Review by CoMod Mike... on Carrera the Carrera D124 Ford GT40 MkII Le Mans
(23735 and 23736)
Yeah, yeah... the initial product illustrations don't really do justice to the actual proportions, but what I pull out of the shipping box is a whole different world...
The first impression is immediately a beautiful, glossy finish on the paintwork, and the printing shows no imperfections either. Even DSC-seasoned club members grudgingly acknowledge the excellent execution of this Le Mans classic!
From a technical standpoint, there’s nothing new to report: the chassis, built to the usual high standards, is heavy, but that naturally translates to excellent road holding—even if one might wish the weight were just a tad lower! Due to the manufacturing method, the wide tires on plastic rims naturally can’t be compared to turned rims, but lightly sanding the rear tires delivers excellent handling on our wooden club track, as always! Sanding the wheels is recommended for any slot car, not just when driven without a magnet. On theCarrera track, sanding is of course not a must to have fun with the GT40. However, as already mentioned, it is recommended.
Compared to other D124 cars, the front axle sits nicely in the wheel well. However, I still always recommend removing the axle spring. Then lower the front end using the swingarm bolt to improve the alignment of the front suspension.
After switching to analog mode during driving, however, a downside became apparent: not in terms of handling—drifting is very enjoyable here—but the lighting is too dim compared to the other D124 models! This requires a bit of tinkering. On the digital track, this isn’t as noticeable due to the constant lighting, which always operates at full voltage. When I look at the body and the chassis, this lighting compromise is due to the optimization within the vehicle. As a result, the body, with its large recesses, is manufactured as a "single piece" (welded together) and does not need to be bolted together with two additional parts, as is the case with the Ferrari P4. This simplifies assembly, but the light output of the side LEDs suffers as a result!
Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful car with excellent handling (with worn tires) on the wooden track. You can even crank up the voltage a bit here, and the car still stays on track!
For me, it’s clearly my new favorite 1:24 scale car.
CoMod Mike...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod JoergW onCarrera the D124 Ford GT40 MkII Le Mans
(23735 and 23736)
The legend of the Ford GT began in the early 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted to re-enter motorsports for marketing reasons and planned to use Ferrari, which was facing significant financial difficulties at the time, to do so. However, negotiations with the headstrong Enzo Ferrari broke down due to his insistence on a dominant role in this joint project, with the Ferrari name taking precedence. Ford was unwilling to accept the role of a junior partner. Henry Ford II now declared nothing less than victory at Le Mans—and thus victory over Ferrari—as his goal.
Caroll Shelby, John Wyer, and Eric Broadley brought their experienceu.a . from the Lola GT to the project, and as early as 1964, two GT40s were testing at Le Mans. The GT40 featured a monocoque construction and a mid-engine layout—revolutionary designs for the time! These were complemented by riveted and bonded lightweight aluminum panels. Initial aerodynamic difficulties then led to the GT 40 Mk II with its distinctive rear spoiler, which we now have available as a model.
The Ford GT 40 Mark II is a race car standing just over 100 cm tall, which explains its name (GT 40 = 40 inches tall). Incidentally, the bulge in the roof was added later to accommodate a slightly taller driver.
A GT 40 secured its first victory in 1965 at the Daytona Continental 2000 km race. Not only did second place go to the Cobra Daytona and third place again to a GT 40... no Ferrari reached the finish line. Thus, the "Ford Racing" project had
come to an end.
In 1966, the MK2 secured three victories in both 24-hour races (Daytona Beach and Le Mans). Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon made it to Le Mans in 1966 and won the race in the GT 40 MkII. The GT 40 armada crossed the finish line in first, second, and third place. Henry Ford II made a special trip to the Sarthe to line up his cars for a victory photo. The image went around the world.
The Ferrari 330 P3s scored points much less frequently, and Ford went on to win the 1966 World Championship. In 1967, the changing of the guard began to take place. The Ford GT 40 MK2 and MK4 raced side by side. The MK4s claimed the victories, but the MKs continued to score points. But now forCarrera the model that many Carrera risti have been waiting for Carrera long enough!
Appearance:
The model looks very true to the original and is highly detailed. The paintwork and decals are clean and sharply defined down to the finest lines. However, the delicate, exposed mirrors should be removed before racing. By the way, the silver lines on the front flaps of the auxiliary lights are not botched, crooked chrome trim frames, but are rather intended to represent the tape strips used at the time.
Mechanics:
There is nothing new to report regarding the keel and skid plate areas. If you like, you can certainly remove the front axle spring to make the car look a little lower. I didn't notice any advantage in handling on the small track. The day before, I was still racing with the spring. The front light diodes are probably on the side because of the one-piece body. As with the rear lights, black caps prevent the light from shining through into the bodywork. Light only escapes to the front. Unfortunately, on the GT40 this means that very little light escapes from the headlights through the plastic light channel. This handicap must be taken into account when driving at night and when refueling. Removing the front caps and masking the stray light areas with felt strips improves the situation somewhat. There is certainly still room for improvement here.
Handling:
Now for what happens outside the display case: driving and racing. Inspired by a question on a forum and my own curiosity, I decided to see if the GT 40’s tuning tires would fit other, already available cars. To make a long story short, yes, such tuning tires do exist. The Grand Sport’s rear tires fit perfectly. Although the tires were already mounted and a race in our little home digital track series was coming up, I decided to conduct the test under real-world conditions after all. The GT 40 drove very smoothly; it’s well-balanced and can navigate regular curves at high speeds particularly well. Even on twisty, short sections with changing directions, it
doesn’t lose
its composure easily.
Since the other drivers had no objections, I entered the GT40 as-is—just removing the magnets and fitting tuning tires—and, without any further preparation, raced it in the following 30-minute race in the 1960s class against the Grand Sports. The GT 40’s last-place finish was certainly not the car’s fault ;-) The idea quickly came up to test whether the contemporary Ferrari 330P4 and the GT 40 could be raced in a single series. There would certainly be plenty of vehicle and design options, and the series would be a real visual treat.
Start reserving plenty of space under the Christmas tree and spread the word on your wish lists—it’s worth it!
CoMod JoergW
(23735 and 23736)
Yeah, yeah... the initial product illustrations don't really do justice to the actual proportions, but what I pull out of the shipping box is a whole different world...
The first impression is immediately a beautiful, glossy finish on the paintwork, and the printing shows no imperfections either. Even DSC-seasoned club members grudgingly acknowledge the excellent execution of this Le Mans classic!
From a technical standpoint, there’s nothing new to report: the chassis, built to the usual high standards, is heavy, but that naturally translates to excellent road holding—even if one might wish the weight were just a tad lower! Due to the manufacturing method, the wide tires on plastic rims naturally can’t be compared to turned rims, but lightly sanding the rear tires delivers excellent handling on our wooden club track, as always! Sanding the wheels is recommended for any slot car, not just when driven without a magnet. On the
Compared to other D124 cars, the front axle sits nicely in the wheel well. However, I still always recommend removing the axle spring. Then lower the front end using the swingarm bolt to improve the alignment of the front suspension.
After switching to analog mode during driving, however, a downside became apparent: not in terms of handling—drifting is very enjoyable here—but the lighting is too dim compared to the other D124 models! This requires a bit of tinkering. On the digital track, this isn’t as noticeable due to the constant lighting, which always operates at full voltage. When I look at the body and the chassis, this lighting compromise is due to the optimization within the vehicle. As a result, the body, with its large recesses, is manufactured as a "single piece" (welded together) and does not need to be bolted together with two additional parts, as is the case with the Ferrari P4. This simplifies assembly, but the light output of the side LEDs suffers as a result!
Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful car with excellent handling (with worn tires) on the wooden track. You can even crank up the voltage a bit here, and the car still stays on track!
For me, it’s clearly my new favorite 1:24 scale car.
CoMod Mike...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Review by CoMod JoergW on
(23735 and 23736)
The legend of the Ford GT began in the early 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted to re-enter motorsports for marketing reasons and planned to use Ferrari, which was facing significant financial difficulties at the time, to do so. However, negotiations with the headstrong Enzo Ferrari broke down due to his insistence on a dominant role in this joint project, with the Ferrari name taking precedence. Ford was unwilling to accept the role of a junior partner. Henry Ford II now declared nothing less than victory at Le Mans—and thus victory over Ferrari—as his goal.
Caroll Shelby, John Wyer, and Eric Broadley brought their experienceu.a . from the Lola GT to the project, and as early as 1964, two GT40s were testing at Le Mans. The GT40 featured a monocoque construction and a mid-engine layout—revolutionary designs for the time! These were complemented by riveted and bonded lightweight aluminum panels. Initial aerodynamic difficulties then led to the GT 40 Mk II with its distinctive rear spoiler, which we now have available as a model.
The Ford GT 40 Mark II is a race car standing just over 100 cm tall, which explains its name (GT 40 = 40 inches tall). Incidentally, the bulge in the roof was added later to accommodate a slightly taller driver.
A GT 40 secured its first victory in 1965 at the Daytona Continental 2000 km race. Not only did second place go to the Cobra Daytona and third place again to a GT 40... no Ferrari reached the finish line. Thus, the "Ford Racing" project had
come to an end.
In 1966, the MK2 secured three victories in both 24-hour races (Daytona Beach and Le Mans). Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon made it to Le Mans in 1966 and won the race in the GT 40 MkII. The GT 40 armada crossed the finish line in first, second, and third place. Henry Ford II made a special trip to the Sarthe to line up his cars for a victory photo. The image went around the world.
The Ferrari 330 P3s scored points much less frequently, and Ford went on to win the 1966 World Championship. In 1967, the changing of the guard began to take place. The Ford GT 40 MK2 and MK4 raced side by side. The MK4s claimed the victories, but the MKs continued to score points. But now for
Appearance:
The model looks very true to the original and is highly detailed. The paintwork and decals are clean and sharply defined down to the finest lines. However, the delicate, exposed mirrors should be removed before racing. By the way, the silver lines on the front flaps of the auxiliary lights are not botched, crooked chrome trim frames, but are rather intended to represent the tape strips used at the time.
Mechanics:
There is nothing new to report regarding the keel and skid plate areas. If you like, you can certainly remove the front axle spring to make the car look a little lower. I didn't notice any advantage in handling on the small track. The day before, I was still racing with the spring. The front light diodes are probably on the side because of the one-piece body. As with the rear lights, black caps prevent the light from shining through into the bodywork. Light only escapes to the front. Unfortunately, on the GT40 this means that very little light escapes from the headlights through the plastic light channel. This handicap must be taken into account when driving at night and when refueling. Removing the front caps and masking the stray light areas with felt strips improves the situation somewhat. There is certainly still room for improvement here.
Handling:
Now for what happens outside the display case: driving and racing. Inspired by a question on a forum and my own curiosity, I decided to see if the GT 40’s tuning tires would fit other, already available cars. To make a long story short, yes, such tuning tires do exist. The Grand Sport’s rear tires fit perfectly. Although the tires were already mounted and a race in our little home digital track series was coming up, I decided to conduct the test under real-world conditions after all. The GT 40 drove very smoothly; it’s well-balanced and can navigate regular curves at high speeds particularly well. Even on twisty, short sections with changing directions, it
doesn’t lose
its composure easily.
Since the other drivers had no objections, I entered the GT40 as-is—just removing the magnets and fitting tuning tires—and, without any further preparation, raced it in the following 30-minute race in the 1960s class against the Grand Sports. The GT 40’s last-place finish was certainly not the car’s fault ;-) The idea quickly came up to test whether the contemporary Ferrari 330P4 and the GT 40 could be raced in a single series. There would certainly be plenty of vehicle and design options, and the series would be a real visual treat.
Start reserving plenty of space under the Christmas tree and spread the word on your wish lists—it’s worth it!
CoMod JoergW
