Friday September 23, 2005

The Latest NINCO Toyota Supra Arrives!

In my opinion, there are many characteristics that seem to make up a great slot car. Scale accuracy is certainly one of them, however all the detail in the world seems to lose it's appeal for me if the model doesn't function as well as I had hoped. This is where the NINCO Toyota Supra comes in and delivers a well balanced model that runs as good as it looks.

When I first tested the NINCO Supra back in April of this year, I had made the comment that not many new releases have impressed me the way this one has and this still holds true. The scale detail of this model is more than enough to possibly please even the strictest "prototype police" in our hobby and certainly is for me.

The paint and Tampo-stamping on this model is as crisp and clean as you could ask for. My model showed no signs of fading throughout the paint and everything is sealed nicely with a durable and dust-free clear-coat. The paint work is also very accurate according to photos I have seen, but of course there is always some slight differences. I noticed that the side WoodOne logos on the doors seemed a slightly thinner than the prototype, but bear in mind I am being very critical. Several other enthusiasts here glanced at the model and photo and did not notice this at all. It simply is a matter of personal preference whether you feel NINCO has done the job well enough for you. For myself, they have done an excellent job capturing this hot rod in scale.

Although the interior is not as detailed as we see in other brands of cars, it still is enough to give the model scale appeal. The driver, roll cage and fire bottle seem to give the car just enough detail to draw you in and when you do you can see the highlights of the dash panel. I have always liked the approach NINCO has chosen with their interiors because they strike a great balance for a slot car. Although some enthusiasts (along with myself at times) seem to crave extreme detail in their models, I have my reasons for enjoying this type of interior approach.

In the past, I have tested some models that simply have too much detail inside. How could this be? Is there such a thing as too much scale detail? The first time you have to perform maintenance on one of this highly detailed models you will understand my point. Our racing here sometimes involves experimenting with different techniques to improve the performance of the model. In these cases, a light interior that not only gives me room to work inside along with being less of an annoyance is a welcome addition.

Wheels and tires are unchanged of course from the first model, which suits me just fine. We have raced these models many times and have come to the conclusion that the stock tires work perfectly. We simply give them a good sanding to get a better tire patch to the track and then roll them over some masking tape to clean them up.

Since we have already looked closer at this model in our first review, I will quickly highlight the chassis and components. 2 screws mount the chassis to the body and inside we see the standard NC-5 Speeder motor in the angle-winder configuration and button magnet located almost dead center of the chassis.

The front axle on some of NINCO models usually has had excess free-play both vertical and horizontally that I always feel need attention before hard racing. This model however is void of almost all vertical free-play and the slight amount from side to side is hardly worth the effort of shortening the axle. I was very pleased to see this as it has long been an issue with most NINCO models, but it seems they are slowly rectifying it.

Performance Notes

The combination of the light interior along with a reliable drive-train and mid-mounted button magnet make this model one of the nicest running models in my collection. You will hear some disagree of course, but it all boils down to personal preference. Some enthusiasts enjoy the very high speeds that a heavy magnet car can provide. I am just different.

I like the fact NINCO has stayed with the smaller button magnet as it challenges me to actually drive the model. This is the part of the hobby I really enjoy. When this model, along with the NSX first arrived here my lap times stayed right around the 4.3 second range. Now, after performing the biggest upgrade you can do in the hobby (yourself...as in practice!) I am easily turning laps in the 4.1 second range. This may not seen like a lot, but it certainly matters when I am trying to beat the other racers that frequently school me week after week.

In my personal opinion, this model along with the NSX are some of the best models we have seen from NINCO this year. There are others that are near it such as the Champcars, but these simply see more track time than any other NINCO model we have. If you enjoy a model that not only possesses good scale detail but offers you a challenge in driving, this Toyota should be near the top of your wish list.

- 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

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