I don't care for a lot of rules since the basis for Thingies in the past specified few rules. But, you can't put the genie back in the bottle... therefore; the rules for "The Balls-Out" Thingie Proxy are longer than originally wished for. But somebody has to put some reins on you creative guys with the crazy ideas. These rules are now set in stone and will not be changed unless I messed up somewhere.
I suggest to anyone wanting to enter this race, that you build a car NOW and get it tested out before it's mailed in. Any problems acquiring the appropriate vintage parts, post a message in this thread and someone can give you a hand.
Rules:
- Max chassis width 3.0" measured at rear axle. (Bodies can be up to 3.25" see body rule below)
- Must have four rolling wheels with no minimum tire diameter specified.
- Any axle diameter allowed, with 1/8" rear and 1/16" drop front axle ENCOURAGED!
- No floppy front wheel mounts!
- No part of the chassis may touch the track.
- Inline motor mounting only.
- Minimum .062" chassis clearance measured under the rear axle at start of race including gear.
- Floppy drop arm or Iso or parameter frame with fixed tongue are all allowed.
- Either floppy pan movement or plumber pan movement are allowed but not both.
- No angled hinged pans.
- No shaker or centerline hinge pans.
- No loose pin tubes.
- No parts or bits or technology manufactured after December 31, 1970, allowed. Only exceptions being consumables such as pick-up braids, motor brushes, and tire rubber, which mean: vintage wheels only. (If you need help finding wheels, ask someone.)
- Any motor manufactured prior to December 31, 1970, allowed. The Mura C-can (two-hole) motor was available then, but was devoid of buss bars. So... If your "Green Can" motor is a later version (rear axle cut-out can allowed) then cut the buss bars off to create tabs please! (No Champion C-can motors allowed since those were not available until '72.)
- Any motor modifications allowed as long as they are technologically provable to have been used prior to December 31, 1970.
- Ceramic one-piece magnets ONLY! No neo, rare earth, or segmented magnets allowed.
- Bodies: Repop "Choti" negative lift bodies are encouraged and required to be competitive. However, a few body makers have requested the right to make their own. As long as the bodies are in the spirit of the era, they will be allowed to compete. Shinoda bodies are likewise allowed but will probably not be competitive, so you have been warned. Anything that even LOOKS like a modern wing car body or chassis will not be allowed. If you make your own body, you MUST give other racers the option to purchase one of your bodies for their own entry in order for it to be considered legal for this race. Unless you can make your own body, I suggest you simply use one of the repop aero Choti deep dish bodies by Electric Dreams or One27Ray. (While not all of O2R's bodies are a vintage 3.25" wide, they are still legal to use as long as the rear tire track remains a vintage 3.0" wide)
- One-piece body only, no added spoilers wings or air dams allowed.
- Keep it in the spirit of the era please or do not enter.
- $40 entry fee (updated Aug 12)
Cars should be post marked in the US no later than Monday September 24th to make it to Randy in time. (European times should be at least 7-10 days sooner) Address to be posted later.
All entries should be posted on the forum by September 10th to provide other entrants time to look them over.
Pictures should be that of:
1. Body on 3/4 view
2. Body on underneath shot of the frame
3. Body off upper 3/4 view or upper side view shot showing the chassis clearly
BY SEPTEMBER 10TH 2012!
This does not mean you can't continue to test and make minor changes such as adjusting weight and swapping tire rubber.
● Two races only to be held on two West Coast King tracks wnere the negative lift bodies were born. Proposed tracks will be Buena Park Raceway and Eddies Slot Car World
● Proposed/estimated entry fee to be $30 (Includes T-shirt and return postage.)
● Cars will not be serviced between races other than Zip-Grip.
● Time between races not expected to be more than 30 days or less than seven days.
● Cars will pass tech only once before the first race and then be checked for track clearance at the second race to ensure no part of the chassis touches. One set of tires should be able to run both races. No minimum clearance is required at the second track unless the chassis is threatening to touch.
● When a car breaks or stops during the race it is out of the challenge and is to be returned to the owner. So build them light and build them strong for the short duration of the two races.
● Highest number of cumulative laps from both races wins.
● Zip Grip will be the only thing to be applied to the tires prior to each race if needed.
● All entries must be posted in this thread with three pictures showing the chassis top and bottom and one with body attached, be considered for this challenge.
● Concours award to be presented and voted upon by members of Slotblog.net.
● Each racer is allowed two challenges to anyone else's entry. Challenges are only made against parts or technology that extend beyond the set date. (Example being a car that is posted with obvious Eurosport chassis design features.) Be prepared to have to prove your challenges or defend "innovations" in your own entry. Another racer can confirm a challenge without losing one of their challenges.
● If no valid challenges are waged, a car is then considered entered in the proxy. The Race director (me) has the right to accept or reject any entry I feel it does not comply with or is in the spirit of the rules. Likewise I can accept or reject any challenge if I feel it does not comply with the rules. (See the Benevolent Dictator Rule)
● Personal opinions are not challenges. You have to put in an official challenge for it to be acted upon.
● Only those who intend to enter can approve or challenge an entry.
● We are on the honor system here somewhat, but... you guys are the biggest innovators in slot-dom that I have ever seen and someone had to come up with a system to keep you nut cases in-check. Therefore the entrants themselves now become the watchdogs.
Update: the minimum clearance under rear axle has been increased to .062 so true your wheels accordingly (06.06.12).
What we want to see is a simple single rail in-line design with or without a floppy tongue and/or floppy pans with a Choti body in the spirit of the era. Let's make this a "motor race"for a change! Keep it simple and build a hot motor that can run two races without letting out the smoke. Build a damn modern chassis, just because "that's what you know", and it will not be allowed in this vintage thingie proxy race! [/rantoff]
Acceptable Chassis examples:
I have not set a start date yet because the current Proxy is not ended. Hoping to have a new logo designed very soon and there will be T-shirts available for this race to both entrants and spectators. So do not wait, build a car and test, test, test!
There will be only two races in this series. However, we might be able to schedule later races if this catches on. However, this one is for only two races, BALLS-OUT, back to back with the winner receiving a custom-painted body and a special T-shirt with their name on it. Or something cool like that.
I think I have someone who will direct the Buena Park round but I need someone from the Vallejo area who is willing to be the race director for the Eddie's Slot World round. Volunteers?
If this works out well we could, after the cars have been serviced at home, plan a second round of two tracks in the East provided the tracks are still swoopy King tracks. Perhaps Chicagoland and Route 93?
The premise:
While popular opinion says that the end of the Thingie era was 1968, I do not believe that those who took part in the movement simply quit thinking about them and like all trends, there were most likely pockets of interest with builders still constructing and innovating just like today.
To this end I propose that you consider yourself standing in a slot shop in the spring of 1970 with a pocket full of paper route money while hanging on the bulletin board is a poster stating that there will be a thingie race scheduled for the coming summer and you have the time and skills to build the best and fastest thingie racer ever. You stroll over to the wall and gaze over the all the overstocked and on sale Choti "Negative Lift" bodies straight out of California. The display case is also full of Mura and Mabuchi rewound motors of all sizes and types. The Riggen, Twinn K, and Associated rubber tires are all fresh cut and ready for the track. You only need to pick what you want.
Of course you want the best guide available then so you start with that and pick up a couple Jet Flags to break the ice. Before you know it the clerk is ringing up the total. You pay for your purchases and he bags up the treasures. As you peddle your Stingray home the mind races with giddy excitement over the various super-lightweight chassis designs that are possible.
Build it light and keep it vintage!
Fire up those irons, guys!
