NINCO Lamborghini Murcielago ALMS "Pirelli" - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Saturday July 31, 2010

Lamborghini Murcielago - ALMS "Pirelli"
Item # 50543
Scale: 1/32

NINCO has released plenty of models in the last year or so but not all of them spark interest for me. The GT classes however do, and although I use that term very loosely, most of you understand what I mean. Regardless if they raced against each other in 1:1 scale, many slot racers like myself won't let that stop us from mixing them up for an afternoon of fun.

And what arrived on my door yesterday will fit right in with the kind of racing we are doing. This new Lamborghini Murcielago is not a new car really as we looked at this model before. However this is in the American race team livery of Krohn/Barbour and to me it is a very attractive model. Say what you will, but seeing Old Glory on the sides and hood makes the car even more appealing.

And speaking of the paint, I must say NINCO has done a near flawless job of executing it. I looked at prototype photos and they really nailed this one almost perfectly. It is certainly close enough for me and most of the enthusiasts I race with.

The clear coat is also done very well. There are always changes/improvements going on in our hobby and NINCO has really improved in this area. Several of our models that were released this past year have seen some heavy race action and the paint has been well protected. Perhaps a scuff or two here and there but I can actually buff them out with a little wax.

One small item that I like is the use of a flexible plastic for the side mirrors. This might mean very little to some of you but it means a lot to me. I guess I am just picky, but I like to have my models look like they should and these mirrors can stand up to some HARD crashes.

Wheels and tires are standard fare and look the part well enough. Visible brake rotor detail just adds more appeal as well. There are no tire markings on this one like there was on the first release, but prototype photos showed some of the cars to be free of them. I did find a few that did have them but again, this is a very small item. As usual, it is YOUR call. To go even further, most advanced racers could care less as they change out the tires to their favorite compound and none of them have markings.

Turning the model over I was immediately happy. I see the NC-5 Speeder motor and breathe a sigh of relief. I was hoping they would stay with this motor and sure enough NINCO did the right thing.

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

Right out of the box this model functioned as intended. Lap times were not that impressive with an average of 5.1 seconds but we need to remember that this is bone stock with no work at all.

And for what it is worth not every new model we get runs this well on our wood track surface. Newcomers and those that enjoy plastic track will be pleased I am sure. This car had very little chatter and although the gear mesh was a little on the loud side, break-in time will likely cure that. I like the way this model handled and knew it has the potential to be a very tough competitor.

And that is really what this review is all about. Like I stated early on, we already did a full blown review on the "All Inkl" model so read that article to get a more detailed look at this model.

Quick Tuning/Comparisons

This model needed very little to get it running where I like it and that speaks for the quality control at NINCO. It is rare that I show my setups and it is not because I am trying to hide anything. It is because what works well HERE on our track may NOT work at yours. This is just a pretty much standard setup I use on most anglewinder NINCO models and it seems to work well enough.

With the sheet lead added as the photos show I also used some rectangle tubing from Evergreen Styrene to block up the axle. This model does not have the amount of vertical free-play that older NINCO models have but there is still a little that can be eliminated. Then I lubricated all the usual areas and sanded the wheels and tires. Finally the model spent 30 minutes on my small break-in rig to help the gears marry up a little more.

Results? BOOM! This model now runs much better even with the stock NINCO tires. I launched a 4.2 second lap on my third pass which for our track is pretty good and we are just getting warmed up. What do I mean by that? Your track has something in common with your cars: It breaks in too. Although I wiped the track down our surface will tighten up after a few hundred laps. The more you race the more you clean the surface. It will change enough that the tires you start with my be the hot setup but once the tracks comes in, you may have to change to a different compound.

This model has the stock NINCO rubber which is some of the best stock tire compound out there for our track. Other models are equipped with either K&D urethanes or SuperTire Yellow Dogs. I will keep this one stock as after this track of ours comes in, these stock tires really hook up well.

One of the best attributes about this model is that it runs right with all the other GT models I have and that to me means a great deal. I chose these 2 models as they are the latest purchases and have about as much break-in as this car has. Which one is King? Well the times are so close that no winner can really be determined and I like that. Very close, tight racing makes for the best action in my opinion.

The higher prices NINCO models have is a hot topic among some enthusiasts. The only thing I can say is that they are what they are. Either you feel they are worth it or you don't. I can give you some good advice though that I have been saying in many other reviews. SHOP AROUND. Start with the dealers here at HRW. You will find you rarely pay MSRP. The Ford and other Lambo in this comparison were purchased for far less than MSRP and NO it was not a special price just for me. So just use a little time and research and you can be rewarded.

So in the end this car obviously pleased me and why not? A ready to run model that actually runs usually does. If you have ever purchased a model and had to completely rebuild it, you know what I mean. I think fans of this series should take a close look at adding one to their current line up. It blends right in and can be just as competitive as most any other model.

-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!

Why not check our other NINCO REVIEWS?

Thanks Go To MRC For Providing Us With This Sample!