Monday July 28, 2003

New Spirit Ferrari 512M

This new release by Spirit has been anticipated by many enthusiasts and finally it has arrived. One of the main topics about this model since the first pre-release images appeared seemed to be how closely it would match the prototype in scale appearance. So instead of any history lesson, let us get straight to addressing this issue shall we?

Although I respect and appreciate a model that is as close to scale as possible, I am just not as critical in this department as some feel I should be. I haven't started measuring my models to see how close they are to actual 1/32nd scale, and my life is less stressful because of it. For some enthusiasts scale accuracy is extremely important, and I believe the photos should tell you how close Spirit came in their efforts.

One of the best things about our hobby is we have the freedom to enjoy it the way we want to. If I look at a model and it closely matches prototype photos and looks good on the track, then it is good enough for me. After that, I seem to care a great deal on how smoothly it runs and if it needs to be repaired right out of the box. You will come to your own conclusions of course, but for my taste I feel Spirit has done a decent job of capturing this Ferrari nicely in scale.

So when your looking at these photos and those of the prototype, there of course some issues to it that either will bother you...or they won't. The pre-release images of the model seemed to indicate it was slightly tall in the center, and short overall giving it what I call the "squished" effect. However now that I have it sitting on my track it doesn't seem to have as much of this effect as I had initially thought. Our driver figure does seem a little odd-shaped in the helmet area with some obvious mold line visible, but it didn't really bother me that much as it will some. I look at this and feel that if it bothers you that much, you have the right to detail the cockpit to suit your own tastes. Now if your still reading this after seeing the model and comparing it to the prototype, perhaps that means Spirit has done a good enough job for you in the scale department and we can get to the rest of the model.

The overall fit and finish of this model is very well done to my eyes, with an adequate clear-coat and crisp, opaque Tampo-stamped markings. I was impressed by the mold line detail that seems to add a great deal of depth and realism to the model. Overall I think this model is quite striking as it should be and has certainly caught the eye of visitors here. It did seem that the number boards and Sunoco markings were applied after the clear-coat, so if you want to protect them your going to have to do it yourself. I also noticed some mold flashing near the front and it seems the rear wing has a small area where it appears the flashing was removed and has a low spot across the edge. It is nothing that serious, but it is noticeable. This model also had the windshield wiper a little less than flush with the glass, but it was easily fixed. While holding the wiper arm in place where it should be, I used a blow dryer and heated the base area for a few seconds. Once I let this cool, it looked much better.

Wheels and tires are fairly round and true, although these large rear tires did need some truing to get the model to smooth out some. The major issue is that the tires have mold flashings in some points and this makes the car have an obvious hop to it. As with many models here, it will most likely end up with Indy Grips or Supertires in the rear for improved performance. I used Indy Grips #IG3003 for the Fly Classics and they fit perfectly. Once I changed the tires it became a much smoother, more enjoyable model. I did notice that the left front tire was rubbing on the body, but this was cured quickly once we got under the hood. Overall wheel detail seems to match prototype photos closely and the paint work accomplished is very well done. The wheels are 2 piece in design with separate brake rotor detail on the inside.

There are 3 screws that mount the body to the chassis with the front screw being under the front guide. You don't have to remove the front guide to get to it though, just move it to the side. Now up front we see the wheels are of the post-mount design. Both of the wheels needed to be pressed on to the post a little further to get rid of any excess slack and to prevent the wheels from rubbing the underneath of the front fenders. However a solid front axle WILL fit here (I used an old Fly rear axle) and the guide is very flush with the rails making an almost perfect tri-pod effect.

In the rear we see the familiar Spirit bar magnet (identical to the Fly) held in place with a molded clip in the chassis. This clip isn't as strong as I would like it to be, so if you want to remove the magnet, be careful that you do not break it. Simply press down on the tab and using a flat tip screwdriver you can push the magnet out easily. If you do break this tab the magnet can be easily glued back in place, so don't worry over it too much. The stock Mabuchi motor is in the sidewinder position with a 11 tooth pinion which is driving a 36 tooth spur gear. The solder connections were very solid and the motor was very secure in its mount.

Now, this system might be familiar to those of you with the Fly Classics, and sadly it has some of the same issues as many of those do. On my model, the inside of the tires will rub on both ends of the motor shaft. After removing the wheels and axle I grabbed my trusty Dremel with a cut-off disc and trimmed both ends as shown in the photo. I also trimmed away some of the pinion sleeve as it was VERY close to the inside of the tire. I was kind of disappointed in all this as I have so far been very impressed with the Spirit line. However these issues have not stopped me from enjoying many of the Fly Classics...and it won't stop me here.

At first I also thought the rear axle was going to need a shimming job, but the excess free-play was eliminated by simply pressing the wheels further in place, then backing them off a little so that the drive-line wasn't pinched for a virtually perfect fit. The axle rides in flanged brass bushings, so while you are inside here go ahead and give them a drop of oil as well as a small drop on each end of the motor. I will give Spirit credit for making the bushing mounts in the chassis tight enough to prevent the bushings from spinning in place making it unnecessary to glue them in place.

It was finally time to let the rubber meet the road. Once you have taken the time to tune this model up, she runs quite nicely and is very quick. We posted lap times of an average of 3.27 seconds on our DS Timer, with excellent braking and control. With the stock tires in place being sanded and trued, we still managed an average of 3.56 seconds which is just ahead of a tuned Fly 512S with times in the 3.8 range. I mention this as many enthusiasts already have a good collection of Fly Classics already and might want to know how close they are. The wheel-base is practically identical between the 2 models and they are a close match on the track. The Spirit model is faster due in part to using the bar magnet instead of the button magnet, which allows you a little more correction time in the corners. If you take the magnets out and use weight, these models are practically identical in lap times. We posted average times of 4.23 seconds between the 2 models without the magnets with silicones and the racing was very close and challenging.

One thing you will notice is the noise of the gears, and to be honest it is quite loud at first. However after running this car in last night, and for a few hours this morning it really starting to quiet down. Sometimes nothing can take the place of time and patience, allowing the car to break-in. The more time it has on the track, the better it sounds. The Lola had almost the same sound to it when we first got it, but it went away slowly over time. The gears are quite durable as they were on the Lola, and so far I have not seen any indication of them being defective or showing signs of uneven wear.

In the end I still like this model a great deal. Although I can't say it is suited for every enthusiast, it should find a good home with the advanced racer. I was slightly disappointed with this model due to the issues I found, but like MOST other models in this class it needs a little attention to make it handle and control the way you think it should. I happen to enjoy the tuning aspect of the hobby, so these issues were nothing that would stop me from buying more. I think you could have a great deal of fun with this release, especially if you are a fan of classic racing and as always FUN is what our hobby is all about. I plan on adding the other model very soon, and I think you owe it to yourself to give this latest release a closer look.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general, 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 model!