I  have been away from slot related forums for a good while - looking forward to being part of this one and hopefully contributing positively.

I am a keen modeller, have a permanent digital layout and I collect 1:32 Porsche (All manufacturers but am currently trying to complete Ninco)

   

NSR-0123 Porsche 917k #19 Gulf - 24h Le Mans 1971. Available now. RRP £82.95

This is a stunning new release from NSR - and fantastic to see new cars arriving from Italy at the moment. In iconic Gulf colours and driven by Dickie Attwood and Herbie Müller, the car was one of the three John Wyer Automotive Porsche 917's that looked to dominate the 1971 Le Mans 24 hours. In the end, it was the only car of the three to finish - three laps behind the winners...

   

The Gulf cars had been running 1-2-3 through Saturday evening, the #19 sitting second. However, the night was a disaster for John Wyer's team. First, the #17 of Siffert and Bell lost an hour in the pits, then leader Jackie Oliver lost half an hour - both with gearbox issues. The #19 Porsche followed having lost fifth gear and over 30 minutes in the pits. By dawn, Attwood and Müller had battled back up to second place, but could not close the gap on the leading Martini Porsche 917k of Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko. That's how it finished. The iconic Gulf Porsches missed out on a final chance to win at Le Mans.

Here's some action from the race...



   

Unlike some of their models, I think the Porsche 917 really looks the part. The original car is low and hugs the ground, with sleek lines and a relatively low rear - to my eye, the NSR model captures that and delivers a highly-competitive car on track...

       

Before the arrival of the NSR Porsche 908, the 917k was the weapon of choice for many slot car racers in classic sports classes. The 917 has the latest NSR Evo sidewinder 'classic' motor mount, a Shark 21.5 Evo motor (21900 rpm @ 12 Volts. 164 gr/cm) and the new racing bushings...

       

The body weight remains at 19.5g

This car - together with a new livery on the Mercedes AMG GT3 - has arrived in the UK this week and is available at all the usual NSR stockists, including Pendles, MRE and the distributors Gaugemaster.

A big thank you to the NSR team in Salerno for getting these new cars out in such difficult circumstances

   

Team Slot SRE27 Ford Escort RS2000 Signal Amber - UK Limited Edition only 200. RRP £51.99

Arriving next month is this rather special UK Limited Edition RS2000.

       

The model is of the 1978 RS2000 in the photos, which was owned and driven by a certain member of the UK slot car community. The owner will - for the time being - remain anonymous. However, you might want to hazard a guess in the comments below.

The car features detailed painted wheels, new treaded tyres and the usual limited edition numbered plastic card and box back drop.

The car is available as a pre-order at both Pendle Slot Racing and MRE.

A big thanks to Steve at Staffs Slot Cars UK for the pictures, release details and gossip. Staffs Slot Cars distribute Team Slot in the UK and commissioned this limited edition model.

Not really 'self isolating' but stuck at home because there is nowhere to go. G.O.L.D meeting cancelled because Tel's kids might have the lurgy, cinema closed so no movie this week, village pub shut so can't go out to lunch and peeing it down again so can't get on the allotment.

Took the opportunity to scan a few more magazines for the SlotRacer library and was working my way through the July 1979 issue of Auto Modeller when I came across this race report:
   

Can you spot the famous contestant?

Cancellation of the 9th edition of the DiSCA Le Mans 24hrs

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: 
Due to the global impact of the COVID-19 virus and the substantial risks associated with proceeding with the 9th edition DiSCA Le Mans 24 hours, we have taken to the decision to cancel the event, scheduled to take place 4-5 April 2020.
Team Captains have been notified and there is an extended version of this message in the Driver's Lounge addressing potential questions from competitors.

posted on behalf and request of


with kind regards
Tamar

Hand-crafted at Pendle Slot Racing HQ in Nelson, Lancashire, the new Penelope Pitlane Ferrari 156 kit looks sensational...

       

       

The model is of the car driven by Lorenzo Bandini at the 1964 Monaco Grand Prix. The 156 'Aero' was the 1963 update of the 156 'Sharknose' that had taken the drivers' and constructors' titles in 1961. The updated car had the same 1.5 litre V6 engine, but with fuel injection increasing the power output. The main difference was the more traditional nose section. John Surtees drove the 'Aero' version to fourth place in the 1963 world championship, winning at the Nürburgring - his first Grand Prix victory.

Surtees would switch to the V8-powered 158 for the start of the 1964 season, with Bandini racing the 156 'Aero' at Monaco, Brands Hatch, the Nürburgring and Zeltweg. The Austrian Grand Prix was the final win for a 156 and would be Bandini's first and only time on the top step of a world championship podium. Here is Bandini driving the 156 'Aero' at Monaco and Zeltweg...

       

The Penelope Pitlane kit is available as body kit only (£34.99) or as a complete kit with the Penelope Pitlane SM1s metal chassis and all the necessary running gear for an extra £30...

       

       

The kit and chassis must be built and decorated ready for the display case or the race track...

       

The windscreen and engine cover are both vac-formed clear plastic. The pictures of the completed kit show how some fairly basic detailing of the driver, wheel inserts, engine, gearbox and suspension can deliver a wonderful looking classic F1 car...

       

       

The kit is available now at Pendle Slot Racing - details are here: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/penelope-pitlane-ferrari-156-aero-monaco-gp-1964

The Penelope Pitlane kit of the Ferrari 1512 - the Flat-12 evolution of the 158 car which raced at the Watkins Glen and Mexico City rounds of the championship-winning 1964 season - is also available at Pendles: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/penelope-pitlane-1960-ferrari-1512

Personally, I think the 156 'Aero' is the better-looking car and Pendles have done a fantastic job with the new model.

A very big thank you to Neil at Pendle Slot Racing for sending us all the pictures.

Just arrived #19,111,99,both 5(Dixie and 2B)

Australian GP has been cancelled - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51849163

Leo

There are a fair few slot car books that have been published over the years - not a whole lot recently, but most are still available, one way or another.

Here are the five slot car books that I've found most useful and enjoyable...

   

1. The Slot Car Handbook by Dave Chang (2007, Crowood Press). Available from Amazon for £11.69 new
This 96-page book is a great introduction to the basics of a slot car, upgrades, track, digital systems and slot car racing formats. The book is written by a UK-based racer and enthusiast. There's also a brief trouble-shooting section and a quick look at scales other than 1/32. It's nearly 13 years old, but it is still a perfect grounding in slot cars. Every slot car enthusiast should have a copy to hand.

2. Racing and Collecting Slot Cars by Robert Schleicher (2001, MBI Publishing). Available from Amazon £22.70 used
This is a rather different, American-based take on a slot car introduction - it's 127 pages and a larger format than Dave Chang's book. Schleicher (who edits the Model Car Racing magazine) wrote four slot car books in the 2000s - Racing & Collecting Slot Cars, Slot Car Bible, Slot Car Racing and Slot Car Racing in the Digital Age. I bought Racing & Collecting when I got back into the hobby and the breadth and depth of the book got me excited about aspects of the hobby I didn't know much about. Schleicher looks at both 1/32 and HO scale slot cars and tracks, which was a big bonus for me. The track-planning tips and track plans (1/32 and HO) take up nearly half the book and are fabulous. There are some nice How-Tos - including building a resin kit, adding curbs on track pieces and painting figures.

3. The Slot Car Magazine Book by Marc Abbott and Ric Woods (2015, Slot Car Magazine). Available from Lulu £29.99 new
This 112-page book is a collection of some of the best articles from the first four years of Slot Car Magazine. The words and fabulous pictures inspire the reader to explore track building, scenics, scratch building and all the different scales. Authors from around the world include Lynne Haynes, Michael Niemas, Rui Costa and Hub Haberts, plus interviews with George Turner, Milan Tomasek, Tom Druckenmiller and Slot Mod's David Beattie. It is a book I keep going back to and includes some great projects, such as Lynne Haynes building a diorama display in a Ninco box, Jay Laverty (editor of Scale Aircraft Modelling) weathering a Cartrix BRM and Hub on building his Swedish rally track.

4. Scalextric 'The Ultimate Guide' 8th Edition by Adrian Norman and Roger Gillham (2015, ADH Publishing). Available from Pendle Slot Racing £40.00 new
More than just a reference book, the Ultimate Guide is a wonderful illustrated history of Scalextric production in the UK and around the world. It does contain every single Scalextric set and model produced up to the publication date of the Guide, with details and annotations. Essential for serious collectors and really fascinating for everyone else. At 700-pages, it's a big book.

5. Digital Slot Car Racing in 1/32 scale by Dave Chang (2011, Crowood Press). Available from Amazon £18.99 new
Despite its age, this is still the definitive guide to digital slot car systems. It covers Scalextric Sport Digital, Carrera Digital, SCX Digital, Ninco N-Digital, Davic, oXigen, Scorpius, Slotfire D-Race and BLST. ARC Pro and SCX Advance are not covered, but the principles of both are very similar to the previous Scalextric and SCX digital systems. The book is not a simple beginners' guide - although it is useful for those starting out. It does include a depth of technical information that is very well written and very accessible. Digital systems are complex, so the this 207-page covers a lot of ground and does the subject justice. I would say it is essential reading for all digital enthusiasts.

So what are your favourites?