NINCO Porsche 997 & Jaguar XK 120 - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Monday August 18, 2008

The very latest releases from NINCO have arrived here safe and sound from MRC. Of course, each of these slot cars are vastly different from one another mechanically speaking, but they do have one thing in common: Their new home! So let us welcome these new additions HRW style.

One of the many great things about our 1/32nd scale hobby today is the wide selection we have to choose from. From high speed magnet racing to milder classic action, we pretty much have it covered. NINCO is one of the companies that help bring us this variety and I for one appreciate it.

The Porsche 997 GT3

The Porsche 997 GT3 model is nothing new aside from the paint. We have reviewed this car several times so I will point you to our NINCO Review Archives instead of repeating ourselves here about the inner workings of the car.

The paint work here is fantastic. This is a car that really catches your eye to say the least. The Tampo stamped detail of the watches on all sides is just wonderfully executed. You can see all the little details quite easily.

The sharp contrast of the blue with the yellow rear trim I also liked. Is it perfect? Of course not. The car has a few scale issues when compared to the prototype photo NINCO themselves has posted. The mirrors are the wrong color as well as the front spoiler not being fully yellow. It also appears the wing should have been blue.

Either this will bother you or it won't. For me, no real issue. I still think the car looks great and it is going to look even better when we get up to speed on the track.

Turning the model over I was happy to see the NC-5 Speeder motor. Not that I particularly like this motor better than others, but at least NINCO kept it compatible with most others in the GT line.

Welcome To MIDMO International Speedway

Our latest layout is a 3 lane routed MDF wood track. We use copper tape and a flat latex surface that has created some fantastic non-magnet race action. Like other companies, NINCO models usually run very good out of the box in stock form. We only perform a little wheel and tire sanding like we show here in our first Porsche 997 review.

NOTE: This car appears to have the new NINCO tires. They are without markings and of a new compound that hook up very well on our track surface.

Out of the box the car performed decently. It did have some chatter to it like most models do, but again the wheel and tire sanding really improved matters. Most of you should enjoy this car in box stock form although some surfaces might need a tire change for maximum grip.

NINCO GT For Our Track

Although the NC-5 is a very good motor, for our track it is a little too much. The first thing I do is to swap the NC-5 for the NC-2. Some might scoff at this change, but on our track this is an upgrade. The NC-2 has always been a great little power-plant that delivers plenty of speed and torque, plus very acceptable braking. On our smaller track, this is all the power we need and it just makes the car more fun to drive.

This change also takes this car and makes it compatible with others I have collected over the years. This Porsche 911 I bought in 1999 or 2000. It has the NC-2 black label motor. It is also an inline model compared to the angle-winder of the new Porsche. Our new Porsche was still a little quicker than the old, but not by much. 100 laps gave an average of 4.2 for the old and 4.0 for the new.

The Classic Jag

The classic line by NINCO is by far my favorite. Mild mannered little cars that not only look good but deliver some of the most satisfying slot car racing I have had in our hobby. Does everyone think that way? Of course not. Not everyone likes these slower machines, especially when most of them are non-magnet. However, these cars have been around for quite a few years and over time they have proven themselves to many slot car enthusiasts

This latest addition is different from the older versions, so those who collect AND race these cars be warned. The body itself has not changed although the clear-coat used today is much better than that of years past. In this regard, NINCO has stepped up it's game. The livery chosen though attractive, is not very accurate according to prototype photos.

Do this bother me? Nope. Why? Because I did not even know it was wrong until someone told me. Up to that point, I simply thought it was a fictional livery to mimic a historic racer. In very simple terms I thought the car looked cool and I still do. For those that do care more about scale accuracy, this car may not be for you.

Aside from the accuracy issue, the paint is flawless. Tampo markings are as crisp and opaque as you could ask for. And as mentioned earlier, the clear-coat here is very well done with signs of dirt, runs, or fading. My photos cannot really show how nice this car looks, but the first time you pick it up you will fully understand.

Wheels are standard NINCO fare found on all the other Jags I own. The car the livery was based on shows stamped steel wheels so again, accuracy here is not 100 percent to say the least. In any case, I have always liked the wire wheels on these cars and although they need some sanding, they were very round and true out of the box.

The Change

Turning the model over we see that this car now comes equipped with the new NC-8 motor instead of the NC-1. For some this is no issue while for me it means a motor swap to be compatible with the rest of my collection. The NC-8 on it's own is a very nice motor that still has a mild mannered operation to it and I am at least happy to see it rather than a NC-5.

We also see the new motor lead connections NINCO is phasing in. These are solder-less and will make swapping motors out a little easier. That is when the new motors without wires already connected start showing up. For now I will still have to fire up the soldering iron to make my change. I do like the idea though and in the future it should make things better.

For the newcomer in our hobby a motor swap most likely will not be needed. There are several other classics such as the new Corvette, Ferrari and Porsche 550 that have the NC-8 and as far as I know, any future classics will be as well.

Historic Racing at MIDMO

This is where these classics really deliver a high fun factor. With just a little lead added here and there these cars are simply a blast to race. Most classics turn lap times in the 5 to 6 second range and this one fits right in. The only other tuning we perform is taking out the vertical free-play in the front axle. We use tubing like shown in this review and it works perfectly.

Of course I must admit my bias towards these cars. Yes, I truly enjoy them more than any other product NINCO produces. And in case you have not tried this form of racing, be warned: It is ADDICTING! I have seen my share of innocent racers fall under the "classic" spell and the next thing you know they are out there collecting all they can.

It is hard to describe how these machines create such a fun slot car experience. For many it is simply the fact that you are truly in control and can actually watch every little move the car makes. These cars practically telegraph to you when your too heavy on the throttle giving you plenty of reaction time.

The Real Deal

Well, let us get right to the heart (or wallet) of the matter. I usually do not address this, but due to the amount of mail and requests from readers, I will. In every forum I visit for our hobby, the price of NINCO models is heavily debated. As of this writing the Porsche has a list price from MRC of $67.98 with the Jag at $75.98. This is much higher than other models found in our hobby and for some racers on tight budgets it makes choosing these models difficult to say the least. However, some of our good dealers usually have them listed for less than this price so check your favorite dealer.

Do I think they are worth the higher price? Yes and No. No I am not happy about it, of course not. I also am not pleased seeing the classic marked higher for no reason I can think of except that they are very popular and hence the higher price. There are other models I enjoy just as much as these with a much lower price tag.

Again, I have heard the debates about the prices. The bottom line for me? They are what they are. The price is what it is. Either you feel they are worth it or you don't. What bothers me as an enthusiast is that some racers will pass on these models because they are simply out of their price range and they will miss out on the fun these cars can bring. I can't blame them as everyone has some sort of budget (Well...most anyway).

On The Other Hand...

Since around 1997 I have been enjoying the classic line from NINCO. This means some of my models have been around for a long time and still see heavy racing to this day. So will these new releases. I also know that this hobby is not just a passing fad for me. Like other enthusiasts, I am in it for life.

So you spend $60 or $70 dollars and pick up a classic or GT line model. And own it for several years and enjoy countless hours racing it with your friends and family. That is a pretty good return on your hobby dollar investment. I can tell you that the hours I have had behind the trigger with these cars, racing and laughing with my friends has no price tag.

NINCO - Then & Now

I have seen NINCO evolve over the years and there have been some improvements. On my early classic Jags they are simply peel and stick numbers with no where near the clear coat we have today. The Porsche is a newer mold yet I still have a couple older ones and the differences are more than you might expect.

Of course the new Porsche is angle-winder, but that is not all. First, the interiors are much better with updated driver figure, dash and roll bar detail, and even a fire bottle. Second is that clear-coat. The other older Porsches shown here I had to clear myself to protect the markings. The yellow one was the last with a NC-1 and ferrite bar magnet up front.

Sum It Up Already!

In the end I can only hope this review helps you determine if these models will find homes at your track. Each are fun to race and for that they accomplish what I expected of them. I think if you do choose them, you will own two more fun slot cars and fun is what our hobby is all about.

And if you do, I want to hear from you. But you don't have to be in a hurry. Let me know in a couple years if these models gave you the fun you were seeking.

-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 These Samples

Check With Your Favorite NINCO Dealer For Availability