Racer Sideways IMSA Mustang - Home Racing World & The Slot Car Garage

September 2016

Racer Sideways - IMSA Mustang Turbo Zakspeed Rousch

The Sideways Group 5 series has now well established itself in our hobby. With a wide variety of models combined with impressive performance, this series has attracted many large clubs as well as the particular home racer. The latest entry to this series has been highly anticpated and it simply had to have a closer look.

Data At A Glance

Length - 160 MM
Width - Widest @ Rear Fenders - 65 MM
Height - 35 MM
Rear Track Width - 61 MM
Front Track Width - 57 MM
Wheelbase - 80 MM
Weight Total - 85g
Weight Chassis Only - 64g
Weight Body Only - 21g
Traction Magnet Included
Anglewinder Motor Configuration
Motor Rating - 20,500 RPM @12 Volts (200 g/cm Torque)
Gearing Ratio - 2:55 (11T Pinion - 28T Spur)

Very few models find thier way to my pre-order list. This Mustang is one of those few. This series has become a favorite of mine because the cars not only look very good, the on track performance is very good right from the box.

*NOTE* There should be a label on the front of the case indicating the rear wing is not affixed. You will need to secure the wing with adhesive. I used Shoe Goo.

The car in front of me is based on the Mustang entered at Road Atlanta 1982. The outside of the model seems done well enough to my eyes because it simply captures the look in our scale. Researching the IMSA Series of 1982 will let you know the origin of this car and how it fits into the current series. I have made a prototype reference page you can click on to quickly use.

Paint work is as good as it gets in today's hobby. I did see some very slight errors around the inner wheel arches but nothing that detracts to my eye.

The body style closely resembles the Capri and as well it should. The history of the Ford offerings at the time detail that. The Sideways version of the Capri has a strong following in many racing venues as it has a good overall balance. This Mustang should be very welcomed to those looking for a new rival.

Although this series is not perfect in scale detail, it's close enough for me. I was not a fan of the smaller wheels when the Capri debuted, but I have simply grown to accept it. Perhaps that is due to my own personal feelings on after-market tires. On some models we cannot help but have an all new wheel that will require new tooling for a tire. Yet on a series like this, the decision to stick with an already common size wheel just made sense. It allowed the series to immediately be integrated into current race programs because we had the tires already on the shelf. Being a wood track owner myself, this impacted me in a positive way as well.

As a side thought, It has been 4 years since the debut of this series with the Capri. In that time our little hobby has certainly went through some changes. The larger club/commercial track scene for 1/32 has certainly benefitted from this series. I follow only several larger track programs and all of them have easily integrated this series into their program.

As a home racer enthusiast it has accomplished the same. The small group I race with has quite a few followers and we regularly engage in combat with them.

Since they all have basically the same chassis, it allows us to run a wide variety of body styles to make up a very diverse field. This model is just one of those body styles that have waited for. So perhaps I am biased, but looking at the car in front of me just reminds me how good we really have it in our hobby today.

One thing about these models is that you do get extras with it. Under your base is a bag of parts which contains different offset rear axle brackets as well as optional motor and pod mounts and a wrench just in case you need it. When I see the price tag of some competition based models today and compare them to what Sideways and Slot.it deliver, it's items like these that put them above the competitors and win my hobby dollar.

Under The Hood

Inside we see the new chassis is used here and that is by far the most important change. The improvement this has made to the performance of the car has really increased the appeal of the model for me.

From the adjustable front axle system, to the tuning possibilites of the pod system, this model like the ones before it have a lot to offer the enthusiast. I might feel the motor is too much for my smaller home track, but the majority of larger home and club tracks seem to like it just fine. That's fair enough as I can be a bit particular in my taste for power. I easily change the motor to suit myself.

ROAD TEST
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood Road Course - Satin Latex Surface
Slot Car Corner Braid - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts
DiFalco Controllers

Our Full Video Review Below

So I did install the Paul Gage tires as described in the video (PG 20125). But I did not take the time to true them fully. Even so, the car is very smooth and quiet with only a hint of hop in the corners. The BMW first impressed me with the chassis change and this model just justified it. (If it needed it).

Easy to figure out that I really enjoyed this slot car. In fact, so much so that I think I have spent more time running it than I should. But that's what happens when you pull the trigger on a car that not only looks this good, but performs.

Certainly a serious contender in this series and any one of you who are collecting and racing this series will find that out very quickly. Might as well get this on "that list". You will want it.

-Harry

Feel free to CONTACT ME about this review or the hobby in general.

Thanks go to CincySlots For Sponsoring This Review