Tuesday August 26, 2003

MOPAR MATCH-UP!

The Carrera

Dodge Charger 500 #41 Al Unser

 & Plymouth Road Runner #32 Kevin Terris

It might seem that these 2 releases from Carrera are left behind in the dust from the recent Superbird and Daytona but nothing could be farther from the truth. Icons of this series in their own right, these models are just as important and I was very happy to discover they would be available. Arriving here safe and sound they were quickly taken from the box and added to the field to see how they would stack up against their winged counterparts.

Rather than bore you with the history of these machines (which I can do at times) I will go straight to the models themselves. Hopefully the photos do most of the talking for me when it comes to relaying the overall body shape and detail. I realize some enthusiasts will not agree with me on this, but I found both models to be quite striking in the liveries Carrera has chosen. Then again, I am biased because I am a huge fan of this series and just grateful that Carrera is even making them for us.

Aside from perhaps a few small details, I feel these models do an excellent job of capturing the essence of these classics in our scale. As with the Superbird and Daytona, these models have the body stance and placement close to the prototype, at least close enough for my tastes.

Overall finish is excellent with clean, crisp Tampo-stampings and an even, dust-free clear-coat. Given this series, it is difficult at times to try and pin-point these exact markings when they would often change from week to week, kind of how it is today. Yet according to prototype photos which the models were based on, it appears Carrera has done a nice job in the accuracy department with them.

Interior detail on these new releases are perhaps one of the items that stand out for me. Although I am a fan of fine detail, there is also a balance one can achieve that allows a good representation of the prototype yet still lends itself to the intended purpose of the model: To be raced!  The half-tray interior in these models achieve this goal in my opinion with enough visible detail such as roll bar, fire bottle, and decently modeled driver to add to the overall scale appeal, yet doesn't complicate removal and assembly when you want to perform maintenance or to tune them for your particular taste.

Wheels and tires on these models are also very good representations of the prototype, and so far are showing themselves to be of good quality. These tires do need some sanding to get them as round and true as I prefer, but then again this can be said for just about every release on the market.

As mentioned in the previous review, these models might need the shim removed from under the rear magnet in order for them to run properly. I have checked the clearance of these models and on perfectly flat track they will not rub, however if you have even the slightest bend in your track or the molded overpasses (bridges), it will make contact. I found 2 straight sections in my track that I had thought were flat only to discover a slight bend in them. I obviously bent these sections when perhaps I was installing the jumper wires and all it took was re-bending them slightly to get the track back to original form, or at least close enough. I still have removed the shim underneath for the clearance is still too close for my tastes and those with other brands of track systems might have to remove it as well.

Performance of these models should still please you in more ways than one. Although these machines in their 1:1 prototype world were not as dominant as the winged warriors, this is where our hobby steps in and evens out the field. The chassis on ALL of these models are identical to the next, allowing very close and satisfying racing as it should be. Rather than repeat myself in this review, click here to read the previous article which discusses the chassis and its components in closer detail.

The front nose and wing on the Superbird and Daytona do not really give it any superiority, at least not on our modest sized Carrera oval which makes these all excellent matches in performance. Lap times were about as close a match as you could possibly ask for with both models running an average of 3.1 seconds with a best lap score of 2.94 according to our DS timer. These scores show how even these models are and we could not see where any of these releases had an advantage over the other in either speed or handling.  For those with very large home or club tracks with longer straights (our track only has 12 1/2 feet straights) I would be very interested in hearing your reports on whether or not the additions of the wing and nose piece come into play.

Regardless of any of the small issues there might be, these models are fun like slot cars should be and at the price of $30.00 you are certainly getting good value for your entertainment dollar. Due for release in mid to late September, these models are light on your wallet and heavy on the fun, which should please both the veteran enthusiasts along with newcomers to our hobby. Carrera has done a great job with these releases and if your a fan of the series I certainly advise adding some to your stable soon.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

For great online references try checking here!

I would like to thank Carrera and LGB of America for providing us with these great models!