Saturday June 12, 2004

New Ninco BMW!

This recent release by Ninco isn’t technically new, but it has been awhile since we have seen a new livery and I thought it deserved a closer look. I have been a big fan of these models to say the least because I felt Ninco struck a good balance of scale detail and performance with them, and I was hoping this model would be the same.

Arriving here safe and sound from MRC, I was immediately impressed by the livery chosen and overall fit and finish. As always, there are a few minor discrepancies here and there that fine scale enthusiasts can spot, but overall I thought it was a stunning effort.

Ninco models are different from others in many ways and one of them is the interior. Instead of a full size interior, Ninco utilizes a half-tray style design. Personally, I feel this approach is perfect for our hobby as it gives you the best of both worlds. It provides more than adequate scale detail and realism, plus it allows the advanced enthusiasts more room inside the model for fine tuning. This model is one that certainly falls into this category and I feel what detail and interior is present, is more than enough for most enthusiasts.

The wheels and tires are nothing new, but all were very round and true. The standard Ninco rubber after sanding provides a decent amount of grip on most plastic tracks but silicones (Indy Grips #IG3002) are available as well. The wheels could have a deeper design to better match the prototype but the overall effect of them is still more than enough for my tastes.

Turning the model over we see that Ninco has stayed with the angle-winder motor configuration, but I soon noticed that the venerable NC-2 that powers the other models in my fleet has been replaced by the higher rated NC-5 Speeder motor. After adjusting the braid slightly, it was time for our Out Of Box test to see how this motor would change the handling and performance of it.

As expected, this BMW functioned as intended out of the box. Acceleration was very crisp due to the new motor and braking was more than sufficient. The angle-winder system does take some time for break-in to quiet things down, but once these models have a few miles on them, they really smooth out. I have to mention that this break-in period is important because you might think there is something wrong with the model when you first drive it. So if you do get one of these models, keep this in mind as although it doesn't sound the best at first, over time it will get better.

After our initial test it was time to go inside and get a closer look. 2 screws mount the body to the chassis and all were easily removed. Inside we again see the motor in the angle-winder position with the Ninco standard button magnet in mid-position of the chassis. Up front we see the spring loaded guide system. Some enthusiasts do not care for this option on their models, but luckily the spring is easily removed. The major plus here is that Ninco at least provides us with a guide that is just deep enough to help prevent some of the unnecessary de-slotting that shallow guides sometimes do.

As stated this model is equipped with the new NC-5 Speeder motor rated at 20,000 RPMS. Some people in our hobby are under the impression that a bigger/faster motor is always better. I am not one of these people. Not everyone has a layout large enough to take advantage of all the extra power, nor to control increased power on smaller layouts. A larger motor does help in some situations such as when you begin to add extra magnets, but again, not all enthusiasts do.

I also have to look at the other models of this series in my collection. I could leave things the way they are, but if I want to truly have models that are closely matched I will either have to change all my prior models to the NC-5, or this one to an NC-2. For our racing I will change to the NC-2 as I feel it is more than enough for this model on our medium-sized layouts. In its defense, this motor has made many other enthusiasts happy and it does function very well. If this model is your first experience with them, you should be pleased with the performance it brings.

The angle-winder system that Ninco includes in this model has shown itself over time to be very reliable. In our first review of the BMW, I show how to adjust and slightly modify this system so I won’t bother repeating it here. As I stated earlier, once this system gets some time on it, it really begins to smooth out and makes driving these models even more enjoyable.

Although I didn’t notice the axle bushings spinning under load during the initial testing, I still added a small drop of hot glue over the top of each bushing as a preventive maintenance measure. Once this was completed, I oiled these bushings and headed back to the track for some extended racing. And of course it is here where this model impresses me the most. Although some do not agree, I feel it combines a great balance of power and control making the overall performance of it near perfect for my driving style.

The button magnet Ninco uses and the placement of it helps achieve this in my opinion. The model certainly does not have that “heavy magnet” feel to it, yet the button magnet helps pin it to the track well enough for most drivers. Sliding this beauty around our corners is still easily done, and the window of control is large enough to suit my tastes. So much so that I have left my models in stock form. The “pinning effect” the small magnet gives is much different than the dragging effect a larger bar magnet brings. For those who enjoy light magnet racing, I feel Ninco has produced an excellent model for you to enjoy that style of racing.

This series from Ninco just got better simply because another model has joined the list. The previous releases have proven themselves to be a simple and sturdy line of models and this car compliments the line. I think a pair of these hot rods would add a great deal of fun to your collection as they certainly have for ours.

- 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!

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THE NINCO BMW

Thanks go to MRC for providing us with this model.