JJ SLOT - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Saturday October 09, 2010

It is not often we get the chance to look at something brand new in HO scale. When JWL Slot Cars announced a new line of cars and sets from JJ SLOT it seemed to be perfect timing as we are starting to build an HO track and seeing the low prices really peaked my interest.

First, I will not try and insult anyone's intelligence. Enthusiasts of this scale will know right away that these are NOT the Super G Plus models most are used to. In fairness they do not come with the higher price tag either. These models are different in many respects to most HO scale models I have seen, especially these larger "1/53" versions.

The selection we were sent includes 2 "1/53" scale models of a Mini and a VW Bug, 2 1/64 F-1 offerings and 2 1/64 scale generic NASCAR "Stockers". The scale detail level is not going to win any awards, but then again, neither will other brands. As usual we will let the photos speak for themselves and you will either like them or you won't.

Wheels and tires are much larger than what you will find on other brands. This is ok, as long as they work. I noticed the tires were a little uneven, but nothing that bad.

The Mini and Bug were the first for me to look at. They are interesting in that they are designed for either HO or 1/43rd tracks. Looking underneath we see they have a clear chassis and one of the deepest guide pins I have seen in this scale.

It has a standard Mabuchi-style motor with braids for pick up. This pretty much reminds me of most 1/43rd scale cars. These 2 models seem to just fall into the "in between" crowd.

The other 4 models are more standard sized HO offerings that are close to other brands aside from the larger wheels and tires. The F1 models have a clear chassis while the stockers are a standard solid black. Something tells me there is a reason for this clear chassis.

I do not own a JJ Slots track, but we do have a TOMY AFX. As most people will do, we just opened the packages and started playing with them. The Beetle and Mini needed some braid adjusting in order to make them run reliably. No issue I suppose, but I can see some younger racers getting a little frustrated if Mom or Dad is not around to help. Once adjusted, they functioned well enough but do not expect a lightning fast model. The tires will need some sanding as well to get them round. The fronts will need this same treatment as there is a fair amount of wheel hop. And as I expected, the clear chassis is here for a reason. The cars light up :) This means little to some enthusiasts, but I can see our younger racers getting a kick out of it. My 13 year old did.

Perhaps the biggest issue is that they really do not fit on HO track, or rather on TOMY AFX. Since this track is very popular in this scale, I simply have to point this out.

Where these cars performed better was on our routed 1/32 road course. The wheel hop was still there, but electrical contact was much better. I can see now where these would be ideal models for those in 1/43rd scale that have larger track rails.

The F1 and Stockers were much different. Do NOT expect them to be heavy magnet road rockets. In fact, this is why I liked them. Although they have a little "growl" to them, they ran great. The only thing needed was the front guide needed some trimming. These are DEEP. So you will have to check them and most likely trim them if you run a different brand of track.

You might need to trim the pin to fit your track.

Yes, the clearance is still very close, but so are other brands. In fact they are no worse than some of my older HO scale models from different brands.

And to go further, aside from the more accurate markings, the other brands look very poor in scale. The Life Like and TYCO NASCAR'S shown here (On Right) are some very poor scale efforts. They look like someone stepped on them and they are just as tight of fit on my TOMY track as the JJ SLOT cars are. The older AFX car shown on the left is just to compare different brands and to choose something that is older. I did this as many HO racers have massive collections that date back many years, yet they still run them.

So out of the box I have to say I liked the standard scale models, but the 1/53rd models seem to be better suited for either the JJ SLOT track they are designed for, or larger 1/43rd track from other brands.

There is one more item that was included in the box that I really was happy to see. JWL has commissioned K&D Tires so make after-market urethane replacement tires for these cars. This is a major issue for many enthusiasts. Nothing can improve a slot quite like the right compound tire.

These tires fit both the HO scale and 1/53 cars.

I installed them on the Stockers and went back to our test oval. Before we started I reduced the voltage to 12 volts. I noticed with the TOMY supply they were a little jumpy for my tastes so we wanted to see how they would react at 12. I can tell you now that these 2 options made a WORLD of difference! What an increase in the fun factor. Much smoother and the grip of the tires is very noticeable. Control was less punchy and we could really get some great action in the corners.

So my final thoughts? I have to say I do not care much for the 1/53rd scale cars but that is only because I do not a track that they are really suited for. I have heard reports from other enthusiasts in 1/43rd scale who appreciate them. The HO scale cars I like. I see potential with these models.

These cars remind me a lot of my old beloved Artin. They are not perfect by any means, but can be fun nonetheless. And the price is right. At $6.95, these are less than half the price (sometimes even more) than most other brands. This makes them ideal for the younger/beginner racers. I am not much of a scratch builder in HO scale, but I know folks that are. I can see this low price point attracting them as well. I can imagine some creative modeling using these models as a base.

I would say it could do no harm to you or your budget to try one and see if you like it. At these prices you have little to lose and perhaps a lot to gain.

- 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 JWL SLOT CARS For Providing Us With These Samples!