![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.jadlamracingmodels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Z1.3.jpg\")
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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nThe Real Chevrolet Camaro Z28<\/h4>\n
The second-generation Camaro was a thoroughly modern-looking car in 1979. The chrome of 1970 had become plastic integral front and rear bumpers, the headlights had changed from round to square \u2013 and the Z28 had developed lumps, bumps and spoilers to give it a very eighties look for the start of the new decade. These changes were very popular \u2013 1979 was the best year ever for Camaro sales, with 282,571 cars being sold in the US market. The 4.1 litre straight-six engine was standard, but 5.0 litre and 5.7 litre V8s were the preferred options.<\/p>\n
Camaros were raced mostly as lightly-modified road cars \u2013 and were a common sight at European saloon car events. Competing in the \u2018above 2.5 litre\u2019 division of the Group 1B class, the 5.7 litre V8 powered Camaros looked and sounded very different from the European Fords, BMWs, Opels, VWs and Mazdas they were up against. Not that they were wonderfully successful, but they did thrill the crowds.<\/p>\n
The Bastos-sponsored Luigi Racing Z28 was shared by Alain Cudini and Jean Xhenceval at the 1980 Spa 24 hours. The car started from fourth on the grid, but could only finish seventeenth \u2013 44 laps behind the winning Capri 3.0S. A Z28 painted in this livery has reappeared in historic racing in recent years \u2013 most notably in the Gerry Marshall Trophy at the Goodwood Members\u2019 Meeting. The car is owned by former McLaren sales and marketing director David Clark and the Scalextric team were able to view the car during the design phase for the model.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nThe Scalextric Model<\/h4>\n
I fell in love with this Scalextric model as soon as I unwrapped it. A good job, because I was really excited by the artwork in the catalogue. I had high expectations and it looks like Scalextric have delivered on their promise. I\u2019ve checked the dimensions and it\u2019s all to scale for a standard edition Z28 road car \u2013 and hence the Group 1B race car. Of course, plenty of Camaros were fitted with wider body kits, but that\u2019s not what Scalextric are modelling.<\/p>\n
This is a big slot car \u2013 as it should be. At 154mm long, it fills much of the Scalextric display box. Apart from the Dodge Charger, the Z28 is the longest of the Scalextric Trans-Am and \u2018American Muscle\u2019 cars. It is a later model than all of those \u2013 and does have a more modern look, especially at the front. The \u2018face\u2019 of the 1979 Z28 is distinctive and I can hear the rumble of that Chevy V8 when I look at it. The car also has auxiliary driving lights, as fitted for the 24 hour race.<\/p>\n
The construction of the body is interesting as there are three separate pieces \u2013 the nose, the bonnet and then the rest of the car. Z28s did have various bonnet styles with intakes, bumps and hood scoops, but the nose was mostly the same. I assume the easiest way to be able to assemble a car with different styles of bonnets is to have a separate nose. It does leave a tiny gap between the panels, which is only really noticeable with the headlights ablaze.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.jadlamracingmodels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Z6.2.jpg\")
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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nThe decoration on this Bastos-sponsored car is sensational. It is a well-known livery and Scalextric have reproduced it near perfectly. The windscreen wipers are a painted part of the windscreen moulding, but they look absolutely fine and it does mean they will never break off. The driver figure and helmet are nicely detailed, with the driver sitting in a spacious, full-depth interior. Unusually, the driver figure is sitting a little too low in the car and could do with the seat raised a couple of millimetres.<\/p>\n
I do like the gold BBS wheels. They certainly weren\u2019t standard on a Z28, but were the exact wheels fitted to this car for the 1980 Spa 24 hours. The Camaro\u2019s wheels are highly detailed, unlike the similar hubs on the J\u00e4germeister Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR that I previewed last month. All-in-all, it\u2019s a pretty awesome model that also happens to be a slot car…<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.jadlamracingmodels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Z4.1.jpg\")
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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nThe Mechanical Stuff<\/h4>\n
Underneath, the underpan has a nifty \u2018Z28\u2019 cut-out over the motor. The big gear inside the left rear wheel indicates this car has a sidewinder layout. The underpan is Digital Plug Ready (DPR), meaning it can be easily converted to Scalextric digital using the C8515 Digital Plug<\/a> or to Carrera Digital132 using the Carson digital conversion chip<\/a>. There\u2019s also the usual easy-change guide, plus a magnet right under the rear axle. This registered 43.5g of downforce on my DIY magnet gauge.<\/p>\n Removing the three body screws (two front, one at the back) shows a simple layout inside the car. Unusually for a new Scalextric release, the motor sits across the rear of the car in a \u2018sidewinder\u2019 set-up. The Scalextric team have chosen this to match the previous Trans-Am cars \u2013 with the exception of the in-line AMC Javelin. This should give all the cars similar characteristics on track. Having the motor sitting sideways does, in theory, add a small amount of magnetic downforce \u2013 more noticeable with the traction magnet removed. These Scalextric Trans-Am cars are popular at many slot car clubs.<\/p>\n The slick rear tyres are 8mm wide \u2013 very slightly on the skinny side \u2013 and the rear track is a couple of millimetres less than the Z28\u2019s earlier Trans-Am rivals. That might make the rear of the car slightly less stable… However, at the front, the tyres just touch the track surface \u2013 perfect for handling and definitely an improvement over the other models. The wheels look to be the correct size for fitting Slot.it or NSR racing tyres.<\/p>\n The full interior does add quite a lot of weight to the car and to the body. However, there are no extra fixing screws to attach the interior to the underpan, as there was on some older Trans-Am models. Usually, these were simply discarded. With light sanding of the underpan edges, removal of some tabs and re-routing of wires, I expect there to be some excellent body float available. It\u2019s good to see the body posts on the underpan do not have flanges, so the body can move nicely.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.jadlamracingmodels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Z5.2.jpg\")
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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nTrack Performance<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.jadlamracingmodels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Z3.2.jpg\")
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