Saturday November 15, 2003

NINCO CART

LOLA FORD TEAM RAHAL #9

Ninco has made some nice models over the years to say the least and one of my favorites were the Formula One models. They were smooth and reliable and were excellent slot cars for non-magnet racing with a little tuning. So of course when I heard the news that they were bringing us this new CART release I just had to get one to see how well it stacked up to the older models.

To be fair about this release I have to admit my 1:1 ignorance of the series. I can barely keep up with IRL these days let alone CART. However, looking at prototype photos it seems to me that Ninco has done quite well in capturing the overall effect of the car. I know that die-hard fans are going to see some scale issues, and as always these will either bother you...or they won't. I am not as critical as some say I should be with scale inaccuracy, however at SPEED where this model belongs, Ninco has done quite well enough for me.

Tampo-stampings and clear coat were clean and dust free as they usually are from Ninco. The markings themselves did seem to have some fading however, especially in the white markings over the red and some runs were evident in the lettering. This isn't a glaring issue for me really, but I realize that for some of you it certainly is. This might be isolated to my model as well, so if you decide to get one ask your dealer to take a look at it or if your visiting your local store check it a little closer before tucking it under your arm.

One item that has stirred controversy with these models is the steering effect these cars come equipped with. I have heard different claims that this helps performance and that it hurts it. I have not seen in my testing that it matters either way and basically just gives the car a little more scale appeal while diving through the corners. The amount of free-play on the wheel hub area is sometimes enough to have the wheels bowed out as it is racing, but this is due more to the mounting design than the steering mechanism. Also discussed is the topic of durability regarding the steering mechanism itself. I can only say that in my home racing this system has stood up rather well over the years with many hard crashes and tumbles, yet it has come away intact. This isn't to say it is bullet-proof, and heavy handling will most likely result in damage. I have found that in the harder crashes the steering pivot point pops out of the pin of the guide and is quickly snapped back in place.

The wheels and tires on this model are nicely done with the tires themselves really the good part for me. They were all very round and true requiring very minimal sanding to get them where I like them. I prefer slicks over grooved rain tires any day, and Ninco has equipped this machine with tires that have excellent grip in my opinion. As with the F-1 before it, silicones will eventually find its way on our models but for now these tires on plastic track will do just fine, in fact I am not sure I need them at all.

3 screws mount the chassis to the body but be careful if you decide to remove it due to the front guide wiring and the steering mechanism. The steering just pops in the nose of the chassis but again be careful as it will not stand up to heavy force. Inside you see the motor in the inline configuration equipped with a 9 tooth pinion driving a 24 tooth spur gear. The spur gear is very durable and even has the number of teeth marked on it for quick reference. The brass bushings hold the rear axle firmly in place but I still use a small drop of adhesive on the tops to make sure they stay in place.

The big change on this model is the inclusion of the NC-5 Speeder motor instead of the venerable NC-2. This motor certainly gives it plenty of power...almost too much. If you race without magnets on smaller home tracks you might find it a handful to say the least. I did find that the motor will pivot slightly in the mounts so if this bothers you, a few drops of adhesive will secure it nicely. I would advise using hot glue or clear silicone so in the event you decide to change the motor that removing it will be easier on you and the chassis.

One thing about this car that you may or may not find on your model is the guide height. The front steering and suspension might have the guide slightly raised out of the slot, if your model is like this there is an easy fix but be careful when doing it. Taking the car by the front end, grab the front tires on each side and bend them up slightly at the same time and hold in place for a few seconds. Once you do this, set the car back on the track and check the guide to see if it is as flush as possible, if not just try it again.

We have just built a new 24 foot 4 lane oval in our shop and I could not wait to see how this model would react to the long straights. I can only say that this slot car scoots! Throttle response and control are precise, yet I did find the model to be easily thrown deeper in the corners than I first thought, and even with the magnet still allowed for a decent correction window in a slide. No, this car is not as fast as other models such as the Scalextric F-1, but this is due to less bar magnet...certainly not motor. I like the set-up the way that it is especially running on Artin and Carrera where the rails are even less magnetic. Power sliding may not be very prototypical...but I can't help myself...I like it.

I don't have lap times to post because our timing system is not completed yet, however I can safely report you should be happy with the effort Ninco has put forth. Out of the box she ran smoothly and quietly which compared to some other Ninco releases is a nice surprise. Again, I may not be a fan of this series in 1:1 scale...but it won't stop me in 1/32. Ninco has had a "hit and miss" history with me, as some releases just seem better than others. This one classifies as a hit for me and you can be sure I will have to have at least another for a matched set!

- 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!

Many thanks go to Gene at SLOTCARPLACE for providing us with this new release!