Review of Artin 1/32 4 lane Team Racing Set

UPDATE 09/2001: JCPenney is not selling the 4 lane Artin 1/32 sets anymore, where I can buy Artin 1/32 sets?

Update 10/13/2001: Thanks to Brian Swanson for this tip - you can now buy the Artin 1/32 Professional Super Express Formula 1 set at www.etoys.com and search under "Artin" to find the set. You can also buy this directly by clicking on the link below:

I know Boscov's Department Stores carries them but you must call them as they do not sell them online. They do not have the 4 lane sets but have plenty of the 2 lane 1/32 Artin sets. Just mention the Artin Professional 1/32 sets - the big black boxes. Most are $59.99, some are higher and I think the higher priced set is the 2 lane F-1 style set with the electronic lap counter for $89.99 or so. Check out www.boscovs.com and check out www.kbkids.com they might have the 1/32 sets as well. Remember to check their scale as Artin also sells the cheaper quality 1/48 scale mostly battery operated sets. You may also try contacting Artin directly but I doubt they have any sets for sale through their own office.

Limited Time Only!!! JCPenney has this 1/32 Artin 4 Lane Team Racing Set priced at only $59.99 instead of $109.99 for a limited time, great starter set for 1/32 enthusiasts...JCPenney's item number for this set is SM671-0103A

Artin's 1/32 4 lane Team Racing Set - Click for Larger View

XU671-0412A Team Race Set.

The new item number is RB671-0103A for the set in the 2000-2001 catalog.

Here is the new for late 1999 Artin 4 lane 1/32 set available from JCPenney. You can order one for $99.99 + shipping online from their web site at www.jcpenney.com Item number is XU671-0412A Team Race Set. The new item number is RB671-0103A

Check out a few reviews courtesy of Eugene Contatore, Todd Gamel, and Weird Jack. The gallery now has photos of the cars that are included in the set.

Update November 2000: Yes, JCPenney still lists this set in their new catalog. Price is $99.99 through December 26, 2000 then it is $109.99 The new set looks like it has some different track pieces and borders all along the course.

Need silicone tires for your Artin 1/32 cars? Drop WJ a line at stinsonx@msn.com

While the slot spacing is 1/2" less than American track like Strombecker, Monogram, Aurora, Atlas, Revell/Riggen, etc..., it is about the same as Scalextric and SCX track. The slot to track edge distance on Artin is the same as Strom and the others. So this is quite nice stuff to run on. Unless you are running 2.5" wide cars all the time, the 3" distance from slot to slot is fine.

Controllers = 55 ohms (in my set) Very stiff trigger spring and ohmage is a bit high even for the set cars. But it is still a good plug'n'play unit for the set with the set's cars.

Power supply = dual pack, two outputs, 12vdc@150ma (low amperage!) Actual on my track was 14.5vdc no load, dropped to 12vdc full throttle on 1 Ninco NC1 with free-spinning wheels, dropped to 11vdc on 1 SCX RX4 under full power on track. The power is probably adequate with Artin set cars, but .15 amps per lane at 12vdc is very low for anything else. Luckily, power supplies in the 13.5vdc range are cheap and plentiful. (Ed. Note - most can be found for under $50 for a small layout "10amps" if you look in the right places)

The terminal section works flawlessly and this set has got to be one of the best introductions to 1/32 I've seen since the 60's. Upgrading the power supply, wiring it directly into the track, including a brake circuit and using Parma, Russkit or other better controllers will enhance the set's performance with all the modern European scale 1/32 cars.

I was surprised with how well and smoothly the set cars run right from the box. Very pleasently surprised. These chassis will be great for static kit conversions.

NOTE - I've had no problems with stock Parma guide flags in the Artin slot. Every car I own has now been run on this stuff (even the 1/24 cars) and the slot functioned smoothly and flawlessly. (Ed. note - the Parma flags might need to be trimmed down some but not as much as for SCX/Scaletric track)

Here is my report on the new Artin Road Racing Set sold by J.C. Penney. In 1962 I bought a wonderful Strombecker Road Racing set. You are probably familiar with the set. It contained two cars a Ferrari Testa Rossa, and a “D” Jag. I guess it came with about 12 feet of track, maybe 14 feet. I couldn’t get the box open fast enough to play with the set. Today I relived that feeling. A comparison between the two sets is interesting. First I didn’t set the Artin set up as a 4-lane raceway, but as a two lane raceway just as the Strombecker set was. The first very pleasant surprise was I got 40.25 feet of two lane track. Yes, more track than you can imagine, and I got four cars instead of two. The cars run better than the old Strombeckers. Wait… not just better, but a quantum leap better, perhaps not the level of Scalextric or Fly, but for the price it’s a winner, and the Artin cars have headlights for night racing at Le Mans. Ok lets talk about price, at $99.00 or $125.00 with shipping and handling its an exceptional value. Given the approximately $29.95 price of the Strombecker set in 1962, in today’s dollars this new Artin set is less expensive, and gives you sooooo much more. Included in the set are four extra slot shoes complete with contact braid. A bonus is a scale grandstand with spectators, spinout shoulders, flags, and fences. The cars are two Porsche 911 GT-2’s and two Mercedes CLK-GTR’s each car with its own markings.

You can mortgage your house to buy a Scalextic set with a lot less. Get ripped off at e-bay, or buy the Artin set.

THE UPS

The car bodies are quite attractive.
The track snaps together nicely
The four hand controls are smooth. .
The scale appears to be accurate.
Both an old Eldon,, and Strombecker cars run well on the track.
The value is absolutely outstanding.
The cars run like real cars and are not glued to the track with magnets.

THE DOWNS

The car decals are poorly applied and give the appearance of being applied with scotch tape.
I wouldn’t want to race against a Fly or Scalextric.
The instructions are so poor they are shameful.
The pier supports for the crossover don’t work well.

Also, the availability of extra cars / track from shops rather than direct from Artin USA. (Ed. SCG)

If you want a good set to run 1/32 scale cars realistically, this set is for you.

(Editor's Note: Remember that this is an independent review and may not reflect the views of slotcargarage.com but we also give it a two thumbs-up!!! Heck, the $100 is worth it alone for the 4 cars even with the stickers for decals...get some silicones and you are set - Spend the extra money for more cars, etc. than wasting it on highly detailed cars you are afraid to race!)

Well I have been playing with my Artin track for about 5 hours so far this evening. Coming from HO I must admit I was unsure if I wanted to move to 1/32. I had never seen a 1/32 scale car. I have raced HO at home, and 1/24 scale at a commercial track. I am here to tell you I do not know if I will ever go back to HO. 1/32 scale offers me everything I want in model scale racing. You have the wide variety of modifying cars that 1/24 offers, yet anyone can still afford to build a decent track in their home without breaking the bank. 1/32 scale not only appeals to the modeler in me, but to the professional race car driver hidden inside.

THE TRACK

Well I know that many people may believe that Artin is not one of the better 1/32 producers (at least when it comes to cars), but I was amazed with their track. It went together smooth, I really enjoy the interlocking rails. You never see anything like this on HO!!!. I took the track apart
several times just goofing around and it was easy to work with yet strong when locked into place. The track connections are almost seamless, unlike HO where you can usually see the cars skip or hear them clack when they roll around the layout.

The only disadvantage I have seen so far is that there are few accessories (i.e. track curves, straights, specialty track) available on the open market. In fact because of Artin's price many collectors simply buy new box sets to gain extra track. When I examined their website the only listing they have for 1/32 scale track is one piece of straight (did not mention length) and one curve, again they did not mention it's radius or length.

THE CARS

As you can tell I am impressed with this product, it is quite the step up from HO! Of course as many people will point out the cars are the sets weak point. The cars are nicely made, however, the graphics are cheap and applied with little care. I plan to remove them all and replace them with water based decals. These cars are not Ninco's or Fly's, however with a ($13.00) Slotit V-12 engine upgrade, and decent set of silicone tires ($3.50) they can hold their own, and you get 4 of them. 2 Porsche, and 2 Mercedes.

(ed. note - you can find some silicone tires from Road Monkeys for a cheap price, check out Weird Jack's site, noted in my links section for more details)

OVERVIEW

The Artin "Team Racing" set is a buy of the year. It came with enough track for me to make a simple slamming 4-lane 8' long oval (Track comes as a figure 8 layout). In addition to this you get four cars, not diamonds, but defiantly not dogs. My total purchase price for this item ($100.87 US) that includes tax and shipping. It would have been $123.00, but I got a 15% discount and used a $10.00 coupon I got out of the winter JC Penny catalog. Even without the cars, you get more track with this setup than you could with Scaletrix, SCX, or any other 1/32 scale manufacturer. If Artin would become more responsive to their customer base they could really help make 1/32 scale racing a hit here in the U.S.

Width	6.38"
Slot Spacing	3.00"
Straight length	10.5"
Inner Curve radius	12.34" (60 degrees)
Outer Curve radius	18.75" (30 degrees)

Slot Car Garage Reviews Archive 1999

Artin's 1/32 4 lane Team Racing Set