Thursday November 29, 2007

After testing the SCX FIAT in the Classics series I immediately wanted this Renault Alpine to go along side of it. Not only did I want this model as a running mate for the FIAT, I also thought it looked beautiful in the photos and simply had to have it. It has arrived safe and sound so it is time to look closer at this famous Rally machine.

My first impressions of this car were very favorable. The photos will most likely not do justice to the overall finish this little car has to it. The base metallic blue is very well done as are the Tampo stamped markings. It also has a clear coat that seals everything very well and gives the car a high luster shine.

The markings appear to be close to the prototype although the numbers and roundels seem a little small. Other than this I feel SCX has captured this model in our scale well enough. Of course nothing is perfect but physically speaking there is not much to complain about.

Small details such as the front lights and chrome trim add even more scale appeal for me. Knowing that this car is fully lighted also had me looking forward to some night racing action on our road course. Having lights may not mean much to some enthusiasts but it does for our racing and it just adds even more value for me. Those who do not like lights can always disconnect them which is easier than purchasing them and having to put them in. One thing you will see is some bleed through which can be easily fixed by painting the inside of the body. It does not really bother me to do this, but again it needs to be mentioned.

The interior details are simplified yet still help give the model a finished appearance. Some roll bar detail is visible along with our driver and navigator present. Our navigator is holding a clip board or chart but it is unmarked. This really does not bother me within the least but some fine scale enthusiasts might have wanted more.

Looking at the wheels and tires brought some of my enthusiasm to a halt. I could notice right away that we had some issues as I could see the tires having a slight egg shape to them. It looked as if the tires had not been molded just right or we had some very serious flash molding to deal with on the wheels. In any case it was time for our track test to see just how well...or how poorly she would run.

Box Stock Testing
Artin Plastic Track - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts - PARMA 25 OHM Control

The first few laps on our track did show promise. It is a quick little car with more than enough magnet. However, you could certainly see and feel the tire and wheel issues which I knew would just be amplified on the routed wood course.

Yet, with the magnet it worked fine and actually posted averages of 4.0 seconds which is right with the FIAT. Braking and throttle response were very pronounced and after awhile I settled down into a nice rhythm. But like most Rally cars I do not like so much magnet in them. They look better and just feel right when they are drifting around the corners. The non-magnet wood track would be my real test.

Wood Track Testing
3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Before I made one lap I knew we needed work. The car hopped badly and almost would de-slot on hard acceleration. Still, I knew we could clean this up and make a nice runner out of it. Lap times were in the 6.2 second range but I was optimistic we could do better once we cleaned things up in the wheel and tire areas.

Under The Hood

After removing the 3 screws that secure the body to the chassis we see the RX-41B motor equipped with a 9 tooth pinion. The rear axle has a 27 tooth crown gear and gear mesh was smooth enough to start things off. Break-in will certainly quiet things down over time so just allow this car some time. In addition to the gears the SCX motor is very durable and has a better brush system than most others. With this system you need to allow the brushes time to break in and fully seat with the comm. We like to use a 9 volt household battery and place the car on top of it and prop up the rear. We let the car run for about 10 to 15 minutes. This lower voltage is ideal for break in and virtually minimizes the arcing effect.

As with most SCX models with the motor tabs that simply rest on the contact strip, I solder these in place as a preventive maintenance procedure. You do not have to of course but since I do not pan on changing the motor or gearing, this gives me piece of mind knowing I the best electrical connection.

Up front we see the standard guide set up with a spring mounted for self centering action. Although this system works fairly well, I would rather see a system with less free-play in it. The contact strips here force the guide down so I bend them slightly upwards to decrease this action.

The main item we needed to look at were the wheels and tires. After looking closer it did appear that the wheels had excess flash molding on them. To sand them we again used a 9 volt battery and held some fine grit sandpaper against the wheel to clean things up. After this it was time to sand the tires. I sanded the rear tires and then moved them to the front. Then sanded the rears again until they looked as round and clean as I could get them. After this I rolled the rear tires across some masking tape to clean off any excess rubber.

Right before we hit the track it is time for some quick lubrication. One drop of oil on the rear bushings and on each end of the motor. You do not need a lot, just a very light drop will get the job done.

Track Test Part II
3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Just like the first test, the first lap told me all I needed to know. We have a winner! This model was now VERY smooth and the control and overall fun factor was multiplied 10 fold. I was having a great time with this car as lap after lap I could easily drift it through the corners and really come out of them hot on the throttle with no sign of hop or stutter. Lap times plummeted down to 5.3 seconds which is a tick faster than the FIAT. And given the lower stance of this Alpine, the FIAT will stay back there staring at the rear bumper.

Summing It Up

This car needs some work out of the box, but most any car does. When you look at the price being well under $40.00 it makes for a great value. A little time spent sanding and cleaning things up is all it needed to be a great runner and I just cannot slight SCX for it.

This slot car will deliver hours of fun with just a little tuning effort on your part. I am beginning to think that SCX models, along with the motors in them are not getting the credit they deserve. They can be tuned to run as smoothly and efficiently as almost any car out there. I think you should look really close at what they are bringing to the table. Keep them coming SCX because I need more.

- 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!

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