Review by CoMod JoergW of the Carrera DIGITAL 124 Bill Thomas Cheetah (23761)
Hmmm … there it is right in front of me, the new big cat version fromCarrera ! Bright green with yellow accents—it takes some getting used to, but it’s built great for the racetrack.
Even though it’s depicted as a street version with California license plates, you can still recognize its racing heritage quite clearly. With just 2–3 decals and race numbers, this green model can quickly be turned into a race car. Even I can do that, with my
rather limited model-building skills—and that bright green really stands out ;-) !!
While researching online, I didn’t find a picture of our specific model, but at least I found a similar shade of green for the paint job! Yep, they actually existed in real life, too.
When, in the early 1960s, Bill Thomas—a tuner who was already quite well-known at the time—developed a sports car based on a Chevrolet that was intended to give Carroll Shelby’s Cobras, which were setting the standard at the time, a run for their money, professional racing was certainly already part of the plan. 400 PS in a 700 kg car speaks for itself. Unfortunately, the homologation requirements could not be met due to a fire at the company and the withdrawal of the engine supplier, GM. No vehicles were produced during that time. But even the licensed 1:1 replica struggles to get up to speed. The market for such cars is small and challenging.
In the original, the distance from the engine to the rear axle was kept so short that
no driveshaft was needed. This not only saved weight and costs
but also avoided unnecessary power losses caused by additional driven components. Sure, you canCarrera ’t really do that in
this
class, but the 1:24-scale big cat from [brand] also has powerful acceleration Carrera
. The short wheelbase paired with a wide rear end and thick tires is a great formula for a very agile car.
The front axle has a very long trail. The tolerances are spot on here—no
unnecessary friction or imbalance that would limit the trail. There’s just the right amount of lateral play, and vertical play is virtually undetectable (i.e., only the play allowed by the bushings).
The paint job is clean and sharply defined along the edges. The clear coat
is even and free of imperfections.
The rear axle, like the front axle, is straight. The rims also show
no signs of imbalance. The tires sit cleanly on the rims. Without magnets
, though, you should at least file down the edges unless you opt for tuning tires. The grip is okay even without magnets, but the tuning tires do allow for
higher speeds, especially when cornering.
We’ve already written about the Cheetah’s unique features when it comes to disassembly
. A little tip: you can open the flap below the rear license plate ;-)
See you later, joergW***********************
Review by CoMod Martinmm ofCarrera DIGITAL 124
the Bill Thomas Cheetah
(23761)
Modern? Modern!
The design of the Cheetah’s third color variant springs from the imagination ofCarrera
the designer. There was no real-world inspiration for it—not even remotely.
However, this “candy-like” color is still contemporary, in the broadest sense: during the heyday of the Cheetah and slot car racing in the mid-1960s, these bright, colorful, imaginative paint jobs were quite common. This was mainly the case with the so-called “Thingies”—fantasy vehicle designs intended to serve practical purposes: namely, to conceal the mechanical components and minimize air resistance as much as possible. And the Cheetah’s body was designed precisely for this purpose and no other.
Carrera
The
vehicle’s paint scheme fits this purpose very well—it suits the Cheetah perfectly and fits the era of its real-life counterpart very well.
If that’s too purist for you, you can add a bit more life to the surface by applying race number decals. The driver is equipped with a helmet, giving you a “racing version.”
What I personally don't like so much is the printing on the tires in this color variant. But it's really easy to just flip them over.
CoMod Martinmm
Hmmm … there it is right in front of me, the new big cat version from
Even though it’s depicted as a street version with California license plates, you can still recognize its racing heritage quite clearly. With just 2–3 decals and race numbers, this green model can quickly be turned into a race car. Even I can do that, with my
rather limited model-building skills—and that bright green really stands out ;-) !!
While researching online, I didn’t find a picture of our specific model, but at least I found a similar shade of green for the paint job! Yep, they actually existed in real life, too.
When, in the early 1960s, Bill Thomas—a tuner who was already quite well-known at the time—developed a sports car based on a Chevrolet that was intended to give Carroll Shelby’s Cobras, which were setting the standard at the time, a run for their money, professional racing was certainly already part of the plan. 400 PS in a 700 kg car speaks for itself. Unfortunately, the homologation requirements could not be met due to a fire at the company and the withdrawal of the engine supplier, GM. No vehicles were produced during that time. But even the licensed 1:1 replica struggles to get up to speed. The market for such cars is small and challenging.
In the original, the distance from the engine to the rear axle was kept so short that
no driveshaft was needed. This not only saved weight and costs
but also avoided unnecessary power losses caused by additional driven components. Sure, you can
The front axle has a very long trail. The tolerances are spot on here—no
unnecessary friction or imbalance that would limit the trail. There’s just the right amount of lateral play, and vertical play is virtually undetectable (i.e., only the play allowed by the bushings).
The paint job is clean and sharply defined along the edges. The clear coat
is even and free of imperfections.
The rear axle, like the front axle, is straight. The rims also show
no signs of imbalance. The tires sit cleanly on the rims. Without magnets
, though, you should at least file down the edges unless you opt for tuning tires. The grip is okay even without magnets, but the tuning tires do allow for
higher speeds, especially when cornering.
We’ve already written about the Cheetah’s unique features when it comes to disassembly
. A little tip: you can open the flap below the rear license plate ;-)
See you later, joergW***********************
Review by CoMod Martinmm of
Modern? Modern!
The design of the Cheetah’s third color variant springs from the imagination of
However, this “candy-like” color is still contemporary, in the broadest sense: during the heyday of the Cheetah and slot car racing in the mid-1960s, these bright, colorful, imaginative paint jobs were quite common. This was mainly the case with the so-called “Thingies”—fantasy vehicle designs intended to serve practical purposes: namely, to conceal the mechanical components and minimize air resistance as much as possible. And the Cheetah’s body was designed precisely for this purpose and no other.
If that’s too purist for you, you can add a bit more life to the surface by applying race number decals. The driver is equipped with a helmet, giving you a “racing version.”
What I personally don't like so much is the printing on the tires in this color variant. But it's really easy to just flip them over.
CoMod Martinmm
