Spirit Porsche 936-review

Think back for a minute to the days before high torque long can motors, the days before the Slot It's and NSR's were the hot ticket for racers...back when the Fly Classics were the cars to have (yes I know it wasn't really that long ago but you get my point). The Spirit 936 is more throw back slot car than another contender in the arms race.

There's no pod, no high torque motor but there are a few details that are desirable in a modestly fast slot car. First let's start with the finish and body molding.

The car does have generally correct lines for this version of the Porsche 936 as raced by Jackie Ickx in LeMans in 1976. The body made be just a bit too square but that's really being a bit overly picky, it's close, certainly close enough for most slotters. Where the Spirit 936 does feel a bit lacking is the printing on the car.

The colors are very nice and when you compare the slot car to the color photos available the Spirit car certainly does fall into the solidly "good" range. The red's, blue's and the white used for the body are nice. The detail printing is uneven. Several places on the body the printing fails to get into the mold lines, so at a body seam there may be a gap in printing. This may be just my car since many of the photos I've seen of other Spirit 936's, the Martini livery seems to be well represented. But there are lines printed on the front fenders are supposed to represent the vents, that printing is done poorly.

A number of comments have been made about the masking around the headlights. If you look over all the photos in the gallery at the Jacky Ickx fan site you'll see a number of photos that appear to be later in the race (LeMans '76) where the headlights clearly have tape around them. The slot car is a model of the late race car, with the tape around the headlights. I haven't asked Spirit about this but it's clear from the photos that this is the case.

Inside the car we see the driver is perched on the seat and thankfully Spirit hasn't tried to over do the detail inside the car. There's nothing more useless than details that drive up cost that can't be seen without taking a slot car apart.

The front axle has adjustment screws above the axle as we as underneath it. But to adjust the screws under the axle you must remove the axle (you can't get to the screws from the bottom of the chassis). Removing the axle is not a tough thing to do since the wheels are only plastic press-on's but still it's a bit odd to have to pull a wheel to do this adjustment. The screws do really allow you to set the axle just where it's needed, and the screw ends provide a nice smooth surface that the axle can ride on. The front wheels however on my car are pretty out of round and wobbled more than I'd like, especially in a car lacking a magnet. My car came without a magnet, I'm sure this is a mistake since other reviews have mentioned having one.

The brushes on my car were horribly out of shape, they looked as though they'd been used for quite some time. I examined the plastic spur gear and tried to adjust the set screw in it. But the screw just spun in the hole, it just doesn't tighten.

But the surprise came when I looked at the motor. The soldering of the wires that come from the guide to the motor was rough. But I figured that maybe everything was ok inside so I put the car on my track and tried to do a lap...nothing. The car wouldn't move. Technical Editor Robert Livingston tore the little motor apart and we found that one brush arm was broken inside the housing of the motor. The remnant of the brush arm had been mounted in the brush holder but didn't reach the commutator. So the motor never would have worked. The wire was soldered on the short broken end of the brush arm and during the soldering job was irregular and the top of the plastic end bell were melted. So the only way to get this car to work is to replace the motor with another end bell drive motor from another company since this motor isn't yet available as a separate part from Spirit.

We replaced the brushes (with the brushes from another brand of motor) and did a lot of tire truing on the rear tires. Laps are around 5.8 fastest on the ENYR 62-foot wood track. Which is not very fast, but about average for a box stock Fly Classic. The motor has average brakes and feels like a standard Fly motor. I really was expecting the motor to be overpowered. I was pleasantly surprised to drive it and find out it felt like most every Fly Classic I've ever driven. So it's got sort of an old school feel to it.

The Spirit 936 is a car that does have some flaws, certainly in my test there are problems. But anyone that's lovingly brought a Fly Classic car from a troubled out-of-the-box car to a solid racer will find the Spirit Porsche 936 to be a pleasantly uncomplicated car to work on and fun to drive.

Thanks to Cal Kimrey at Kimrey Enterprises for the car to review!

Dave Kennedy
Publisher, Slot Car News


PorscheSlot CarhobbiesLeMans

Nurburgring in a VAN!!!!

Those wacky guys at Top Gear are having a bit too much fun here, but it's a good Sunday morning type of thing to watch. So sit back and let Sabine take you around Nurburgring in a 10 minute lap!

New Audi A1 prototype testing

It seems that Audi has definitely decided to go after BMW's Mini, also some reports say that new A1 goes head-to-head with BMW 1 series. However it is obvious, Audi gonna come up with their new fighter for race in compact class.
If you ask me, these spy photos shows not much more than a pimped VW Polo, but there is no place for doubts that this is Audi's mule when you look at the licence plates, this prototype comes from Ingolstadt, Audi's home turf. What this will turn into we can expect to see at the upcoming Tokio Motor Show where Audi supposed to show conceptual look of the new A1; meanwhile we can play with PhotoShop
According to some reports, new A1 should debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, but knowing that it is already under active engineering and prototype testing I wouldnt be surprised if it happens earlier.


Source: http://www.autoportal.co.ba/new-audi-a1-prototype-testing/

Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry Test Drive Audi R8

As players of one of the world's best teams, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi or Thierry Henry are not easily shaken. But whenever they receive the keys to their new cars from vehicle partner Audi the eyes of even these seasoned football stars start shining. Today was another such occasion: At the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board for Marketing and Sales of AUDI AG, handed their new "company cars" over to the athletes. Audi and FC Barcelona have been partners since the past football season. The favourite product chosen from the sporty model range of the brand in Ingolstadt was again the Audi Q7.

Before the official hand-over of the vehicles in Barcelona, where the DTM is staging its penultimate race on Sunday, the footballers experienced the fascination of the Audi models in a special way: They had the chance to complete a few fast laps in the new Audi R8 sports car and proved to be as sporty as safe in their driving style. No wonder, after all, the two Audi factory drivers Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen had shared a few tips and tricks with the footballers. The favourite for the champion's title from Sweden and the seven-time winner of Le Mans accompanied the driver safety training which Audi had arranged for the players of FC Barcelona and chauffeured part of the team around the circuit in an Audi A4 DTM race taxi.

The footballers and the racers had already met the night before: Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen attended the Champions League home match of FC Barcelona against Olympique Lyon at Camp Nou, Europe's largest football stadium. "To watch this team play together with a crowd of 80,000 was an impressive experience," raved football fan Kristensen after the home victory.


Source: http://newcars.jinjinblog.com/2007/09/ronaldinho-lionel-messi-thierry-henry.html

Audi retires from Barcelona

DTM Barcelona: Scandal as Audi withdraw

A mass withdrawal from the DTM race at Barcelona by Audi overshadowed Jamie Green's maiden victory at the Catalunya circuit.

Audi management took the unprecedented step of withdrawing all of their cars after its principal title charges Martin Tomcyk and Mattias Ekstrom were involved in controversial crashes.

Audi Sport issued a statement claiming, "the Mercedes drivers used every opportunity to eliminate our cars."

The race began with Audi's Tomcyk on pole and he led Mercedes' Mika Hakkinen cleanly away at the start.

But what happened next between the pair was not so clean. Hakkinen caught Tomcyk's draught down the straight on lap six and was squeezed to the very inside of the first corner. Hakkinen braked too deep and the pair made contact, putting Hakkinen out and delaying Tomcyk.

Tomcyk's team mate and championship rival Ekstrom made his first pit stop around the same time leaving Mercedes driver in control of the race - Bruno Spengler leading from Bernd Schneider and Jamie Green.

Ekstrom's early pit stop left him battling in the pack and he caught Daniel la Rosa on lap 14. The pair were battling for position and when Ekstrom passed la Rosa on lap 14 he squeezed his rival off the track. La Rosa lost control on the grass and side-swiped Ekstrom's car, putting both out.

He later denied that he had continued to accelerate when he had been put on the grass and insisted that he had braked. But the stewards nonetheless penalised him and Hakkinen with fines and ten place grid penalties for the next race.

Tomcyk meanwhile was battling back through the field, moving up to seventh after his first pit stop but losing time running wide at turn one on lap 25. But he wasn't to last much longer - a problem with his battered car surfaced on his second pit stop and he subsequently retired.

That left Spengler looking at an open goal in terms of scoring championship points but he was delayed by a drive-through penalty. Schneider was eliminated with car failure which left Green poised to scoop his first ever win.

Further back the incidents continued. Spengler tried to pass Lucas Luhr around the outside but Luhr pushed Spengler wide and kept the position.

On lap 37 Mattias Lauda and Timo Scheider clashed, the contact sending Scheider's Audi into retirement. Temperatures were boiling on the Audi pit wall, but it was har do apportion blame for the collision.

The team finally snapped when Spengler passed Mike Rockenfeller on lap 46. Rockenfeller had defended his position very strongly and Spengler had gone up the inside of the Audi on the exit of La Caixa. The pair squeezed each other, contact was inevitable, and Rockenfeller was knocked across the gravel trap.

On the pitwall, Audi boss Wolfgang Ullrich had had enough. He ordered all remaining seven Audis directly into the pits to withdraw in response to the string of incidents. That ended the races of Rockenfeller, Luhr, Tom Kristensen, Alexandre Premat, Christian Abt, Markus Winklehock and Vaninia Ickx.

That left just six Mercedes circulating with Green leading. Paul di Resta, second, let Spengler past as per team orders but Green, as a first team driver, was spared the order and left to claim his maiden victory - although he clearly earned and wasn't involved in any of the controversy, it's likely that it will be somewhat overshadowed.

It remains to be seen what the consequences will be for the DTM - and Audi's participation in it - following this controversial twist.


Source: http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/racing-forums/34385-audi-retires-barcelona.html

New Audi A1 prototype testing

It seems that Audi has definitely decided to go after BMW's Mini, also some reports say that new A1 goes head-to-head with BMW 1 series. However it is obvious, Audi gonna come up with their new fighter for race in compact class.
If you ask me, these spy photos shows not much more than a pimped VW Polo, but there is no place for doubts that this is Audi's mule when you look at the licence plates, this prototype comes from Ingolstadt, Audi's home turf. What this will turn into we can expect to see at the upcoming Tokio Motor Show where Audi supposed to show conceptual look of the new A1; meanwhile we can play with PhotoShop
According to some reports, new A1 should debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, but knowing that it is already under active engineering and prototype testing I wouldnt be surprised if it happens earlier.


Source: http://www.autoportal.co.ba/new-audi-a1-prototype-testing/

Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry Test Drive Audi R8

As players of one of the world's best teams, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi or Thierry Henry are not easily shaken. But whenever they receive the keys to their new cars from vehicle partner Audi the eyes of even these seasoned football stars start shining. Today was another such occasion: At the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board for Marketing and Sales of AUDI AG, handed their new "company cars" over to the athletes. Audi and FC Barcelona have been partners since the past football season. The favourite product chosen from the sporty model range of the brand in Ingolstadt was again the Audi Q7.

Before the official hand-over of the vehicles in Barcelona, where the DTM is staging its penultimate race on Sunday, the footballers experienced the fascination of the Audi models in a special way: They had the chance to complete a few fast laps in the new Audi R8 sports car and proved to be as sporty as safe in their driving style. No wonder, after all, the two Audi factory drivers Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen had shared a few tips and tricks with the footballers. The favourite for the champion's title from Sweden and the seven-time winner of Le Mans accompanied the driver safety training which Audi had arranged for the players of FC Barcelona and chauffeured part of the team around the circuit in an Audi A4 DTM race taxi.

The footballers and the racers had already met the night before: Mattias Ekström and Tom Kristensen attended the Champions League home match of FC Barcelona against Olympique Lyon at Camp Nou, Europe's largest football stadium. "To watch this team play together with a crowd of 80,000 was an impressive experience," raved football fan Kristensen after the home victory.


Source: http://newcars.jinjinblog.com/2007/09/ronaldinho-lionel-messi-thierry-henry.html

Audi retires from Barcelona

DTM Barcelona: Scandal as Audi withdraw

A mass withdrawal from the DTM race at Barcelona by Audi overshadowed Jamie Green's maiden victory at the Catalunya circuit.

Audi management took the unprecedented step of withdrawing all of their cars after its principal title charges Martin Tomcyk and Mattias Ekstrom were involved in controversial crashes.

Audi Sport issued a statement claiming, "the Mercedes drivers used every opportunity to eliminate our cars."

The race began with Audi's Tomcyk on pole and he led Mercedes' Mika Hakkinen cleanly away at the start.

But what happened next between the pair was not so clean. Hakkinen caught Tomcyk's draught down the straight on lap six and was squeezed to the very inside of the first corner. Hakkinen braked too deep and the pair made contact, putting Hakkinen out and delaying Tomcyk.

Tomcyk's team mate and championship rival Ekstrom made his first pit stop around the same time leaving Mercedes driver in control of the race - Bruno Spengler leading from Bernd Schneider and Jamie Green.

Ekstrom's early pit stop left him battling in the pack and he caught Daniel la Rosa on lap 14. The pair were battling for position and when Ekstrom passed la Rosa on lap 14 he squeezed his rival off the track. La Rosa lost control on the grass and side-swiped Ekstrom's car, putting both out.

He later denied that he had continued to accelerate when he had been put on the grass and insisted that he had braked. But the stewards nonetheless penalised him and Hakkinen with fines and ten place grid penalties for the next race.

Tomcyk meanwhile was battling back through the field, moving up to seventh after his first pit stop but losing time running wide at turn one on lap 25. But he wasn't to last much longer - a problem with his battered car surfaced on his second pit stop and he subsequently retired.

That left Spengler looking at an open goal in terms of scoring championship points but he was delayed by a drive-through penalty. Schneider was eliminated with car failure which left Green poised to scoop his first ever win.

Further back the incidents continued. Spengler tried to pass Lucas Luhr around the outside but Luhr pushed Spengler wide and kept the position.

On lap 37 Mattias Lauda and Timo Scheider clashed, the contact sending Scheider's Audi into retirement. Temperatures were boiling on the Audi pit wall, but it was har do apportion blame for the collision.

The team finally snapped when Spengler passed Mike Rockenfeller on lap 46. Rockenfeller had defended his position very strongly and Spengler had gone up the inside of the Audi on the exit of La Caixa. The pair squeezed each other, contact was inevitable, and Rockenfeller was knocked across the gravel trap.

On the pitwall, Audi boss Wolfgang Ullrich had had enough. He ordered all remaining seven Audis directly into the pits to withdraw in response to the string of incidents. That ended the races of Rockenfeller, Luhr, Tom Kristensen, Alexandre Premat, Christian Abt, Markus Winklehock and Vaninia Ickx.

That left just six Mercedes circulating with Green leading. Paul di Resta, second, let Spengler past as per team orders but Green, as a first team driver, was spared the order and left to claim his maiden victory - although he clearly earned and wasn't involved in any of the controversy, it's likely that it will be somewhat overshadowed.

It remains to be seen what the consequences will be for the DTM - and Audi's participation in it - following this controversial twist.


Source: http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/racing-forums/34385-audi-retires-barcelona.html

Slot Car News Classified section

In the market for a good low mileage slot car? Have a good low mileage to sell? Slot Car News has set up a classified section at this link.

Spirit 936 review on the way

I'm working on a review of the Spirit Porsche 936 that should be done in the next day or so... until then why not join the discussion about this car on Slot Car Illustrated.

DK

New features on SCNews

Hello Slotters! I've added a Google Newsbar under the Motorsports feed. Why another newsbar? Well the motorsports feed has been a popular feature here so I figured I'd add another newsbar... what the heck.

The Google search box near the top of the sidebar has been fine tuned for slot car searching.

I'm always looking for new features to add here at Slot Car News, if you have an idea for a new feature let me know. What would you like to see added?

DaveK
Publisher, Slot Car News

Chevrolet Concept Car

The Chevrolet WTCC Ultra has got what it takes to be a star. Not just because its rear spoiler shoots so brashly up towards the heavens. The bold and aggressive design of the sports car study takes the Chevrolet body language to the extreme. "We wanted to explore the concept of a Chevrolet muscle car reinvented for Europe," says David Lyon, Executive Director GM Asia-Pacific Design.
The Chevrolet WTCC Ultra concept car is equipped with a powerful 1,991 cm3 diesel unit generating 139 kW/190 hp. The basic version of the four-cylinder engine is the common rail unit with four-valve technology and variable turbine blade geometry currently powering the Chevrolet Captiva and due to go into the Epica from spring 2007.For Ewan Kingsbury, the Lead Designer of the WTCC Ultra, "aggressive", "muscular" and "dramatic" are the words that first spring to mind when he is asked to describe the design of the new project. "As the chosen theme of the car was a concept racecar, this immediately gave me license to push the passion and aggression of the styling to the extreme".

Carrera Mustang-Fire Chief "livery"

It's 3am at the Bay Street Chief is sitting in the parking lot at Red's Java House when the call comes in..."Station Five...125 Mission Street...structure fire" the Chief jumps into his car and tears out of the lot, lights and the 5 litre Ford motor screaming...
Coming or going you can see him coming from a mile away, the bright, fire red 'Stang is always the first on the scene....

Carrera is really getting the most from the 2005 Mustang's they've made. The Grand Am car and CHiP's car was only the beginning. The latest release, the Fire Chief's Mustang, is another car that at first glance might not be an immediate "must have" but, just like the California Highway Patrol car, is one that every kid will be begging for.
Around the Carrera track, the car did a respectable 2.8 seconds. The 94 gram car has a pair of red lights on top that flash very brightly as soon as the car begins to roll. The headlights and tail lights are very bright, as are the red lights on top.
The printing on the car is very good. The paint is solid and free of blemishes. The car lacks an interior and has solid black glass just as the CHP does. Both the Fire Chief car and the CHP car both feel more stable than the Grand Am car and have a less top heavy feel in the corners.
It will be interesting to see what Carrera decides to do next with this body. Another Cop car? Maybe a current Grand Am racer?

SCX's latest releases

Photos from SCX to show today.
A VW Toureg
The Audi R10 (I'm hoping this fits the Pro chassis!)
The new F1 digital set complete with these 3 cars.

Wallpapers

Dodge ASC Viper Diamondback Concept

The American company ASC (American Specialty Cars) showed its creative expertise by unveiling a supercar made even more super by the addition of a mostly carbon-fiber body.

A "snake" with an all-new skin, the ASC Viper Diamondback is super-light and super-fast. It’s fitting that ASC, which helped the Chrysler Group bring the new Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe to life, would, with the aid of McLaren Performance Technologies, show how the Viper coupe might be taken to an all-new level of “extreme.” The 615 bhp Viper Diamondback features a carbon fiber roof, deck lid, rockers, fascia inserts, body trim and a massive OmniCarbon hood that shows off ten unique trumpeted air intakes, with individual port throttles, peeking through - a McLaren Performance Technologies feature reminiscent of McLaren Can-Am engines of the past.

The hood also shows off compression-molded carbon fiber. It’s displayed beautifully, with a broad, clearcoated racing stripe down the Artic White-painted expanse, subtly outlined by “Viper Blue” and “McLaren Red” pinstripes. In all, ASC removed about 85 lbs. of weight from the vehicle - including cutting the weight of the hood by nearly half versus the production model. Taken together with the powertrain modifications by McLaren Performance Technologies, the power-to-weight ratio was increased, resulting in an estimated increase in 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds.