Wednesday July 23, 2003

Fly TOAD HALL Porsche 911

24 Hours of Daytona, 2003

One thing is certain, this latest livery of the Porsche 911 makes this car noticeable! While looking at the pre-release photos, 2 of my boys, one 6, and the other 16, said they thought it was "cool". Well that is usually all of the convincing I need to call Slot Car World and have it on its way, after all I am not the only one racing here in our basement.

Now I know some folks will see this and pass on it quickly, however let us not forget this is a livery based on a 1:1 prototype. In fairness, this model has plenty of good points regardless whether you care for the livery or not. The Tampo work that Fly has done is excellent, the smaller lettering is legible, and the work done on the Toad Hall Racing logos were superb. (My son likes that frog!)  For the most part, Fly has matched the livery very well, except for the areas near the rear-view mirrors. These mirrors were placed on the prototype further inside toward the hood, and they are a slightly different shape, being a little longer and thinner. Still, given the fact Fly is using an older mold to re-create a 2003 model, they have done a decent job.

Now, I am not sure why, but it this model has a nice clear-coat to it, except for the bright pink stripe down the center and on the bottom edges of the car. The 2 blue stripes that border it are covered, yet not this color. It might be that the clear-coat effects the actual color of the markings, as the rear wing, mirrors and wheels all are clear-coated, and they seem to be of a darker shade. The interior has it usual detail, however Fly did a great job on the driver helmet markings, and I wish my photos could show these more clearly.

Wheels and tires here are standard Fly offerings, which most of us are accustomed to. Slight tire sanding was we needed to get these tires where we liked them. We noticed that this model was very smooth out of the box, and even better of course after sanding the tires. It wasn't until we got under the hood that revealed why it drove so nicely.

After removing the 3 screws that hold the body to the chassis, we again see familiar territory. Up front is a solid axle design, and to the rear we see the B34 rear pod assembly equipped with the standard Mabuchi motor, rear axle assembly and B21 button magnet. It is here where I was pleasantly surprised, as there was virtually NO free-play in this sidewinder configured car. That's right...no shimming or axle trimming was needed, and I attribute this why it drove as smoothly as it did.

The motor is equipped with an 11 tooth pinion driving a 36 tooth Spur gear. The axle is held in place by plastic...not brass or metal bushings. These bushings seem to be made of a different composite rather than the older ABS plastic ones that are equipped on my first 911 from years ago. Plastic or not, they were a very smooth fit on the axle with close tolerances. I added a light drop of oil on these bushings and to each end of the motor, then it was time for more serious track testing.

Most of you already know how this model runs, and nothing has changed. It is a fast little model, turning consistent lap times on an average of 3.0 seconds according to our DS Timer. Diving deep into the corners before braking is possible, however your window for correcting a spin is slight, although we might to attribute this to my old age and reflexes? Firm braking and good throttle response was present using the PARMA 45 ohm controller, and lap after lap I could not help but remember how much fun this model was when I bought my first version back in 1999. Sadly my first model lies lifeless now in our "boneyard", falling victim to some of the hardest racing newcomers, and veterans alike could deliver. Hopefully this model will not meet the same fate as its predecessor...

The bottom line here for me is that this model has always been a favorite here, and still is. No, there isn't any increased detail, which really is a good thing. I'm glad I decided on this model, because not only is it fun to drive in its own right, it brings back memories of the "good old days" before we had even finished our track! If you are just joining us in this great hobby, I suggest you grab a pair for your new track. They should provide you with hours of fun...and fun is what it is all about!

Click here for TOAD HALL RACING! 

Harry

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

Thanks go to SLOT CAR WORLD for providing us with this excellent model!

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