NINCO Lancia Stratos - Home Racing World & The Slot Car Garage

05/14/2013

1/32nd Scale NINCO Lancia Stratos -Pirelli- #50622

When it comes to iconic rally racing machines, the Lancia Stratos might be the perfect example. In the mid to late 70's this car dominated like no other and enthusiasts regard it as one of the all time best.

Perhaps it is only fitting that NINCO brings this example to us. They are widely known in Spain for being a leader in scale rally racing and have quite a following over here as well.

Even slot car enthusiasts who do not really model rally racing have to admire this car. I am a good example as rally racing in our scale is about as the last genre of models I collect and race. It is not that I do not appreciate them, far from it. There are plenty examples of them scattered throughout our collection and we do enjoy them. Yet most are classics, and that means I think this model will fit right in.

Data At A Glance:

Length: 121.50MM

Height (Ground to Rooftop): 34MM

Width: 61 MM (At rear fenders)

Wheelbase: 68 MM

Weight: 72 Grams

NINCO has done a very good job in our scale. Nothing is ever perfect but I certainly feel they have captured it well enough.

Paint work is very well done with a durable clear coat sealing it all in place. There are hints of bleed-through on the Monte Carlo and driver markings though. This may seem trivial to some, but for others it might not be. Nothing that takes away from the model really, but I do have to mention it.

Detail level is more than enough for our hobby. From the driver and navigator to the light bars and rear louvers, there is plenty to enjoy.

A face only a rally fanatic could love?

I noticed that the antennae, side mirror, and even the mud flaps are modeled in a flexible rubber. I like this and most of you who will actually race this car should too. This will go a long way in keeping the car looking good and I commend NINCO for doing it.

Wheels and tires look well enough and the standard NINCO rubber is fine by me. For some reason, the rubber compound NINCO uses has always been some of the best stock tires in our hobby. Year after year the tires on our older models only need a quick sanding and cleaning to get them right back to racing form.

There are plenty of after-market options of course but I do not think I will go that route. In my eyes, rally cars do not look right gripping the corners like a modern F-1 rocket. They are supposed to drift through the corners, yet still provide decent grip upon acceleration. These tires will give me that so they will stay as is.

Turning the model over we this new car equipped with the NC9-Sparker motor. To steal a line from that famous movie, "NINCO is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get." We have stopped trying to make sense of NINCO's motor program and just accept that they will install anything they see fit.

In this case I am actually optimistic. Normally they (NINCO) install motors that have too much power for the model in question, at least for scale enthusiasts. Rated at 20,000 RPM at 14.8 volts, this motor is a nice power combination for our smaller track. Enthusiasts that we know from our forums have also relayed positive comments on the fun this motor delivers.

There is also a magnet installed right in front of the motor. Most scale purists will remove this of course, but it is good to see it here for those who like them.

There are 3 screws mounting the body to the chassis. The front screw is hidden by the guide and you must remove it to get to the screw. This is a bad design in my eyes. It could have easily been place behind the axle in some manner or better still, used a two post design. This may not seem like a bad thing to you, but for those that will tune them for competition? Yes, it is a hindrance to say the least.

Once the body is removed we see that the suspension system is installed both front and rear. Do not get too excited though as the amount of travel is almost negligible. Yet it is present and perhaps it will please some enthusiasts.

The front has more travel than the rear. If you use the magnet then it really does not serve much of a purpose. Without a drop arm it won't really work on obstacles either. Only on the trucks does the suspension really do anything noticeable.

Up front NINCO uses their standard spring loaded guide. You can remove the spring easily if you like.

The motor has a 9 tooth pinion that turns a 27 tooth crown gear. Gear mesh seems smooth enough and will get better over time due to break-in.

I did not like where the lead wires were under the axle. It just caused rubbing and that is not a good thing. I simply swapped them as shown above.

Boxstock Testing
MIDMO Speedway
Professor Motor Control - Pyramid 26KX Power Supply

The first few laps with this car really impressed me. Without any tuning done to it, it ran VERY smooth and quiet. These are not strong traits of NINCO right out of the box on a non-magnet wood track.

The motor delivered as I hoped as well. Nice and smooth power band with pleasing acceleration and braking. I think there is no need to swap the motor out and I have not felt this way about a NINCO for a long time.

The only thing missing is working lights, but complaining about it is a waste of time. We have asked NINCO to start providing lights for years and they are simply not going to do it. It is a shame really, as this car needs lights to be a complete scale model. So if you need them then you will have to outfit the model yourself which just adds more cost as the NINCO light kit is not that budget friendly. This along with the higher price tag is why NINCO models do not score high on our value meter.

Regardless of price I like this car and it should please most any enthusiast who chooses it. It runs very well out of the box and it has plenty of scale appeal. I really look forward in hearing from other enthusiasts who add this model to their collection as I think they will find the same characteristics. The number one being FUN. In that category this car delivers.

-Harry

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