Speed Thrills: My First NSR and RevoSlot Cars

Times like these I really regret not having a track available to drop my new cars on for some test laps. The two beauties I'm highlighting here just arrived courtesy of UPS (and LEB Hobbies) and I am really happy to have them.

Before I go too much further, let me point out I am a notorious cheapskate when it comes to buying cars. This means that:  a) I have to limit my collecting to a definitive category of cars that I really like, and b) that I try to extend my collection as inexpensively as possible--which means buying cars that are on sale or very gently used. As I gradually fill out my list of "must-haves" it becomes harder to do this, as some types are simply just more expensive or (like these two brands) too new or seldom offered in used condition.

I have a Ford 3L P68 in my 60's-era Le Mans car stable, but it is a classic Scalextric model and simply not in the same class as my modern cars. It is in extremely nice shape, and I've considered putting the body on a newer chassis. Maybe someday.  This Lucky Strike livery is really attractive and will look great hanging out with the Ford GTs, Ferraris, Mark IVs and other classics in my pit lane. The detail on this NSR model is absolutely wonderful and I'm sure the performance will match. You might be surprised that, having been in the hobby for 20 years or more, this in my first NSR, but as I said, I'm cheap and I don't do any club or commercial track racing.

I already had a 333P, too--a yellow SCX model that is still like new and one that I always considered good-looking. When I started in the hobby, I liked the late-90's to 2000s LMPs, and my first Ferrari--although not red, as I usually prefer--was a nice visual break from my other cars, which included a white Joest Porsche and 2 white BMWs. Something about this RevoSlot's plain red livery (with just a few decals) appealed to me...and in terms of quality, it is a real stunner.

Since I am pretty much caught up in terms of modern GT cars (especially those offered by Scalextric and Carrera) it seems the focus will have to shift to quality over quantity/price and that means shelling out some more money for fewer cars. I often choke on spending over $75.00 for a car, but I have some holes in my collection and it's looking like some of the LeMans Miniatures models (which normally run well over $100 USD) may be the only way to fill them--aside from buying a 3D printer and trying to build my own.  Something to plan for, to be sure.

Get Your Weekly Fix with Dave Kennedy's Slot Car News

 As I recently got back into the hobby, Dave Kennedy was a familiar name to me and I was happy to see that he had transitioned much of his presence from his Slot Car News blog to a really amazing YouTube Channel. Dave's original blog has transitioned to more of a commercial racing news source, and the content there is now handled by others (though he retains ownership of the site). Dave now primarily focuses on the 1:32 model slot car industry and provides weekly updates on new models coming out, new products, and other content that will be of great interest to most hobbyists.

If you want to know what's going on in the slot car industry, Dave Kennedy is your man.

With his extensive experience working for SCX, Scalextric and Carrera, Dave knows the ins-and-outs of the industry and best of all, isn't afraid to tell it like it is. He's done awesome videos featuring straight talk on subjects such as brand licensing, model production numbers, the basic differences in chassis and motors, and other topics that people often ask about. He explains why companies like Scalextric and Carrera think like "toy manufacturers" and not "slot car enthusiasts" - and how these factors shape the way the industry creates and sells products. It's fascinating stuff, and it's one reason why I look forward to his Friday uploads.

Besides the latest hobby news, Dave also provides a lot of useful and educational content that will be of use to slot car hobbyists--especially those just starting out. He offers helpful tips on the different brands of track, what different manufacturers have to offer, basic car maintenance and much, much more. While his expertise makes him compelling to experienced slot car folks, he doesn't assume you already know everything--and that's refreshing.

Dave also recently started doing some live-stream chat events, where he will happily talk about new developments and answer your questions. Check him out on YouTube at Slot Car News Official.

Retro Roundup: SCX SRS2 Series Slot Cars 1992-93

My Mazda 787B. I'm missing my dashed stripes... :-(

A while back, I highlighted a few of the Spanish Scalextric SRS (Super Racing Series) cars that I had acquired over the years. Those cars featured an advanced chassis, higher-than-average performance RX motors, and light weight (about 65 grams) to offer a little more to slot racers in the 1980's through 1991. With more of a pin-type guide and a fairly strong magnet, I found them to be excellent performers on my old home track, and were quite fast. While some people have swapped out their original guides for a more traditional type, I have not found that to be necessary to this point.

The XJR-14 in the Castrol (masked "Silk Cut") livery.

In 1992, SCX in Spain took the original idea and developed a new breed, called SRS2. While the original intent of increasing performance was maintained, the newer cars featured hard plastic bodies in place of vacu-formed Lexan bodies and also added front wheel steering to their modified SRS chassis. They also featured a normal guide blade in place of the original series' pin guides, and the tire and wheels were of a more traditional type as well.

The chassis of the SRS2 was a modified version of the original.

While the first SRS series featured a fairly wide range of cars, the SRS2 series included only a Mazda 787B (Mazda and Renown liveries) and a Jaguar XJR-14 (Castrol and Bud Light liveries). With their greater weight (now about 77 grams) they didn't seem to be as quick as the original SRS cars, but still offered good performance. Personally, I did not see much advantage to the steerable chassis, but it wasn't a detractor, either. While not comparable to some of today's more performance-oriented cars, they offered good fun for their time, and with a little tuning could be made reasonably competitive.

As you can see, the front wheels do actually steer. Not sure how much it helps.

My only disappointment is that the Renown-liveried Mazda I have (a replica of the 1991 Le Mans winner) did not include the dashed-line decals that separate the green-and-orange sections of the paint job. Based on photos of the slot car, they should have been included. I've tried in vain to find something in 1:32 scale that could work; being white and clear, the decals are hard to replicate without special printing equipment.

New Additions to The Garage

 As I have been "off" from the hobby for a few years, I have some catching up to do in terms of  buying cars and adding them to my collection. I usually tend to buy in "spurts" - where I will get maybe 10 cars over a month or so after not purchasing any at all for 6 months or more, maybe longer.

I will get into a longer post soon about what I buy and why--I have by necessity limited my purchases to "full-bodied" race cars of the LeMans/GT/GTP/IMSA/Can Am etc. classes of cars, primarily from the mid-60's through the present day. It's not that I don't like other types, but I can't afford to buy everything that's out there, so some discipline helps focus my interests.

Here are some fairly recent additions to the Garage.

The purple Ford GT GTE by Scalextric is, in my opinion, the sharpest livery available for this car. I'm sure (due to its color) it will be one of my wife's favorites. I was pleased to add the Ginetta to my group of more recent LeMans prototypes; as a group, the modern cars are not so aesthetically pleasing--with all their lumps and bumps and fins--but I still like them. The SCX Renault Sport RS is a car I've had my eye on for a long time--the Megane in a similar livery seems to be everywhere but this one is not quite so common.

Overall, these make some nice additions to the stable and I'm looking forward to running them!