Non-Magnet Fun With The

Slot-it Porsche 956C

This model is causing quite a stir in our hobby and I finally got the chance to test them for myself. Our own Nils Frederiksen did a great review already covering this release but I had to take a closer look due to some of the issues other modelers have discovered.

Let us get right to it shall we? There have been reports of this model having bad paint and clear-coat problems along with front axle binding and cracked front hubs. I decided to get 4 of these to see how common the problems were and all I can report is that all 4 of my models are as close to perfect as you could ask for. All of them had excellent fit and finish with no visible runs or fades in either the paint or Tampo-stampings.

And Nils was right...this model is simply beautiful. I found both liveries to be striking and that the detail level here should be more than enough to please any scale enthusiast. In fact the attention to detail draws you in closer the more you look at it, particularly the interior. This interior is post-melted in place, but I removed mine to show you the detail a little better. From the seat belt decal and helmet markings, to the dashboard...right down to the Porsche emblem on the steering wheel, Slot-it certainly had the scale enthusiast in mind.

Inside the model I checked the free-play of the front end that according to latest news is designed to be tuned for tracks such as Scalextric Classic that has raised rails and possibly uneven surfaces. All my front axles were slightly a little snug in the mounts like on Nils' models and followed his procedure of a few passes with some Emory cloth. This took care of the slight rubbing that seemed to slow the front axle and now it spins freely. I have to agree with other racers and suggest that Slot-it include some sort of instructions to explain how to utilize this design to its best potential.

The rest of this chassis is all that Nils and other enthusiasts has said it was. Smooth seems to be a term I use a lot, but it is the best way to describe the operation of this model. As already pointed out, when you consider you have some of the best slot racing components on the market today already installed, naturally this model exceeds most performance standards of other brands.

I removed the magnets in both our models because it just seemed this model begged you to do it. And as expected, I found both models to be just as smooth and fun to drive without the magnets, in fact it increases the action for us. The tires are of a soft compound and hook up nicely on Artin, Carrera, and Scalextric Sport tracks we tested on. The important thing is to keep these tires clean, for if they are not you will see a sharp decrease in cornering and acceleration. I used duct tape found in any hardware store and rolled the wheels on this after 3- to 40 laps to keep them optimal. Silicones will most likely be needed for some routed track applications, but I found I liked the grip and forgiving nature of these tires on our track, so the originals will most likely stay on them.

There is a small amount of room to add lead for tuning on the inside, primarily in the front. The low ground clearance of the model will still allow using some very thin sheet lead such as Slick 7 or Pro-Track, but the sides of the chassis is where most will apply it. This is where I used adhesive-backed lead used for wheel balancing and I added 1/2 oz on each side centered with the motor. This lead is very inexpensive and holds in place well, I just needed to angle it slightly to clear the body and interior. The lead has markings on it in 1/4 oz intervals and should be easy enough for you to use and tune evenly. Once I added this it brought the total weight of the car to 3.5 oz and performance was improved a great deal. Acceleration out of the corners was more pronounced with an easier overall feel to the car diving in to the tight turns. Lap times were an average of 5.8 seconds with the lead added and I felt this was excellent time compared to some of my magnet models that only have lap times a little over a second faster.

As stated earlier, this chassis has some of the best components on the market, and in my opinion this is what makes this model such a real VALUE when you look at it by the numbers. Some models by other manufactures are MORE expensive, yet do not have near the quality of axles, motor and gearing Slot-it offers. When you add the cost of the Slot-it components to replace these lower quality parts, you can easily see where the price of these models become even greater. The Slot-it Porsche has a list price of $49.95 which in my opinion makes it one of the best buys in our hobby. The only thing really missing for myself is that it is not lighted. This is easily cured of course and I plan to add some Overdrive kits for both our models soon.

I have to recommend this model to those fans of the series and also newcomers to the hobby. With some issues being reported with the model I also advise you to ask your dealer to check your model before shipment. To be fair, I suggest you do this with ANY brand of car...this way you can avoid any problems and concentrate on having FUN racing as it should be. Slot-it has created a clear winner in my eyes and I look forward to every single release.

- 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 Scalextric-USA for providing us with this model.