187 replies to this topic

[MrWeiler]

Hi Rick:

I've managed 4 different raceways and had a lot of experience with newbies and rental cars, here's what I think.

Of the current crop of flexi type RTRs, JK 7 RTR will take a newbie wall blast much better than the newer JK versions or the Parma 1. I love the way the Parma 1 handles, particularly if the body has some downforce, however IMHO the flexi 1 bends too easy to be a good loaner/newbie car. I haven't raced the latest version of the Parma Flexi chassis so I have no opinion on them.

The old Champion Astro flexi chassis was a very strong chassis and would also make for great loaner cars with1/8 rear axle and 48p gears and .015 thick bodies..but you would have to find them and build them.

If I was gonna BUILD the newbie cars I think I'd go with a 4 or 4.5 FCR and switch out the 16d motor for a minibrute. The FCR chassis is strong and easy to drive but even the stock Deathstar is a bit too fast for a beginner to drive without testing the track walls unless you dial back the track voltage.

If you want 1/32 scale, the Womps and Legend Thumpers are great fun but unless you lower the voltage or switch to about a 20-25k plastic car motor or the new JK 25k FK type you will spend a lot of time unbending womp chassis and replacing womp gears. The Champion Thumper type chassis that comes on the Legend cars will survive crashes better with less damage than the Parma Womp Chassis in brass or steel. Back when Mike Gagin had his 1/32 home track (after he sold his hillclimb) this setup is what he went with and he was happy with them. The Womp & Thumper will also handle better with the lighter FK type motors.

IMHO The 4.5 FCR cars are your best choice If they will fit your track because they are easy to drive, more bend resistant and easy to fix and keep running. Get those, have your supplier pull out the 16Ds, install mini brutes or early Falcon motors and you won't have to do anything except oil, treat the tires, lube the gears and tape the inside of the bodies to reduce the crash damage. Get Parma prepainted NASCAR bodies that match the lane colors and the newbies can just move from lame to lane and drive all the cars...IROC style.

Don't like whisperjets at all. YUCK, ICK, GAG, HURL! ...they don't even drive like slotcars...

[Pappy]

Dennis is right about the controllers. You might as well spend the money up front than keep replacing resistors.

 

For cars I used Champion Turbo Flex chassis with Parma Homeset Motors and Parma Rental Car bodies color coded to match lane colors. They are fast enough that you have to drive them but slow enough new people can handle them, haven't even cracked a body yet. They are all within a few hundreds of a second per lap times. They are so much fun to race I have a guy who flies in in his helicopter just to race them.

 

Just about any sturdy flexi car chassis would work well. Parma Flexi 2, Champion Astro or one of the older JK chassis.

[Horsepower]

oh man thats going to be a awesome room for sure Rick!

 

Pablo, i havent seen Greg Gilbert in years. he worked at my local track and last i heard when he moved he had a track half way under a carport at an apartment or something

 

 

[Hworth08]

Half nice Flexi cars sell daily on ebay in the $10 to 20 range. New doughnuts and braid with a bit of frame bending often makes cars that will last many hours.

 

With your enjoyment of older cars, the $6 JK vintage bodies can provide cheap skins combined with vintage friendly very thick diaplanes. Wing cars blast the walls but their diaplanes are tough and Philippe posted not long ago instructions on their use.

 

25 bucks for a nice looking, long lived, and easy handling car.

[dc-65x]

Thanks for all the good info and ideas. I'm a ruminating on it now

[dc-65x]

Changing the subject from "loaner cars" for a moment...............

 

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Gary just zoomed me pictures of my new track taking shape

 

Bank, Dead Man, Finger, Kink, Lead On Repeat.........ZOOM!

[Pappy]

Looking good! 

[SlotStox#53]

Think WEEEEEEEE!! sums it up Rick!! That is looking sweet can just imagine your cars punching the bank

[Tim Neja]

SWEET!!! Like a mini-hillclimb!! Should be FUN!!

[dc-65x]

Mini-Hillclimb it is. I thought it would give me the most track for the space I have. I also want a track that is "fast". Growing up in Southern California, all of the commercial tracks I worked at and went to in the 60's were "fast" and that's what I hope this one is. At least as fast as it can be for its size.

 

Anywho, thanks for all the input on "loaner" cars and controllers. Lots of good ideas. My power supply is variable so I can dial down the voltage to match the dirver's skill level...or lack thereof . I should probably do that when I'm driving   I'm lazy and seem to have even less time for slot projects since I retired???? So I went with 4 turn key cars and controllers from Mike Swiss....thanks Mike! There may be "better" choices and I'm sure there are "worse" choices but the deal is done and this is it:

 

The Koford M558-3 controller:

 

 

 

The cars are in 4 different zoomy flamed out color schemes that I hope my neighbors will find as cool as their golf carts

 

 

JK RTR's with a Cheetah 7 chassis and a Falcon 4 motor........whatever that is, I'm a vintage guy .Anyway, they all ready to go so I don't have to mess with them....I'm just so busy since I retired . I'll have to keep the voltage cranked down enough so I'm not spending too much time straightening bent chassis.

 

Now all this is moot as there might not be anyone who even cares. But if someone does I can introduce them to slot cars in a fairly proper manner me thinks.

 

[SlotStox#53]

Nice Rick! Don't worry I think the less time once you retire is quite a common thing, had family friends in the UK that rush around more after retiring!!

Save a lane for me , may just have to go on a road trip sometime

[Hworth08]

The Falcon 4 And Cheetah 7 were very popular in 2005. The 7 was the first frame that could out-qualify a Champion Turbo but they seldom could beat a Turbo being harder to drive.

[dc-65x]

More progress pictures from Gary Gerding.....OH BOY!

 

 

 

I asked him about the outside wall being white and the track underside and supports being painted. He replied:

 

"After finishing the first surface coat, I had some extra epoxy mixed up and decided
to use it as the "primer" coat for the sides.  I'll then put a coat of white oil based
enamel on the sides.  Painting the bottom and legs will be the last step before
loading the track into the cargo van."

 

OH BOY!

 

That cargo van is going to show up at my house on the 28th!

 

OH BOY!

 

 

 

I also asked him if the track surface would be a gloss finish. He replied:

 

"Yes, the track surface will be a gloss finish.  The first coat tends to soak in
and be flat, but the second coat will be glossy.  The sides will also be glossy
white and the bottom and legs will be flat grey."

 

OH BOY!

[Pablo]

That is going to be a fast track, I love it.

I told you that guy was the man for the job.

Greg Gilbert's Gerding went up so smooth it was amazing.

Everything fit, everything worked, first time.

The quality is world class.

[SlotStox#53]

Oh Boy is the word Rick! That is looking just the perfect surface to race on. As Pablo says it sure looks like it's going to be a Fast track

 

Not long to wait !   ENJOY!!

[Bill from NH]

The track looks great Rick! Will it have a variable voltage power supply for running various classes?

[Pablo]

Bill, see post # 72, the answer is yes.

[dc-65x]

OH BOY!

 

I can't stop saying that!

 

You betcha Bill. I've got a variable power supply.

[dc-65x]

The latest pictures from Gary Gerding. Hmmmmmmmmmmm shinny goodness!

 

 

White side walls to match the white workbenches and storage cabinets in my slot car room:

 

 

I have a feeling most of the straightaway out of the bank will be a braking zone for the dead man:

 

 

One week to go............

 

[Tex]

Looks great, Rick! I see a roadtrip in my future! LOL

[dc-65x]

I'm liking it to Tex. Wait until the underside of the track and track supports are all painted light grey. It will be like a fine piece of furniture

 

OH BOY!

[SlotStox#53]

Oh boy!! that's just looking awesome Rick.. 1 week till you can punch the bank

[Peter Horvath]

Just plain WOW.

[Dennis David]

Nice seeing your dreams realized

[dc-65x]

Thanks guys. I really miss Rodney, Eric and Eddie and my home raceway, Eddie's Slot Car World from my old home town in the big city. But I really like it here in a little rural town in beautiful south western Oregon. But there is no commercial raceway anywhere near me. Now I'll have a commercial quality track in my own home. It's small but it's a quality piece and when I'm testing a car on it, it's really being tested.

 

I can't wait to run the "6-wheeler"