10/21/2011

1/32nd Scale - Carrera - #27211

by Jeremy Bibbee

I’ll say it for you, “It is UGLY!” There, now that we have that out of the way…let’s get on with the show…the Opel Commodore Steinmetz “Jumbo”.

There is very little history on this car, in fact, so little that I’d like to give you a bit of its background here. Based on the Opel Commodore tuned by the Steinmetz company; this Carrera version pays tribute to the beast that made it’s showing at Hockenheim in 1974, and then later at Nurburgring. While it didn’t have a great racing career, it definitely grabbed the attention of race fans back then, just as this model does today. I’m a fan of oddball cars so this one is right up my alley!

The engine used was from the Commodore B of that era to which four Weber carbs and some other tweaks were added which netted 510 HP, but in order to compete in the series they had to run an ‘under 500’ engine. Steinmetz transplanted a 4.9 liter engine that showed an output of 485 HP, but according to Steinmetz later, the actual output was over 500 HP. They must have been talking to Smokey Yunick back then!

Looking at what few images of this historic racer are available, Carrera did a great job getting the look of the car right as well as the sponsors and such. Are there small details here and there that aren’t accurate? Sure, but on the slot track it looks the part. Besides, it’s the huge rear wing and front chin spoiler that makes this car and they look great!
 

This model is also equipped with head and tail lights which are nice and bright to get you around the track during some night racing. There is some bleed through from the LED’s but not as much as there is with other models.

The fit and finish are clean and crisp with a nice shiny top coat. The gold lace wheels are well done and the rubber that surrounds them is nice and round.

The body is held on to the chassis with four screws; two front, two rear. The guide is the standard guide used by Carrera in 2007 (when this car was released), and there are two magnet locations on this model. Also something to note, this model is D132 compatible for those of you who race Carrera digital.

Box Stock Track Testing
Routed MDF (Bibbee Ridge) with a Flat Latex Finish
Aftermarket Power @ 10 Volts and PARMA 45 OHM Controller

Very, very, smooth. I honestly did nothing to this car other than a very light sanding of the rear tires to get the factory shine off of them. The rims were nice and true on the axle and the tires had no issues. While the car is a tad bit top heavy, proper braking into and acceleration out of turns provides a pleasant drive around the track.

With a bit more mild tuning, such as a little added weight and possibly some aftermarket urethane tires the car could very easily come into its own. Lap times were very close to the Monza which is one of my fastest box stock Carrera cars. With a bit more time I’m sure this car could surpass the Monza. When compared to the Carrera Monza that I enjoy so much, this car could quickly become my new favorite!

Looking Closer

Looking inside we see the usual ‘make it go’ parts. The pinion is 9 tooth and mates up nicely to a 27 tooth crown gear. The motor is the standard Carrera FC130 motor and delivers a nice balance of power to the rear wheels.

If you are a fan of this series this is one that you should add to your garage. While it is an older release, it and it's Pan Am counterpart can still be found with a little searching for a reasonable price. They are very easy to tune and an absolute treat to drive.

- Jeremy

As always feel free to drop by the Home Racing World Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!