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| Here you will find a few answers to some common home slot racing and collecting questions. You can also check out my information for various current slot car kits, bodies, motors, chassis, and more. If you would like to contribute some more information to the FAQ and Resource section, please email me at webmaster@slotcargarage.com with the details. I will post your information along with your name if you wish here in this section that you contributed to the FAQ here at Slot Car Garage. No part of this FAQ may be reproduced either in print or electric form without written permission from Slot Car Garage. |
Home Slot Racing and Collecting Frequently Asked Questions
This Slot Car FAQ was last updated on June 11, 2004
I am interested in purchasing a slot car set in 1/32 scale but there are various ones out there. Which ones do you recommend? What are the pros and cons then of the various 1/32 sets?
I am interested in purchasing a slot car set in 1/32 scale but their are various ones out there. Which ones do you recommend?
For our 1/32 track, we use the Carrera track system. The track system is constructed well and has wide lane spacing to allow you to run wide 1/32 and homeset 1/24 cars. You will need track aprons so you can run the 1/24 slot cars on the track as well. Carrera sets are on average about the same price as Scalextric sets so you have to weigh the pros and cons of each company.
Ninco has a track system out but you are limited to what they have available at the time. It is another contender in the 1/32 area.
What are the pros and cons then of the various 1/32 sets?
The Riggen track system only has two radius curves available so you are limited to what layouts you can design. You can go 4 lanes but are limited to an oval configuration. A 2 lane road course can be made but you will not get the variety as Carrera & Scalextric allows. Carrera & Scalextric offer much more various straight pieces and curves for many different track layouts. They also sell apron and guard-rails pieces for the track. You can easily make your own aprons out of cork-board for your Riggen track if you would prefer some. I found a source for these squares at my local Lowe's hardware warehouse store. They are pieces you can buy to use as note boards. I just trimmed the squares to fit the various curves and straights on the track. Installation and set-up is pretty easy when making the aprons.
The downside of Scalextric / SCX track is the narrow width. You will not be able to run *wide* cars on the track. All common 1/32 cars from Scalextric, SCX, Ninco, etc. will run on the track though. Some say the Scalextric track is more flexible as it is made out of a rubber-type plastic and their new SPORT track has taken care of the slot depth problem.
The Ninco track is in between the two track systems, there is a review on Old Weird Herald about this track. FYI, their site is listed on my links page...
I would like to know which is the best 1/32 slot car set / track to buy, I don't want to spend a fortune or buy something that is garbage. I'm new to the hobby or returning and wish to get started with something nice.
Note: This was taken from the alt.hobbies.slotcars newsgroup with some added comments by Slot Car Garage.
Q: What kind of track/cars should I buy?
A: This depends on several factors: the amount of money you have to spend; the
amount of space you have to devote to slot racing; the kind of detail you desire
in a slot car; etc.
There are mainly 4 current manufacturers of 1/32 scale slot race track:
Carrera (actually 1/24 scale track), Ninco, Scalextric & SCX. Others
have included Fleischmann, Strombecker/Bachman, Revell/Riggen, Eldon, Marx (stay away
not compatible), etc., but these latter companies (except for Riggen) are no
longer in production, though track may be available on the Internet, at swap
meets, eBay, etc.
A general discussion of the pros/cons of each of the 3 main current track makes
follows..
Carrera
Carrera is a German manufacturer that's also been in the business a long time.
They make both 1/24 and 1/32 scale cars, but the track is one size only, a
larger size suitable for both scales. This fact alone makes Carrera a very
popular brand. In the past, Carrera's 1/32 scale cars used a pitifully
inadequate friction drive system; their current range has gone to a more
traditional and standard gear drive.
The main plus for Carrera is that the track is wide enough to race 1/24 scale
cars, making it especially suitable for open-wheeled 1/32 racing, whereas some
of the other tracks (notably Scalextric/SCX and Artin) can be problematic for
Indy- and Formula 1-style cars. The standard 1/32 and wider 1/32 scale
track is best suited for 1/32 scale cars, the Carrera 1/24 scale track can accommodate
1/24 and 1/32 slot cars, this gives you the opportunity to create some nice 1/24
slot cars from model kits using various 1/24 slot car chassis.
The main complaint against Carrera is that it's not as widely available as Ninco or Scalextric/SCX
(the two most available manufacturers), although it has begun to improve. It has a very good racing surface, providing
good traction to a wide range of tire compounds.
A capsule summary of Carrera:
PRO: Wide slot spacing; best track surface; variety of turn radii and specialty
track pieces
CON: Thumb plunger controllers and sometimes lack of product availability.
Ninco
Ninco is a Spanish manufacturer of both cars and track. Though the company has
been building cars for several years, it is only recently (since late 1998) that
they have produced a track system. However, in that brief time, they have
garnered rave reviews from many satisfied owners. Ninco benefits from a wider
slot spacing than Artin or Scalextric/SCX, but is narrower than the Carrera
track so it is still classified as 1/32 scale. Its surface is also more textured
than Carrera, leading some to complain about traction. Ninco produces a wide
variety of turn radii and specialty track pieces, even going so far as to make
an adapter track to connect to rival Scalextric/SCX track, making it easier for
those with legacy pieces to preserve their investment without having to lose
their money.
Several reviews of the Ninco track system are floating around the web, notably
here:
http://people.goldendome.com/~ken/review_nincorally.htm
http://www.oldweirdherald.com/scalestuff/nincotrack/index.html
Again, these should give you the basic info you need regarding Ninco track.
A capsule summary for Ninco:
PRO: Wide availability; wide lane spacing; several turn radii (for multi-lane
layouts); specialty track pieces; adapter section for connecting to Scalextric/SCX
track; available lap counter
CON: Among the more expensive tracks; track texture; some complain that it's
hard to set up; short history in track manufacturing
Scalextric/SCX
Scalextric (and its Spanish cousin, SCX, hereafter collectively referred to as
"Scalex" for brevity) is the longest-lived slot car manufacturer.
Indeed, the company has been around so long that its name has become synonymous
with slot racing (like "Kleenex" for tissues or "Xerox" for
copiers). As such, there is a wealth of track out there, both used and currently
produced. Scalex made the widest range of specialty track pieces, including Le
Mans starts, pit track, Goodwood chicanes, and many
more. It's available through many hobby shops around the world, and used track
can be had relatively inexpensively, though some of the aforementioned
"specialty" track pieces can command quite astounding prices. Those
are the pro's.
The con's? Tendency to warping. However, if
you can deal with these issues, Scalex is the most versatile track out there,
allowing up to 8-lane layouts with a number of specialty track pieces
unavailable from any other manufacturer.
A capsule summary for Scalextric:
PRO: New Sport track is relatively inexpensive; wide availability; many different specialty track pieces; several turn
radii (allowing up to 8-lane layouts); used track widely available and
inexpensive (except for out-of-production specialty pieces)
CON: Track prone to warping.
This is by no means an exhaustive listing of the various pluses and minuses of
the track systems under discussion; it is only intended as a brief guideline for
the newbie or former slotter just getting back into the hobby. I urge the reader
to investigate the many sites devoted to slot racing on the web for further
information, and especially to join one or all of the several discussion lists
on the topic.
A very good initial listing of 1/32 slot-related resources is here:
http://www.zagato.demon.co.uk/scalex/132links/
Notes from SCG: I
added some bits and pieces to the above "mini 1/32 faq" that was
posted on the newsgroup. In my personal opinion, if you have the money and
the space - buy Carrera 1/24 sets and track. It gives you the option to
run 1/32 and 1/24 and you will never need to upgrade the track. It is the
Best!!!!
email me at webmaster@slotcargarage.com
if you have any more questions or comments.
What vintage 1/24 and 1/32 tracks are there and is any
currently available?
Strombecker 1/32 seems to be the most common next to Eldon track. Eldon track is too shallow and most dislike it to run cars on. I would avoid it unless you get a box load of it for free. Bachmann later released some sets with 1/40 or so scale cars as 1/32 with the old Strombecker type molds. The best 1/24 scale track is from Marx which was mostly sold under the Sears Name.
Now the Sears / Marx 1/24 scale track is the one you want to find. The
straight track is above 12 inches long and nearly 9 inches wide! You can
look for the Marx symbol on the bottom and the steel track rails are close
together. Expect to pay around $175 or more for a set.
The older track is hard to find and I would suggest looking the Internet, flea markets, toy
shows, garage / yard sales, etc. for the stuff.
The Riggen 1/32 scale track is from the old Revell molds except the color is black instead of gray. It comes from REH Distributing out of Ohio USA, they bought the old Riggen supply and currently produce some of the new Riggen track. Their new set allow you the option of adding FLY cars and Parma controllers.
Expect to invest about $99 to $150 for a nice starter 1/32 set.
The Monogram 1/32 scale track is similar to Revell but has different connections and the later Cox track is similar to Eldon...
Are there any 1/24 scale tracks currently being made? What about Carrera?
Update: Carrera is getting easier to find now in the US and other areas of the world. Their new line of 1/32 slot cars is very popular and pricing is getting more down to Earth. Check out places online such as www.radtrax.com if you wish to purchase a set or track.
There are no 1/24 scale tracks being made except for Carrera that is easily available. Marx made true 1/24 scale track sold mostly under the Sears name in the 1960s. This track was huge and had a deep slot. The set came with banked curves and was only 2 lanes. The Revell (later Riggen) and Monogram 1/32 track was made into 1/24 by adding aprons along the sides of the track. I know that Strombecker made 1/24 scale track and I think Eldon had a system also but I would test these tracks before buying.
If all else fails, a custom built 1/24 slot car track will cost you about $500 or so for the track only without cars.
What 1/32 scale tracks should I avoid? Which ones are not compatible with the standard guide system?
Tracks you should stay away from is mostly Eldon and the earlier Strombecker track with the ridge around the curves and Artin due to limited availability and poor power supply. The power rails become unglued from the plastic on the early Strombecker pieces.
1/32 Brands that are not compatible with the standard guide flag system that I know of are Lionel and especially Marx 1/32. The Marx 1/32 system uses a small rail similar to HO and is spaced wider apart. Only a few Marx 1/32 standard guide cars and track was made (For Example, the Ford '65 Mustang Convertibles). Most of the other stuff is fairly common and not compatible
Do you know any books that are out there for Home Slot Car Racing and Collecting?
What places on the Internet sell slot car related items?
It is easy to buy from an online retail shop.
Take a look at my links section for more web sites that sell on-line and/or mail-order..
Rad Trax: at www.radtrax.com
New stuff. Some things include1/32, 1/24 & H.O. slot cars, home race sets, home slot car motors, silicone tires, decals, bodies, etc.
Try Herm's Slot Shop at www.vintageslotcars.com if you wish to buy the older slot car parts and kits...he has tons of parts and cars for 1/32 + 1/24 scale with almost all being new old stock from the golden era. You will find reasonable prices on many slot car kits he puts together using vintage parts. Run them on your track, collect them, build them, etc.
Catalog with vintage and current home slot car racing parts:
L.M. Gillett
4021 2nd St. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55421
Mike Gillett (tel)763-788-5816
NOTE: New
Area Code!
Send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for listing of older vintage home racing cars, parts and various related items. He carries a good amount of vintage stuff at reasonable prices for the racer and has a decent supply of new stuff also. Some things include 1/8 post guide flags, home slot car motors, silicone tires, decals, vintage type bodies, etc.
For parts such as screws, washers, bolts, etc. You can try www.microfasteners.com and www.smallparts.com Both places have a good assortment of items along with a print catalog available. The Small Parts Inc. catalog has over 400 pages and includes many other tools and items. Some of these items such as 5-40 nuts, 3/16 and 1/8 washers, etc. can be used for building and restoring 1/24, 1/32 scale slot cars.
Can you give me a brief rundown of any available 1/32 or 1/24 scale slot car kits?
What sources are available for 1/32 and 1/24 silicone tires?
Compared to the Sponge / Foam tire that is most commonly found at commercial tracks, the silicone tire is a favorite of home, vintage, and club racing. It gets great traction, needs no addition traction compound, and lasts a long time (usually). The silicones are best for plastic home set track and sponge is best for custom made wood tracks.
American Line Silicones are currently available and come in any
color as long as its black They are foam tires coated with silicone and very
sticky. The styles available are #1063A 1 1/8" diameter x 9/16"
wide mounted on 5-40 Threaded Wheels and 1067 7/8" x 11/16" wide
mounted on set-screw hubs for 1/8" or 5-40 axles. The #1067
tires are great replacements for 1/32 scale or 1/24 chassis that run around
7/8" tires such as the FCR, Flexi, etc. #1063A are great tires for
older vintage cars and chassis.
Harmons Hobby and Booth used to make some different 1/24 and 1/32 lexan bodies...are they still available?
Update: From talking with various people, Booth bodies are available again in limited supply.
Booth Machine has since ceased production so what is left over stock is all there is unless someone else picks up the line. I think Lancer and Vintage is still available but stuff from Booth such as the vintage reproduction bodies are getting harder to locate but the prices shouldn't be high as of yet.
The distributors should have some old stock sitting on their shelves so ask around and you might be able to still get some bodies. I know they are not of the best quality but still good bodies if you are looking for some lexan versions of street, muscle, exotic, and racing bodies.
Where I can find more information about slot car racing?
I suggest you can start by checking out my links section for sites you can visit along with various other online suppliers. You can find different lap counters, cars, newsletters, resources, personal web sites, etc. Be sure to check the rest of my site also for more information about slot car racing and collecting :)
This is a small list of various home slot car racing supplies and bodies. I compiled this when I was mostly interested in 1/24 home slot car racing so it focuses around 1/24 items but the motors, etc. can be used for 1/32 scale as well.
What is a good and cheap lap counter for my (1/24, 1/32, HO...) slot car track?
I have used TrakMate for my lap counter since I returned to the hobby and started to look for a nice lap counter system on the Internet. TrakMate is able to be used with infra-red light sensors, dead strip, and magnetic reed switches. It works great. I've used it on my 1/24 slot car tracks and currently use it on my 1/32 road course and HO layout. View their web site for more information. They also have drag racing programs available for your track. They do require a PC but you can find a cheap 286 to use it on...does not need Windows or a 500mhz Pentium machine!
I am all confused about what a 16D, 13D, 36D, etc. motor is...what are Plafit motors?
Check out my motors section for some more information about the various slot car motors out there.
Yes, No, and Maybe...
Do you have any information on the first slot car patents? or what year they were first developed?
Take a look at this web site for more information about the slot car patent back in 1936.
I'm new to the hobby and am wondering what brands of 1/32 slot cars will work on my standard 1/32 home track?
For the Current Cars:
Basically any car from Scalextric, SCX, Ninco, Fly, Artin 1/32, etc. will run on any of the standard 1/32 tracks. Riggen and Parma Home Set cars probably will work as well but they are made a bit wider...the only ones are the "womps" from Parma that use the commercial 16D motors. You will need a higher amp power supply to run these but you can also swap out the motors for some better Plafit or other units to run on your home set supply. The commercial 16D motors take about 1 to 2 amps each so a 10amp 12-13v supply will do for a small home course.
For the Older 1/32 Cars:
The last issue Marx Mustangs, etc. will run on the track but they are pretty hard to find. Most of the Marx 1/32 cars (99.99%) will not run on the standard 1/32 track since they use their own track and pickup system. I believe Lionel and AC Gilbert was like this as well. Most of the other brands like Revell, Monogram, Bachmann, Strombecker, etc. will run on the standard 1/32 track...
Can you give me an idea of what size or scale of slot car I have?
I have some photos including measurements to give you an idea of what size / scale of slot car you have. The most common scales for racing at home are 1/32 and HO. Most commercial raceways run 1/24 but some people at home run them as well. More common is the battery-operated sets in 1/48ish scale and then we have odd sizes in between. HO is actually near 1/64 not true 1/87 as compared to Model Railroading.
Are the Ideal TCR and Tyco TCR HO systems compatible? What about Tyco Command Control? Ultra5? Any stuff available currently? How about Majorette TCR? Where can I get replacement tires / parts?
No, the Ideal TCR and Tyco TCR HO slotless slot car tracks are not compatible with one another. Tyco only licensed the TCR name for their updated line of Command Control track for the early 1990s. The stuff is now discontinued but can still be found fairly cheaply. A local hobby shop can order replacement cars and parts from REH Distributing. They also have some older slotless racing parts available from Aurora and Ideal. AJ's Gum Drops Silicone tires are larger and great for the Ideal TCR cars. Online shops such as www.radtrax.com should have some items as well if you do not live near a local shop that can custom order items for you.
Tyco basically took their Command Control track and added updated controllers and curve pieces with dividers to keep the cars in the same lane because of centrifugal force. The Tyco TCR track is gray with dashed white line and the old Command Control track is black. Majorette TCR tried to come back to the US market using some old and new Ideal bodies with a new type of HO slot car chassis and track. The track is similar to the slotted Ideal type from the Dukes of Hazzard set with some updated pieces. The chassis had a large guide pin which was not able to work in standard HO track and you could not easily replace it with a standard pin. They only lasted a year here :(
Aurora Ultra5 and SpeedSteer track is the same except for the cars and terminal track sections. For most of the stuff, try places like www.ebay.com to get the older slotless cars and tracks, etc.
I am currently building / rebuilding a slot car track and would like to use steel magnetic-capable braid. Do you know of a source where it can be purchased from?
You can purchase steel braid from:
Jim Honeycutt
Magnatech Raceway
Malibu Grand Prix
7702 Briaridge - San Antonio TX 78230
(210) 308-6909
jimht@worldnet.att.net
How do you wire up a three wire controller such as a Parma unit to your track?
Courtesy of John Ford / Scale Auto Racing News www.scaleautoracing.com
3 wires on the Parma controller. Red, White, Black - make 3 corresponding
connections for each drivers panel.
On each drivers panel:
White goes to the positive pole of the power supply of choice.
Black goes to the right side of the braid (or contact material of choice).
Red goes to the negative pole of the power supply.
ALSO, the negative pole of the power supply goes to all left side braid (or contact material of choice). Tip: you can connect all the "left sides" together and run them back to the power supply. If you are going to do this, I recommend for 1/32 home tracks that you use at least 10 gage stranded wire for this "negative bus". Don't think about it, just hook it up and you will have brakes. Sometimes, if you think about what the circuit is doing by shorting out the system on the negative side, you'll short circuit your brain trying to figure it out ;^) ... jf
(Special Note from SCG - some older controllers like the Testors "space man gun" units will actually have the black and white wires reversed. Please take note if the controller is heating up too quickly or if you have sparks which means you have it connected the wrong way to your control panel of the track. The wiring is ok but the older controllers might need to have black on white and white on black instead of the standard wiring of today. This is a warning in event you wish to use older controllers and don't want to burn them out. Take care when working around electricity, we want you around to enjoy your track!)
Is there any source online or catalog that features 5-40 nuts, screws, and other items such washers, etc. that could be used for slot car applications?
There is two places that I know of at the moment that features tons of screws, nuts, bolts, washers, etc. One site is www.microfasteners.com which has a good assortment at decent prices and www.smallparts.com which carries the same parts with many more items. The Small Parts Inc. catalog has over 400 pages filled with various tools and parts with some items relating to slot car applications. I highly recommend getting a catalog from each of them.
I want to use Parma controllers with my Carrera set but keep the existing wiring, got any diagrams or hook-up instructions?
From alt.hobbies.slotcars - I'm using Parma controllers with my
Carrera set. Here's the mapping you're looking for:
-----
| |
| --
| ( Black (to
track)
| --
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| --
| ( Red (brake)
| --
| |
| --
| ( White ( to power
supply)
| --
| |
-----
FYI. Carrera connects their power wire (white) to the negative side of the
power supply. Almost everyone else connects the power wire to the positive
side. With a resistive controller it doesn't make any difference, but with
an electronic controller (which Carrera makes) you must follow the
manufacturer's method.
What ever happened to Auto World? They used to have a nice catalog full of slot car items and other related hobby items. If they are no longer around? What other sources are available similar to them.
AutoWorld used to have a nice catalog out with tons of hobby and other items you can mail-order. Unfortunately their last print catalog was back in 1991. This was their last catalog. They used to have a large hobby shop and mail-order business with real racing mixed in. Long story short. The hobby shop moved into someone's garage or house then from what I understand closed up.
If you are looking for print catalogs, the closest for HO slot cars is ScaleAuto out of Washington and Wizzard HO of Pennsylvania - check out www.scaleauto.com and www.wizzardho.com respectively. RadTrax has a nice catalog online at www.radtrax.com There are plenty of more sources out there so check my links page for more sites and resources.
Where can I find a directory if various slot car raceways and related raceway hobby shops?
Before you check out these various directories for slot car raceways on other sites, be aware that most raceways do not stay open for a long time (some exceptions) so be sure to call to verify their location, etc. before making a trip. Because these directories of raceways are on other sites, Slot Car Garage is not responsible for incorrect information or for shops that are closed or no longer there. Use these as a guide and be sure to check your local yellow pages phonebook for local shops as well. Sometimes hobby shops will surprise you with slot car tracks and items.
more to come...
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