Policar Returns! - Home Racing World & The Slot Car Garage

06/06/2014

1/32nd Scale Policar 312PB # CAR01A

One of the hottest topics in our hobby has been the return of the famous Policar name brand. Of course one of the main reasons for the excitement is that the models have close ties with Slot.it. This release easily reveals that but with a couple surprises some might appreciate.

You might want to check the website and read more about the brand here. Here is another site that has great history of the brand. Here is a direct link to the PDF document of this release.

I was fortunate enough to have a small interview with Maurizio Ferrari of Slot.it about the return of the brand name. He made it clear that they (Slot.it) do not own the company. APS GmbH does. It's an independent operation under different ownership based in Germany. APS was the name of the Italian company making Policar models in the 60's and the new company chose this name as well.

The packaging is simple. A tribute to the brand by releasing it in packaging like they did back in the 60's. I like this. It's simple and effective with that hint of nostalgia. There is a wrench taped under the base as an extra for those who need it. It is these little things that I like seeing. It shows they care about those of us who will actually race the car and for those just starting out that might not have a better wrench in the toolbox.

The model itself is based on the Ferrari 312PB Slot.it and even Sloter from years back have offered. Of course the word Ferrari is not seen anywhere on the box, nor is that prancing horse visible on the model. Carrera has the official Ferrari license so the work around is to simply not include it. As always these little things either mean a lot to you or they do not.

Looking at the execution I like what I see. Shape looks very good and markings accurate.

Overall fit and finish is very well done as you might expect. Markings are very crisp and opaque throughout the model. So far I think they are starting off just fine. I say this as I am seeing some companies who are delivering new models with tampo and paint that is very low quality. Some of them costing quite a bit more. This is the kind of finish I like to see on my scale models and I am certain most of you do as well.

The Inside Scoop

But under the hood is what most people are wondering about. Although the bottom of the chassis says Policar, rest assured this is a Slot.it through and through. There are two changes that make this chassis different than the releases from Slot.it: They utilize plastic wheels in the rear of the car and the magnet is different. The magnet is not as strong as a standard Slot.it but should work well enough. After more research it was made clear to me that this company is concentrating on making models to be raced in non-magnet form. So there is a magnet there for those who want it, but if it's not enough then it's up to the enthusiast to change it out. Fair enough.

The rest is all Slot.it with the standard motor, pod system, advanced guide blade, and gearing.

As far as the plastic wheels are concerned? Well, I have seen some that dismiss these wheels just because they are plastic. The truth is that these are Slot.it wheels and they are the best plastic wheels I have used in our hobby. Round is round regardless of material. There is a nostalgia factor with these wheels as we have used them for years to replace other brands before we had all the after-market wheels and tires we have today.

So you can dismiss them if you want to, but the fact remains they are excellent wheels. My first few laps produced that fact. But if it really bothers you, you can of course change them out easily enough to set screw aluminum. One other thing I like about this application as it has kept the cost down.

The front axle system is familiar as well. This car already has the set screws installed for you to adjust the front axle height to match your track and taste.

Routed Wood Track Test
MidMo International Speedway
4x16 - 3 Lane MDF - Satin/Flat Latex Surface
Slot Car Corner Braid/Flush Mount - Aftermarket Power @ Volts
Professor Motor 2110 Low Voltage Electronic Controllers
TrackMate Timing

From the package to the track this car worked just fine. Although the rear tires are not the best suited for my track surface it was silky smooth just like you would expect from a Slot.it model. In fact you likely would never know the wheels were plastic.

But to me a model like this needs to be inspected and adjusted before operation. Setting the front axle was needed as it was slightly off center. And in order to set the front height correctly I had to flip the front axle bushings and use longer set screws. You have to careful as you will cause the front tires to rub on the body. I had to sand them a little to clear. But this is just how I like my setup for my track and is not really a fault of the model.

One more plus is this classic series seems to start off with a decent price as well. Powerslotcars has both listed at $47.95. That is always good to see a price point that is easier for those on tighter budgets.

Which just reminds me of Slot.it. They have been the value leader as far as "bang for your buck" goes for years. Now Policar follows suit. Plastic wheels or not the rest is all higher quality Slot.it brand parts that we usually upgrade our other brand models with. This price has me optimistic for the future of this classic line.

The other news is the vintage F1 models they will be producing. They will not be a less expensive model due to the advanced designs but I bet all fans of the genre will embrace them. Make sure you read the Policar website for all the news as it will be updated often.

We have seen a lot of new companies come and go in our hobby. I think it is great that a brand name that is virtually synonymous with slot cars in Italy is returning. I look forward to other models from them because it seems quality in operation is just as important as scale detail. Collaborating with a brand like Slot.it usually delivers the level of quality in performance that we all seem to like and this first effort earns a thumbs up from me.

Welcome back Policar.

- Harry

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