10/14/2011

It has been a long time since a Revell/Monogram model has made a new appearance here. The main reason I have avoided them is that they seem to need so much work in order to operate the way I like them. But sometimes, regardless of all the facts you know are true, you still end up choosing a model just because it is so attractive.

Thankfully I am not the first enthusiasts to buy a slot car based on looks alone. I'll wager a lot of you reading this have. How many Fly classics have you bought? I thought so. This model is not particularly new either. It has been around for awhile just waiting for the day that I would finally give in. That day is here.

I have heard some complaints on scale, but not too many. After doing research on this car I have to say that Revell did a very good job on this model. One has to remember that sometimes models are not based on the actual vintage car. Sometimes it is based on a restored model. Many Trans-Am cars we see in our hobby are like this, using the restored prototypes as a basis for a release. And the biggest scale debate that the scale eye would see is the engine, with the size and placement of the injection intakes. The issue here is that this car raced with both a Chevrolet and a Ford engine. Or did it? Which one is right? According to some data the car started with a Ford and ended up with a Chevy as this model seems to depict. This restored car appears to be very close to the model Revell has brought us. Photos and data on other trusted sites show the Ford in the 1968 season which is the year Revell claims this model is based on. If that is so, then the powerplant they chose is not correct.

Before you write complaining, I have already read through several exhausting recounts of how this car should be powered. Many people that were there back then have different memories, which I can certainly respect. If it is based on the 1968 car like Revell advertised, then it is incorrect. If it based on a restoration or later period car then perhaps this one is correct. I respect scale authenticity and applaud it when we see it in our hobby. In this case the verdict could go either direction. The deciding factor for my basement is my own taste and it looks more like a Chevrolet to me although the trumpets seem a little short. With all this said, I feel the model is very attractive and I like it regardless of what engine detail is correct.

Whew. Ok, let us move on to the toy shall we? Paint work is excellent, a trait that Revell/Monogram (Revogram to me) is known for these days. I did see some bleed though on the edges of the left side meatball, but other than this I found no issues.

The overall fit is ok, although the body has a slight lean in it. It also looks as if they angled the rear engine detail slightly in order to clear the spur gear. Perhaps just on my model though, other folks have not made any comments about this that I could find. It does however have a pivot to it sitting on a flat and level surface. The left rear and right front will raise up depending on which end you push on.

No drastic item here. This can easily be attributed to mounting screws not fully seated, tires with slight bulges, etc. Items that all other brands can and do have from time to time

Wheels and tires. Spinning the wheels by hand I may have found my pivot culprit. The left rear has a light bulge to it. We will inspect much closer after the road test though. Should the 4 spoke be black or chrome? Here we go again. It is so hard to tell from old vintage photos. No matter, I think a little paint can make them look a little better.

Rubber compound though actually surprised me. They seem soft enough and should grip well. The fit of the tires though concerns me. They are pretty loose and pop off in your hands quite easily.

Box Stock Track Testing
New Ozark Speedway
5 x 16 - 4 Lane Carrera Track OVAL
Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

My first few laps told me that we had a fully functional model, yet there was a little hop to it. Not a lot really, I actually expected more. The motor in this car is more than enough for most racers and actually too much for my personal tastes.

I inspected the car at full throttle with the wheels raised and sure enough, they were expanding a great deal. I lowered the volts on the track to about 10 and the hop was almost gone. You could still feel a little, but I am hoping an easy wheels and tire sanding will do the rest.

The model runs out of the box and for that it passed our first test. But it could be improved.

Under The Hood

Looking underneath we see 4 screws that mount the body to the chassis. We also the magnet system in the center. You can adjust this magnet position to the rear a little more and you can also remove the two shims inside and raise it to reduce the magnetic traction effect. What is odd to me is that you cannot simply remove the two screws holding the magnet system and remove it. You must take the body off and push the locking tab forward. I think the two screws holding it in place is enough. Having to remove the body to experiment with magnet placement is just a design flaw.

Since we are inside, let us look around. Up front the guide is well done. Very little slop and is plenty deep enough. The blade has an angle to it as well placing the deepest part of the blade at the rear. I would have liked to see the guide a little more forward but the body restrictions limit this.

The motor appears to be the standard Revell motor. The Slot Car News motor list has a varied test rating of 20,800-24,579 RPM @12 volts. It is equipped with a 12 tooth pinion and a 36 tooth spur gear. The gear mesh is ok, and I must let some break-in time work that voodoo that it does so well. The spur gear at least doesn't scrape the track like other Revogram models but not by much. Smaller tires is not an option here in my opinion.

The rear axle and bushing fit is not perfect but better than I have seen from them lately. Still there is more than I like to see but changing them is always an option.

Looking at the wheels and tires, I removed the tires to find a surprise. These wheels have a smooth center rib rather than the paddle style they used on the Lola. I am happy to see that. The old style were very poorly executed with a great deal of flash molding.

But these wheels needed some help too. They have a high center and not even close to true. I sanded them as shown and this should help a great deal in the performance.

Finally we start the tire sanding process. It took awhile to do them as I had to run the car at lower voltage to avoid the tires expanding so much. But I managed to get them pretty well done and couldn't wait to get back to the track and see what we have.

This model runs much better now but it still could have some more work done. It is smoother but I know it can get even better. The amount of hop removed just after a wheel and tire sanding is astonishing. I did not realize they needed so much sanding until my first few laps.

I think new tires will do the rest of my job along with a motor swap. I do not like such powerful motors in my classics and calming this model down will be another step in smoothing it out.

Final Thoughts

This model and some before it have me comparing Revell to Fly. They are simply beautiful models that really want to be raced and enjoyed. The only challenge is that the engineers who work in the chassis department have never had a BBQ or coffee with the engineers in the body shop. Because if they put as much attention to detail into the chassis and running gear as they do the body, you would really have a winner.

As it is though the model needs some light work. So did (and still do) my older Fly models. Fly certainly never listened to any of us and never changed a thing. And guess what? We still bought them! I cannot see Revell changing anything either. And that is ok. Why? Because I still buy them! With all the aftermarket parts and tools we have at our disposal today, getting these to run the way I like is much easier than it was 10 years ago.

I cannot say these are for the beginner, but those of you out there looking for a great classic to add to your collection should go ahead and give these models a second look.

- 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!

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