# Mopar or No Car - First Impressions?



## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Anyone care to share their first impressions with the Mopars?

Here's mine:

The red Daytona is a beauty. Decent ride height for a JL, Nice detail. The chin spoiler is a nice touch. They did model the street Daytona, hence the stock gas cap type and location. They did (as I suspected they would) subscale the Daytona to be the same length as the Charger R/T. But overall it's a very well done model that's too not far off and very nice to look at. I hope these bodies are produced in quantity so I can do some retro repaints. I hope they do a Roadrunner and SuperBird too. 

The red 69 Charger R/T is also a beauty. I owned a real one (in blue) of these so I know what they should look like. They did a real good job on this car and the detail is impressive right down to the R/T logos. I wish the Daytona was this same exact body with the Charger 500 rear window treatment and the extended nose, scoops, etc. instead of being a smaller scale. Oh well, no big deal. I hope these bodies are produced in quantity so I can do some retro repaints, including duplicating the one I had. I hope they do a Charger 500 too. 

Those are the two cars that I was most hoping JL would do from the very first day I learned they were redoing the AFX style cars. I am extremely happy with how these two cars turned out. What can I say, they gave me exactly what I wanted and I'm a very happy camper. 

Thank you JL/RC2 and Playing Mantis for making these cars happen.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

why oh why didn't they drop the viper and dodge pickup truck in the case is my question? I know their Dodge, but I would have preferred 2 more daytonas in any color at all. hopefully they will release it again in different colors.
overall I think this is the best x-traction release BY FAR


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

My first impressions are all good so far. Good colors. Good performance. Now, back to gluing these front tires on...

I'm hoping for a little more variety down the road but these look good. I've always loved the '67 GTX and you could turn a Dart into a great hot rod too. A souped up '63 Belvedere would be cool too. I thought is was strange that they didn't include a couple classic '57 Chevys in the Bowtie set too. I guess they've gotta keep us hungry for more.

The Rams are my nephews' favorites so they'll be happy to see another on the track. It's actually pretty cool to see four JLXT Rams running around the track at once. I've got them set up on some competitive chassis (similar speed and handling) so they run close and do some banging now and then in the curves. I put the Viper bodies on some SRT chassis and race them with the Black and Silver Porsches. That's it though... they can move on and give us more variety now.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Had a few in my inner that had the pickup shoes slightly bent because of the hold down wire taughtness was a little to extreme.  rr


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

That reminds me... I wish they'd include a spare pickup shoe instead of a spare guide pin with each car. That would actually be of some value.


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

TK Solver said:


> That reminds me... I wish they'd include a spare pickup shoe instead of a spare guide pin with each car. That would actually be of some value.


You're onto something there. I don't mind the extra guide pin though...I've had to replace a couple on my JLTjets. I think it's be boss if they packaged each car with the contents of one of those pit-kits. They could charge a few bucks extra, and it'd be worth it. 

Plus, having them right in the package with a new car would make newbies realize that you CAN do stuff like swapping brushes and tweaking the pickup springs to enhance performance, and help get them fixing their own stuff. I think they'd sell more pit-kits this way too. Everyone'd win.

But, hey, they didn't ask me.  

Trev

Thanks for the informative review AFXtoo


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## GOOSE CHICKEN (Apr 9, 2000)

The Red Challenger is top notch. Now take the R/T hood and put it on the hardtop make a Vanishing Point clone. Of course the rear decklid spoiler's are mounted to far foreward.

I wish they would paint the Roadrunner in the street paint scheme with some of the graphic's on it.

That Red Charger is sweet.


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## GOOSE CHICKEN (Apr 9, 2000)

Oh and while I'm thinking about it. The Challenger with the split in the grill is a '71 You think they could reference it correctly on the package label.


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

I am really happy with those new mopar xtraction. My most favorite car is 69 charger. Now I am hoping they will make more mopar cars like 67 or 68 barracuda fastback, demon (dart), gtx, roadrunner '69 and '70, 66-68 charger, 84 daytona shelby z (i know i know but it was a cool small car - i had one and it was fun to drive with t top) 

Anyway it would be cool to get all mopar cars made (every one of them) 

Wes :thumbsup:


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## Piz (Apr 22, 2002)

I love the Challengers !!! But I wish they would scrap the seperate roof for the convertibles. They just can'y make those look right no matter how hard they try! 
My only other complaint is the Cuda, why for the love of Pete- They already did yellow with black billboards ! Hey JL/RC2 if you are having trouble thinking of different colors for this body .....How about Red, Blue, Silver, Dark Metalllic green, I would even take pink !


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

GOOSE CHICKEN said:


> The Red Challenger is top notch. Now take the R/T hood and put it on the hardtop make a Vanishing Point clone. Of course the rear decklid spoiler's are mounted to far foreward.


 Are these like the Bowties in that you can grind off the little melted jimmies on the bottom of the body and remove the hood? I got the DVD of Vanishing Point for Christmas and now making a VP Challenger is high on my list... I could do it with the JL Tjet Challenger, I guess... I even have a white pullback one... but the hood is wrong and overall it isn't as good looking as the pics I've seen of the XT Mopars. Anyway, if the hoods can be changed, I may have to pick up a couple of them and get painting...

Of course, if the rumors are true and JL is doing a Hollywood slot cars release, and since they already have the license and are doing the VP Challenger diecast, I may not have to do this at all...

--rick


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I ran time trials this morning and the Challengers can't keep up with most other JLXT bodies. Not even close. I can take a Challenger body off and swap in a Nomad or Mustang and cut 8% off lap times. An RX-7 or 90's Stock Car body will shave another 2%. The Challengers are top-heavy and can't corner nearly as well. They've got four posts that none of the other bodies have and they seem to sit higher. Those posts also make it impossible to "store" the bodies on the pull-back chassis. Anybody with any clues why those posts are there? The Charger bodies are tough on speeds too but I knew that from the F&F Chargers. The new chassis is comparable in speed with the F&F releases and the quality is excellent. All the cars ran reliably right out of the box.

It's not really a problem unless you're really pushing for speed. If you're just cruising around, they run great and look great doing it.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

One new thing that JL did on the Mopars was to incorporate standoffs in some of the bodies like Aurora used to do on some of it's AFX bodies like the AFX TransAm Camaro. The only problem I have with this strategy is that it makes it more difficult to mount these bodies on other chassis like the Tomy Turbo, SRT, SG+, and the BSRT G3. 

Aurora put standoffs in some of their low slung bodies (like the Camaro) instead of using the upper part of the clip. This allowed a snug fitting body at a good ride height with no tire rubbing problems. Quite a few Aurora AFX bodies even have a screw post that lines up with the hole in the chassis behind the front axle. I haven't studied the geometry of the JL Challengers to figure out the reason for the body standoffs but they must have been put there for a reason. Maybe they are going to do slot car versions of the Muscle Machines cars with the huge wheels and tires? The Challengers certainly have plenty of room for much larger wheels and tires.


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## mamilligan (Feb 1, 2003)

ParkRNDL said:


> ...Anyway, if the hoods can be changed, I may have to pick up a couple of them and get painting...


Rick,
If you need a challenger or two stop by. I have a 72 pack that I was planning on keeping for myself. I guess I can let a couple go. If it ever warms up I'm going to make some resin hoods and tail lights. My 71 has an R/T hood so this release has too many shakers. I plan on trying out paint schemes for my 1:1.


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## GOOSE CHICKEN (Apr 9, 2000)

I would like to see more Challengers with the R/T hood. It should also be easy for them to make a stone stock plain Jane Challenger.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Just keep doing those MOPARs.  

Plenty more to choose from, look at the diecast selection. :thumbsup: rr


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

roadrner said:


> Just keep doing those MOPARs.
> 
> Plenty more to choose from, look at the diecast selection. :thumbsup: rr



AMEN!!!

Wes :thumbsup:


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

*Here's My Opinion*

First thing, JL/RC2 - If you're going to use twist-ties to secure the cars, don't tie them so tight. It can bend the axles.
I opened the red Daytona and purple Challenger (All the Challengers sit too high), and did the push-car test..........the cars roll smooth.
The Pickup shoes still come bent the wrong way (they come to a point at the very tip). Guess that process with the machines are still bending them like that.......a simple fix to straighten them with needle-nose pliers. BTW, stepping the pickups is a nice touch (along with the widening).....hopefully these shoes will soon be showing up in the XT pitkits.

I'll edit this post with my remarks concerning how they run tonight.

Update - While running the cars at A.B. Charles hobby shop, The only problem I had was a crooked rim on the Challenger, quickly replaced with a spare I had, It ran smooth and fast like the Daytona. Just did a little fine tuning on the pickup shoes to straighten them out a little better. 

Seems like the Mopars chassis are about the same as all the other XT chassis, with the same occasional bad rims (maybe a crooked axle), but having the wider stepped shoes.

I see no major problems with these. I'm glad I bought a case.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

*Clean your comms!!!*

I've noticed something about the last couple of rounds of arms on both the XTs and the TJets - dirty comms. I usually clean them with a soft eraser but I noticed the eraser was just smearing a film across the comm. More than one comm looked like it had little bumps on it. Turns out it's some sort of residue from the manufacturing process. A quick cleaning with an isopropyl dampened cleaning cloth cleared it right up. Much better, shiny, no bumps, and more power.


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

roadrner said:


> Just keep doing those MOPARs.
> 
> Plenty more to choose from, look at the diecast selection. :thumbsup: rr


My thoughts EXACTLY!
Marty


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## mamilligan (Feb 1, 2003)

You can never have enough Mopars. I'd like to see the Challenger done as an R/T SE with the small back window and wide seam top. Maybe even a sun roof R/T would be cool. These cars had so many roof options the first two years the combinations are endless.


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## Dragula (Jun 27, 2003)

How about more older b-bodies,the kind that ruled super stock,and made legend and lore of the mopar name.64 thru 67 belvedere I's,heater,radio and rear seat delete.426 hemi..fast.....jmo
Dragula


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

AfxToo, I can confirm that your tip on cleaning the comms with alcohol makes a huge difference with both the Mopars and Bow Ties. Thanks much for sharing that. Now that I've got the 120 Ohm controllers for these new fast Bow Ties, I need to focus on smoothing the track joints. My track has two levels and that makes the transitions bumpy.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

AfxToo said:


> A quick cleaning with an isopropyl dampened cleaning cloth cleared it right up. Much better, shiny, no bumps, and more power.


I thought everyone did this. :freak: 

Stumbled on this back in the original Tjet days. The eraser and sliding brushes on paper only seemed to take some grime off. PS, I use my wife's copper pots cleaner for the shoes. Makes them look nice and shiny. However, it won't remove grooves.  rr


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I've always used isopropyl alcohol for parts cleaning of chassis after they've been used. The JL cars apparently benefit from this sort of cleaning right out of the box so I'll have to change my regimen. I throw all of the parts except the tires into the alcohol and use a soft brush to wash off the gunk. I've been doing this for many years and have never come across a negative effect from isopropyl (other than it drying out your skin). I clean my inline cars the same way. I use canned compressed air to blow dry the parts that have crevices and holes I can't get at, but air drying is probably as good. You have to be a bit careful when using compressed air around HO parts. It's easy to blow a spring or brush off the table and never find it.

If you do any soldering, isopropyl alcohol is also a great way to 1) clean the parts that are going to be soldered together (before applying flux), and 2) cleaning the solder joint after you solder to remove any residual flux.


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## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

I like the wider pickup shoe, but the step in it wasn't needed. I can get more pickup shoe to rail contact with a ski shoe. The step just increases pickup shoe wear.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

*About the arms on the Mopars...*

I was wondering if the off-center comm arms that I first noticed on the Bowties would be an issue on the Mopars. Well, it is still an issue. But I suspect it's always been an issue. Truth be told, the cars can and do run fine with the comm mounted off center on the arm. If I were hand picking a JL arm for racing I would find one that had a centered comm plate. The off center comm probably introduces some mechanical imbalance and some comm timing imbalance. But these chassis aren't precision machines or handcrafted Swiss timepieces. They can tolerate a lot of slop. As I've said all along, some of the improvements that were designed into the JL chassis over their TJet ancestors, like the vastly superior magnets, better brushes, and tri-lam arm, allow a net improvement in performance even with sloppier construction. I also suspect that if you ever get a JL with all the right parts lined up just right it will be a little rocket ship. 

So the ball is still in JL/RC2's court: fix the comm plate mounting problem on your armatures.


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## hartracerman (Jan 9, 2005)

I'm wondering if they have to get rid of thier bad stock before we see improvements? But keep those bodies coming!


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## Marty (Oct 20, 1999)

Dragula said:


> How about more older b-bodies,the kind that ruled super stock,and made legend and lore of the mopar name.64 thru 67 belvedere I's,heater,radio and rear seat delete.426 hemi..fast.....jmo
> Dragula


YEAH!! Little Old Lady from Pasadena in her brand new shiny red Super Stock Dodge!!

Ramchargers!!

Marty


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

AfxToo said:


> I also suspect that if you ever get a JL with all the right parts lined up just right it will be a little rocket ship.


 I think I have one of these. I bought a lot of 10 chassis-only from mamilligan here on the board. One of them, I keep calling a "rocket ship". REALLY fast and smooth, and all I ever did was oil it. I grabbed a chassis at random to put under a Dragjet Karmann-Ghia, and that was it. It helps that the DJ K-G happens to be a phenomenal-handling body... this thing is such a screamer that I want to emphasize Volkswagen's loose ties with Porsche and get some Porsche decals for it. Hmmm.... a Karmann-Ghia Carrera Turbo...

--rick


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

ParkRNDL said:


> I want to emphasize Volkswagen's loose ties with Porsche and get some Porsche decals for it. Hmmm.... a Karmann-Ghia Carrera Turbo...
> 
> --rick


rick, 
just make sure to throw a pic on the board when you get finished.

 Dave


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## Rawafx (Jul 20, 1999)

I attended an Open House yesterday at a new HO slot car facility(Pit Stop Raceway) in Maiden, NC. A couple of guys were running new Mopar series cars in the M/T-X/T race. One of the cars seemed to have too much pickup shoe tension(wheelies and bouncing) and the other bounced when it got up to speed(out of round wheels/tires). I really didn't pay too much attention to the race because my girlfriend was in it and I couldn't stand to watch her race, LOL!!!
Actually, it was the first time she had ever raced. She ran about 20 laps(and had about 20 crashes) on my track here at home yesterday morning before we went to the Open House. The first race was for "Box Stocks". I had a new Tomy SRT in my box she raced with. She didn't have anywhere near the handling that some of the people with Life-Like "T" chassis cars did, but she still finished 5th out of 8 people. Then they ran the M/T-X/T race. She finished 3rd out of 8 people with one of my M/T's. She had a great time!!! I guess I'll have to give her a few cars for Valentine's Day.

Bob Weichbrodt
A and H Hobbies
W-S, NC


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