Slot.it GT40 - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

08/10/2011

The Le Mans Winners Collection
#CW09 - Jacky Ickx - Jackie Oliver

For some enthusiasts this release has been a long time coming. I would guess that since the day Slot.it made it's first ready to run model, this famous Ford was on that "wish list" of cars we hoped Slot.it would someday make. That day is here.

This release is a "Limited Edition" that comes in a nice presentation box. I will say I am not sure just how limited this model is with a run of 7000. With numbers like that I think anyone who wants one should be able to acquire one easily enough. Inside the box lid is a nice history of the model which I like very much. Learning more about these classic models is part of the fun to me. Also inside is a small card telling you what number your model is in the run.

And last but certainly not least is the Allen wrench and grub screws found UNDER the box base. THIS IS IMPORTANT so do not forget that they are here. Veteran slot car enthusiasts likely already have a wrench, but for those just getting started this is a welcome addition and I applaud Slot.it for including it.

Before we go much further, I want to welcome any newcomers out there. You will read a great deal about Slot.it and all the parts and models they make. I can relay to you that in my personal opinion Slot.it is as good as it gets in our 1/32nd scale hobby. They have earned a great reputation in our hobby for quality models and parts, and this car is a showcase for them.

And Slot.it IS good quality. First let us look at the fit and finish of this important model. I was very impressed at the detail level and overall paint work. Is it perfect? No. I have read some feedback on this model and not everyone is happy. But to me Slot.it has done a fantastic job. I simply am not that critical and do not loose sleep over small inaccuracies. Yet, some do. And as much as I am not a "rivet counter", I respect those who are. It is the fine scale enthusiast that has helped motivate the manufacturers in creating our models of today to look as good as they do.

But I will not insult your intelligence, just do a search on the prototype and read the great history of it. Look at the photos of the car yourself and then see if Slot.it did it justice for you.

Yes, to my eyes they did a great job. I look back on prior models that Slot.it has produced and rarely do you find many issues. Sometimes a wing out of shape, maybe a wiper blade too big. But most of the time what they deliver is pretty much "spot on" as they say.

The blue on this model is darker than seen on other efforts like from FLY years ago. I feel it is a close representation, one that works well enough for me at least. It is hard to go by photos sometimes as settings change from photographer and camera. At least from the photos I have found it appears perhaps a shade darker, but I am clearly nitpicking and cannot prove this either way.

The wheels and tires are usually very accurate with Slot.it. If you are new to Slot.it you will want to know that the rear wheels are turned aluminum held in place with a set (grub) screw. These are as round and true as it gets in our hobby. The front wheels are plastic but also very round and true. They are simply pressed on the axle and can be twisted off. These examples are close although the rear wheels/tires might be on the small side. At least from comparing photos of the 1:1 car to this effort. Of course, it could just be my interpretation but there does appear to be some issue here. The question is: Does it bother you?

Regardless of any scale issues you need to know they are VERY round and true and the new compound really hooks up well. According to Slot.it they are the C1 compound part# PT32.

So what do YOU think overall? For me this car is a great scale model and I have very few, if any, complaints. I cannot wait to start racing it.

Pre-Race Inspection

Some enthusiasts might feel Slot.it models are "ready to run" right out of the box and in many cases they are. However, I am not one of those people. This model is designed for the more advanced enthusiast and has adjustments that can and should be made for optimal performance. I look at this chassis as a "rolling chassis" ready to quickly adjust and then start having fun.

I want the reader to understand that I am just a simple home racer. I do not compete in any "serious" club racing or organized competition and my hobby is much better for it. We get together with friends and just enjoy these toys for what they are. So, if you are looking for some advanced speed secrets by a "professional" slot racer, these are not it. However, over the years I have learned a great deal from those advanced racers and I feel these quick tips are a great starting point for tuning your new Slot.it.

Turning the model over we see the standard orange end bell motor (Part# MF06 "V12/3" rated at 21.500 rpm - 170g*cm) in the sidewinder position. It is enclosed in the modern pod assembly (Part# CH44). Right in front of the motor is the small bar magnet. For those that like using magnets this should be just about perfect. You can also see more pockets that allow to change the position of the magnet to suit your driving style. And yes, you could add additional magnets if you desire.

During my Pre-Race inspection I noticed a slight binding feel to the rear axle. I felt it by turning the rear axle by hand and then by a quick one lap test run on the track. We will have to remove the body to correct this.

After removing the 2 screws that mount the body to the chassis we get a closer look. It appeared that the spur gear was rubbing the chassis on the inside.

In order to correct this, I removed the wheel using the wrench provided. I then loosened the gear and backed it away VERY lightly. You do not need to move it away much. Moving too much will give you excess side to side free-play that you can see and feel. Imagine the thickness of a sheet of paper and you will understand how little you have to move it. Just enough so you can feel that it is not rubbing and you are done.

With the wheel off we get a close up of our gear system.

I then re-installed the wheel and make sure it was tight along with the gear. Then go to the other wheel and double check it to make sure it is fully tightened. You don't have to be very heavy handed here, just a little pressure on the wrench will do the trick.

Once this was addressed we move to the front of the car. Up here we see 2 spacers right under the front axle. We also see 2 set screws above each end of the axle. These screws are here to help you set the correct ride height of the front axle and to minimize vertical free-play. On some older tracks like Scalextric Classic or SCX you may need to twist and remove the front wheels and remove the spacers. These older tracks have rails that are slightly raised above the track. In order to set the right tri-pod (front tires barely touching the track) you likely will have to remove the spacers.

For our flat wood track the spacers stayed in place. I only had to tighten the screws a little to remove any excess free-play. Just tighten them enough so that the axle spins freely without binding and you should be good to go.

On this model and a couple other new releases, the front guide braid is now secured with set screws.

Nothing much to do here, but you need to know this when it comes time to change braids.

Finally let us give this car a few drops of oil.

Putting the car back together again presents an important tuning tip we can show you: Adding/Reducing Float. "Float" to a slot car reduces the amount of vibration transfer throughout the car. If you have a car that chatters hard in the corners or under hard acceleration, try the following:

First is our body mount screws. There are only two on this model, one in front and one in the very back.

As a starting point, install the screws until they are tight and then back them off about a half turn. The screws are designed for this as they have a unthreaded shank to them. This was all I could see this particular model needed. Remember that the amount of float is different on every model. It also will vary from track to track as different surfaces require fine tuning.

Finally is the motor pod. You can see it has 4 mounting screws.

Try backing them off one half turn as a start point.

Adding and adjusting these screws to adjust float is also why I say these are a rolling chassis. Out of the box this pod and the body are fully tightened. To make operation of this car a smoother, you will need to do these quick and easy steps. Once you try it, and race it on your track you will fully understand the difference.

Box Stock Track Testing
New Ozark Speedway
5 x 16 - 4 Lane Carrera Track OVAL
Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Now it is time to hit the road! All I can say is you should be very happy. This classic is very smooth and quiet right out of the box without any break-in time which means it will just get better over time.

The tires grip very well on our flat latex surface although a quick sanding will be needed to clean them up a bit and give us a better contact patch. And that means no extra money spent on tires for me. Of course personal results will vary, but this is a very good tire.

Braking and acceleration are crisp and most of you will like the motor included. For me it is almost too much as I have such a smaller track, but that is no fault of Slot.it. I do not think any company can put the "perfect" motor in a car as advanced enthusiasts are always changing them to suit themselves. But this motor is fast enough for most any series and should keep most clubs happy unless they like racing with their wallets and allow open motor rules.

All in all I am very happy with this purchase to say the least. For my home racing Slot.it is still the best slot car dollar for dollar and this car proves it. I know advanced racers are touting brands like NSR, and for good reason. Nothing against those fine machines, but when you combine scale appearance with performance AND factor in price, Slot.it still wins in my book. I paid $59.99 for this model from one of my favorite USA dealers which to me is a fair price for such a nice looking and running machine.

If you are just starting this hobby or have been in it for a little while, and you haven't picked up a Slot.it model yet I think now is as good as time as any. They run as good as they look and are still within most budgets. But I warn you, once you get a taste of model like this your slot car addiction is only going to get worse :)

-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!

Model Purchased From SlotCarPlace.Com