Bowtie Beauties!

Scalextric Sport

L88 Corvettes

Soon after the release of the "blank" Corvette I was impatiently waiting for the painted versions that we have been seeing photos of for months. They have now arrived here, so for those interested I thought I would share a few photos of these beauties before I begin to "break" them in!

Although they are Sport versions, these models are virtually identical to the standard blank version we have already reviewed. The Sport versions do come with a stronger rear axle, metal bushings, and of course there is the collector side of them. According to my "Sport Credit Card" that comes in each box I have #4578 (of 10,000) of the Dave Heinz / Bob Johnson #57 and #2637 (of 10,000) of the John Greenwood / Dick Smothers #48. There is no additional front button magnet provided since these models have no pocket for its application.

Both of these models are striking to me and catch the eye quickly, (at least they did with my family as they were quickly taken out of my hands and brought to the track). Tampo-stamping on each model were clean and opaque as you could ask for. A dust-free clear coat seals all these markings nicely, however it seemed the #57 version had a lighter coat of the 2 models.

Body fit and finish were also very well done. I have to be honest and admit my lack of painting skills, which just made these models even more welcome on our track. I could most likely spend hours trying to reproduce these models from the blank versions and never come close to the RTR versions you see here. According to prototype photos Scalextric has done a good job of capturing both the 1:1 cars in our scale. Of course there are always going to be small details that fine scale enthusiasts will notice, but for my eyes I feel these releases certainly play the role nicely on our home track. However, scale accuracy is a very important issue with many enthusiasts, so it just boils down to YOUR individual tastes on whether or not Scalextric has come close enough to satisfy you.

Different wheel detail is present on both versions as is the usual brake rotor detail we have become accustomed to. For my racing I like to sand the tires to get them as true as possible. The softer compound tires do grip the track very well, although some will just replace them with silicones or Supertires. For my plastic track I just keep the originals, but keep a pair of silicones handy for when I visit a routed wood track.

Regardless of any scale issues there might be, I like these models a great deal. I have said many times before that combining good scale detail with a smooth drive-train usually makes a decent slot car, and I feel Scalextric has accomplished that with these releases.

- Harry

For a great history of the #57 model click HERE

And try HERE for a quick back round on the #48

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!

Models purchased at SlotCarPlace