Tuesday January 25, 2005

The Revell/Monogram Porsche 550 Spyder

This model is a very different one to say the least. To be honest, many enthusiasts could think of a 100 models that could be produced before this one, but nevertheless the 550 Spyder has come our way. Some enthusiasts have expressed some great anticipation for this model and because of this it made me want to look at it a little closer than I would have normally.

To be fair, Revell is not really marketing this model for the American market. Looking at the chassis markings of Revell Germany tells you that right away. This is a good thing for some considering that most average people do not know much about this car, regardless of what you might hear on the Internet. However, that is ok because many of us in the hobby have for years enjoyed older classics such as this model and now we have just one more model to pilot.

This car represents to some a Porsche that solidified them as a racing leader. I was not too surprised to see this model in Le Mans livery, but hopefully some of the Mille Miglia and PanAmericana models will follow. The version Revell/Monogram (Revogram for those old enough to appreciate this term) has done a very good job of bringing this little beast to us in scale.

All the mold lines, body to chassis fit and paint work are very well done to say the least. There really is not much detail in this regard, but a few small items such as the driver and hood latches bring this model to life. It also appears to me that they can apply a decent, dirt free clear-coat over all the markings, something that some companies that have been doing this for years cannot seem to accomplish.

Wheels and tires are nicely done as well and right out of the box the tires did hook up rather well. They are of a soft compound and fit very snugly on the wheel. Of course, most all tires need at least a little sanding to get them just right, but for those who do not do this, you will still find a decent handling model.

Underneath, we see that 4 screws mount the body to the chassis and all are easy to get to and to remove. You will also notice that it is a front-motor model in design and that they have stayed with the adjustable bar magnet chassis. The gearing is now standard with a 9 tooth pinion driving a 27 tooth crown gear. This does help this model in the braking and acceleration department and I was glad to see them stay with this standard.

However, there is one issue that you will need to address if this model is destined for heavy use. All 3 bushings on this model are terribly loose in the chassis. Both the rear axle bushings and drive-shaft bushing spin quite freely with only a slight application of throttle. I used hot glue to secure my bushings but you can use your favorite adhesive. I hope Revogram decides to take a closer look at the design on the chassis on future models and tries to cure this age old problem. In fairness, this is a problem that we have dealt with for years with other brands of models in our hobby and something we have grown accustomed to fixing.

Performance of this model is either going to please you, or it won't. If you like a strong motor and high magnet speeds in your racing, you should be happy. This little car has the standard Revogram motor that although lacks distinct braking action, does have plenty of top speed. It is all personal opinion really, and you can always adjust or tune this model to suit your tastes. Out of the box this little car posted lap times in the 3.4 second range! Whisper quiet operation is here in full force though, and is one aspect of the car I really like. Having a model this smooth right out of the box should please most of you out there.

All in all it is just another model that adds to the variety of our 1/32nd scale hobby. If vintage models like this are what you have been waiting for, I would suggest a pair of them to get you on your way. Vintage racers might want to tone this model down a little, but at least they have a decent platform to work with. Hopefully we do not have to wait a year or 2 like we do with other makers before we see another set for at least 4 lane racing.

- 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!

For a little history on the 550 car, click the link below.

Thanks got to Slot Car World for providing us with this model.