Review by CoMod JoergW on the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Bill Thomas Cheetah (23761)
Hmmm... there it is, the new big cat version from Carrera! Bright green with yellow appliqués, takes a bit of getting used to, but it's perfectly designed for the racetrack.
Even though it's a road version with Californian license plates, the genes are quite clearly recognizable. With two or three decals and starting numbers, the green model can quickly be transformed into a racing car. Even I can manage that, with my rather
little model building skills and the poisonous green stands out nicely ;-) !!
While researching online, I didn't find a picture of our model, but I did find a kind of green paint job! Yes, they actually existed.
When, in the early 1960s, the then-well-known tuner Bill Thomas developed a Chevrolet-based sports car that was intended to rival Carroll Shelby's then-dominant Cobras, professional racing was certainly already planned. 400 hp and 700 kg speak volumes. Unfortunately, due to a fire at the company and the withdrawal of engine supplier GM, the homologation requirements could not be met. 100 vehicles were not produced during this period. But even the licensed 1:1 replica is struggling to get off the ground. The market for such cars is small and difficult.
In the original, the distance from the engine to the rear axle was kept so small that
no cardan shaft was required. This not only saved weight and costs, but also
It also avoided unnecessary performance losses due to additional drive components. Of course, this can't be implemented in the Carrera range, but the 1:24 scale Carrera big cat also has powerful acceleration. The short wheelbase paired with a wide rear end and thick tires is not a bad recipe for a very agile car.
The front axle continues to rotate for a very long time. The tolerances are correct here, no unnecessary
Friction or imbalance that would slow the caster. Lateral play is present at just the right amount, and vertical play is almost undetectable (i.e., only the clearance provided by the bushings).
The paintwork is clean and sharply defined at the edges. The clear coat is
evenly and without defects.
The rear axle is straight, just like the front axle. The rims also have no
Unbalances occur. The grooves sit neatly on the rims. Without magnets, however, you should
At least rework the edges if you don't choose tuning tires. The grip is okay even without magnets, but the tuning tires allow for higher
Speeds especially in curves.
We have already talked about the special features of the Cheetah when it comes to disassembly
written. A little tip: the flap below the rear license plate can be opened ;-)
See you then, joergW
***********************
Review by CoMod Martinmm on the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Bill Thomas Cheetah (23761)
Contemporary? Contemporary!
The design of the third color variant of the Cheetah is the product of the Carrera designer's imagination. There was no real-life model for it—not even remotely.
However, this 'candy'-like color is still contemporary, in the broadest sense: in the heyday of the Cheetah and slot racing in the mid-1960s, these bright, colorful fantasy paint schemes were quite common. Mainly on the so-called "Thingies" – fantasy vehicle shapes intended to serve a more practical purpose: namely, to conceal the mechanicals and offer as little aerodynamic drag as possible. And the Cheetah's body served precisely this purpose and no other.
The paintwork of the Carrera vehicle fits very well, very well with the Cheetah and very well with the era of the original.
If that's too purist for you, you can add a little more life to the surface by applying start number decals. The rider is equipped with a helmet, creating a 'racing version'.
What I personally don't like so much is the printing on the tires of this color variant. But they can easily be flipped over.
CoMod Martinmm
Hmmm... there it is, the new big cat version from Carrera! Bright green with yellow appliqués, takes a bit of getting used to, but it's perfectly designed for the racetrack.
Even though it's a road version with Californian license plates, the genes are quite clearly recognizable. With two or three decals and starting numbers, the green model can quickly be transformed into a racing car. Even I can manage that, with my rather
little model building skills and the poisonous green stands out nicely ;-) !!
While researching online, I didn't find a picture of our model, but I did find a kind of green paint job! Yes, they actually existed.
When, in the early 1960s, the then-well-known tuner Bill Thomas developed a Chevrolet-based sports car that was intended to rival Carroll Shelby's then-dominant Cobras, professional racing was certainly already planned. 400 hp and 700 kg speak volumes. Unfortunately, due to a fire at the company and the withdrawal of engine supplier GM, the homologation requirements could not be met. 100 vehicles were not produced during this period. But even the licensed 1:1 replica is struggling to get off the ground. The market for such cars is small and difficult.
In the original, the distance from the engine to the rear axle was kept so small that
no cardan shaft was required. This not only saved weight and costs, but also
It also avoided unnecessary performance losses due to additional drive components. Of course, this can't be implemented in the Carrera range, but the 1:24 scale Carrera big cat also has powerful acceleration. The short wheelbase paired with a wide rear end and thick tires is not a bad recipe for a very agile car.
The front axle continues to rotate for a very long time. The tolerances are correct here, no unnecessary
Friction or imbalance that would slow the caster. Lateral play is present at just the right amount, and vertical play is almost undetectable (i.e., only the clearance provided by the bushings).
The paintwork is clean and sharply defined at the edges. The clear coat is
evenly and without defects.
The rear axle is straight, just like the front axle. The rims also have no
Unbalances occur. The grooves sit neatly on the rims. Without magnets, however, you should
At least rework the edges if you don't choose tuning tires. The grip is okay even without magnets, but the tuning tires allow for higher
Speeds especially in curves.
We have already talked about the special features of the Cheetah when it comes to disassembly
written. A little tip: the flap below the rear license plate can be opened ;-)
See you then, joergW
***********************
Review by CoMod Martinmm on the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Bill Thomas Cheetah (23761)
Contemporary? Contemporary!
The design of the third color variant of the Cheetah is the product of the Carrera designer's imagination. There was no real-life model for it—not even remotely.
However, this 'candy'-like color is still contemporary, in the broadest sense: in the heyday of the Cheetah and slot racing in the mid-1960s, these bright, colorful fantasy paint schemes were quite common. Mainly on the so-called "Thingies" – fantasy vehicle shapes intended to serve a more practical purpose: namely, to conceal the mechanicals and offer as little aerodynamic drag as possible. And the Cheetah's body served precisely this purpose and no other.
The paintwork of the Carrera vehicle fits very well, very well with the Cheetah and very well with the era of the original.
If that's too purist for you, you can add a little more life to the surface by applying start number decals. The rider is equipped with a helmet, creating a 'racing version'.
What I personally don't like so much is the printing on the tires of this color variant. But they can easily be flipped over.
CoMod Martinmm
