28 replies to this topic

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

I was in gradeschool when I started. HOWEVER, I had better tools access than most. In the case of the tires, my dad was in the USAF. And an electronics geek(he built our first TV out of USAF electronics in 1951), and they were using silicone to "embed" electronics because of the problem of tubes pushing out of sockets. In the on base model airplane club, everyone was "borrowing" silicone rubber to cast their own tires for the aircraft.

It was no big leap, as I was flying model airplanes at the time, to cast my own. My first tires used the hard plastic "Merit" kit wheels and tires for the masters for the mold.

Fate

[Guy Spaulding]

I have a vague memory from the early '60s. The fastest racers took big model air plane tires and cut them down, exposing the open cell foam inside. Then mounted and balanced them. Then the silicone tires came along. Some looked like rolling bowling balls because of the mixed colors.

[Prof. Fate]

Hi

Those colorful tires were "Candies". One peculiarity is that they were mounted on Nylon rims. While they are very soft, I have sets that have endured for 40 years of use. The candies also came in dark grey and black, all my survivors are llke that. I never bought the colorful ones.

Fate

[Ramcatlarry]

I use Dave Brown Tires from model airplanes to make new foam tires to fit the antique dragster now - and Vecos in the old days as well.

Silicones seem to work best on any flat or satin (blackboard) painted finish track as opposed to the commercial foam tire which works better on the roller painted glossy enamel finish with the light spray glue. The homeset tracks use of flexible and hard plastic date to the first tracks - although the Scalex was glossy flexible originally. The old Monogram, Eldon, Strombecker, and Revell and modern Artin or Carrera are the only hard surfaces, but all work with the silicone tires.

Personaaly, if you want to change lanes, use an RC car on the track - the technology IS more managable. I would rather have the on-board batteries tell me it is time for a pit stop than some brainless computor.

Scenery is only a matter of practical application. Most commercial settings find it more distracting and requiring additional maintenance. Dust collectors need to be vacumed now and then. I race club and commercial. www.greatlakesscc.com Check out some of the tracks and terrain.