# New Mattel Set review



## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Lo-and Behold if Mattel didn't surprise us with a NEW slot car set with NEW bodies . . . the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang. Nice!









Box Front









Box Back









At least they kept it easy to get at what everyone wants . . . the cars. The slide right out the side.









They are held to the cardboard with clear rubber straps, that are tight as hell and wrapped around the front axle and across the body.









These are pretty big bodies but the scaling and look is good. They run on long wheelbase X2 pan chassis (now called the HPX2).









Size comparo of the yellow Camaro next to a Tyco Corvette C5.









Size comparo of the white Mustang next to a Tyco Corvette C5.

More in a minute . . .


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Size comparo of the new Mattel Camaro & Mustang with the new Life Like Camaro & Mustang. The short wheelbase of the LL cars really makes for a smaller package.









The new Mattel cars have the usual recent 'China syndrome' of bulky-azz windows.

You really come to appreciate Auto World's method of detail tampos when you look at the LACK of it on the Mattel cars:








Front detail is good on both cars but no headlights, no Mustang logo . . .









. . . And out back someone forgot the Camaro's taillights but they remembered them on the Mustang.

And another typical 'China syndrome' of recent times is the fact that NOTHING is straight on either chassis. I couldn't even think of going full throttle without nose-hopping out of the slot thanks to the wobble-wobble of the front rims. And the tars blow too, they are out of round. A full kit of NOS Tyco front & rear axles & rims, or just aftermarket hop-up the whole thing, would get the Mattel chassis back on Mother Earth.

But - the set is a 3-speed battery powered model so I am sure there is a speed safe for these rims & tars. :freak:

Here's a little vid of some of the wobbl-age . . . sorry about the dodgy focal length at times and the Van Halen blaring in the background.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

But, overall they are nice cars. They were $59.98 delivered to my door (I bought two sets right away), so if you keep the cars and trash can the rest of it the cars are still only $15 each. With about $5 in parts you can get them running right and be right at cost for NOS Tyco stuff (at least around here, when you find it). :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

do ya think they will fit a 4 gear chassis?


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

alpink said:


> do ya think they will fit a 4 gear chassis?


YES . . . kind of:


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## GTPguy (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks for all the pics of the cars, and especially the comparison to the LL versions. Very helpful.


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Wow. I'm going to have to track down a set. My son is going Mustang Crazy lately. I don't know whats wrong with that Boy, but he also likes Bumble Bee from Transformers and that would be perfect. I also have a friend with a Camaro Convertible and that would be the best looking conversion piece IMHO


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## RacerDave (Mar 28, 2006)

Thanks for that great review and pix Doba. I like the cars and I haven't seen anything from Mattel I like in a while. Dave.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

RacerDave said:


> Thanks for that great review and pix Doba. I like the cars and I haven't seen anything from Mattel I like in a while. Dave.


thankx 'Doba/guys:wave:
QUESTION; is there a site for Mattell cars (new) ???? TY..

Bubba 123 :freak:


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Great review, 'doba. I especially like the size comparison photos. Thanks!

Rolls


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Thanks for the review, Doba!!! That was quick! :freak: 

Maybe RRR assisted in the wheel design? :lol:


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

Good review and nice cars BUT where's dodge charger and challenger!!!???

Wes


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## tiker (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks for the review on this set. It has convinced me to order a couple sets.


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## tycobel (Dec 23, 2003)

Great review !

But from where did you buy the sets ?


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Amazon has em $29.99 with free shipping...


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## tiker (Mar 5, 2008)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=B004VUSB6K&x=11&y=18


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## tiker (Mar 5, 2008)

I wish it were free shipping to Canada. 

I checked amazon.ca but they didn't have it listed.


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## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

1976Cordoba said:


> But, overall they are nice cars. They were $59.98 delivered to my door (I bought two sets right away), so if you keep the cars and trash can the rest of it the cars are still only $15 each. With about $5 in parts you can get them running right and be right at cost for NOS Tyco stuff (at least around here, when you find it). :thumbsup::thumbsup:


Thanks for the review 'doba. I ordered a set today and SURPRISE, I had $15 credit on the Amazon CC that I use on the site. So with the free shipping my total cost was only $15.

I recently acquired one of the Cars sets and was very disappointed by the return to the old tires and the fact they were severely unbalanced. It wasn't that long ago that the Mattel chassis had a nice silicone based tire... what happened!?

Gary
AKA Leeroy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

While I will end up getting a set or two, those cars look pretty bland. Doesn't seem like a lot of effort was put into the mold and/or deco. They look to be on a par with the quality of Artin 1/43rd bodies.

Joe


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## RacerDave (Mar 28, 2006)

Joe, while I agree with you that the cars look a little bland, considering what we have seen from Mattel in the past few years, I think this is a pleasant surprise. Dave.


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## hefer (Sep 18, 1999)

I think some tail lights on the Camaro and some chrome wheels on both, would really set these off.


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

Love the "feature" on the back of the box stating "Change Your Course!"

Wow........

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Grandcheapskate said:


> While I will end up getting a set or two, those cars look pretty bland. Doesn't seem like a lot of effort was put into the mold and/or deco. They look to be on a par with the quality of Artin 1/43rd bodies.
> 
> Joe


I agree Joe. Especially when you consider what they are doing on their Hot Wheels.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Do real cars have solid black windows...Nooooooooooo they don't*

I love these cars!! Thanks Doba for the review with pictures. :thumbsup:

They are going to look great painted up...Heck I can see me casting these bodies up for a bunch of fun runners to use up my overstock of resin.

This makes me wish I knew how to vacuum form windows...Doh. :freak:


I'm more of a Camaro type but, this Mustang has that Ford Stripe deal going for it and I have lots of stripes for customs.

Just picked up a set at Wally World for $28.88 Sunday night. There were 2 sets on the shelf but, only opted for the one.

Bob...no steelies for these...zilla


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

Just saw the HIGH SPEED CRASH ZONE. lol 

Danger :jest: At least they aren't advertising HIGH QUALITY RACING. 

They should make the Weeble slot car set next....wobble, wobble, wobble.

Weebles wobble but, they don't fly off.

Bob...The whole track is a High Speed Crash Zone with these tires...zilla


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

bobhch said:


> This makes me wish I knew how to vacuum form windows...Doh. :freak:


Bob... why not get some clear casting resin. I know they sell it here in Canada at Michaels, probably in the U.S. too.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

plymouth71 said:


> Bob... why not get some clear casting resin. I know they sell it here in Canada at Michaels, probably in the U.S. too.


 
Lots of bubbles when you mix that stuff -- ya need a vacuum chamber or pressure pot if yer gonna do that I believe. And it's brittle.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I did a little research concerning casting clear parts. You need a special silicone to get good results. You need at least a pressure pot to eliminate most of the bubbles, and the clear resin you need to use is beyond offensive in nature (toxic) and is usually only sold to industry. Anything other than within those parameters will not yield anything decent.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

plymouth71,

Will be casting separate black windows for just the reasons listed above. 

Lots of times if you cast a HotWheels body or a Matchox body the diecast cars can be found as donors for a buck to get the windows & chrome for the resin bodies. 

Even with black windows it will be fun to plop the separate casted black glass in the body.

Who knows...maybe those casting copy machines will solve all our window problems? I hope so...

Bob...2012 is almost here and still no space ships...zilla


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Heard a vacuuform and clear plastic is the cure for those windows.


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