Carrera Evolution Chevrolet Dekon Monza

CoMod Carrera124 Review of  the Carrera Evolution Dekon Monza (27265 and 27266):

The Unknown
Entity—Chevrolet Dekon Monza? When the 2008 new releases were presented in writing at the club in late 2007, I couldn’t picture what this vehicle looked like at all. That changed when I held the 2008 catalog in my hands: for some reason, this car looked familiar to me. At the time, Faller had this type of vehicle in its lineup for its in-house Faller-AMS track in 1:60 scale. However, those were products from the company Aurora, which were merely distributed by Faller. It’s all the more wonderful that Faller Carrera has once again taken on this exotic race car—which is relatively unknown in this country—in 1:32 scale.

The Chevrolet Monza, produced from 1975 to 1980, was an attractively styled coupe with robust mass-production technology; in concept and form, it was similar to the Opel Manta, though adapted to American tastes. And just as here in Group 5, even across the pond, harmless mass-produced coupes were transformed into wildly winged, high-performance track monsters. In that respect, the Chevrolet Dekon Monza is a perfect visual match for the Porsche 935-78, the Ferrari 512, and the Steinmetz Jumbo. Sources indicate that 11 or 12 Dekon Monzas were built, and these cars have been—or still are—adorned with a variety of attractive paint schemes. The two versions presented here are equally colorful and appealing; in my opinion, the chances of seeing more varied color options are quite good, provided the initial releases sell well enough.

The green-and-white IMSA version is true to the original and lacks front lights, whereas the Le Mans version is equipped with headlights. Both versions feature taillights—so all is well for digital operation. There’s nothing to complain about when it comes to the body shape and decals; the criticism is directed at the details: the grille in the driver’s window and the sidepipes look a bit plasticky, though this doesn’t really detract from the overall impression. The driver's seat is practically flat rather than contoured—an acceptable compromise for a slot car.

Technical Specifications:


Weight (complete car with magnets): 103
gramsWeight (complete car without rear magnet): 100
gramsWeight (complete car without magnets): 96
gramsWeight (body): 29
gramsLength including spoiler: 158
mmWheelbase: 75
mmTrack width (front axle): 53
mmTrack width (rear axle): 57
mmOther: the green-and-white version, Item No. 27266 has no front lighting

. Techn ically, the car offers no surprises; it features familiar elements: the two removable magnets, the removable motor-rear-axle unit, the guide keel plate, and the tried-and-true E200 motor. The wheels have a relatively small overall diameter, resulting in quite agile acceleration and braking performance. Since the rims are also rather small, true to the prototype, the mounted tires have relatively thick tread and thus provide really good grip. Conversion to [the new system] Digital 132   is done using the 26732 retrofit decoder and is quick and easy. There is ample space inside the vehicle to stow the cables and connectors.
For the test run, I—as always—removed the rear magnet and adjusted the center magnet to the highest possible ground clearance. As already mentioned, acceleration and braking performance are absolutely satisfactory. The center magnet ensures a balanced ratio between suction and virtually unlimited cornering drift; only the maximum rotation angle of the guide fin occasionally puts an abrupt end to the drifting fun. On smaller tracks in the basic kit format, the Chevrolet is significantly more agile and faster to maneuver than, for example, the Opel Commodore Steinmetz; on larger tracks, the performance is comparable. Curb strips are highly recommended for the Chevy; otherwise, the rear spoiler, at the very least, is likely to get scuffed by the guardrails pretty soon.

Conclusion: I just love this type of car; the spectacular look of the ’70s still impresses today. Wide chassis with tires the size of road rollers deliver impressive performance in slot cars. Actually, the time is ripe for an “Evo-Geflügel” racing series.

CoMod Carrera  
 
124---------------------------------------------------------------------

----Review by CoMod JoergW on the Carrera Evolution Dekon Monza (27265 and 27266)

Hey there,
there’s something new again in the Evolution 1970s “car show.” This time it’s a Monza from Chevrolet, which was tuned up by the Dekon racing team and used, among other places, in the IMSA Camel GT race series and the SCCA Club Racing series. The Chevrolet—then still known as the GM Monza—was produced between 1975 and 1980 and was originally intended to be equipped with a Wankel engine, though that never came to pass. Even the street-legal Monza could be transformed—at least visually—into a race car with the addition of an $800 spoiler package. The Chevrolet Monza is more comparable to the Opel Manta or The Ascona is comparable to the Opel luxury coupe of the same name. Go Take a look at some pictures and you’ll be amazed at what the American imagination has come up with for this vehicle—from drag and dirt racers to Le Mans race cars… If you can imagine it, you can build it ;-)

Appearance:
Both Monza models feature light base colors, making them highly visible even during track racing. Both have a white hood and a white roof, but still include enough details to distinguish between the two cars during a race. The color schemes, sponsor decals, and tires are largely true to the real thing and accurately reproduced to scale.

Technical Details:
Unfortunately, the 27266 has no lights even under the covered headlights (which would certainly look unsightly if they shone through); this is where a skilled modeler would come in handy. If only because of the digital retrofit and the possibilities it offers, I would prefer the lights. The keel position and draft are fine; there could have been a few more millimeters of space toward the front, but the handling is well-designed as is.

Workmanship:
The vehicles’ side mirrors are very delicately detailed, true to the prototype; for racing, I would personally remove these parts beforehand. For display, the side mirrors look great. On my 27266 model, the hole in the left mirror mount isn’t quite right, so that mirror falls off at the slightest touch. Otherwise, both models have straight axles, though the front axle could use a little lubrication to keep it running smoothly for longer.

Handling:
The Monza drives similarly to its 1970s counterparts from Ferrari, Opel,
and Porsche, and should integrate well with them in a racing series. Any differences in lap times are more likely due to the driver than to the car. The stock tires provide decent grip but should be lightly taped. To run without magnets, the tires must be sanded down.

Conclusion:
Visually and dynamically appealing cars that Carreraexpand upon the “poultry show” of the 1970s and once again demonstrate the courage to venture off the beaten path. If buyers reward this effort, we can certainly look forward to more exotic cars from this exciting racing era.

CoMod JoergW