Have a track in your town?

[oldcars]

Last weekend I was driving down the street here in the Springs where I live and there was this large yellow sign with a larger arrow on it that said"slot car track. The last time I was in a track was 1971. Had to check it out. Oh baby! It was a four lane 32nd scale track, but was it nice and big. All the old tracks back in the 60s had some pretty cool banks on them, but this one was flat. The really nice cars were 40 some dollars. The motors we used to build cost more than that. I sat there and watched and talked for awhile. Got my heart pumping like it has not for a long time. Ithink it is time to see if my trigger fingure still works. Vroom, Vroom.. there it goes now. any body elses town have a track in it?

[Jairus]

That's the fever alright! There is no cure except spending all you got on cars, controllers and faster motors....

We have two tracks within an hour away... no make that three... but nothing in town.

I have never left slot cars totally. Just put them away for a while when models and art, kids and life got in the way.

Yes, I have the fever. Had it since 1969 actually.

8)

Here's one I recently finished...

[jbwelda]

nice...would be nicer with black tires though! :shock:

man i wish there was a 1/32 scale track around here...there is a 1/24 scale one a few miles away but they mostly race blobs. i like models myself.

im currently re-building a maserati birdcage i got on ebay in a lot. never seen this body, its hard plastic and not the russkit one. i had to strip about 1/8th inch of funky flourescent orange paint off to even see what kind of body it was, and the brass chassis that came with it has 4 wheel ball bearings (scratch built chassis, not the cleanest in the world but servicable). got it painted and detailed now fitting the windshield which will require a lot of finessing. and i got some russkit spoke wire wheels (remember those?) for front and rear. should look nice when done. will photo it and post them here first but then its onto the (small, home) track and after that its a race car!

[ChevyAsylum]

There's a track in the basement of a hobby shop in the greater metro area (Salt Lake City, Utah) where I live. Years ago, they had an HO train layout...it seems to have been replaced by the slot track.

I haven't done any slot car racing since before my army daze...and that was a lotta years ago...since I'm considered to be a "VietNam era veteran." (I served in Texas and Europe...fortunately.)

I spose I otta find out when they race and just go check the whole deal out. Thanks for bringing this up and giving me the thoughts about it.

[dcsunderland]

I don't do slot cars, but I know we have a track here in Winnemucca NV. There is an oval and a scale 1/4 mile, I think in 1/24.

[Schumacher330]

We used to have a track in Morris, with a high speed road course, (redundancy in action ) and a more skillful road course. They raced 1/32 and 1/24th and honestly if you haven't raced the 1/24th you are really missing some fun. The track moved over time and closed about 3 or so years ago. I was in Reno Nevada last year and the one mall out there has a track and yea you don't ever lose the fever. I had bought and hour and when some kids came in I let them try my car. Of course they loved racing

[oldcars]

Those orange tires are the ones we were using in 1970 the last time I ran. We had them in varios colors(even black) You would soak them over night in different liquids to give them better grip. Your car is a thing of beauty. The only thing it needs from whwt I see is a set of anglewinder gears. You would be amazed at how much smooter it would make it run and go. Ah for the old days.

[camaroman]

There is no track around home, but in Calhoun Ga there is a hobby shop that I trade with (They are the source for my Model Car fix). They have three tracks; Two roundy-rounds and a drag strip. Sometimes a few folks will come in in the middle of the day when I am by there. Man those cars can fly. makes me wanr to open those Carrea's that I bought to collect.

[oldcars]

Went back to the track and found out that they have open wheel races on friday night, stock car races on saturday afternoon, and trying to have truck racing on sundays. Also heard they are trying to get sportscar races going. That is my cup of tea. 1/24th is what I used to run but this new generation 1/32nd cars are really detailed.

[slotbaker]

Jairus, nice car.

The orange tires and straight cut gears are straight out of the best slot car era, late 60's ~ early 70's, and that what the pro's used.

Unfortunately, commercial slot cars has almost died out here in Sydney, as there is only 2 traditional commercial tracks left.

There are a few retail outlets that have plastic tracks for 1/32 cars, and there is a stack of local groups in home garages and clubs running 1/32 cars.

Our little group prefers to run hard body, kit bashed cars in 1/24,1/25 scale like these;

[oldcars]

Nice cars Slotbaker. Back in 1968 we had beveled gears here. Do you have any V8 Supercar bodies to make slotcars out of?

[slotbaker]

Back in 1968 we had beveled gears here. Do you have any V8 Supercar bodies to make slotcars out of?

Yeah, we had beveled gears for the in-liners, but not sidewinders.

There are a couple of 1/24 resin Falcons and Commodores that could be used for V8 Supercars, and some vac forms, but not a real great range.

There is better selection in 1/32, with Scalextric covering the last 2 seasons.

[oldcars]

Don't have one of those digital cameras but would like to see some of the other tracks out there(hint, hint slotbaker). Favorite driver is Marcus Ambrose by the way.

[slotbaker]

I'll try and get some pics of the track over here for ya.

Marcus Ambrose in the USA this year trying to get into the big time, but we don't hear much about him.

[BIGTRUCK]

They opened one in our town in '93 , my then 11 year old wanted to show me this cool place , Slotcars!!! oh boy I bought every thing over the next 4 years that was slotcars . Now its 2006 I have slotcars packed away in boxes new clear bodies , unused new engines, outlaw frames and the only one I built for myself on display in my model case , oh well I had fun until he grew up and found other things to do, fun while it lasted..

[oldcars]

Hey Bigtruck, It is time to get the good stuff out of storage and go RACIN', if the track is still there.

[Ed Billing]

My son & I race at OK Slotcars in Clarktown OH, outside of Portsmouth, OH. They have a 1/4 mile track, cars are a mixture of Lexan & Hardbodies [ models bodies].

We've only been racing for just over a year, & we both love it.

If anyone wants any info about this great track pm me & I'll send along the info. Ed Billing

[slotbaker]

Hi oldcars,

I finally got around to getting some pics of a couple of tracks.

We race monthly on this one with 1:24 Scale cars of both hard body, and vacuum form at Hornsby. http://www.hornsbyslotcars.com.au/

More pics here; http://slotcar.freepgs.com/pics.html

This one is Ninco track, and is in slot car retailer (Armchairracer) http://www.armchairracer.com.au/

Under construction in the background, is an 8 lane Carrera track.

I'll post more when I can.

[simonr]

Where is that hobby shoplacated at?, since I'm considering the next year's GSL.

Simón

There's a track in the basement of a hobby shop in the greater metro area (Salt Lake City, Utah) where I live. Years ago, they had an HO train layout...it seems to have been replaced by the slot track.

I haven't done any slot car racing since before my army daze...and that was a lotta years ago...since I'm considered to be a "VietNam era veteran." (I served in Texas and Europe...fortunately.)

I spose I otta find out when they race and just go check the whole deal out. Thanks for bringing this up and giving me the thoughts about it.

[jbwelda]

wow! i would consider flying over to sydney just to race on those!

[BMC Tackle]

Boy those tracks sure bring some back some memories! Back in the mid to early 70s we had several Hobby Shops that had slot tracks. My favorite was Orange Blossom Hobbies in Miami, where I grew up. I had several cars. My favorite the Cox Chapparel with the high WORKING spoiler! Cool, way cool, this is one of those slot cars that you have to see if you have never seen one. I also had a few others. I have always been a huge fan of Lemans race cars, I build a lot of these models, particularly the Porsche 917, 917K, and others. I had the whole 917 collection from the movie Lemans with Steve McQueen.

These tracks disappeared here in Florida back in the early 70s. They made a brief appearance in the latter 80s, but not for long. There were a few franchised stores by the name of "The Hobby Box", these opened, but closed soon after. In 1980 I was in Puerto Rico and visited a hobby shop with a very nice slot track that was located in Plaza Las Americas in San Juan, never got to spend any time there but it was very nice. Today I don't think that we have any tracks anywhere in South Florida, better yet, I think there may be 3 hobby shops in this huge area. Parents are too busy to show kids the fun of racing slots and building models, so I gather this is why things are the way they are, at least here in South Florida.

I have a Revell Rebel 400 1/32 scale track. Currently I do not have any space in my home to use the track. My garage is where I run my fishing business from so my space is zip. I am planning to build a home in South Carolina. My plans are to build a 2 story barn, the 1st floor will be the business, the 2nd floor my hobby area. I want to purchase a couple of the larger Scaletric tracks to combine them into one huge track, then spend a ton of cash on those Fly Cars. Those cars are totally AWESOME! I love them. They have so many Porches and Ferraris, both current and vintage, all very nice, superb detailing, very nice to look at. I am very anxious to get some of these for myself.

[BigPoppa]

any tracks or clubs in the Denver area? Looking for more 1/25 scale

[Gregg]

Go see Tom at Colpar Hobbies in Aurora.

He would know.

Saw him a month or so ago when I was in town.

Wish I had more time to spend there.

[slotbaker]

.... I had several cars. My favorite the Cox Chapparel with the high WORKING spoiler! Cool, way cool, this is one of those slot cars that you have to see if you have never seen one....

Yep those COX Chaparral 2Es are considered by many as the Holly Grail of U.S. slotcars.

I've seen many mint in box ones sell on ebay for $3k ++ up to $10k for one a few years ago. :shock:

Good usable ones go for $500.00 ++

[BMC Tackle]

WOW, I can't believe that. I still have the original chasis for the Cox Winged Chapparel.