167 replies to this topic

[Noose]

No it doesn't Butch and there are some rule changes that were voted on at the SANO where this will change.

[DirtyHairy]

uh-oh.........any heads up on what these changes pertain too??????

[vfr750]

Hi Justin,

Don't forget that up until 1968 for most international races the majority of cars ran in their national colours, British racing green, Italian red, French blue etc with perhaps a contrasting stripe.. Sponsors logos were discreet. Things weren't necessarily the same on your side of the pond.

Cheers

John

[Steve Deiters]

Lots of discussion and heat generated on this topic for sure. I think there is room at each end of the spectrum for the discussion points put forth. On one end are the scale/exact as one can be advocates and on the other end are the single color/meets the rules minimalists. Frankly I think both are right, entitled to how they want to approach their brand of racing, and we should all be respecful of how they view what they do. I have always tried to have cars painted in a contrasting color so that I can pick it out in a crowd as it goes through the bank on a King. That's just me.
Myself I have always viewed the painting of slot car bodies as an interesting adventure in the imaginations of the people who paint them and almost an art form in and of itself. Being painting and imagination challenged as I am that makes me not one of them. Whether it is detailed right down to the injector stacks or a retro look back at the famous "Sundance" body of Lee Gilbert in the '70's or a single color/numbers only unit that meets all the specs of the rules. There were some painters in the '70 (I think it was three guys using their initials) who went under the moniker of "JAP" who painted their bodies with cartoon characters usually Mickey Mouse were some of the coolest bodies on the track back in the day. At the end of the day they were admired for what they were. Imaginative.

I think Pablo has touched on an interesting point in this string in a half joking way for a "concours for chassis". Maybe we ought to think of giving an award at these big races for the most innovative chassis design or execution of chassis fabrication. Isn't that what we are all looking for when we look at the post race photos of the chassis...the next new thing and something we all admire and agree on?

[NJ Racer]

In the 60's my childhood impression of my red Gar Vic Firebird, orange Classis Manta Ray, yellow Classic Viper and translucent orange Cox La Cucaracha provided me with the basis of my color choices to paint with today Of course I still use highly flamable and toxic Tamiya and Pactra spray today in racing red, orange, light blue and yellow (no pink for me) which I find best for locking in on my car on a fast Gerding King. On November 9, 1965 as a very young aspiring slot car racer and body painter, I was very carefully painting a Pactra BRM by brush out of a bottle of Testor Racing Green when all of a sudden the lamp on my small maple wood student desk intended for homework began to dim and flicker while I struggled to paint , then the lights went out. It was the "Great Northteast Blackout of 1965". Needless to say painting thereafter by candlelight, rather some birthday cake candles did not cut it. That BRM and was wasted the next morning along with all my good intentions of turning out a detailed realistic 1964 BRM with decals for numbers. That event was a traumatic experience at a young age that made me say *** it no more detailing for me. I never got my homework done either but school was closed the day after the blackout.

So over the SANO III weekend I ran a Noose painted F1 Cooper, a rattle can painted Chevron by me in solid sky blue, another F1 Cooper painted by a well known Brazilian that Mike S. chided me for entering it in concours and also caught bad vibes from Noose at tech, and finally a Ferrari painted by Noose. I still had loads of fun, possesed the spirit whatever that definition is, and did my best to qualify and move up to the main. I also ingested way too much food over the weekend and drinking was kept to a minimum after hours.

I admire, seriously envy and appreciate the contribution of those that can paint so well, however the SANO, R4 and Checkpoint are much more than that. Having Noose as a friend and sidekick, as well as admiring the contribution and efforts of other painters fills the painting void for me

[tonyp]

I love the chassis concours idea. It should be given to whomever the panel decides has the coolest chassis, not necessarly the best looking one...

[Ron Hershman]

Noose,

In your opinion is painting a driver/interior all black and then putting a red dot on top of the helmet to meet the two color requirement fulfill the intent of the spirit of retro?

So your saying a real full sized driver couldn't be wearing a black driving suit, black helmet, black gloves? Top that with black seat belts and a all black interior that real cars have and do run.

I stole the idea from Warmack anyways.

It doesn't matter.... I have those real nice Devil Driver interiors now anyways.

[tonyp]

"Please allow me to introduce myself
Im a man of wealth and taste
Ive been around for a long, long year
Stole many a mans soul and faith
And I was round when jesus christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But whats puzzling you
Is the nature of my game"

[NJ Racer]

Well Ron this racer in black has just a few additional attributes

[Tex]

I griped Ron out last year but have since softened my stance on the subject. Face it.... there are those that will put more detail into a car and those that it just doesn't matter that much to. No amount of chiding is going to goad anyone into doing more than what they want to do. Continuing to ride someone about something you don't like about them will likely just make them all the more determined to keep on with their normal routine. Be glad there are those that show up with cool lookin' cars. Be glad, also, that people like Ron show up to race. Making a car look "better than average" DOES take time. Considering the number of races that Ron and Rande participate in puts their prep time at a premium. Because they choose to concentrate more on winning than looking good IS NOT A FAULT.... it's their prerogative, their choice. People are just different from each other; accept it and move on. Enjoy the things of value they DO bring to the table instead of sniping at them for the things they don't.

Of course, the above doesn't apply to perfect people. They rock!

[billibob]

The driver (in the car) is a piece of crap.

People who didn't race slot cars in it's hayday (the 60's) for the most part don't get it. If you had to describe slot racing back then in one word the word would have to be "Romantic". A lot of us were young kids and teenagers with vivid imaginations of racing in a Grand Prix or Le Mans race when we grew up. The movie's Gran Prix with James Gardner and Le Mans with Steve McQueen came out. The cars were beautiful and you wanted your slot car to look as good. That's the spirit of Retro that some don't get, it's not just the camaraderie.

That's right, Pappy! Some of these young "hotdogs" just don't get it. Ron Hershman may well be the best driver of slot car's that I, personally, have ever witnessed. However, he may also be the worst business man that I have known. Fast Ones success or failure is totally dependent on their being able to SELL the products that they produce. Is it in his business interest to totally dominate the so-called "Big Races"? Everyone knows that he has access to hundreds of Puppy Dog armatures, and can choose only those arms that meet his particular specs. The same is true of magnets,etc. Only Fast Ones and Proformance can work on these motors, therefore leaving all the other racers subject to "luck of the draw".

Outasight, aka Fast Ones, is the main supplier of bodies for the IRRA, and it seems to me that it is in their best interest to develop interest by racers in "modeling" bodies by all racers, whether they compete at the highest level or not. I thought that the purpose of Retro Racing was to promote slot car racing, not slot car WINNING. We need a FIELD of racers to make a race, therefore we need the losers as much as we need the winners. Since the chance of winning a race that Ron enters is slim, there are those of us that get enjoyment out of painting and making our toy car's look like real racecars.
I have bought and painted over 30 Outasight bodies in the last couple of years, it certainly would have been cheaper to throw some white paint on them and a couple of numbers, but I would have had no pride in them. Noose once told me that a slotcar doesnt' have to be ugly to go fast.

I am sure that if Ron ran all Noose painted bodies, he would still dominate the classes that he runs. But, he certainly would look better doing it.

[Ralph Thorne]

I thought that the purpose of Retro Racing was to promote slot car racing, not slot car WINNING.

Well since you don't understand the concept of a R A C E then get your buddies together and go rent some track time somewhere. There you can have all of the fun,spirit, and pretty bodies your hearts desire.

[One_Track_Mind]

HEY! Billibob Get's it!

The words of wisdom from one of our oldest slot racers, even surpassing PDL!

[Ralph Thorne]

I guess we should should just rename our hobby from slot car racing to slot car running to make everyone happy.

[Ron Hershman]

I guess we should should just rename our hobby from slot car racing to slot car running to make everyone happy.

Throw out the lap counters or don't turn them on.

Then no ones feeling will get hurt any longer.

The pussification will continue in America.

[Pappy]

It takes a whole 10 minutes to make a driver look presentable.

Ron,

I've come to accept the fact that your cars and or drivers are going to look like crap. But please do me one favor and don't say you "get it" anymore. Because you don't get it, you never have gotten it and you never will get it.

Ralph,

You are way to young to understand what we are talking about when it comes to the spirit of Retro. In the 60's you didn't like slot racing, you didn't love slot racing, you were "in love" with slot racing because it was scale racing at it's finest.

[Ron Hershman]

Well Ron this racer in black has just a few additional attributes

LOL I was thinking more along these lines......... just add the black gloves and black helmet...... viola.......

[tonyp]

I am staying out of this one. LOL....

[Ralph Thorne]

LOL I was thinking more along these lines......... just add the black gloves and black helmet...... viola.......

LOL. That's actually what my G-Force suit looks like, with black Simpson gloves and shoes.

Pappy don't hate cause I wasn't born then.

[Ron Hershman]

It takes a whole 10 minutes to make a driver look presentable.

Ron,

I've come to accept the fact that your cars and or drivers are going to look like crap. But please do me one favor and don't say you "get it" anymore. Because you don't get it, you never have gotten it and you never will get it.

Maybe they look like crap to you Butch and some other.... but there are others that think they look fine as they are. They meet the rules. Everytime one of my paint jobs have come into question, I stepped up and met the rules as to how they are to be painted. They had clear sides..... now they don't... they didn't have detailed interiors...now they do....... what else did I forget?

I do get it....... if one wants to take it to the extreme of how they painted their bodies in the 60's...that's their option.... not a requirement.

If I want to..... I can sit down an paint a body as nice as anyone else. I choose not to.

My option PERIOD!!!!

[tonyp]

There have always been 1 color bodies and highly detailed bodies... Its slot racing. I don't think Ron's bodies should be an issue. They are legal. I think people feel since he is a body maker he should have a super sdetailed body like Noose runs. If a geek had the same body no one would say anything....

I would love to see all the cars painted like Noose's but it will never happen. As long as the paint job is neet and meets the rules I can live with it. It is not that big a deal.

[Pappy]

I do get it.......

There you go again.

[Ron Hershman]

That's right, Pappy! Some of these young "hotdogs" just don't get it. Ron Hershman may well be the best driver of slot car's that I, personally, have ever witnessed. However, he may also be the worst business man that I have known. Fast Ones success or failure is totally dependent on their being able to SELL the products that they produce. Is it in his business interest to totally dominate the so-called "Big Races"? Everyone knows that he has access to hundreds of Puppy Dog armatures, and can choose only those arms that meet his particular specs. The same is true of magnets,etc. Only Fast Ones and Proformance can work on these motors, therefore leaving all the other racers subject to "luck of the draw".

Outasight, aka Fast Ones, is the main supplier of bodies for the IRRA, and it seems to me that it is in their best interest to develop interest by racers in "modeling" bodies by all racers, whether they compete at the highest level or not. I thought that the purpose of Retro Racing was to promote slot car racing, not slot car WINNING. We need a FIELD of racers to make a race, therefore we need the losers as much as we need the winners. Since the chance of winning a race that Ron enters is slim, there are those of us that get enjoyment out of painting and making our toy car's look like real racecars.
I have bought and painted over 30 Outasight bodies in the last couple of years, it certainly would have been cheaper to throw some white paint on them and a couple of numbers, but I would have had no pride in them. Noose once told me that a slotcar doesnt' have to be ugly to go fast.

I am sure that if Ron ran all Noose painted bodies, he would still dominate the classes that he runs. But, he certainly would look better doing it.

It is not my interests to dominate the big races. I race for fun...win or lose. I come to the races prepared, do my best at driving and see where the lap totals fall at the end of the day.

The only thing Fast Ones does anymore is refurb motors and balance arms.... we don't offer a product line by our choice.

As for going through 100's of arms.... whatever. I only have 22 motors for myself and my new Team mate Howie. Howie is now racing for me and Rande. Have you seen anywhere where I sell Puppy Dog arms or motors? Nope..... so why would I spend thousands of dollars to go through arms to just throw them away.

To me the best part of the motor deal is when guys like Ken Swanson has me rebuild his motors and then he smokes my arse in the race with his motor that I rebuilt. I guess if I were going through 100's of arms....... that wouldn't happen would it?

Just another typical deal... Ron wins...... pick on his paint jobs.....claim he picks through motors, etc etc. It's quite funny.

AS for the bodies.......... racers run our bodies or others based on what works best for them.... if I didn't offer the right bodies.... then no one would buy them.

I do appreciate the efforts of racers who use and paint OUTISIGHT bodies beautiful.

And a slot car doesn't have to be pretty to go fast either.

[NJ Racer]

Well for those that Like the color pink. It is authentic and way full of spirit I might add

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We all have our own unique personality, character and style and they need to be respected....... period

[Noose]

That's it. I'm showing up at the next race with an ugly body.