Carrera 1/24 Exclusiv Grand Sport Corvette - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

04/24/2011

Corvette Grand Sport - Sebring 12h - 1965

We have a lot of choices in our hobby today and because of all these great offerings, some models simply slip through my fingers. This Carrera Corvette model is one of them. Of course it has been on my list like many others, but thanks to some perfect timing this classic bowtie finally arrived sooner than I expected.

For the veteran enthusiasts out there you already know about this model. Our own Alan Smith did a fantastic in-depth review of these models when they were first released, so I will not attempt to repeat that effort. I think of this article as a reminder, not a repeat.

As I said, perfect timing had this model in my hands this past weekend when David Kennedy of Carrera USA decided to pay us a visit. When he pulled this big boy out of his bag of toys and handed it to me I could not wait to give it a test run!

But first we had to take a good look at it. Is this Corvette one of the best looking ever made? I know more than one person who thinks so. Carrera seems to capture the aggressiveness of this car very well. No, it is not perfect but rarely is any model at any scale.

I'll say it is a very good rendition but the scale enthusiasts will see issues. First, the body does ride high. You could figure out a way to lower it, and I just might do that in the future, but as of now I will just keep it as is.

The paint work is very acceptable as well. Nice and clean markings all sealed evenly with an equally clean clear coat.

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

All Carrera 1/24 models really need 18 volts to run optimally. I want to make that clear before I give you my comments. I simply do not race Carrera 1/24 that often, but when I do it is just like our other scales and classes: Just for fun. Something different every once in awhile.

The one change is the NEW TIRES Carrera makes for these cars. These are a slightly softer compound and they did make the operation a lot better. You still need to sand them pretty good to get a optimal tire patch, but that is easily done.

With my supply only peaking at a little over 16 volts, this car certainly does not have the snap or performance the smaller cars do. Good. I don't really want them to be. On our track I prefer a milder slot car, even in 1/32nd scale. With the extra weight and design of these cars you are just not going to have a lightning bolt on your hands.

The weight of these monsters will have them rumbling about and it is actually quite the challenge on our small track to keep it smooth and steady. The real attraction for me? It just looks cool. Watching this car slide about the turns and trying to straighten it out is a lot of fun to me. I wish I had a couple more in stock form so we could really match them up.

Final Thoughts

I like this model. You might too if you don't try and compare it with anything else. This line of cars are certainly a breed of their own. This Vette also makes me want the Cheetah even more! I raced against the Cheetah in this test and what a classic sight to behold. Lumbering beasts or not, I want more of them.

- 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 Carrera of America For Sponsoring This Review!

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