18 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

"Lost Coast Outpost" is the self-described "home page" for Humboldt County, CA, which is the county where the city of Ferndale is located.

This item, posted on March 1, is essentially a small photo essay, with just a smattering of text, but having an HO racing event receive exposure in any form of general media is unusual. It's nice that a link to the event's WEBSITE is included in one caption.

Nick Adams Takes Photos: ‘The Fray,’ Ferndale’s Slot Car Meet

 

 

 

Photos: Nick Adams

[Samiam]

ThunderJets... real HO Racing. Leave the magnets on the fridge.

[don.siegel]

Yes, but... with the way those cars are set up, they might as well use magnets! Fronts and rears sure are ugly. 

 

Never quite got the point of racing these all-out T-jets, since it seems to defeat their retro charm. Maybe if one of you guys has raced in the Fray you can explain... is this how they were raced at the time in some areas? 

 

I got about as far as AJ's silicones, and a little dewinding, but that's all... 

 

Don 

[Mark Johnson]

These are built to a precision standard that I can't afford.

[Dennis David]

Don,

 

You are right to question the event. I think you'll find that as you know more this is one of the seminal yearly events in the entire slot car world. In one word it's huge in HO.

[HarV Wallbanger III]

We have racers from SoCal there and yes, this IS a big event in T-Jet HO racing.

[Mbloes]

I especially enjoyed the comments section. I think about 4% of the comments related to HO racing.

[Matt Sheldon]

Like what you like and respect what you don't. I have always had an appreciation for the Fray style T-Jets even though I have never run or even owned one for that matter. Maybe it is the compulsive overspending that keeps trying to pull me in.

[Cheater]

Yes, the Fray is the top event in T-Jet racing.

 

I think I saw somewhere that 98 racers entered this year... that on a par with, and maybe exceeds, the biggest Retro races IIRC.

[Cheater]

Like what you like and respect what you don't.

That's one of the planks in Slotblog's platform, Matt. All forms and genres of slot car/model car racing are equally valued and respected at Slotblog, something that isn't always true on other slot forums.

[Dennis David]

Yep, it's all good. 

[don.siegel]

"Yes, but some types of slot racing are gooder than others."

 

George Orwell

[Cheater]

I kinda doubt Orwell said exactly that, Don. LOL!

[Dennis David]

Close but to be really accurate good old George actually said:

 

"All slot cars are equal, but some slot cars are more equal than others."

 

George Orwell

[Cheater]

I guess it really is true: History is made rewritten every day...

[Samiam]

Those cars are no different than what is done in Retro today. .790"s for rear tires, 3.250" track, .750" x .225" fronts and modern power. They are race cars after all.

Got to go with Dennis on this. "It IS all good."

[don.siegel]

Precisely, Sam - and that's why I prefer vintage over Retro (besides the fact that Retro doesn't exist in France...).
 
Maybe it's just a question of each person's personal experience, and what they identify with. I've done pretty much everything except wing racing and HO magnet racing, so have tried most of the categories, but found I liked the more scale-looking cars - although to me a scale-looking car would still be a pro car from about 1966, even though it's really semi-scale.
 
Seems somebody once said that what you experience at 14 years old is what sticks with you through life... well, those of us who don't evolve in any case!
 
On the HO cars, what are the T-Jet motor specs, and where does all the money come in? These are still standard T-jet chassis, right?
 
Don

[Cheater]

Not being a T-Jet racer, I'm going to suggest the money goes for armatures, magnets, and tires.

And I'm basing my shaky opinion on what I see the companies in Slotblog's HO LINKS section offering...

[Hworth08]

The Fray type cars are probably the most tuned cars in slot racing. I started with the T-Jets when I rediscovered slots in 2000.

If the rules are the same the arms are stock with a 16 ohm limit. Stock magnets. Modifying the high friction gear train is limited.

Wheels, tires, and bodies are custom made but no more expensive than 1/24 scale cars.

The key is finding just the right arm, magnets, and frame that work best together. The dedicated racers go through maybe a 100 combinations to find the best. Not expensive as the arms are only a couple dollars each as are the magnets and a frame not much more. It's the combination that matters. Even a pile of junk parts from eBay might have a winning set-up. Just takes a world of time and testing to find the best combinations.

It would take several pages to cover each aspect of a Fray winner but be assured the T-Jet racers can hold their own with any class of slots, they just prefer the little boys. They are a barrel of fun!