In the 'Home Improvement' episode "Much Ado About Nana" from Season 2, Tim puts a dustbuster motor in his slot car and it goes right through the glass door. This was Mark's Indy 500 theme birthday party.
Slot car scene from 'Home Improvement'
Started by
Cheater
, Aug 06 2019 12:44 PM
16 replies to this topic
#1
Cheater
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 12:44 PM
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Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
#2
wjtaylor
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 01:29 PM
Monty Ohren once told me he was involved with this project.
It was a very long time ago and unfortunately, I don't remember all the details
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Bill Taylor
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#3
Steve Deiters
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 02:04 PM
Looks like they are using Parma controllers...
#4
MSwiss
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 02:54 PM
Why not?
It was easily the most popular brand at the time.
No sarcasm intended, but did you think they were going to run the cars like my local track owner, Charlie. did in the '60s (to test a car), using his Zippo lighter across the white and black posts? LOL.
Monty frequently confirmed he was quite involved in that episode.
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Mike Swiss
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#5
Phil Hackett
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 03:30 PM
Monty had a "title" for doing the slot car maintenance on these video productions: slot car wrangler. Seriously.
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#6
Rotorranch
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Posted 06 August 2019 - 04:35 PM
I think I remember reading that he built the track. 
Rotor
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Jeff Chambers
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#7
Dave Crevie
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 08:36 AM
The Parma rheostat controller is the old Russkit, just updated and improved a bit. So it was a natural choice for the episode. I
don't buy that he could get a Dustbuster motor into a slot car. Besides, that motor is 110v., TV script writers have very vivid
imaginations.
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#8
MattD
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 08:45 AM
It's TV Dave, no relation to reality!
Matt Bishop
#9
MSwiss
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 08:47 AM
Dave,
You even entertained they actually might of did that?
It must have been your freshman year at York, when you were a 100% convinced there wasn't an Easter Bunny. LOL
By the way, aren't Dustbusters the things that you plug into a 12-volt outlet, in your car?
If I remember correctly, Monty said they did that scene by using a variable power supply, that he cranked up, (obviously off-camera), just like how I add a little drama to the last race, at birthday parties.
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#10
Dave Crevie
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 11:30 AM
That's why I said the script writers had a very vivid imagination. Never had a Dustbuster that plugs into a car
cigarette lighter. The one I had was cordless and had a charging station. So it could have been low voltage.
And I don't believe that TV sitcoms have any relation to reality. Sorry if I riled any of you Tim Allen fans.
#11
MSwiss
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 12:18 PM
The one I had was cordless and had a charging station. So it could have been low voltage.
And I don't believe that TV sitcoms have any relation to reality. Sorry if I riled any of you Tim Allen fans.
Could of been?
You sure it didn't have a 110V battery inside?
Hopefully, by Saturday, you will have forgotten this thread. 
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#12
MSwiss
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 12:26 PM
It's TV Dave, no relation to reality!
No, I'm pretty sure Home Improvement pre-dated Reality TV, as we know it these days.
Dave's post reminds of the Slotblogger, who a month, or so, back, was musing about the possibility of the Vintage Tech Hunters buying an in-the-box, Cox Chaparral at a flea market, and turning a profit, (I guess) to help defray the cost of the 9 person team that was traipsing around the country, filming them.
I'll have to go back and see who that was.LOL
Mike Swiss
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder
17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)
Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559
#13
Bill from NH
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 12:46 PM
'"Home Improvements" didn't always have a full box of crayons.
Bill Fernald
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I intend to live forever! So far, so good.
#14
Steve Deiters
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 12:49 PM
Mike Swiss, I was just commenting that they we were Parma controllers knowing full well the were quite ubiquitous then and now. Cool then and cool now.
#15
Dave Crevie
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 01:19 PM
Why should I forget it? Should I be banned from Chicagoland Raceway?
#16
MattD
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 04:04 PM
Getting close a ban, Dave!!! We knew what you meant!!
do you guys remember when they mashed the 55 Nomad on that program. Been a lot of years, but I think I remember replaying that over and over trying to see if it was a real car. I think it was real, maybe not the hot rod he actually had on the show, but a roller that was freshened up to look like his real Nomad.
You guys remember that?
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Matt Bishop
#17
MattD
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Posted 07 August 2019 - 05:27 PM
Matt Bishop
