Thursday December 18, 2008

Ever since I first piloted one of the classic rally cars by SCX I have been wanting to add this model to our collection. As simple as it may seem, the wide fender flares and blue and yellow paint really caught my eye and sooner or later I would have to add it to our collection. It has arrived so let us see how well this little SEAT 131 fits in with our other models.

This little car really isn't that new as it first appeared in March of this year. But with all the releases out there, it took me awhile to attain one. My first impressions of this model were very favorable. If this SEAT ran as good as it looks we had a winner on our hands. The paint and Tampo stampings here are as nice as you could ask for. All of the markings were very crisp and opaque with no signs of bleed though. There was some very slight overspray on one small area in the yellow, but you have to get really close to notice it.

The contrast of the blue and yellow is very attractive to me. Not that it applies to this model but it reminds me of some older Sunoco paint schemes I have seen over the years. What really makes this car stand out though is the clear coat. You can see a mile in this paint and the high gloss of this clear coat is as clean as you could ask for. My photos most likely will not do this model justice. Next time you are in your local hobby shop, ask to see this car up close. I promise you will fully appreciate what I am trying to say.

A few small details such as the antenna tiny exhaust pipes give it some added appeal although the antenna will not take too many trips rolling over. The small side mirrors seem durable enough and the rear spoiler is a solid pat of the body. However, one main detail of this model cannot be seen until you hit the gas: LIGHTS!

Yes, this car has working lights front and rear. It seems a standard nowadays for most of our manufactures, but not long ago having working lights was a special item. Even today some brands that cost more than these still do not offer lights on models that should have them, rather they charge more for those versions.

For some racing enthusiasts lighting is no added bonus, in fact some remove these lights. However, the first time you have a night race on your track you will understand why this little detail is so important to many.

The interior here is a basic half tray design and adds just enough realism for my eyes. Both driver and navigator are present along with some visible roll bar detail. Not as detailed as some models but works well enough for me.

Wheels and tires are done well enough and appeared round and true. They are the same size as those found on the recent Renault 8 and Alpine which means aftermarket tires are available now. This is a good thing as I prefer a different compound on our tracks.

BOXSTOCK Testing - Artin Plastic Track
12 Volt After-Market Power Supply - PARMA 25 OHM Economy Controllers

This little car is very quick and snappy right out of the box. Acceleration and braking are very crisp and the magnet here really holds the model in place. 3.9 seconds was the average which was right on track (ahem) with the other models in the series. For me, a Rally car should slide though so we will be removing this magnet later. In any event it functioned as it should right out of the box and for that it passes with flying colors.

The gear mesh was a little on the loud side but that is just the nature of most SCX models. It takes some time for the gears to break-in and once they do you will have a much smoother model. You can use the break-procedures found here in our NASCAR tune up article on this model and the results will be the same. And yes, I bent the antenna. I left it this way as you can expect this to happen. No real issue as I trim these off over time. It does not take away from the appearance for me. But it does show it can take some punishment before it breaks.

Stopping right here most will be happy with this release. Nicely executed model with great looks, very clean and attractive overall finish, and once again a very good price point. Most dealers have them for $39.95 to $41.95 which is more than fair.

Under The Hood

Turning the model over we see that 5 screws secure the body to the chassis. Once removed we see the motor and wireless power system that is now standard on most SCX models.

An RX-42B with a 9 tooth pinion and 27 tooth crown gear provide the motivation to this classic. Most enthusiasts really like this motor and for good reasons. Plenty of power and speed with more than acceptable braking action. Of all the SCX motors this one is truly becoming a favorite. It is no wonder they are using this as standard power in many of models they offer.

The flexing motor pod system here was also to my liking. I usually secure this system as it sometimes provides too much body roll. Not so for this model. Just enough float effect for me. There is not a lot of work to do here and most of you can simply lubricate each end of the motor and rear axles bushings and be finished. However, I am going to tune this model to suit our home track and make it match the other models in the series.

Quick Tuning

The first item is simple wheel and tire sanding. Using the methods we show here for break-in and tire sanding will have things even smoother. Yes, it is the NASCAR but the techniques still apply here.

Once the break in and wheel and tire maintenance was completed the car ran much smoother and was considerably less noisy. It is just that simple. Nothing can replace actual running time though. The brush system in the SCX motors are superior to the average slot car motor and take a little more time to break in. Once they do, you will find a very snappy and fast little slot car!

One thing I did notice during break-in was the bushings for the rear axle were spinning in the mounts. I have not seen many SCX models have this issue, but it was here. No matter really, we simply added some adhesive to the bushings to hold them firmly in place.

Advanced Tuning

For those newcomers to our hobby, please do not think you must do any of these modifications. This model runs very well with basically nothing to change except the mention of lubrication and wheel and tire sanding.

WARNING! Performing The Following May Result In VOIDING The Warranty

Every enthusiast has their own preferences on how they enjoy slot cars. Some simply keep them as they are and that is primarily what we do here. Others want even more speed and drop the fastest motors they can find inside. Some even add more magnet and the models are so fast you can hardly see them. Any way you like it is the right way as far I am concerned. That is one of the many great things about our hobby.

Tuning For Our Track

Our track is a routed MDF 3 lane track called the "MidMo International Speedway". It has 25 OHM Parma controllers and an adjustable aftermarket power supply. Our power is set on 10 1/2 volts. We enjoy models at slower speeds for several reasons but mostly it is about control. Keeping them at decent speeds helps you drive the car more realistically for us. We have a wide range of power in the corners that allows us to feather the car in and out of the turns without them being "punchy".

We also like milder motors in some of our models. Again, it just makes them more realistic and we really enjoy actually watching the model run. This classic Rally car will have the RX-42B removed and have the milder RX-42 installed. According to the SCX WorldWide Motor Chart The RX 42 was tested at 14,971-15,400 RPM @ 12 volts. The RX-42B is higher with a test of 18,081 RPM @ 12 volts. Not all models get this upgrade, just ones that we feel deserve it.

Upgrade? If you put a slower motor in your car that is downgrading right? Wrong. Not on our track. We have 4 foot by 16 foot which has plenty of curves. There is not enough room here for faster RPM motors to have any real advantage. Here it is a combination of speed AND control in the corners.

I installed the RX-42 and soldered the tabs that conduct power to the motor from the wireless system SCX uses. Again, not a requirement, so if you do not like to solder or do not have a soldering gun, simply adjust these tabs and make sure they are clean and a tight fit.

The final results were just what I hoped the would be. A very smooth and controllable model that is simply a blast to drive. So much in fact that I must admit it took me a little longer with this review. It is just a great little car to pilot and it is so much fun I just continued driving it! An hour would go by like it was nothing and next thing I knew it was time to go to bed. It matches well with the other classics that have been converted and this makes for some very close, exciting slotting which is exactly what I hoped for.

If you are a fan of this series then you certainly should have this model on your list. It is a fun little car that will deliver hours of fun without a lot of work and comes with a great price that is easy on your budget. And with Christmas just days away this would make a great gift for the Rally fan in your house :)

-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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