299 replies to this topic

[spudboy]

Thank you, Peter.

[Dominator]

I took a few laps on the King and it is very fast! If I have time this week I will try to get over there again and take some laps with some Retros!

[MantaRay]

The pics are appreciated... looks terrific.

[Mike Patterson]

How about some info on the Car Model Engleman? I don't remember that at all.

[Lenjet]

Mike,

See attached ads on the Car Model Engleman.

Only five or so produced.

Brad Bowman is making the track surface in six lanes.

[Larry Labounty]

Rich, Peter,

Thanks for the pictures. Looks great and it's not even done!!!

Looking forward to getting up there.

Larry

[Joe Mig]

Wow!

[Alchemist]

Like Joe said: "Wow-wow-wow"!!!

Ernie

[spudboy]

I was at the raceway last night. Here is the latest.

I ran laps on the King with a Retro Can-Am but we just wiped it down and it was slippery as can be. At 14v the Falcon 7s we race on the Figure 8 (11v) won't last long! This track seems all set as the timing and control from the counter was operational.

The Figure 8 was unavailable while Richard worked on the electronics.

Another HO track arrived from NY/NJ so one track is currently operational. One is being debugged (Scorpion - getting attention last night) and one is awaiting a new track surface (Englemen). Last night they had a demo race of sorts with "901" cars on the new track. I'm sure Stez can fill us in.

Richard has a lot to do yet but he hopes to be able to sell track time soon. Racing? Soon after that.

[Dominator]

I was able to run some cars on the King tonight. I tried some a Retro F1 with a Falcon 7 geared 8/27 that ran in the low 4.5s. Can-Am with a TSR geared 9/27 ran 4.4. Also tried a Deathstar for giggles in a Turboflex geared 9/28 with aluminum pans and a Parma COT body that ran 4.8.

Although my times were a little off compared to Retro East™ on a King I will safely say that Retro on the King will be very fast. If I had a Puppy Dog and some harder tires I think 4.1s will be coming very soon.

I ran purple and white. The only corner I actually had to brake for was the first finger. Everything else was just a short-quick blip. The only car I wasn't able to run wide open with was a hardbody FCR with a '69 Camaro and a 16D geared 7/28; it did hold the bank nicely though!

[spudboy]

An excerpt of an email from Richard Payne, Prop. Modelville Hobby -

We seem to be there. We can make the King and the Figure 8 work. We need to finish hooking up the computer to the Figure 8 but that should not be a problem. We spend Sunday putting up flags and blimbs. It is starting to look like a slot car raceway.

We are going to be open this weekend (10/30 & 10/31/2010 - ed.) and stay that way for an other 20 plus years. We will not be pretty but we will be open.

Right now we are looking at a grand opening weekend of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving. That Saturday will not be a race day as I know SCE (Slot Car Emporium - ed.) has a race scheduled for that day. We will be working out the details and what kind of things we will be doing for the Grand Opening.

Thank you for waiting for us and we hope to see you real soon.

The HO tracks are being sorted out and will come online ASAP. Stez can update the status of the HO tracks for sure.

[Cheater]

Been busying marrying the younger son off, so I am playing catch-up in this topic.

Ben, the finger banks are pretty much as I remember them, as Tim has confirmed.

I will indeed move this thread to history at some point, but for now it'll be left where it is.

I'm beginning to feel like a lucky guy, as I actually raced extensively on two different AMR Sovereigns. The first one was at Harding Mall Grand Prix in Nashville, TN, in roughly 1966-68, and then at Georgia Hobby Center's Sovereign in Fayetteville, GA, from 1988-1994.

Anybody else have the pleasure of racing on two Purple Miles?

There is almost certainly a road trip to MVH in the future, so maybe I'll get to three Purples before too long.

BTW, anytime anyone is having image opening problems, just email them to me at greg@slotblog.net and I'll see what I can do.

[Victor Poulin]

Greg,

Any idea when you plan to come up and check it out? The reason I ask is, we are also planing a road trip at some point with me, Joe, Jennie, and Bill Fernald.

It would be great to hook up with you and a few of the guys from the blog.

Vic

[Cheater]

Vic,

Nothing scheduled yet, but Jay Guard and I have both discussed coming up there sooner or later once the track is set up.

I agree, it is always good to put faces on the names. For me, that's been a large part of the fun of the Sano and R4 events.

[John Streisguth]

I remember that Engleman HO track when I visited Modeleville back in the '90s. The "rails" were actually square copper laid down into routed slots. I am very happy to see this one is still around and being modernized; gives me two reasons to make a trip up there once it's done (the Sovereign is the other).

I never knew that only a handful were ever made. It doesn't seem any others are still in existence, so there will be two "rare birds" in one store.

[Victor Poulin]

John,

That's the main reason I have to get down there to check it out. Even though I never had the chance to race on these tracks, they are such a major part of slot car history, that I just have to go and see for myself. Just to be able to say yes, I saw slot car history firsthand LOL.

We are witnessing something really special taking place here. These are tracks I only saw in mags, and always dreamed of seeing. I, for one, am very excited about this, as I know many of you are as well. I can't wait to check it out!!!

Vic

[Dominator]

Vic,

Come down Tuesday night. When I stopped in on Saturday night Rich said there is the possibility of a Retro race (probably Can-Am) though I would assume on the figure 8... I'm not positive. Depending on work I'm going to try to make it there Tuesday.

[Victor Poulin]

Dom,

It's really tough for me to get out on a weeknight. However, we are working on planning a trip with Joe some Saturday. Not sure just when yet, but I'll let you know for sure.

I've been trying to hook up with you for quite a while now, but something always comes up to screw up our plans LOL. We'll definitely get together here at some point. As soon as we figure out a day, I'll PM you and let you know. I'll make sure you have plenty of advance notice LOL.

Vic

[John Stezelecki]

Victor,

What's really cool is that the most advertised track in most slot car magazines was the American Sovereign at Playland in SF. Most of the advertising photos were sky shots of the track. Modelville now owns the very same Sovereign that was in all those magazines you looked at as a kid.

I can't wait for Gerding and Silky to start and complete the track.

[John Stezelecki]

Hey Guys,

John Reimels may not be at the Tuesday race because he's preparing for the LeMans HO 24 hour enduro in Derby, England. I think he'll be gone for as much as a month. The time should include his time away for work.

[Bill from NH]

John/Peter,

How is that "most advertised track" going to be powered? What voltage are you trying to achieve? I recall Dick's powering on the Framingham Sovereign.

[John Stezelecki]

Bill,

I'm not sure how Peter plans on powering the Purple. Batteries? Powerful power supplies? I'm thinking that Peter will concentrate more on the power supplies once Gerding comes back to Ashland in late November to start the rebuilding of the Sovereign.

Whatever he decides on I'm sure it will be very good. There is no skimping when it comes to track.

[CDavis7]

With these great tracks of historic, dare I say "Biblical" preportions... Me thinks the 2012 USRA Scale and Wing Nats should both happen at Modelville! All in favor???

[Gil Aubin]

Might even be able to lure an "historic" (PC for old and decrepit) race director out of retirement for that.

[John Stezelecki]

Gerding and Silky are due back in Ashland in about a week. Can't wait to see them start working on the Purple.