9 replies to this topic

[Markomatic]

I have been playing with a new used Difalco controller and really like how you can plug in resistor networks to change the characteristics for different cars and tracks. With the controller I got the usual 148 ohm plus a 113 ohm and a 78 ohm. All linear. I got a custom kit and made up a 7x3.9 ohm, 7x3.0 ohm and 15 2.2 ohm for a total of 81.3.

 

We run a run what ya brung with the only restriction being a Hawk cobalt motor on a Hasse king. I had been running the 78 ohm but find the new custom really helps in the gutters with the sensitivity turned up maybe to 5 or so.

[Ramcatlarry]

It is curious how the different networks react with different car/track combinations.  I stick with linear for a consistent across the wiper feel - no surprises.   The FK neos on a King and C can 12s on flat tracks both like sub-100 ohm networks.  I set the knob for full ohm for the gutters and about half for the center lanes.

[Zippity]

I went down as low as 43.5 ohm but no matter what I did, I could never achieve the "feel" that I wanted.

 

I ended up selling my high end controller/choke to another local racer

[Markomatic]

I just started up racing again after a 25+ year hiatus. I raced a lot multiple times a week and most weekends back in the wing car and copious amounts of glue which was a whole different animal from wings and spray glue I race on now. Before it was mostly a timing thing with the controller being 1 ohm so more like an on off switch. Having more control helps now but it is hard to get rid of the glue muscle memory from days past. I did race the first month with my old external resistor controller and did ok but I needed more finesse. 

[Samiam]

Mark;

 

Welcome back to slots after your long sit out. Things have changed a bit for sure. But the slot remains the same.

 

And welcome to Slotblog. Your one stop shop for everything slot.

[Markomatic]

Back in the day I raced mostly in NJ, PA and OH and up and down the east coast. used to run the old Keystone USRA series and one series that Andy Wasserman ran which I forget the name of. Ran weekly races at Zepplin, Allentown, Easton Rockaway and any other track that had races. Lots of time and money spent but learned a lot which still pertains today. Now I race at Paul Pfeiffer's Alpha raceway but he is a part time track only open in Tuesday nights for racing. The only testing and practice I get is prior to the race so I build a bunch of cars with different tweaks and see what works. But I find that doing the basics and paying attention to the details still brings rewards.

[Ramcatlarry]

In Madison now(!)...so is Howie.  He comes to Chicago to race (two stores), and Milwaukee is even closer as well.  Minnisota has a track open again I hear.  Lots of places to race in a three hour drive.

[Markomatic]

There is the rub. 3 hour drive. When I moved to the midwest and was in the twin cities I ran a bit at the track in St. Paul. At the time they had an Englemann (which they still have) and the old king that was at Wasserman's place in the Bronx. I recognized it right away with it's hump going into the dead man. Swiss's place is maybe 2 hours without traffic. Lucky Bob is only an hour so there are places.

 

I haven't seen Howie here. I remember meeting him back in 66 or 67 at I track I raced at in NJ. I was just a kid like 6th or 7th grade. The summer of 67 saw many of the track go bye bye.

[MSwiss]

I won about $1,600 in 2 races on that King.

I thought it was fine. Lol

Did they ever get that track running in St.Paul?

When I being it up to visiting racers from that area, they act like I'm speaking Martian.

[Markomatic]

I never said it was bad just unique enough to recognize it right away. I won a few races on it as well although not the money paying kind. The place in St. Paul no longer has the king. They still have the Englemann, an oval and a drag strip. I haven't been there since maybe 1998 when they had the king up and running. I have not heard where it went.