Scratch Built Slot Cars

[arerrac]

As the cooler weather starts to set in, I thought I'd share one of my winter time hobbies. Turning brass tube and piano wire into slot cars. I have a killer local hobby shop (J&M Hobbies) that I source most of my parts from. But EVERYTHING can also be found online.

I copied and old style with adjustable wheelbase and pick-up. A design originally by Associated Slot Cars. They then became Associated Electronics the creators of the remote controlled RC10 Buggy.

I have a Scalextric home set (non-digital) that I run them on. Super light and very fast. Just no magnets. Gravity is what hooks these up (w/ a little tire sauce) and driver skill is what keeps them on the track. But what fun they are.

Scratch-built slot cars are a big time hobby for some guys. And the development and tuning that go into them is almost as detailed as a real race car.

-W

[herr_oberst]

That looks cool!

Let's see some sexy bodies!

[Ray 911s]

That is really cool! Awesome work, and I am jealous of the skill and craftsmanship.

You may be just the person to answer a question about design, though. Why is the blade and pickup always in the front and so far ahead of the front wheels? Wouldn't it be easier to go faster if there wasn't so much length and mass after the turning point? They may be that way because the originals were designed to look like cars and there just wasn't enough room to do it, but it looks like your scratch builds could be made with the guide and pick up brushes a little farther aft than the traditional design?

[oldE]

Originally Posted by Ray 911s

Why is the blade and pickup always in the front and so far ahead of the front wheels? Wouldn't it be easier to go faster if there wasn't so much length and mass after the turning point?

Iit's a matter of leverage. These cars want to go straight (solid rear axle with big tires). When the track curves, having the track guide or pin out front makes it possible for the car to follow the curve.

Best
Les

[M.D. Holloway]

Very very cool. How much can you do with the gear ratios? Also, while I know it would be rediculous but how impossible would it be to have a multi gear transmission? Kinda cool if you could shift? Not that you have too with the slot and all ... Which begs the next question, the slots are there for guidance - are there any track cars sans slots ? Like mini RC?

[jyl]

I used to be very into Scalextric, Ninco, Fly etc 1/32 slot cars. On a week trip to Madrid, I made it my mission to check out the Spanish slot car scene. Super interesting. I ended up in a slot car racing place in a non-descript alley, checking out the wild cars. They were running "rally" races, the tracks were deliberately bumpy, and the cars had sprung suspension on all four wheels, suspended guide pins, and four wheel drive. Completely different from anything I'd seen in the US. My 1/32 track and cars are all boxed up, I haven't seen them for a decade :-(

[osidak]

Mini Z is probably the closest to what you are looking for. local hobby shop has weekly races

here is a site about them
https://www.kyosho.com/eng/products/rc/series.html?series_group_id=100003

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDTSpum0Y4Y&feature=channel_page

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tfFy2Og6q8

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

Very very cool. How much can you do with the gear ratios? Also, while I know it would be rediculous but how impossible would it be to have a multi gear transmission? Kinda cool if you could shift? Not that you have too with the slot and all ... Which begs the next question, the slots are there for guidance - are there any track cars sans slots ? Like mini RC?

[cjannelli]

Currently in the for sale forum

Chris

[arcsine]

What is the rationale behind mounting the motor at an angle relative to the rear wheels/drive gear?

[nota]

where were you in 62 ?

actually late 60's when I quit racing slots
but the your teck does not look any different now

and we used ballbearings and silver wire on the motors and pick up wipers
in fact every bit of the Mitsubishi motors were aftermarket parts inc the can
and would LOL at the extra untrimmed motor shaft sticking out on both ends
and the axle sticking out on the front as both add unwanted spinning weight
while wire frames were used the faster guys used flat brass bars

do your racers use power brakes [reverse power from c-cell battery wired to the controller]

[cjannelli]

I'm out of slot cars now, but yes they have brakes. I have a couple of hinged brass plate chassis as well. They were custom made by a guy out of Eugene, OR. I'll take a couple of photos
Chris

[nota]

Originally Posted by arcsine

What is the rationale behind mounting the motor at an angle relative to the rear wheels/drive gear?

balance by moving the motor weight a bit forward
from the pure 180 mounts that had too much rear bias

faster then the 90 degree first picture that has a bit tooo much front weight

[fred cook]

Back in my high school/college years I built and raced slot cars. We would not only build the chassis, but also create custom armatures for the motors. When you got one just right, it would really scream and spin the tires all the way down the track! One of my favorite racing classes was a Nascar style stock car class. It allowed for an open chassis but required a stock large can motor and a 1/24th scale hard plastic body. They weren't screamers, but were very competitive and made for close races. At one point, I won a set of real wire wheels for winning a race and built a chassis with front and rear independent suspension and front wheels that turned left and right with the slot blade. The body on that one was a 427 Cobra. If someone would open a track, I believe that I would get back into the hobby!

[cjannelli]

Sorry these are "rattle" chassis.
Chris

[nota]

our mostly older nastycar guys ran on a banked figure 8 track
all about speed as they never lifted do to the banks
and most ran heavy weighted cars for reasons I never got in to [nerfing]
but I was a hard core road racer running can-am style cars on flat road style tracks

[arerrac]

I'm also building/restoring old PARMA Womp-Womp chassis. Picking them up of eBay.




This was an old steel chassis that was really beat up. The wrinkle paint really brought the chassis back to life (looks wise). New bushings, gear, tires and a motor and we're off to the races.

The fun in running these types of chassis is that there are no traction magnets to help keep the car on the track. Very tail happy if so desired.

Bodies are in progress, 917 and a 917/30.

[wdfifteen]

Very cool errac! Looks like fun. If only I needed another hobby...

[arerrac]

cjannelli

That angle winder is awesome.
I've read about the history of the anglewinder in southern ca., the one built by Gene Husting back in the day (1967). Changes the whole slot-car scene. Gene was one of the original founders of Associated RC cars. Passed away this year.

[nota]

yes brass sheets but with a anglewinder drive on my last car in 68
custom case silver wire arco magnets shimmed to skim skf ball bearings
blowproof commutator custom endbell Mitsubishi little can but not a Mitsubishi part in it

do they still use clear spoilers for downforce ?

[atcjorg]

Originally Posted by nota

do they still use clear spoilers for downforce ?

some classes do some don't , those are the 1/24th scale group cars that do. You don't find those in home tracks. They are a ton of fun to race tho, but tracks are getting scarce