moving mount and a light weight racing interior.
Decal detail looks a little on the light side and from what I can tell this is a 'fantasy' livery. It's a nice enough looking slot (who doesn't like Jäger?) but coming in with a hefty price tag I'm wondering how many slotters will be lining up for this one?
I would like to say you can read more on the new Fly Slot Cars website but there still doesn't seem to be one!
Cartix have just release the VanWall F1 number 24, an impressive looking model. I would say above all other slot manufactures, we have Cartrix to thank for the revival of the classic F1 slot car.
This from Cartrix: 'The iconic English Vanwall F1 racing team was created by Tony Vandervell at the beginning of the 1950s. Their first car, the Thinwall Special, was a modified Ferrari, but of course painted in British racing green, and thereafter raced cars of their own construction.In 1955 Vandervell undertook a new project relying on young engineers Colin Chapman and Frank Costin for the chassis and body design.
Leo Kusmicki, an engineer from Norton, had the responsibility of designing the engine. They produced a stable and aerodynamic racing car with a powerful 2.5 litre engine featuring 4 inline cylinders with direct injection and 285 HP capable of competing with the better cars of the day. In 1956 Stirling Moss was able to score Vanwall's first major victory in the Silverstone International Trophy. Moss and the rest of the driving team, including Mike Hawthorn, Tony Brooks, Harry Schell and Stuart Lewis-Evans amongst others, saw a promising start for the brand with a machine at the forefront of technology at this time, all designed and manufactured in Great Britain.
With revised rear suspension and other improved parts, 1957 saw the golden age of Vanwall begin. At Aintree, Moss took Vanwall's maiden Grand Prix victory, and the first for an all British entry for over 34 years. In the following year Vanwall reached the pinnacle of their success, wining many Grand Prix and their very first world constructor championship.
After a decade of hard work flying the English flag, the Vanwall Team’s success was suddenly curtailed due to the health problems of Tony Vandervell, who left the competition at the peak of his powers.'
Slot.it have justed announced the Long Inline for Boxer/Flat motor pod, (CH48 black below) also with Offset 1.0 mm configuration, (CH49 clear white below).
The Scalextric 412P has good potential to become collectible
Front and rear lights, (appropriate low yellowish lighting levels given the era)
Impressive 'from the box' performance, (sub 6 seconds on my track!)
High level of detail,
Fantastic paint finish
Forced centring, quick change glide
Weaknesses:
The Scalextric Classic range could do with refined driver models
Not so good non-magnetic
Verdict:
The ferrari 412P is a good looking slot car running on the track. But somehow I feel the car is lacking something visually, Scalextric haven't quite hit a home run with this model like they should have.
However if it's track performance that counts the 412P is a stunner and very impressive in magnetic trim (which is what it is designed to do). I already have several of these in my collection and I have a feeling they may grow in numbers.
Slot.it are about to release what is their most anticipated slot car for 2009, above is the Specification Card supplied by Slot.it.
Many would argue that the Mazda 787B 'Le Mans Winners Collection' could be the most anticipated Slot.it for the last 3 years, only time will tell.
With collectors paying over $AU220 for Scalextric's 'Gold Leaf' Lotus Type 49 on ebay it makes you wonder if Slot.its latest limited edition will sell out just as quickly?
Are you getting tired of your boring computer screen at work or home? We have a huge selection of desktop wallpaper and although we can't guarantee they will make the hours at work go faster, at least you'll have something fun to look at while you're there!
I have just added some new Scalextric Lotus 'Gold Leaf Team' Type 49 and Pioneer Bullitt Mustang 390 GT wallpapers to the wall paper section.
Click the 'Wallpaper Page' buttons to the top left to access.
Hornby hopes Jenson Button will put Scalextric back on track
From UTV Business:'Model Maker looking to Formula One world champion to lift sales after sharp fall in half-year profits. Hornby is hoping that Jenson Button will get its sales figures motoring this Christmas after suffering a sharp fall in profits. The company said today that Button's victory in the Formula One world championship should provide "a significant boost" to the sales of its Scalextric and Micro Scalextric toys.
"Hornby holds the exclusive worldwide licence to produce slot racing products featuring the Brawn team and Jenson Button. The first products carrying this licence will be available in time for Christmas 2009," it told the City.
Two years ago, Hornby benefited from the popularity of Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 world champion. Scalextric sets modelled on the young driver helped to push sales up by 30% overall.
Hornby, whose products also include Corgi model cars and Airfix model planes, made a pre-tax profit of £700,000 in the six months to 30 September, down from £1.8m the previous year. In the UK, Hornby grew its turnover by 1.5%, despite a fall in sales of model railway and Scalextric products. It blamed this on retailers who resisted ordering new supplies ahead of the Christmas period.
"Sales of Scalextric sets priced at the top and lower ends of our range remained robust, while demand for sets priced in the middle of the range was more muted," Hornby reported. "We anticipated this trend and we have introduced several new Micro Scalextric sets that have proved popular. In particular the Micro Scalextric Need for Speed and Disney's Cars sets are selling very well."
Hornby has experienced supply chain problems involving its Chinese supplier, Sanda Kan. It was taken over last year, and Hornby reported today that the situation is finally improving, with shipment volumes now increasing each week. "With the effects of our supply chain issues now receding, the board remains confident in the prospects for the year," said Neil Johnson, Hornby's chairman.
The company has also suffered from the weakness of sterling, which has eroded its profits and cash generation. It will not pay an interim dividend, having suspended payouts to shareholders back in June. Shares in Hornby slipped 1.4% this morning to 139p.'
So the moral of the story is, buy a Brawn F1 slot when they come out or one of our beloved slot manufactures may not be making all the slots we love so much. I KNOW I'll be getting one, even more so now!
Just released by Scalextric is the wicked looking Polyphony Digital Ford GT racing number 4. If you're a Gran Turismo fan (the racing series has sold more the 50 million copies Worldwide) you'll be aware of two things. One, that this particular Ford GT #4 is featured in the opening movie from Gran Turismo 4 (2005) and that Gran Turismo 5 is due for release prior to Christmas.
You can see the Scalextric Ford GT #4 in the below opening movie from Gran Turismo 4 opening movie, just FANTASTIC!
The Scalextric Model is a high build-quality specification with equal high performance straight out of the box and superior livery paintwork. The model Features;
High detail. Working lights fitted front and rear
Magnatraction and quick change braid plate
Digital ready chassis
Wide rear axle gives excellent road-holding attributes which will make this car a must for the racer
Tyre diameter/width: 21(ext), 15(int) x 9 mm Front; 21(ext), 15(int) x 11 mm Rear
Weight: Car 85 gm; Case 156 gm
I think Scalextric have hit a home run with this release, it's bound to be very popular with slotters and fans of the Gran Turismo series alike. The wheels are a perfect match for the GT4 game car as are the decals and body work. There is a stunning looking all black Ford GT in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue so here's hoping Scalextric have that one on the radar for release.
“It all begins with a glance in the rear view mirror and the click of a lap belt. What follows is the greatest car chase ever filmed. The Mustang 390 GT engages in a thrill-a-second, cat & mouse pursuit of the black Dodge Charger through the streets of San Francisco and out to the open highway.
In October 1968, Steve McQueen extended his considerable screen persona playing the role of Lieutenant Frank Bullitt in the Warner Bros. movie BULLITT. At the same time the Highland Green Mustang 390 GT would be forever granted the title of ‘The Greatest Chase Car in Cinema History’ – an accolade now maintained for over 40 years.
The BULLITT Mustang is regularly voted one of the most iconic movie cars of all time - exuding the essence of ‘car cool’. This was a regular 390 GT Mustang before the movie company added, removed and replaced stock fittings. The production company created an understated and enigmatic pursuit vehicle that has never been surpassed.
Two Mustangs were created for the chase scene with only one known to survive the rigors of filming. The mysterious whereabouts of the only surviving movie car simply adds to the mystique and continuing interest in this car. The appeal of BULLITT guarantees that this vehicle will always deserve its prime position amongst the true greats – a speeding legend.”
Some history and facts on the movie BULLITT from Wikipedia:
“Bullitt is a 1968 American thriller film starring Steve McQueen. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was adapted for the screen by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, based on the novel titled Mute Witness (1963) by Robert L. Fish (aka Robert L. Pike). Lalo Schifrin wrote the original music score, a mix of jazz, brass and percussion.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing (Frank P. Keller) and was nominated for Best Sound. Writers Trustman and Kleiner won a 1969 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture Screenplay.
Bullitt is probably best-remembered for its car chase scene through the streets of San Francisco, regarded as one of the most influential car chase sequences in movie history. The scene had Bullitt in a dark "Highland Green" 1968 Ford Mustang 390 CID Fastback, chasing two hit-men in a "Tuxedo Black" 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440 Magnum.
In 2007, Bullitt was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
I can’t count how many times I’ve watched the famous BULLITT chase scene over the last 3 decades? I can still remember watching it with my Dad, the two of us glued to the television, jaws wide open as Steve McQueen tears up the streets of San Francisco! What makes the scene so legendary? Well it’s a scene I’ll watch with my son in a few years and we will both be glued to the television, jaws wide open as Steve McQueen tears up the streets of San Francisco once again! It’s a chase scene you want to watch again and again and again.
If you haven’t seen the infamous chase scene, (above) well then you’re in for something astonishing! Let me hand you over to Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, enjoy.
PRESENTATION
The Pioneer Bullitt Mustang display case reminds me of the previous rectangular Scalextric style display case (except with a grey base) with a crystal lid. Pioneer has gone the extra yard, (something you'll hear a lot during this review) and labelled the base impressively including yellow racing stripes.
As this is the first Pioneer I’m not sure if this will be the standard base labelling for future slots but it’s a good bet it will be. Unlike the Scalextric packaging, the slot is fixed to the base via a screw for safety in transit – a good move. The case also comes with a cover sleeve similar to what Slot.it uses; the sleeve is well done including photos from the chase scene and Steve McQueen as Lt Frank Bullitt, a really nice touch.
It’s at this point I need to talk about some of the extra goodies you get with your Bullitt, yes goodies. Firstly Pioneer has released the slot with what they are calling the ‘Vehicle Data Card’ or ‘VDC’ for short. The VDC is a wax coated cardboard card that details the history and specifications of the 1:1 car, things such as body and engine modifications made specifically for the movie. No prizes for guessing that the Bullitt card is VDC#001 and we can assume that all future Pioneer releases will come with their own VDC as there is a small graphic under the VDC#001 numbering that says “Collect them all”.
Now the next goodie really impressed me, I’ve purchased hundreds of slot over the years, (including some worth 3 and 4 times the Pioneer Bullitt) and I’ve never been provided with such a comprehensive bag of spare parts for a slot. Sure its nice to receive a pair of spare guides with a Scalextric or a rear set of performance tires with a Slot.it, (sometimes even an unpainted/undecaled rear tail) but Pioneer has taken things to the next level, inclusions are;
Full spare set of tires, (4)
Spare front bumper with decaled number plate
2 spare windscreen wipers
Spare rear vision mirror
Spare guide (with long guide post for convenient braid replacement) and set of braids.
Given the rising cost of slot cars, I don’t think a manufacture providing you with a few spare parts is too much to expect. I can’t help but think some manufactures have a huge side business of selling replacement parts for slots that could have been designed to be more robust in the first place.
Well done Pioneer, hopefully others will follow your example.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Let’s face it; we will never have enough funds to buy all the slot cars we would like and unfortunately there are times we are forced to let one slip through our collection. So I thought I'd add a new section to my reviews regarding the value the slot car represents as a way of helping with the dilemma of, ‘Should I really get this slot?’
I’m going to keep this short. Since the introduction of the ‘Value for money’ section into my reviews it’s never been easier to categorically say ‘Yes, this slot represents great value for money, you should purchase one now’.
The P001 Mustang is an accurately detailed, well engineered, very collectible, high quality, well presented, fantastic track performer and as you know a slot with all those characteristics doesn’t come along every day.
Even if you’re not really into the 60’s American muscle cars, you need a Bullitt in your collection.
Something very interesting to ponder is that the Bullitt Mustang is part of the Pioneer ‘Screen Stars’ series. From this I think we can assume there may be other slots released in the ‘Screen Stars’ series, other than the 1968 Dodge Charger from Bullitt.
Perhaps other famous cars such as;
1967 Fastback Mustang 500 GT ‘Eleanor’ from the movie ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’? (from 1974 and the 2000 remake)
1977 Pontiac Trans Am from ‘Smokey and the Bandit’
1970 Porsche 911S from the movie ‘Le Mans’
1969 Dodge Charger used in the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’
All cult cars with huge followings, the list is endless. I think Pioneer is onto a really good thing here.
QUALITY & DETAIL
Paint finish on the Bullitt is very good with no sign of runs or imperfections. Pioneer have matched the ’highland’ green colour perfectly based on photos and movie footage. Small details such as chrome door surrounds, door handles and locks, driver and wheel nuts are well painted adding detail.
The driver figure has clearly been moulded and painted to reflect Lt. Frank Bullitt and I think Pioneer have done an excellent job with this. Take a close look at a driver figure from just about any other street slot's driver and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
As this a street car there is very little in the way of decals on the model, front and rear number plates and side reflectors are also decals. The front of the Bullitt is well detailed with bonnet vents, clear lights and indicators, silver bumper, number plate, wind screen wipers and the all important black mesh grill with silver surround.
As mentioned previously, the driver detail is excellent and having the driver’s hand on the gear stick is a nice touch. Steering wheel, gear stick, rear vision mirror, dash dials, seats, (even door trim and window winders) and round side rear vision mirror all look fantastic!
As in the movie the driver’s window is open while the passenger window is shut. Fortunately for us this allows the viewing of all this superb internal detail.
The side venting and intakes has been done accurately and really portrays the aggressive almost ‘predatory’ appearance of the Bullitt Mustang. As you would expect the rear detail is also impressive with twin exhaust pipes, decaled number plate, black surround tail lights, refuelling cap and boot lock.
The Bullitt’s wheels are sublime; if Pioneer don’t release these wheels as a separate part they are crazy. The green 5 spoke mags look fantastic and finish off the model perfectly.
An interesting Pioneer innovation is the quick braid system. When you look through your bag of spare parts the first thing you’ll notice is that the guide has a very long post. At first I wasn’t too sure why this was but later I realised this has been specifically designed to allow easy access to the guide for braid replacement.
The braids look similar to Carrera braids but are far easier to replace as you don’t have to pull the slot apart or remove the guide and disconnect wiring from the slot. Fantastic!
It’s thinking outside the box like this that show you Pioneer slots are designing and made by slot car enthusiasts not CAD technicians or bean counters!
Prior to P001s release, I read a forum article about the deliberation Pioneer was having over treaded wheels, should the Bullitt have them or not? Pioneer decided to go with a tread pattern to present the model as realistically as possible. One impressive story that highlights Pioneers commitment to model accuracy and detail, I’m sure there are hundreds of such stories.
Well the hundreds of deliberations have paid off; the Bullitt Mustang is one of the finest slot car I have ever seen. To think this is the first slot car Pioneer has released, we have exciting time ahead!
PERFORMANCE
The Bullitt’s body is attached to the chassis via 6 screws (2 of the screws attach to the internal drivers tray) and can be quickly removed for adjustment and then easily assembled. The Bullitt is Digital Plug Ready ‘DPR’ and uses Scalextric Easy Fit Digital Plug, (reference part C8515) which can be quickly plugged in converting the car to digital although I did not test this as I have an analogue setup.
Let me make something clear from the start, this is a very quick slot! I’m not just talking about a slot that is quick down the straights, but a slot that is just as quick through technical, challenging sections of my layout (this slot eats reverse curves for breakfast!) This slot has been made for racing and with a name like ‘Bullitt’ that is a relief!
The Typhoon 18K motor (see below) has brisk acceleration and the chassis works very well through the corners. Magnetic down force is significant but not hindering to the fluidness of the slot like with some slots I have tested, (the Slot.it McLaren comes to mind).
First impressions are very important and on the track the Bullitt Mustang is instantly impressive and very smooth. Basically I removed the slot from the box, put it on the track and I had a winner. No adjustment of braids, no correction of rear axle slop, no truing of tires, the Bullitt is truly a ‘ready to run’ slot car.
Speaking of first impressions, the stance of the Bullitt sitting on the track is awesome. Pioneer took a huge risk in my opinion making this car, the Bullitt Mustang is a cult car and nothing short of a perfect representation of the 1:1 car would have been accepted by fans.
My local hobby store currently has diecast models of the Bullitt Mustang and these static models have not captured the 1:1 car accurately, it’s amazing that a slot car has. Speaking with Jules, Pioneer estimates that around 30% of sales of the Bullitt have gone to people that don’t even have a slot car track! An amazing achievement in itself but it got me thinking; have Pioneer created a slot that will bring new members to this hobby we love so much?
I have always been a fan of street cars but the Bullitt isn’t really a street car is it? Once Pioneer release the Dodge Charger this street car becomes a race car, it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing and that makes it very exciting.
Straight off the bat with less than 10 laps on board, the Bullit was running low 6 second laps. Any slot that runs 6 seconds on my track is very impressive. I wanted to see what the Bullitt was capable of, I decided to true the rear rubber which removed the detailed tire tread patterns, (fortunately the Bullitt comes with a spare set). I'd say that 90 percent of the rear rubber was in contact with the track FTB. As you would expect, track performance improved a little post truing.
There is a slight play (less than 1mm) in the rear axle so it was not necessary to shim the rear axle. The Bullitt is old school and doesn’t come with a floating motor pod so I decided to loosen the chassis/body screws a turn each to allow a bit of body roll. The body fits onto the chassis very well so this didn’t achieve a great degree of freedom. These are small things but they can add up.
Time to go back to the track and after an hour of running, the Bullitt was consistently achieving times in the mid 5 seconds range! Out of the 60 plus slots I have tested on my track, only 6 have run times around the mid 5 seconds putting the Bullitt in the top 10 percent of track performers bloody impressive!
So how does it run non magnetic I hear you say? Well let’s find out. Magnet removal is easy, the inside of the slot is very simple and although digital ready you aren’t presented with a sea of wiring upon opening the slot. Speaking of wiring, at first I thought I would have liked to see the Bullitt with lights but as it never had lights on during the movie chase scene, the slot would have looked different running on the track. I certainly don’t miss the additional wiring and weight lighting brings with it in this case.
With significant magnetic down force I was concerned the Bullitt would be lost once the magnet was removed. I’m happy to report that this is not the case. The Bullitt is every bit as impressive in non magnetic setup, in fact I would say many slotters will remove the magnet and never put it back in. The reason? I think the Bullitt looks better and more like the 1:1 car in the movie as it slides through turns, you can almost see the tire smoke as you power out of the corner!
The good news is you can have your cake and eat it too with magnetic setup, moving the magnetic to the front position (there are 2 positions, back being the default) and the Bullitt will still run fast times but will slide around a little.
I run Carrera track and have several hump sections installed and these did present a little trouble for the Bullit which would deslot when run quickly through these sections. I added a little weight (less than 5 grams - see photo above) up front and this solved the problem. I think once setup properly for non mag racing the Bullitt will become a race winner. Non magnetic times were consistently around the 7.6 second range, best time was 7.61.
As a comparison, this time beats my non mag Fly Porsche 911 GT1 EVO3 with alloy wheels, floating motor pod, etc., etc. with a retail price tag in the $AU100 plus range!
The 'Bullitt' Mustang is a very exciting and highly anticipated maiden release from Pioneer and for good reasons; this is a very special slot car.
It reminds me of when Slot.it released the Audi R8C or when Fly released the very first Viper, events that define the evolution of slot cars in our hobby. Pioneer's Mustang does just that, it evolves our hobby by setting new standards in attention to detail and finish. Pioneer is clearly a company that thinks outside the box and listens to the slot community with both ears.
Pioneer has shown they are prepared to go to extreme lengths with respect to detail and finish and have engineered a very drivable, lighting quick slot car. If you don't have one of these in your collection you're crazy!
The NSR Abarth 500 Assetto Corsa (Race Tuned) was created in the streamline of the Mosler GT project which has dominated in the GT top class either in National and International competitions since it was born in 2006.
In according with our NSR philosophy, we have worked to obtain the best performances without any compromise. The NSR Abarth 500 Assetto Corsa has such road holding capability to give you unespected satisfactions despite its reduced dimensions."
NSR POLICY‘Ready to Run’ is not enough!
NSR's objective is to make a high-quality ‘Ready to Race’ car. It needed to be competitive straight out the box, without any fiddling or modifications required to make it perform properly and we believe that this second car has also achieved this target. Our policy is to offer really a ‘Ready To Win’ car; we never like that people need to buy aluminium wheels to replace plastic wheels, soft rubbers to replace hard rubbers, or a motor to replace slow box stock motor…!
The NSR ABARTH 500 Assetto Corse is an innovative model with high tech components, highly performing on track still respecting the scale modellistic aspect. Manufacturing costs and artisan labor in Italy are however significantly higher than China or East Europe, but NSR is very proud of the fact that all the models are completely and entirely built in Italy, thus allowing NSR to have absolute control over quality and to demonstrate our Country capability. All NSR cars are assembled and tested exclusively into NSR Factory and only by NSR employers, so NSR can offer full warranty about final product.
BODYSHELL
The "Modellistic" attitude with high attention to details is an aspect which we consider to be fundamental and this has been fully adhered to, in fact the bodyshell is completed in all the particular as the real one. Inside the cockpit there is a four pieces driver, two pieces roll-bar, steering wheel, fire estinguisher, gear shift. Cockpit is good detailed; driver has belt, helmet and gloves hand-painted by our employers of course.
We care about details too, since we added chromed parts such exhaust system, gear shift and others. The body is fixed to the chassis by way of two screws at the front, whilst the rear end is held by way of a protruding tongue sticking out from the bottom of the chassis. Body dimensions are 56 mm width, 120mm lenght, 46 mm high. The wheelbase is 74mm and the distance from center of rear axle to center guide is 86.5mm. The weight of the fully accessoried and painted bodyshell it is 19 gr. whilst the weight of the RTR car it is 69g.
CHASSIS
The main chassis is nylon made “flat” design of 1 to 1,5 mm thickness for maximum grip when cornering whilst capable to withstand crashes. Motor support is held in position to main chassis by three screws (one in front and two at the side) which are only crossing it to screw into an independent ring. This allows the motor support to move independently from the chassis and in the desired amount (which can be set by simply unscrewing the screws from underneath).
The motor is of a sidewinder configuration with only 2 degrees from the rear axle. The chassis comes with a removable traction magnet, located just ahead of the motor; the neodymium magnet is round, 4mm high and 8mm diameter with 3 different mounting positions. The guide is counter-sunk well inside the chassis to allow desired ground clearance by the use of thin spacers to be placed in between the guide itself and the chassis. The one piece front axle can move vertically for right front clearance. Rear pillow block height, allows the gear to protrude only 1mm under the chassis level thus leaving still 1 mm. gear/track clearance.
PICK-UP GUIDE
The guide is similar to that of current offerings, but it is low-profile (only 1mm thickness); exclusive adjustable height using .005” and/or .010" and/or .020” new spacers, to cater for racing on all types of plastic tracks, as well as wooden tracks with raised, flush or recessed braid/copper tape to optimise the braids contact. The pivoting shaft is 8mm. high for a free vertical movement. The brass connectors used to fix the wires to the guide are newly made, slightly bigger, chosen to guarantee a tough contact with our smallest thickness braids.
TIRES
Tires have same size in front and rear, as real car. Low profile and soft compound’s rear tires guarantee an exceptional grip on any kind of track surface.
MOTOR
The motor for the NSR ABARTH 500 Assetto Corse is the Shark 20k, fully developed by triple World Champion Salvatore Noviello, made always by the same NSR philosophy: to realize high performance product without compromises! Shark 20k motor has 20000 RPM at 12Volts with an excellent torque value of 164 gr/cm. The motor can is opened from both sides, it has cooling oval holes and the magnets are ceramics.
MECHANICAL
The components of NSR ABARTH 500 Assetto Corse are made up of the usual high-quality from NSR:
NSR3004 20K Shark motor, 20000rpm 164gr-cm
NSR4801 precision and very strong 3/32" diameter axles
NSR5003 aluminium 17mm. diameter front and rear - NO air system - 4/40 set screw front wheels,
NSR5244”Supergrip' rear softer rubbers, low profile 19 x 8mm.
NSR5243 ‘No-friction’ hard front rubbers, low profile 19 x 8 mm.
Cursa Models release the 1/32 Alfa 33-2 "Periscopica"
The Cursa Alfa 33-2 Periscopia is one beautiful looking slot car and what can I say about that wooden base, absolutely stunning!
From the Cursa Models: "Cursa Models have been producing slot cars since 1990. In a new move, Cursa Models will be producing "ready to run" 1/32 scale models made from our composite materials known for their lightness and strength that have had much success in 1/24 scale to date."
"Our latest model, created by Juanjo Moya (Mini Replicas in its early stages, and currently Cursa Models and Power Slot manager and modeller) and Albert Jobal (Slot Adictos spanish forum administrator), and the car of the Slot Adictos Forum 2009: the Alfa Romeo 33-2 "Periscopica", which gets it's nickname from the periscope-like central air intake."
"The car will be delivered with the wooden base and metal name-plate as in the photos. The series will be limited to 300 units, numbered and including a certificate signed by the designers and builders. The "Periscope" is a model considered by many experts as one of the most beautiful race cars ever built. Despite it's short racing history it made a remarkable début victory at the Fléron Hill Climb, 1967 in Belgium as well as 5th place in the 1000 Kilometres of Nürburgring in 1967, being the only vehicle capable of following the Porsche 910, and staying ahead of a competitive Ford GT40."
MERCEDES-BENZ BUILDS 400M SLOT CAR TRACK THROUGH E-CLASS ESTATE
A 400m slot car track in the new Mercedes E-Class Estate: 1275 pieces of track fit into the 1950 litre trunk of the wagon. The 500 square metres of track runs right through the Estate.
The Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49 No.5 was driven by Graham Hill in the Tasman Series, Australia in 1968. Some history on the 49 from Wikipedia:
“From its introduction in 1967 the Lotus 49 was painted in Lotus's traditional British racing green with yellow centre-stripe. Over the following 16 months the design gained increasing numbers of sponsor patches and large driver name strips, while retaining the traditional base scheme. However, from the 1968 Monaco race, the 49 was painted red, cream and gold, the colours of Gold Leaf cigarettes after Chapman signed a lucrative sponsorship deal. It was the first sign of big money entering the sport."
"In testing, Graham Hill found the Lotus 49 easy to drive and responsive, but the power of the Ford engine difficult to handle at first. The V8 would give sudden bursts of power that Hill had reservations about. However, Jim Clark won its debut race at Zandvoort with ease and took another 3 wins during the season, but early unreliability with the DFV ended his championship hopes."
"It had teething problems in its first race for Graham Hill, and it had spark plug trouble at the Belgian Grand Prix, held on the 8.76 mile (14.73 kilometre) Spa-Francorchamps. Jim Clark and Graham Hill fell victim to the reliability issues at the French Grand Prix, held at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit (a smaller circuit using only part of the track used for the Le Mans 24 Hours), and lost to Jack Brabham. Jim Clark then ran out of fuel at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix. Mechanical failures cost Lotus the championship that year, but it was felt that 1968 would be a better year after Cosworth and Lotus perfected their designs, which were clearly the way forward."
“Clark won the first race of the 1968 season, the South African Grand Prix and the Tasman Series in Australia, but was tragically killed in an F2 race at Hockenheim. Graham Hill took over as team leader and won his second World Championship title, after clinching three Grand Prix wins - including the fourth of his five Monaco Grands Prix.”
Above is a fantastic movie of Graham Hill putting the Lotus 49 (British racing green with yellow centre-stripe) through some testing.
PRESENTATION
The Lotus 49 comes in Scalextrics relatively new crystal presentation box with flip top lid. The box reminds me of the crystal boxes Scalextric produced slots in during the 70s. I'm a huge fan of the packaging, slots are displayed at a 10-15% forward slope improving model visibility, (for those of you that store them in their box when not in use) and the boxes vertically stack together well. The model is well secured with a single screw thread and is easy to quickly remove.
A British Racing green sticker has been applied to the rear of the box detailing the slot to be a ‘Classic Team Lotus’ product approved and licensed by Classic Team Lotus Ltd. – a nice touch.
As this is a limited edition model, Scalextric have placed a ‘Special Edition’ number sticker on each box depicting each slots release number. My Lotus 49 is release number 1407 of 1500, it makes you wonder which Scalextric manager or representative has release 1-10 of 1500?
VALUE FOR MONEY
Let’s face it; we will never have enough funds to buy all the slot cars we would like and unfortunately there are times we are forced to let one slip through our collection. So I thought I'd add a new section to my reviews regarding the value the slot car represents as a way of helping with the dilemma of, ‘Should I really get this slot?’
As this car is a ‘Special Edition; limited to only 1500 it was a little more expensive than the usual Scalextric release. Scalextric slot car pricing has risen (as with most slot manufactures) over the last 6 months from $AU50 to $AU59. At the old $AU50 Scalextric slot cars represented great value for money, at $AU59 they are still competitively priced against Carrera, SCX and Ninco.
As a ‘Special Edition’ the Lotus 49 was unfortunately priced between $AU69 and $79 (store dependant) which puts it in direct competition with slot manufactures with higher levels of finish, detail and engineering. Specifically slot manufactures such as Slot.it, Avant Slot or MB Slot. This meant that when you could purchase (or pre order) the Gold Leaf Lotus 49, the decision became one of emotion rather than one of value for money. But then this was a very special release, particularly for Australian motor fans.
By now we all know that this release has completely sold out world wide and is destined to become a very collectible slot car. Hypothetically, if you did decide (against better judgement) to part with your Lotus 49 you would probably more than double your outlay. The Scalextric Lotus 49 goes to prove that just like their 1:1 counterparts; the whole of a slot car doesn’t necessarily equal the sum of its parts. There is more to slot cars than just paint finish, decal quality, engineering, detail and accuracy or model features.
Does the Gold Leaf Lotus 49 represent value for money? No. Do I have one and wish I could get another? YES!
SPECIFICATIONS
· Length: 130mm · Wheel Base: 75mm · Crown Gear: 27 Tooth · Pinion Gear: 9 Tooth · Easy change Pick-ups (2 spare pick-ups provided with model) · Motor: Mabuchi FF 18000 · Chassis: Rear Mounted In-line; Rear 2 wheel drive · Magnatraction: Round 2.5 mm; Down-force 235 gm · Axle/Hub width: 56 mm Front; 60 mm Rear · Tyre dia/width: 19(ext): 12(int) x 8 mm Front; 20(ext), 12(int) x 11 mm Rear · Weight: 51 grams
QUALITY & DETAIL
As with all modern Scalextric releases, the Lotus’s paint finish has been done very well, of particular note is the gold finish on the nose of the slot. The bodies red paint has a lovely deep richness to it as well. Decal level is of a high standard and when compared to the 1:1 car, pretty accurate. The Lotus emblem is clear on the nose of the slot as is the ‘Lotus Ford Australia’ writing. Ford branding on the engine is also very legible although being no more than a 2mm font.
One noticeable omission is the ‘Gold Leaf’ sponsorship from the side of the slot, due to the fact that Gold Leaf is a tobacco company. As a parent I appreciate Scalextric efforts regarding a potential child’s toys and the issue of tobacco. However I would like to see them do something similar to what Slot.it does by covering up the decals with blank stickers which can be removed thus allowing you the option of displaying the slot accurately if you wish. Even if they provided the buyer with a small pack of the missing decals that could be applied which is a practice Fly used to do.
The model detail on this slot is beautiful but as with most things beautiful, a little fragile. Due to the notoriety of this slot, I doubt if too many will be fiercely raced. The rear exhaust detail extends well past the rear of the slot and would not survive even a small knock. The drivers head seems well fixed in the event that the slot may roll through a corner. The drivers head should protect the finer rear suspension, engine, rear view mirrors and roll bar detail.
Can I just reiterate that the detail on Lotus 49 is very impressive! By way of comparison, Scalextric’s Lotus 49 is almost as detailed as Fly’s March 761 and that is saying something. The 761 wins the contest due to its suspension and working steering but then it’s a more expensive model.
Front detail is relatively simple but well done, there is a mesh grill air intake within the open nose and the front suspension is nicely detailed, wheels having brake discs and venting. These front suspension assemblies are a little prone to damage and once damaged can seriously affect the handling of the slot. I once damaged the front suspension of a Scalextric Ferrari 156 resulting in the front axle not being perpendicular to the cars body and digging into the track through corners resulting in deslotting. Fortunately Scalextric provide replacement parts and I was able to purchase a new front suspension assembly for a few dollars. I haven’t checked but I’m sure Scalextric will provide parts for the Lotus 49 as well.
The driver figure, steering wheel and dash detail are excellent; the driver is clearly making a left hand turn which is a nice touch. Detail abounds, there is a Lotus emblem in the centre of the steering wheel that is so small I didn’t even see it for the first week I had the slot. Side mirrors are plastic and are attached to the front windscreen, they are well enough protected by the wheels and drivers head in the event of an ‘off’.Moving on to the rear of the slot you can clearly see the moulding (in the engine) to accommodate the crown gearing - This doesn't detract from the model. The rear end is where the detail on the Lotus really shines, the rear suspension, exhaust and engine look just fantastic! The toe hook, refuelling pipe and cap, engine rivets and leads, roll bar and extractors look terrific! Scalextric have done a really good job of cramming in as much detail on what is a tiny model, it only weights 51 grams and is 130mm long!The wheels look accurate and impressive and the overall sleekness of the Lotus 49 has been captured very well. The 49 reminds me a little of the Scalextric Cooper, just sleeker. If you watch the above movie of Graham Hill putting the Lotus 49 through testing you would have noticed just how wide, low and sleek the 49 was. I’m very happy to say the Scalextric release does the 1:1 Lotus 49 justice.PERFORMANCE
The 49’s body is attached to the chassis via 5 small screws and like most classic Scalextric offerings, the body is a little tricky to pull apart and put together.
This is a VERY light slot car weighing in at a tiny 51 grams. Combine this with the Mabuchi FF 18000rpm motor in rear-wheel drive configuration and you have an impressive power to weight ratio. Adding to this impressive figure is the Lotus’s low centre of gravity. Magnatraction is provided by Scalextic’s faithful 2.5mm round magnet resulting in 235 grams of down force. Like most slots in the Scalextric classic range, there are only two locations for the magnet, in or out. So on paper the 49 has all the right ingredients but enough talk, let’s see how she actually goes on the track.
As you would expect acceleration is lightening quick, catapulting the 49 to its top speed rapidly. My fist impression of the slot, (once I stopped grinning that is) was that the Lotus is smooth, very smooth and free flowing. Above all else, a smooth flowing slot is a pleasure to drive/race and the charastic I always look for most. On my Carrera track, the Lotus 49 does not have too much magnetic down force resulting in the rear end being able to slide a little through the corners although grip levels are pretty high from the rear rubber. When I pushed too hard, the small button magnet would let go resulting in the rear end giving way and the car deslotting.
The 49 noticeably improved the more it was driven with lap time steadily falling from low 7s to high 5s within approximately 100-150 laps. I became so confident with the performance of the slot through corners (even through a difficult reverse curve section) that I began to really push the slot. It was inevitable that I was headed for heartache. Pushing through a reverse curve section I put the 49 on its roof or should I say gave Graham Hill a headache? I felt quite ill as I picked up the Lotus expecting to see some small piece of detail broken or completely missing but after inspection I was relieved the slot had sustained no damage what-so-ever. The drivers head works well to protect the 49’s small and delicate detail.For this review I raced the 49 against a Scalextric Ferrari 156 F1 for comparison. I was never greatly impressed (performance wise) with the 156 on my track achieving a mediocre lap time of 6.52 seconds. The Lotus 49 however is a different story churning out consistent high 5 second lap times and I KNOW this car is capable of faster times. I always felt the Sharknose Ferrari 156 was a very impressive looking slot, (still do) but when side by side with the Lotus 49 there is no contest – The 49 is a very impressive looking slot car that makes the 156 look almost chunky!
The front wheels of the 49 just touch the track, (on a flat section) which lends itself to the perfect tripod for the front steering. The downside of this is you will notice that the front wheels may not be rotating which looks a little strange. Given the noise levels of some of Scalextrics recent releases, I happy to report the 49 is a relatively quite slot.
Some tire truing was required, (easily done with Scalextric’s rubber compound) I'd say that 75 percent of the rear rubber was in contact with the track FTB. As you would expect, track performance improved post truing. I would be very interested to see if a high performance rubber tire (MJK perhaps) is available for this slot. Best track time ended up being an impressive 5.84 seconds making the 49 one of the fastest Scalextrics on my track.
Carrera are due to release 2 new slot models, the Nissan GT-R Super GT and the Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT. The Nissan GT-R will be released in 2 liveries, (the popular "YellowHat" Ref 30479 and "Motul" Ref 30478) while the 722 GT will be released in the "Orange Babies" (Ref 30485) livery.
Scalextric are due to release the 722 GT as well and from the pictures I've seen, Carrera may have a battle on their hands for our hard earned dollars.
Well it's been a while since I did a full review (see the 'Gallery Page' for ManicSlot's Mini Reviews) but the new Scalextric 'Gold Leaf Team' Lotus 49 got me thinking, it's time to get back on the horse!
The review has been written, the photos taken and processed, all that's left is to compile and code it during the week. Watch this space if you're a fan of the 49 and let's face it, who isn't!?
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Daytona 24 Hrs 2009
This from Sideways Slot Cars, the new Chip Ganassi Racing liveried Riley MKXX driven by Montoya, Pruett and Rojas at the 2009 Daytona 24 Hrs.
I can't say I've driven one of these but as Sideways is made by Racer I would expect good things. Detail levels look excellent (although a little on the fragile side, rear vision mirors and rear end) as you would expect from any slot car Racer has anything to do with. The Target red/blue and white livery is also quite striking.
Nascars anyone? Hell yeah, Scalextric have released two exciting new Chevrolet Impala SS Nascar liveries; the Dale Earnhart Jnr No. 88 (C3003) and the J. Johnson Lowes No. 48 (C3004).
This from Scalextric: "NASCAR has been a very popular theme in the Scalextric range for over 10 years and has built up an excellent reputation for providing high quality build cars, the very best level of decoration, robustness and exciting performance.
The simple side-winder chassis design, rugged body exterior and detailed interior make this car a joy to race. Scalextric has also released two liveries of Dale’s 2008 team car. The National Guard livery (C2958) and the AMP sponsored car (C2895). The very colourful NASCAR cars are also a very popular theme for collectors."
If you have some of these then you'll know just how well they perform on the track and just how much fun they can be when competitively raced! Exterior detail levels (great interiors) are a little lower than your usual Scalextric slot but they more than make up for that deficiency in decals and track performance and of course Nascars don't have real lights.
Motor: Mabuchi SP 18k rpm
Gear ratio: 11:36
Chassis: Rear Mounted In-line Motor Rear 2 wheel drive
Magnet: Rectangular 2.5 mm;
Down-force: 275 gm
Overall length: 160 mm
Wheelbase: 87 mm
Axle/Hub width 59 mm Front; 59 mm Rear
Tyre diameter/width: 21 x 9mm Front; 21 x 9 mm Rear
I have just added a second wallpaper page to celebrate ManicSlot's 200th post. Wallpapers have always been popular on ManicSlots, in fact the existing wallpaper page is the 3rd most popular page on the site after 'How-To' and the 'Gallery'.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the wallpapers and thanks for your continued support!
The 917 LH is a popular slot that has a limited collectible status
Average 'from the box' magnetic performer, (will more than likely require some TLC)
Striking Gulf livery and classic Le Mans runner
Very high level of detail
Excellent paint and decal job, It's hard to beat a Gulf livery
Once setup correctly, is a fantastic non magnetic runner
Weaknesses:
The 917 LH (along with most of the Fly classic range) will require some modification and after-market parts if you are to get the most from it
The 917 LH has some scale and model accuracy issues which are a problem for some slotters
Verdict:
Personally I love the Fly classic range and the Porsche 917 LH is no exception, this is a beautiful looking slot car on the track. Once setup correctly this is one of the fastest non-mag performers on my Carrera plastic track.
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!" I've just updated the Lap Times Page by adding a dozen new slot times and updating or rerunning a few existing slot times that had been tested during winter, when the track is slower. Anyway it was a tough job that took all day but someone had to do it!
Soon to be released is Johnson Controls liveried Jaguar XKRS from Scalextric. I purchased the very first XKRS, (green and silver) but haven't been temped by Scalextrics past 3 livery offerings but that's just changed!
The black Jag looks stunning especialy with the big cat livery down the sides. The XKRS is one of the fastest Scalextric slots on my track and has the highest level of internal detail I have seen in any Scalextric offering.
This from Scalextric: "Scalextric introduces driver Paul Gentilozzi’s No. 3 Johnson Controls Jaguar XKRS as the fourth livery of this modern muscle car bearing the famous Jaguar badge. A very wide rear axle width of 62mm ensures fantastic road-holding performance. The interior includes full cockpit detail.
High detail, magnatraction and quick change braid plate. Digital ready chassis. Wide rear axle gives excellent road-holding attributes which will make this car a must for the racer. Scalextric are the only manufacturer to produce this car. High build-quality specification with equal high performance straight out of the box. Superior livery paintwork. Huge collector fan base for Jaguar cars."
Motor: Mabuchi SP 18k rpm
Gear ratio: 11:36
Chassis: Rear Mounted In-line Motor Rear 2 wheel drive
Magnet: Rectangular 2.5 mm;
Down-force: 278 gm
Overall length: 155 mm
Wheelbase: 81 mm
Axle/Hub width 62 mm Front; 62 mm Rear
Tyre diameter/width: 21 x 11mm Front; 21 x 12 mm Rear
ManicSlots has just added a new movies page where you'll find slot and motorsport related shot movies, video clips or commercials. If you know or have any good clips, be sure to send them in and I'll add them to the new movies page.
ManicSlots is about to celebrate its 2nd anniversary and 200th post so we are asking, what section/s would you like to see expanded? (Multiple answers are allowed)
What slot car would you most like to see reviewed next?
Would you like to see Scalextric's Super Resistant Nissan GT-R (C2991) released as a highly detailed (with windows, lights, etc.) Scalextric slot?
Has the new Slot.it Mazda 787B (SICA15A) met your expectations?
What slot car manufacture do you think represents the best 'value' for money?
Are you impressed with Flyslots first releases?
Will you be purchasing new FlySlot products if they have not competitively restructured their prices?
Are you excited about the up coming Slot.it Mazda 787B release?
What are your top 3 1/32 slot car manufactures?
Do you agree with Slot.it's plans to re release CA01C Snetterton Audi R8C?
