SCX Fiat Abarth 1000 - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Saturday April 11, 2009

A different type of classic racing is growing larger in our basement thanks to SCX. A while back we looked at the Renault 8 and although the car does not appeal to everyone, I personally really enjoyed it. The milder motor inside lets it drive like we feel a classic should and since that review it has seen countless miles. Now a new classic arrives here at HRW and it is time to see if this Fiat will be as much fun as others in the series.

Ok, I know. This little car is not pure eye candy to all of you. However, I have met many of you who truly enjoy these smaller little cars and the series in general. When the car arrived I admit a smile came to my face. I don't claim to follow this series that closely and my knowledge of the Abarth 1000 is far from expert. But I know a cool little car when I see one regardless.

The Abarth has a near unmistakable appearance for most racing enthusiasts. Looking at prototype photos told me that SCX has done a very good job in capturing it in 1/32nd scale.

Plenty of detail here as well to draw you in closer. The raised rear engine hatch with the visible engine is the first thing most people notice. But the visible roll bar inside really adds a great touch as well.

The markings are very crisp and clear with a clear coat applied as well to protect them. It is not the heaviest clear I have seen, but to my eyes there is at least a light coat present. What I like is the white is very opaque with virtually no bleed through. I have seen models that cost a lot more than this one that has white markings that are almost pink due to low quality stampings. I did notice a very slight bleed in small areas, but this was looking at it under a lighted magnifier lens (my better eyes).

And yes, the model is lighted both front and rear. There is some bleed through in the rear but nothing really offensive. I am just happy that it is lighted. In truth though I fully expected it to be. Most major slot car companies have went to adding lights in the cars that used them in the 1:1 world. Although lights do not mean a lot to some enthusiasts, we really enjoy them. When we get a car that should have lights and does not, it takes a little away from the scale appeal. It also means we have to pay more if we want to hold night racing. Thankfully such is not the case here.

Wheels and tires seem to look ok at first. The captured the look very well and they seemed very round and true out of the box. The tire compound appears to be the same found on other SCX models so a change might be called for if you are a routed wood racer.

Turning the model over to see what motor it had and I was immediately happy. The same RX-41 as the Renault was here. True, this motor is milder but that is what makes this classic series so much fun for us.

Road Test

BOXSTOCK Testing - Artin Plastic Track
12 Volt After-Market Power Supply - PARMA 25 OHM Economy Controllers

This model ran just as we expected. Lap time averages were 4.4 seconds which are right there with the Renault 8. It looks like we have a great running mate here in this little machine.

What surprised me was how smooth and quiet the model is. It did not have near the noise level of the Renault. Of course there is a little present but break-in time will smooth that out. So far, the car was impressive. Again, do not expect this model to break any land speed records. It is a much milder model with this motor but for me that is exactly what I wanted.

Under The Hood
- Quick Tuning -

Only one screw holds this little chassis to the body and is easily removed. Inside we see the RX-41 in the inline position with a 9 tooth pinion turning a 27 tooth crown gear. A solid front axle arrangement is in place with the standard guide and tabs coming off the motor instead of wiring to make electrical conductivity with the metal strips in the chassis.

The first thing we like to do is solder the motor tabs to the strips to sort of "bullet proof" the electrical connections. No, you do not have to but it does help to make sure you have a solid connection. This is not a negative on SCX as it does work out of the box just fine, but for long term and more reliable connections, soldering is quick and eliminates any issues.

After this is completed, we focus on the wheels and tires. Remove the rear tires and place the wheels on a light sanding surface. Sanding them will remove any flash molding that might make the tires sit out of round on the wheel.

Once you have cleaned them up, you can re-install the rear tires and sand them. Once you do this, swap these tires for the front and repeat the process. This way, you know your front tires are rounded and will reduce chatter and wheel hop up front.

Finally, just some lubrication. A light drop of oil on each end of the motor and at the rear bushings. Go ahead and put a small drop up front as well. Sometimes when you have a car that sounds loud, check that front axle. When it is dry, it can cause a squeak that almost makes you think there is something wrong with the car.

Time to button this car up and back to the track to see how it goes! I am sure that things will have smoothed out even more after these very simple tune ups.

We Have Guests!
New Renaults Arrived!

Well look who showed up. Two new livery Renaults are here just in time for a little match up action. This car has been reviewed before so for any technical info on them, just head over to that review.

Both are done well paint wise. Although they are not the most attractive cars to everyone, once you get them on the track they are some of the best cars you could want to drive. But will they be a match for our new Fiat? We do have a wheelbase difference to be sure. Which one will be the boss? Let's see.

Wood Track Testing
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

We tested the Abarth first and the results were very positive. We could get lap time averages in the 5.3 second range which according to our last review of the Renault was a couple ticks faster. Control of this car was equally pleasing. Although the milder RX-41 does not have the strong punch of acceleration, it still comes out of the corners well.

Braking is also decent here. We could really drive this car farther into the corners than I thought. Overall, this is a great running little car with very little tuning effort. About the only real change we will make is change the rear tires to a set of K&D. Many of you wood track owners have your own favorite compound/brand of tire so choose the ones you like the best.

Now it was time to test it against the Renault. Our models were all tuned as mentioned in the review plus we had our original model from that review.

Wow, what a great race we had! We really put a lot of laps on these cars and my fellow reviewer Tom and I swapped several times to give them the fairest comparison we could.

The results? The Abarth seemed to have a slight edge over the 2 new Renaults. Not by much mind you, so these make great running mates overall. However, against our original Renault? Almost dead even with this time the slight edge going to the Renault. Why? There is no better tuning than good, old fashioned break-in time on the motor. It had slightly more punch coming out of the corners and was just smoother overall.

In the end we were very pleased with this little model. It fits well into the current classic series we race here and just adds one more distinctive model. It also fits most budgets as well which is important to many home racers today. If you are a fan of these little cars I see no reason to pass it up. I think you will be happy with your choice.

- 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!

Thanks Go To SCX WorldWide For Sponsoring This Review

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