rutthenut
May 3rd, 2004, 08:39 AM
I know that plenty of the forum/club members have something of an interest in collecting scale models of the Stratos, but how about the slot car versions?
I bought one many years ago, which apparently makes it a collectors item. Of course, I've used it too, which drops its value a bit - what do you expect me to do, just look at at?
Road test would report good acceleration, medium braking, suspect handling. The car sits quite high and has a short wheelbase, so leads to a very strong propensity towards spinning out on bends, especially under power. The tyres aren't particularly high on grip either, limiting cornering ability somewhat.
The Lancia 037 I've got is much better, with a lower C of G making it easier to 'hang the back out' on corners without losing it entirely. But unfortunately that car now has a knackered cwp so is out of action - perhaps a bit fragile?
My Ferrari 288 GTO is also fun to drive, with good looks and relatively benign handling, coping well with poor joints in the track and able to drive with one wheel just on the edge of the track whilst cornering. Acceleration from this isn't quite so good as the car feels that bit heavier - perhaps that leads to the more predictable handling, albeit at lower outright speeds.
Back to the rally car theme, it's clear to see that the four-wheel-drive system on the Audi Quattro does it's job. The car accelerates away, isn't hampered too much by the slight increase in weight, nor the upright bodyshape. Where it really does serve to flatter the driver is the way in which the back end of the car can be slid out over the edge of the track on a corner and easily recovered with continued use of power, as the front wheels relentlessly pull the car on in the correct direction.
Must get myself an Integrale to compare with it. I did borrow a lightweight racing version of a 205T16 once, and that really was something else. The engine and transmission were placed low down and were tuned for competition. Slaughtered anything else I had tried at the time. Then I had to give it back!
The Metro 6R4 was a disaster on the track, in rear-wheel-drive configuration. It sat up so high and with its short wheelbase it would just fall over on any attempt at high speed cornering. Even modifying the vehicle to lower the rear and put in some low-down ballast didn't make it even manageable. But it is mega-ugly anyway, so I am quite happy leaving that one in the pits without a service crew.
Also got a Ferrari 512, which doesn't run at all well on my old track, which has poor joints in it that lead to major hiccups on this particular race car.
I suppose I should also mention Lauren's F40, in Arsenal colours (aaagh), which is pretty quick but ruined by the dreadful livery, making it look much less threatening than an F40 ought to. But if it is to be a footballer's car, no-one expects it to drive well.
Then there is the Diablo, which has a fairly large lump of metal (a magnet) to hold it on the track. Result is a car that carries far more speed around the track than it mght deserve to.
I could look to get a Group 5 Monte Carlo to try out as an addition to the Italian cars in the stable, or maybe other Ferrari models - especially Le Mans type cars.
Are there any other slot cars owned and run out there with brief reviews of interest? I guess this topic could also be the subject of a short newsletter article, if something of interest comes of it.
And reports on real road cars that have a serious affliction to tramlining probably don't belong on this topic, but feel free to post any comments you like...
Cheers,
I bought one many years ago, which apparently makes it a collectors item. Of course, I've used it too, which drops its value a bit - what do you expect me to do, just look at at?
Road test would report good acceleration, medium braking, suspect handling. The car sits quite high and has a short wheelbase, so leads to a very strong propensity towards spinning out on bends, especially under power. The tyres aren't particularly high on grip either, limiting cornering ability somewhat.
The Lancia 037 I've got is much better, with a lower C of G making it easier to 'hang the back out' on corners without losing it entirely. But unfortunately that car now has a knackered cwp so is out of action - perhaps a bit fragile?
My Ferrari 288 GTO is also fun to drive, with good looks and relatively benign handling, coping well with poor joints in the track and able to drive with one wheel just on the edge of the track whilst cornering. Acceleration from this isn't quite so good as the car feels that bit heavier - perhaps that leads to the more predictable handling, albeit at lower outright speeds.
Back to the rally car theme, it's clear to see that the four-wheel-drive system on the Audi Quattro does it's job. The car accelerates away, isn't hampered too much by the slight increase in weight, nor the upright bodyshape. Where it really does serve to flatter the driver is the way in which the back end of the car can be slid out over the edge of the track on a corner and easily recovered with continued use of power, as the front wheels relentlessly pull the car on in the correct direction.
Must get myself an Integrale to compare with it. I did borrow a lightweight racing version of a 205T16 once, and that really was something else. The engine and transmission were placed low down and were tuned for competition. Slaughtered anything else I had tried at the time. Then I had to give it back!
The Metro 6R4 was a disaster on the track, in rear-wheel-drive configuration. It sat up so high and with its short wheelbase it would just fall over on any attempt at high speed cornering. Even modifying the vehicle to lower the rear and put in some low-down ballast didn't make it even manageable. But it is mega-ugly anyway, so I am quite happy leaving that one in the pits without a service crew.
Also got a Ferrari 512, which doesn't run at all well on my old track, which has poor joints in it that lead to major hiccups on this particular race car.
I suppose I should also mention Lauren's F40, in Arsenal colours (aaagh), which is pretty quick but ruined by the dreadful livery, making it look much less threatening than an F40 ought to. But if it is to be a footballer's car, no-one expects it to drive well.
Then there is the Diablo, which has a fairly large lump of metal (a magnet) to hold it on the track. Result is a car that carries far more speed around the track than it mght deserve to.
I could look to get a Group 5 Monte Carlo to try out as an addition to the Italian cars in the stable, or maybe other Ferrari models - especially Le Mans type cars.
Are there any other slot cars owned and run out there with brief reviews of interest? I guess this topic could also be the subject of a short newsletter article, if something of interest comes of it.
And reports on real road cars that have a serious affliction to tramlining probably don't belong on this topic, but feel free to post any comments you like...
Cheers,