The detail level of this model along with the other releases in the new "Sport" line is more than acceptable to me. However, some of you might think details such as the side mirrors are not going to last very long. Well, although they do not appear to be pure rubber, they are a VERY flexible plastic. These mirrors WILL hold up to a great amount of hard racing without breaking. The wing too is equally sturdy.

At first the rear wheels caught my eye. It seemed to me that they were a bit too much tucked in under the body. However, prototype photos of the 1:1 car at speed seem to show it very close to the way our model is. Still, it seems a little overdone. I can understand this as the tires need to clear the body and not cause any contact at speed. Does it offend me? Not really. The wheels themselves look very nicely done and seem fairly round and true.

I like the tires as they have a decent compound to them. Sanding them up really improves the grip on our wood track surfaces, and they seem to last longer (grip) than older release tires.

Turning the model over we see a very basic chassis design that NINCO has been using on these newer SPORT models. The NC-5 Speeder motor is in the anglewinder configuration with the new bar magnet placed directly behind it. 2 screws secure the body to the chassis. The front screw is hidden by the guide, so you must move it to gain access to it.

After removing the screws we see the rest of the chassis. The gearing is the standard 12 tooth pinion turning a 32 tooth spur gear. Small tabs on the chassis helps keep the wires tucked in place. Some chassis designs I have seen seem to have lot of excess to them, but usually NINCO models are very basic. I like this as it allows me more room for tuning.

Special Testing

The reason this test is special is that this time I have help. Rarely does a model come in for review the same time that we have a race meet. Racers from across the State arrived here for a weekend of fun and I waited to run this car until they arrived. The only thing I did do was to clean up the wheels and tires, and adjusted the gear mesh with the shim on the axle. Other than that this model is all stock. I look at some of our reviews and sometimes I tend to repeat myself on tuning tips, etc. I will not here. Just browse through our NINCO Review Archives and you can find about all these little tuning applications.

Overall Appearance: The feedback I heard was all positive. Although this model was not a car some of them would purchase, they agreed that it was presented well in our scale. The first question asked was usually what motor was in it. That is a fair question as NINCO has a habit of changing motors around for no apparent reason making models incompatible even in the same class. This model comes with the NC-5 Speeder as it should, so far so good. Remember that many racers have older versions of the Super GT series that have this same motor. For them, they want a car that will run with the models they already have. This is a fact, and I hope NINCO pays attention to it.

Our good friend Rick hard at it on the MIDMO!

This car has good balance and control. Braking and acceleration are very pronounced.

During testing one thing happened that is not the fault of the car. As I stated earlier, I adjusted the shim on the axle to set the gear mesh a little better. Well I must have loosened it too much. As they drove the model the shim backed off and caused the gears to start grinding and the wheel to start rubbing the inside of the body.

Why did this happen? Because I should have added a drop of glue to the shim after adjusting it. I know better, I simply forgot! If you do adjust your gearing, take the time to do the same. I used Testors model glue and this worked just fine.

Aside from this, the model ran very well. Could you throw more money and time at it? Of course. The same could be said for any model. But as it is out of the box it is a very nice running car. And remember, this on a wood track. But this is not just my opinion. I am simply repeating what other races that visited here have stated.

The price of NINCO models is a heated debate. The cost of NINCO models are higher than other comparable models but there are times when they simply have a certain model I really like. Some of them are worth a little more to me to get the type of slot car I want. And to go even further, they have better value for me than some other brands that cost a lot less. How? Well, some of these other models do not run nearly as nice as this one. Even more are almost useless on our wood track and require a significant investment in after-market parts. If you have ever priced new axles, wheels, bushings, gears, etc...you fully understand. Sometimes all the parts in the world cannot fix a bad chassis design, so think about these facts before you make your judgment. Of course in the end only you can decide.

In most cases I do not need to replace anything on a NINCO model except for tires. This is no fault of the model as it is designed for plastic track and I race on wood. This makes my simple home racing much more enjoyable. A quick tune up and I am at the track having fun like I should be:)

This model is not going to excite every enthusiast, but for those who want a nice new addition to their GT line-up you should look closer.

- 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 MRC For Providing Us With This Sample!