[woodcote]

   

Scalextric C4219 Plymouth Barracuda - Trans Am 1970 - Dan Gurney. RRP £46.99. Available October 2021.

Scalextric have added another classic Trans-Am car to their range. These Trans-Am cars are popular with collectors and home racers - and are also a common sight at many slot car clubs across the UK and North America. Although the Barracuda has been made by SCX in the past, the Scalextric model is somewhat cheaper than eBay prices for the SCX version and more liveries will be available - including the Chrysler France Hemicuda that raced in Europe during the mid-70s.

       

Dan Gurney's All American Racers (AAR) were hired by the Chrysler Corp to build a prepare three on the new third-generation Barracudas to compete in the 1970 Trans-Am Championship - one for Gurney, one for Swede Savage and one spare. AAR also prepared two Dodge Challengers that were then run by Autodynamics for Sam Posey. Development of the engines for both Mopar models was the responsibility of drag racing legend Keith Black. It was very much a Californian affair.

The body panels were acid-dipped and many parts were replaced with stronger and lighter titanium components. The transmission case was aluminium, but sprayed with cast iron spray so it passed scrutineering. The Chrysler had a huge IBM 360 super-computer in its HQ at Highland Park, Detroit. AAR were able to use this for suspension analysis - and to design the roll cage to be as strong and light as possible. The same cage was fitted in the 'Cudas and the Challengers. Back in 1970, the computer was programmed with punch cards using Fortran.

The 1970 season was super-competitive - and it was clear from the off the 'Cuda wasn't going to beat the Mustangs. Whereas AMC and the factory-backed Chaparral Camaro gave it their best, Chrysler pulled funding after just a handful of races. The AAR effort was down to just one car, with veteran Gurney giving Savage a chance to show what he had to offer. The Barracuda was a great looking car and qualified well, but was always just short of a win - the best a second at Road America. Savage complained that the Goodyear tyres were just not on the same level as the Firestones on the Mustangs.

Gurney funded his own return for the two final races at Kent and Riverside. Riverside would be his final professional outing. He was now in the 'third car', Savage having wrecked one at St Jovite. The pair finished the season with a fourth and fifth in California - but only enough for fifth place in the final over 2-litres manufactures' points table. Dodge came fourth, Chevy third, AMC second and Ford were the champions. All - apart from AMC - withdrew before the start of next year. 1970  had been the pinnacle of Trans-Am and the Barracuda a much-loved part of it.

Here's Jay Leno taking a look at a restored 'Cuda during the Pebble Beach historic event back in 2012...



The first livery available from Scalextric is Dan Gurney's #48 car with the red, orange and yellow striped only on the front lip of the car...

       

This is the livery he drove at Kent and Riverside. I recently had a look at a pre-production sample of the Scalextric Barracuda and I was mightily impressed. It is a beautiful scale model with a well-executed livery. I've compared the blue to pictures in my Trans-Am books and it's pretty spot on. There are a couple of the smaller decals missing, but everything else looks very good.

I also got to drive the car with the traction magnet fitted. It was quick and handled well. I reckon it'll be a lot of fun without the magnet too. The car is a sidewinder with a full depth interior - like the Camaros, Mustang, Challenger and Cougar - and is not fitted with lights. The chassis is Digital Plug Ready and has the usual easy-fit guide.

The Chrysler France Hemicuda is the same mould, but with some detailing differences - and will have lights. It is due in January...

   

The AAR Plymouth Barracuda will arrive by the end of October and both 'Cudas are available for pre-order from all your usual Scalextric stockists.

[Nonfractal]

Hopefully won't be too much of a wait 'till a 3d nsr evo compatible chassis will be available from the usual suspects (obviously not from scalextric)
AlanW