NINCO1 Series Lamborghini Diablo GTR - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Thursday February 10, 2011

The latest release in the 1/32nd scale NINCO 1 series is a model I personally could not wait for. Although directed towards the beginning enthusiasts, this line of models has more going for it than you might think. Those of you who like super high speed action or are into the larger club track scene need not bother, but for many of us that have simple circuits at home might want to read on.

I am not that much of a fan of modern Supercars unless they look like this one. Being adorned in racing trim makes just about any slot car look better to me and such is the case here.

Now, not every racer likes a nearly all black model as they can be hard to see against our black plastic tracks. But there is enough artwork here to make it a little easier on the eyes.

Speaking of the artwork it is about as nice as you could ask for. Tampo stamped markings were clean and crisp and the clear coat sealing it all is nearly perfect.

And although this series is supposed to be directed towards the beginner, the scale of this car is very close. At least close enough for my eyes and certainly well enough for the younger racer.

Detail level is at a minimum but there are touches here and there that make it stand out. The rear exhaust and visible brake rotor detail is a couple of them. As you might expect, this car has no interior, hence the tinted window effect to hide it.

This does not bother me as the model is not made to please my scale detail preferences. And it also should spark the interest of racers who like to save a few ounces of weight anywhere they can.

The mirrors on this car are designed to take higher impacts and they accomplished that. These are a flexible plastic (not rubber) and can bend quite a distance by hand. The rear wing is strong but will not last forever if you abuse it.

The wheels and tires are nicely done as I mentioned and appear to be very round and true. The stock rubber will provide you with plenty of grip on most plastic tracks and it is not too bad on my routed wood surface either. Still, there are aftermarket tires out there for these models if you choose to swap them out.

Turning the model over we find what I feel is the "star" of this show. This NINCO NC-11 is just a great little motor for simple home racing. I have had plenty of time to play with this motor since the first review in this series (2 years now) and I have become a huge fan of it. I do not like most choices NINCO makes in the motor department, but this is one case where they got it right.

Box Stock Track Testing
5 x 16 - 4 Lane Carrera Plastic Track
Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts with PARMA 25 OHM Controllers

Although I do not have a timing system set up on my new track, I do not need that to tell me when I have a nice running slot car. The mild mannered motor combined with the light magnet makes this car simply fun to operate. You can really glide this model in and out of the corners smoothly and the motor response is just soft enough to allow a recovery time in the event of a spin.

And it is not that slow either. It has very decent acceleration and crisp braking. The gear mesh is a little on the loud side but that will break in over time. This is how a slot car for the beginner should run in my opinion. No ultra fast speeds or massive amounts of magnets. When you combine that you quickly end up with a broken car once the magnet gives way. This model can actually help teach a new enthusiast how to operate and enjoy slot cars at this scale. In my mind this is a huge home run.

Looking Closer

3 screws mount the body to the chassis. The front screw is hidden under the front guide so just push it aside to reveal it.

Inside we see the our motor with the quick disconnect wiring system that is geared with a 9 tooth pinion and 27 tooth crown. This is a very simple design and like most times, keeping it simple is the smart way.

I like that there is plenty of room to tune these cars with weight or magnets if you use them. This flexibility is another reason why I like these models.

Advanced Testing
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Here is where I feel they make excellent models for the more advanced enthusiastsl. We race them here on our wood track with only the basic tuning we usually give all models. These cars remind me of the venerable Classic series only with modern body choices. So if you are a veteran enthusiast and enjoy your collection of standard NINCO classics, you almost have to give one of these a try. We have covered our quick tuning process in prior reviews so please click the link below.

Here is a quick tuning overview for the NINCO 1 Series.

After this quick tuning this Lambo joined the fray with others in our collection. I can happily report it stays right there with them as it should.

*NOTE to NINCO* - Do not change (re-motor) these in future releases. This is how a series should be. In other words, do not fix something that is not broken.

Final Thoughts

Keeping it simple like this can make a great slot car for almost any track size. The milder motor is ideal for many of us with small to medium sized home layouts and the scale appearance is just enough to satisfy most. Yes, I really do like this series and although they have a price tag higher than some other "beginner" models, those lack this great little motor. I think anyone should consider trying at least one.

- Harry

Check Out These Prior Reviews Of The NINCO 1 Series

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 MRC For Providing Us With This Sample!